Reverse logistics covers everything after a buyer decides to send an item back: scheduling a reverse pickup, transit back to the warehouse, quality-checking the returned SKU, and then restocking, refunding, or dispatching a replacement. It is operationally harder than forward shipping because volumes are unpredictable and item condition varies.
Returns and RTO together form the reverse flow. Tight QC-on-receipt and same-day refund triggers protect both margin and buyer trust — slow refunds are a top reason shoppers do not reorder.