The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review

The uncontrolled rise of returns in e-commerce has become a challenge for supply chains and key stakeholders (e-retailers, customers, transport companies and institutions). Literature, however, has not yet offered a systematic understanding of this subject. In this context, this article aims to bett...

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Main Authors: Iria González Romero, Ángel Ortiz Bas, J. Carlos Prado Prado
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politècnica de València 2025-01-01
Series:International Journal of Production Management and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/22508
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author Iria González Romero
Ángel Ortiz Bas
J. Carlos Prado Prado
author_facet Iria González Romero
Ángel Ortiz Bas
J. Carlos Prado Prado
author_sort Iria González Romero
collection DOAJ
description The uncontrolled rise of returns in e-commerce has become a challenge for supply chains and key stakeholders (e-retailers, customers, transport companies and institutions). Literature, however, has not yet offered a systematic understanding of this subject. In this context, this article aims to better comprehend sustainable reverse logistics by defining the elements involved and the stakeholders' perspective. To do so, a systematic literature review is carried out through a sensemaking interpretative review, defining seven elements of sustainable reverse logistics (return policy, return location, demand and return location density, validation point, return destination, transportation strategy and information management). Furthermore, the perspective of each stakeholder is presented. In this sense, e-retailers, as ultimate decision-makers, are involved in all seven elements. When this process is outsourced, transport companies also have an impact on all relevant elements. Customers have an impact on almost all elements, as they demand a high level of service. Institutions, as regulators seeking more sustainable cities, apply measures that influence almost all relevant elements. This analysis also highlights the importance of collaboration between stakeholders, as well as specific gaps in the literature. Finally, this research provides a suitable tool for managers to establish sustainable reverse logistics that meets the preferences of each stakeholder.
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spelling doaj-art-aee9751f6b9d4964a5f9406bafe96c3b2025-01-31T13:48:47ZengUniversitat Politècnica de ValènciaInternational Journal of Production Management and Engineering2340-48762025-01-0113112213610.4995/ijpme.2025.2250821698The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking reviewIria González Romero0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0225-363XÁngel Ortiz Bas1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5690-0807J. Carlos Prado Prado2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-2100Universidade de Vigo Universitat Politècnica de València Universidade de Vigo The uncontrolled rise of returns in e-commerce has become a challenge for supply chains and key stakeholders (e-retailers, customers, transport companies and institutions). Literature, however, has not yet offered a systematic understanding of this subject. In this context, this article aims to better comprehend sustainable reverse logistics by defining the elements involved and the stakeholders' perspective. To do so, a systematic literature review is carried out through a sensemaking interpretative review, defining seven elements of sustainable reverse logistics (return policy, return location, demand and return location density, validation point, return destination, transportation strategy and information management). Furthermore, the perspective of each stakeholder is presented. In this sense, e-retailers, as ultimate decision-makers, are involved in all seven elements. When this process is outsourced, transport companies also have an impact on all relevant elements. Customers have an impact on almost all elements, as they demand a high level of service. Institutions, as regulators seeking more sustainable cities, apply measures that influence almost all relevant elements. This analysis also highlights the importance of collaboration between stakeholders, as well as specific gaps in the literature. Finally, this research provides a suitable tool for managers to establish sustainable reverse logistics that meets the preferences of each stakeholder.https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/22508reverse logisticssustainabilitye-commercestakeholderssystematic literature reviewinterpretive sensemaking review
spellingShingle Iria González Romero
Ángel Ortiz Bas
J. Carlos Prado Prado
The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
International Journal of Production Management and Engineering
reverse logistics
sustainability
e-commerce
stakeholders
systematic literature review
interpretive sensemaking review
title The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
title_full The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
title_fullStr The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
title_full_unstemmed The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
title_short The perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e-commerce: an interpretive sensemaking review
title_sort perspective of key stakeholders on the sustainable design of reverse logistics in e commerce an interpretive sensemaking review
topic reverse logistics
sustainability
e-commerce
stakeholders
systematic literature review
interpretive sensemaking review
url https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/22508
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