Why NRF Matters — and Why We Were There
This September, the retail world gathered in Paris for the inaugural NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Europe — a landmark event that brings together retailers, innovators, startups and technology providers to shape the future of commerce. NRF Big Show Europe+2Retail Technology Innovation Hub+2
For iF Returns, NRF Europe was not just another conference: it was a strategic moment to reaffirm our commitment to turning returns — traditionally a cost center — into a competitive advantage for retailers, and to showcase how our solution fits into the future of supply chain, sustainability, and unified retail.
What Happened: Our Presence & Recognition at NRF
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We joined hundreds of global retail leaders, solution providers and innovators at NRF’s 2025 Paris edition, connecting with potential partners, clients and peers across the retail ecosystem. National Retail Federation+2NRF Big Show Europe+2
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We were honoured to win the Logistics & Supply Chain category at the Retail’s Big Show Europe Awards — an award that celebrates transformative, future-shaping retail solutions. According to the official NRF recaps, the Awards recognised standout projects across categories like unified commerce, store design, payments, data, and supply chain. NRF Big Show Europe+2A1 Retail Magazine+2
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Being awarded in this category underscores that returns management — including reverse logistics, intelligent routing, and optimized returns flows — is now seen as a key pillar of modern retail operations.
Why This Award Matters: Returns at the Heart of Retail Innovation
The recognition at NRF goes beyond a trophy. It reflects broader shifts in the retail landscape that align with iF Returns’ vision:
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Supply chain resilience & innovation. NRF 2025 placed strong emphasis on how AI, data, and supply-chain technologies are redefining logistics and returns.
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Unified retail and customer experience. Retailers are increasingly focused on seamless journeys — not just from browsing to buying, but through returns and post-purchase interactions. Reverse logistics and returns optimization are becoming core to that seamless experience.
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Sustainability & responsible retail. As retailers face pressure to reduce waste, emissions, and inefficiencies, smarter returns strategies (including reuse, resale, or optimized return flows) are emerging as crucial for ESG and circular-commerce goals. NRF's programme underlined responsible retail as a central theme.
By winning the Logistics & Supply Chain award, iF Returns’s mission — to make returns a strategic advantage rather than a burden — was validated on one of retail’s biggest global stages.
What’s Next for iF Returns
Winning at NRF 2025 energizes us — but it’s just the beginning. Here’s how we’ll build on this milestone:
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Expand our reach. We plan to deepen partnerships with retailers and businesses across Europe and beyond, leveraging the visibility and recognition from NRF.
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Double down on innovation. As supply-chain complexity grows and sustainability becomes non-negotiable, we’ll continue enhancing our platform with smarter analytics, routing, and recovery logic.
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Advocate for returns as strategy. We’ll keep raising awareness about why returns matter — not just for cost savings, but for customer loyalty, brand trust, margin preservation, and sustainability.
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Share success stories. We want to publish case studies, white papers, and best practices to help others see how modern returns infrastructure can power growth and resilience.
Thank You — and Onwards
We’re grateful to the organizers, judges and community at NRF Retail’s Big Show Europe for recognising our work. More importantly — thank you to the retailers, partners and brands who are already on this journey with us.
At iF Returns, we believe the future of retail isn’t just about selling more — it’s about enabling smarts across the entire lifecycle of a product. With NRF 2025 behind us, we’re more committed than ever to reshaping returns as a real lever for growth, efficiency and sustainability.
Stay tuned: in the coming weeks we’ll share deeper insights, customer stories, and what this recognition means for the future of retail returns.