JD Sass is the Co-founder and CEO of Axiom Return Solutions, a reverse logistics company helping Amazon sellers and brands recover value from returns. He leads solutions for returns management, inventory inspection, reimbursement claims, product reintroduction, and resale, supported by Axiom’s custom returns software. With deep expertise in Amazon reverse logistics, JD helps brands reduce losses, uncover return trends, improve profitability, and make smarter post-purchase decisions across the supply chain.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [1:39] JD Sass’ background and the role Axiom Return Solutions plays in helping Amazon sellers manage returns
• [6:44] Why brands are paying closer attention to returns, profitability, and operational efficiency
• [11:58] How JD approaches building a more effective returns management process
• [16:45] The value of returns data for improving products, packaging, and the customer experience
• [18:42] What brands should consider when deciding how to handle returned and unsellable inventory
• [21:40] JD’s perspective on the challenges of managing returns in-house versus working with a specialized partner
• [26:49] How JD helps brands test Axiom’s returns solution and determine whether it’s the right fit

In this episode…

For Amazon sellers, returns can directly impact profitability, inventory recovery, and operational efficiency. They can also reveal useful insights about product quality, packaging, and listings. So how can brands build a smarter returns strategy that protects margin?

The opportunity starts with treating returns as a source of operational data rather than simply a cost center. JD Sass, an expert in Amazon reverse logistics and returns management, explains how brands can recover more value by inspecting returned inventory, identifying products that can be reintegrated, and analyzing return patterns to improve packaging and product listings. JD also highlights the costs and complexity of managing returns in-house, from staffing and warehouse space to tracking, grading, and reimbursement claims. A structured, data-driven approach can help sellers reduce waste, recover inventory, and make more informed profitability decisions.

In this episode of The Digital Deep Dive, Aaron Conant talks with JD Sass, Co-founder and CEO of Axiom Return Solutions, about improving Amazon returns management and reverse logistics. JD explores how brands can recover inventory, use returns data to improve operations, and determine when outsourcing makes sense. He also touches on profitability, product grading, reimbursement claims, and testing a returns solution.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Aaron Conant on LinkedIn   
• BWG Connect  
• JD Sass on LinkedIn 
• Axiom Return Solutions 
• Amazon: Accelerate | Seller Central | FBA | Resale

Quotable Moments:

• “There's not a lot of data being used to drive the decision-making process.”
• “Cut costs … and add profitability back to your business.”
• “We built our own software, so there's not like a third-party software you could go and get and use it for Amazon returns and removals.”
• “For large brands, they don't want their stuff to be resold by someone who maybe shouldn't be reselling it.”
• “I'll give you the data to file the claims yourself from the dashboard.”

Action Steps:

1. Use returns data to guide decisions: Tracking return reasons, product condition, and recovery outcomes helps brands identify patterns and make more informed operational choices.
2. Recover value before disposing of inventory: Inspecting and grading returned products can reveal items that can be resold or sent back into inventory instead of becoming a total loss.
3. Improve products and listings with return insights: Reviewing why products come back can uncover opportunities to strengthen packaging, correct listing details, and reduce future returns.
4. Calculate the true cost of handling returns internally: Accounting for labor, warehouse space, equipment, tracking, and management helps brands determine whether an in-house process is actually profitable.
5. Test a returns management solution before committing: Running a small pilot gives brands real data on recovery rates, costs, and operational impact before making a larger change.

About BWG Connect...

BWG Connect provides executive strategy and networking sessions that help brands from any industry with their overall business planning and execution. We network and knowledge share together to better understand and adapt to the newest trends, strategies, and pain points shaping growth in the digital space. BWG Connect, in conjunction with BWG Strategy, has built an exclusive network of 125,000+ senior professionals and hosts over 2,000 virtual and in-person networking events on an annual basis.

In addition, we have had 1x1 conversations with over 5,000 brands and have a real-time pulse on what digital strategies are successful and why. This in-depth knowledge allows our team to operate on the cutting-edge and provide our clients with best-in-class guidance on how to win in the digital world. We have provided free consultations and strategy sessions for companies of all sizes, from start-ups to Fortune-100, to enable growth, resolve issues and make curated service provider introductions that can impact your digital footprint.

We have held to the philosophy of providing high-level insights and actionable knowledge with no sales pitches in order to provide to our network the ability to listen, learn and act to improve themselves as well as their organizations. Our ultimate goal is to be the resource out there to help digital executives find the research they need to excel in the modern marketplace.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our current or past events, you can find them here. If you are looking for help & would like to set up some time to chat with our team, you can schedule a time or reach out directly to Aaron@bwgconnect.com or Tiffany@bwgconnect.com.

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