In this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Dennis Hoang, COO and Co-Founder of Patturn, delves into the innovative world of returns and re-commerce. Patturn is pioneering a shift in how companies manage this challenge, making the process simpler and more efficient. Dennis shares insights into Patturn’s origins, sparked by a personal connection to the challenges faced by small businesses and how these challenges inspired the creation of a comprehensive solution that is Patturn.
The Returns Dilemma: Consumer Ease vs. Supply Chain Efficiency
Hoang underscores the unique complexities within returns management, driven by its item-specific demands and the substantial variability in returned items. He reveals a critical market void for an all-encompassing solution that adeptly merges technological capabilities with the essential human elements of the returns process. Hoang notes, “On average, 30% of what people buy is being returned…but every retailer makes it easy because they want to keep their customers.” While beneficial for customer retention, this consumer-friendly policy introduces significant operational challenges for retailers. Identifying the need for a solution and an aim to simplify and streamline returns led to the creation of Patturn.
The Patturn Return Process
Dennis Hoang details Patturn’s comprehensive approach to managing retail returns, emphasizing efficiency and resale optimization. Here’s how Patturn transforms the process:
- Bulk Inventory Management: Retailers send returns inventory to Patturn by pallet or truckload.
- Inspection and Tracking: Items go through inspection and receive a unique license plate for tracking purposes.
- Resale Across Marketplaces: Patturn handles the resale of items across various marketplaces and channels, including their own platforms.
- Storage and Forward Logistics: Beyond processing and reselling, Patturn manages the storage and forward logistics, streamlining the journey.
Hoang highlights the “resale magic” that Patturn leverages, transforming returns into resalable inventory, aka “re-commerce,” thus recapturing value and minimizing waste.
Mastering Inventory Management
Hoang discusses the importance of aligning inventory with consumer demand, a seemingly straightforward strategy that necessitates a deep understanding of market trends, such as the seasonal popularity of certain products. This approach is fundamental to avoiding stockpiles of unsellable items and ensuring that inventory remains relevant and desirable to consumers.
Beyond mere alignment with seasonal trends, Hoang delves into the critical role of analytics and the liquidation of stagnant inventory. From Hoang’s perspective, he believes the rate of returns is likely to increase, even with potential deterrents like return fees.
Key Takeaways
- Patturn is filling a significant gap in the market with its end-to-end returns management solution.
- The complexity of returns management lies in the item-specific nature of the process, requiring both technological and manual oversight.
- 30% of products are returned and require effective re-commerce strategies to transform potential losses into opportunities.
