In samenwerking met Het Goed en Reloved geeft Bol zoveel mogelijk afgeschreven artikelen een tweede leven
Bol has recently started working with recycling organisations to give as many written-off items as possible a second life. Products that are returned due to a minor defect or damage and can no longer be sold, but are still usable or repairable, are donated by Bol to Het Goed and Reloved. Het Goed is an organisation with 30 recycling stores throughout the Netherlands, Reloved is a Belgian alliance with a total of 122 recycling stores throughout Flanders. With the help of the expertise of both organisations, the items with minor and repairable defects are refurbished, so that they can be sold in good condition for a fraction of the new price. All proceeds from the sale go to the relevant recycling organisations.
Many of the items that bol receives in return are in perfect condition, around 70% of the returns can be put back in stock after careful assessment. Within the bol returns centre, everything is done to give the remaining 30% of the items a next destination and to prevent waste, ranging from return deals with a discount to donations to charities such as the Food Bank, the Voorleesexpress and the animal shelter in Waalwijk. In this way, around 98% of the returned items from bol get a second life. Het Goed and Reloved have recently been added to the list of charities, which increases the percentage of rehomed bol items to almost 99%.
Minor defect, but still valuable
Some items can no longer be sold by bol due to a minor defect, but can get a second life via thrift stores. For example, think of a set of four coffee cups, one of which is broken. The set can no longer be sold as a whole, while there is nothing wrong with the other three cups. Thanks to the collaboration with recycling organisations Het Goed and Reloved, these cups still find their way into new kitchen cabinets. Books from a trilogy with one book missing can also be sold as individual books at recycling shops. Items that are not immediately saleable are processed into new products or materials in the social workshop in the highest possible quality.
Repairs and combining missing parts
Recycling shops are experts in collecting, sorting and processing discarded goods. Thanks to this expertise, even donated food containers without lids and lids without containers form a complete set again, allowing recycling customers to purchase them for a fraction of the original price.
Charlotte Halbe, project lead Sustainability at bol: “We want as many returned items as possible to find a new destination. In our returns centre, we are very good at assessing, repackaging and cleaning returned items. Various partners also help us repair certain types of products. However, we are not set up to repair or complete sets ourselves. Het Goed and Reloved are specialized in repairing and assembling incomplete or defective products. Thanks to their expertise, for example, two incomplete board games are assembled into one complete set in the social workshop, and with a simple repair they combine two defective waste bins into one working copy. Lamps and other toys are also repaired. We are happy that we can join forces with the thrift stores to give as many items as possible a second life.”
Martijn Bijmolt, Impact Director at Het Goed: “It is essential for the future of all of us to extend the lifespan of the products we use. Together we can ensure that returned products get a second chance. This is not only better for the environment, at Het Goed we also offer suitable work to people who want to participate in society. In this way, Het Goed is committed to a circular and inclusive society together with bol. The products from bol are a great addition to our range; we receive many positive reactions from customers. Through the structural collaboration, we reach more customers and together we realize more positive impact.”
Barbara Thomas, business developer of Reloved, the B2B initiative of Kringwinkels: “One person’s return is another person’s thrift store find. Keeping goods in circulation via Kringwinkel is a win on multiple levels. After all, reuse is the first essential step in a circular economy. Kringwinkels also work locally on this reuse with social employment.”
Growing number of suppliers
The first steps of the collaboration have now been successfully taken, the ambition is to gradually scale up. In order to be allowed to donate the items that are returned with a minor defect, bol needs permission from the supplier. At the moment, around 130 suppliers are participating in the donation, including Brabantia, Mepal and Schreuder Sports. The aim is to add as many suppliers as possible. At the moment, bol only donates non-electronic items that it sells on the platform itself. In the future, the intention is that sales partners who arrange their logistics via bol will also be given the opportunity to donate.
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