Shaniqua Jones-Williams initially founded SendBack as a consumer-facing platform to coordinate returns, inspired by her own “mountain” of unwanted items, but soon realized that the problem began with the “inefficiencies of the supply chain,” she told The Hustle.
Even if customers had a platform to coordinate returns, retailers would still sometimes just tell them to keep items, which doesn’t solve clutter issues. Products would still end up unnecessarily in landfills, with return costs passed to consumers via restocking fees or higher prices.
“If we work directly with the retailers and logistics partners to streamline the reverse logistics and returns, we actually create greater impact,” she said.
How it works
SendBack integrates into retailers’ order, return, and management systems to monitor item-level data in real time.
- When a customer initiates a return, SendBack’s AI system determines the most efficient routing option — e.g., the warehouse, a liquidator, a resale channel, or, because SendBack knows the makeup of garments and other items, a recycling partner.
- SendBack’s fraud detection partner can flag suspicious returns for retailers to review.
- SendBack can also see if stock is low or if an item is frequently returned, helping retailers make smarter inventory choices.
SendBack doesn’t physically move goods yet, but Jones-Williams envisions a future in which it offers end-to-end solutions for retailers and customers. For now, shoppers can use SendBack’s app to keep track of their own returns.
Rethinking returns
Jones-Williams met a woman who ordered a $3k wardrobe that the retailer’s movers dinged when setting it up. The retailer responded by sending an entirely new wardrobe. This time, the movers damaged the woman’s floor.
For Jones-Williams, this highlights another issue: the assumption that a return is the only solution.
“Imagine if they gave you a repair plus a discount or a gift card? These are completely acceptable options — and they’re cheaper,” she said.
And now… a little history
Jones-Williams references the “Black logistics pioneers” who built the industry before her, celebrating “the incredible experience of standing in the middle” — looking back on everything they’ve done and her ability to open doors for future generations.
She specifically mentioned Mary Fields, AKA Stagecoach Mary, the first Black woman to hold a US Post Office star route contract. Fields delivered mail by stagecoach in Montana, carrying two guns to fend off thieves and wolves. That’s your badass fact of the day.
