Freight Friends: AI Agents, Returns, and Private Label Power Plays

From AI agents that negotiate contracts to the surprising world of private-label branding, this month’s Freight Friends covers the big shifts shaping logistics right now. Blythe and Grace Sharkey break down Grace’s experience at the Change event, the rise of HappyRobot and other AI-driven workflows, the state of reverse logistics, and how private-label strategies are influencing everything from Costco to Meghan Markle’s failed brand.Key takeaways:Supply chain executives at the Change event are prioritizing education and AI readiness.AI adoption is slowing in some areas, but practical agents like HappyRobot are gaining traction.Reverse logistics is becoming a bigger operational challenge for retailers and manufacturers.Private label strategies separate brand failures from retail giants like Costco.Marketing plays, community spotlights, and Source-to-Porch stories keep freight creative and human.LINKS:Grace’s LinkTreeReturns Category on CargoRexDidero AINRF and Happy Returns ReportMichael Gessen’s Direct Mail Marketing EffortsReachdesk WebsiteHappyRobot WebsiteWATCH THE FULL EPISODE HERE -----------------------------------------THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!SPI Logistics has been a Day 1 supporter of this podcast which is why we're proud to promote them in every episode. During that time, we've gotten to know the team and their agents to confidently say they are the best home for freight agents in North America for 40 years and counting. Listen to past episodes to hear why.CargoRex is the search engine for the logistics industry—connecting LSPs with the right tools, services, events, and creators to explore, discover, and evolve.Digital Dispatch maximizes and manages your #1 sales tool with a website that establishes trust and builds rock-solid relationships with your leads and customers.