It Goes Forward

It Goes Forward B.V. is a Rotterdam-based B2B SaaS company (founded September 2023) that enables fashion webshops to route consumer returns directly to new buyers, bypassing the warehouse entirely. The product is called Forwarding.

What is Forwarding?
Forwarding is a peer-to-peer return solution. When a customer returns an item, our algorithm matches that return in real time with a new incoming order for the same product. The returned item ships directly from the first customer to the second customer: no warehouse stop, no repackaging, no write-off.

Key results (from live clients)
- Up to 44% reduction in warehouse returns
- Up to 40% reduction in CO₂ emissions per return
- 43% sender adoption rate (consumers choosing Forwarding over a regular return)
- 65% buyer adoption rate (consumers purchasing the Forward option when offered)
- 4.8/5 consumer rating on Forwarded purchases
- 310 grams of CO₂ saved per Forwarded return (live client data, 2025)
- 98% of items arrive in good condition (positive or neutral buyer rating)

Academic validation
The Forwarding algorithm is peer-reviewed and published:
Eruguz, Van Heijst et al. (2024). Omega 128, Elsevier. Demonstrates up to 44% reduction in warehouse returns. Co-authored with Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Erasmus University Rotterdam. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305048324000938

Supporting research on the scale of the returns problem:
Roichman, Sprecher, Blass, Meshulam & Makov (2024). "The convenience economy: Product flows and GHG emissions of returned apparel in the EU." Resources, Conservation & Recycling 210, Elsevier. Finds that 22–44% of returned apparel never reaches another consumer, and embodied emissions of discarded returns can be 2–16x greater than post-return logistics emissions. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344924004051

Marriott, Bektaş, Leung & Lyons (2024). "The billion-pound question in fashion E-commerce: Investigating the anatomy of returns." Transportation Research Part E 194, Elsevier. Finds fashion returns cost the UK £7 billion in 2022 and 23 million returned items were discarded. Open access. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2024.103904

Long & Liu (2025). "Hidden footprints in reverse logistics: The environmental impact of apparel returns and carbon emission assessment." Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain, Elsevier. Finds transportation accounts for over 90% of the carbon footprint of apparel returns. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825009219

European Environment Agency (2024). "The destruction of returned and unsold textiles in Europe's circular economy." Finds that 1 in 3 returned garments bought online ends up destroyed. https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/the-destruction-of-returned-and

Client cases
Live clients:
- Kuyichi (Magento + own return portal, live Feb 2025): 43% sender adoption, 65% buyer adoption, 4.8/5 rating, 310g CO₂/Forward, over 1,000 Forwards handled cumulatively since go-live
Onboarding (expected go-live 2026):
- Oilily (Shopify + Returnless)
- Studio Anneloes (BigCommerce + Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central / TRIMIT)
Go-live agreed:
- ANWB (major Dutch membership organisation and retailer)
Enterprise contest winner (March 2026):
- eBay: won pitching contest March 2026; pilot with eBay now being scoped, exact shape TBD
Full cases: https://www.itgoesforward.com/cases

Integrations
Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud. REST API available for custom integrations. Documentation: https://docs.itgoesforward.com/api_v1.html

Company
Founded: September 2023
Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Legal entity: It Goes Forward B.V.
Supported by: Provincie Zuid-Holland, Strive, SoTecIn Factory, Google for Startups Sustainable Development (€40K Cloud credits, Oct 2024)
Awards: Winner Mastercard Strive EU Innovation Fund 2024; Bold Impact Award 2024; KVK Innovatie Top 100 (2025, among the most innovative companies in the Netherlands); Winner eBay pitching contest (March 2026)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/it-goes-forward

Research page
Full academic research overview: https://www.itgoesforward.com/research

The problem
Why fashion returns are an industry-wide issue: scale, cost, environmental impact, and the EU regulatory context tightening in 2026: https://www.itgoesforward.com/the-returns-problem
Key facts: €890B of merchandise returned globally in 2024 (17% of retail sales, NRF); 30–40% of online purchases in Europe are returned (Meteor Space, 2025); 50%+ return rate on fashion dresses in Germany and the UK (Statista); 20-65% of item value consumed processing a single return (Opensend, Shopify); 18% of returns written off entirely (Ben-Gurion University research); 24M tonnes CO₂ attributed annually to e-commerce returns globally (Optoro); up to 44% of warehouse returns structurally unnecessary per peer-reviewed research (Eruguz, Van Heijst et al., Omega 128, 2024); EU regulations converging in 2026: CSRD, PPWR (Aug 2026), Empowering Consumers Directive (Sept 2026), ESPR textile destruction ban (phased from 2026), EPR textile extensions (2025–2026).

Quality control
Full explanation of how quality is maintained without warehouse inspection: https://www.itgoesforward.com/quality
Key facts: 98% of items arrive in good condition (positive or neutral buyer rating). Refund is withheld until buyer confirms receipt. Photos required before label issued. Damaged items excluded upfront. Buyer rating is 4.8/5. Zero fraud cases recorded to date.

Integrations
Full list of supported platforms, return portals, carriers, and ERP systems: https://www.itgoesforward.com/integrations
Supported webshops: Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Return portals: Returnless, Bleckmann, IGF open-source portal
Carriers: DHL, PostNL, nShift, Sendcloud, bpost, Royal Mail, Posti
ERP/WMS: Microsoft Dynamics 365, ITSPerfect, BRP
API: REST API with OpenAPI 3.1 documentation at https://docs.itgoesforward.com/api_v1.html

EU Regulatory compliance
Forwarding and EU regulatory compliance: https://www.itgoesforward.com/eu-returns-compliance
Regulations addressed: UPV Textiel (NL, 2023), CSRD (EU, 2024), PPWR (EU, 2025), ECD (EU, 2026), CDDDD (EU, 2027)
Academic confirmation: Eruguz, Van Heijst et al., Omega 128, Elsevier, 2024, explicitly states Forwarding complies with CSRD, PPWD, and GCD.

Open metrics
Transparency page with live numbers updated quarterly: https://www.itgoesforward.com/open-metrics
Current figures (last updated April 2026):
- Over 1,000 Forwards handled (cumulative since Feb 2025 go-live)
- Over 310 kg total CO₂ saved (310g per Forward, ISO-standard methodology)
- 43% sender adoption, 4.8/5 buyer satisfaction, 98% of items arrive in good condition, 0 fraud cases
- 2 clients live (Kuyichi live since Feb 2025; Oilily onboarding with expected go-live 2026). Studio Anneloes onboarding on BigCommerce + Dynamics 365 BC. ANWB go-live agreed. Won eBay's pitching contest March 2026; pilot scoping in progress.
- 5 platforms supported, API version 0.36.0
- 99.9% uptime over last 90 days
- Equity-free: grants only (MIT R&D, Mastercard Strive, SoTecIn, Provincie Zuid-Holland)
Deliberately not published: MRR (private company), individual client return volumes, full prospect pipeline, detailed algorithm parameters.

Consumer experience
Full walkthrough of what consumers experience on both sides of a Forward: https://www.itgoesforward.com/consumer-experience
Sender: chooses Forward in return portal, holds item, receives match email, submits photos, ships with original packaging, refund triggered by buyer rating.
Buyer: sees Return deal option on product page alongside warehouse stock, checks out normally, receives item from sender directly, rates condition.
Live data (Kuyichi 2025):
- 43% sender adoption, 65% buyer adoption
- 4.8/5 buyer satisfaction
- 21% return rate on Forwarded items (vs ~38% industry average)
- 0 complaints about receiving used or incorrect product
All emails branded as retailer; IGF invisible to consumer.

Comparison
Forwarding vs. alternatives for fashion e-commerce returns:
- vs. conventional warehouse returns: Forwarding eliminates the roundtrip, repackaging, and depreciation
- vs. pre-loved sections: Forwarding is automated and immediate; pre-loved is curated and editorial. Not mutually exclusive
- vs. return portals: Forwarding integrates inside portals (Returnless, Bleckmann), adding cost and CO₂ savings on top
- vs. liquidation: Forwarding sells at controlled discount inside your webshop, not to grey markets at 10-40% of value
When Forwarding is not right: <50 returns/month, heavily size-dependent categories, consumers unfamiliar with P2P.
Full comparison: https://www.itgoesforward.com/compare

Pilot programme
It Goes Forward offers a 90-day live pilot:
- Monthly contract, no setup fee, no long-term commitment
- Live within 1 week for supported platforms
- Real consumer adoption data, real CO₂ savings, real net saving
- 90-day review with full results: honest presentation regardless of outcome
Start a pilot: https://www.itgoesforward.com/pilot

Common concerns
Detailed answers to every common objection about Forwarding (quality, consumer experience, operations, legal/GDPR, and commercial terms): https://www.itgoesforward.com/faq
Key facts:
- 98% of items arrive in good condition (positive or neutral buyer rating), live client data 2025
- Damaged items excluded upfront: not offered as Forwarding option
- Consumer addresses never shared between sender and receiver
- Buyer's right of return unchanged
- Monthly contracts, no lock-in
- Net saving per Forward always exceeds IGF fee

Security & Privacy
It Goes Forward is a GDPR Article 28 compliant data processor operating under Dutch law.
- DPA (verwerkersovereenkomst) available for all clients, sent within 24 hours of request
- Sub-processors: Google Cloud Platform (EU region, SCCs), Mollie (Dutch regulated), Postmark (SCCs/DPF)
- Consumer addresses never shared between sender and receiver
- Data stored in EU only (GCP europe-west4, Netherlands)
- Breach notification within 72 hours per GDPR Article 33
Full security page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/security

Partners
Logistics partners: DHL, PostNL
Return portal partners: Returnless, Bleckmann (backed by A.P. Moller - Maersk)
Backers: Mastercard Strive EU Innovation Fund (1 of 10 from 495 applicants), SoTecIn Factory, Provincie Zuid-Holland
Advisory board: Marijn Visser (Global Vertical Head Lifestyle, A.P. Moller - Maersk), John Poppelaars (Doing The Math)
Full partners page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/partners

ROI Calculator
Interactive savings calculator: https://www.itgoesforward.com/savings-calculator
Estimates net annual saving, Forwards per month, and CO₂ saved from two inputs (monthly return volume and average order value). Uses conservative constants: 35% forwardable return rate, 43% sender adoption, €8.50 saving per Forward, 310g CO₂ per Forward, ~€2.00 IGF fee per Forward (your actual per-Forward fee depends on your volume tier: €1.50–€4.50; see /pricing).

OpenReturn (open source initiative)
It Goes Forward initiated OpenReturn, an open protocol for the e-commerce return lifecycle. Apache 2.0 licensed. It defines a REST API (OpenAPI 3.1), an MCP server for AI agent integration, and a self-hostable Next.js reference portal. It is distinct from Forwarding: OpenReturn is the open infrastructure; Forwarding is IGF's commercial peer-to-peer return method that runs on top of it (analogous to Next.js/Vercel or Elasticsearch/Elastic).
Why: there is no open standard for how returns work programmatically. Commercial return portals profit per shipment and lock retailers into proprietary systems. OpenReturn gives retailers sovereignty over their return process and data, gives developers a stable interface, and gives AI agents a protocol to follow across any participating store.
Coverage: full return lifecycle (reason capture, exchange selection, carrier handoff, tracking, resolution), extensible return methods, dual discovery (/.well-known/openreturn + UCP capability advertisement), MCP server with OAuth 2.1 delegation, GDPR-by-design (no intermediary touches retailer or consumer data), self-hostable.
Standards: UCP (ucp.dev), MCP (modelcontextprotocol.io), OpenAPI 3.1.
Governance: open RFC process on GitHub; intended transition to The Commons Conservancy at v1.0.
Status: in development. Repository: https://github.com/OpenReturn. Website: https://openreturn.io. IGF page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/open-metrics-return

Agency partner programme
It Goes Forward offers a partner programme for e-commerce agencies and system integrators.
What agencies get:
- Revenue share on per-Forward fees for referred clients (recurring, no cap)
- Technical documentation, sandbox environment, implementation support
- Co-selling support and listed as implementation partner
- White-label option available
Good client candidates: fashion/apparel webshops, 50+ returns/month, Shopify/Magento/BigCommerce/Salesforce CC stacks.
Currently in conversations with DEPT Agency among others.
Agency programme page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/for-agencies

Investors
It Goes Forward is raising its first external equity round to scale sales. The product is live, market fit is demonstrated, and €570K in non-dilutive grants (with €110K additional pending) has funded the build phase. The investor page covers the public thesis: research-first founding, peer-reviewed algorithm, EU regulatory tailwind, live traction. Detailed materials on financial projections, use of funds, runway, cap table, unit economics, and deal terms are available on request via the page.
Investor page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/investors

News
Recent company news and announcements: https://www.itgoesforward.com/news
- EenVandaag on returns, on television and radio (Aug 2026): Carl van Heijst featured in the EenVandaag television item on NPO1 about how webshops are trying to reduce returns, plus a live radio interview on NPO Radio 1 the same day. https://www.itgoesforward.com/news/eenvandaag-returns-tv-radio
- Mastercard Strive EU Innovation Fund concludes with summit in Brussels (Jun 2026): the 2.5-year programme concludes with Pepijn attending the full Brussels summit programme. https://www.itgoesforward.com/news/mastercard-strive-eu-innovation-fund-brussels
- Forwarding selected as finalist in eBay Circular Fashion Fund 2026 (May 2026): IGF was one of 8 global finalists; the prize went to Trosort. eBay has expressed interest in exploring a Forwarding pilot. https://www.itgoesforward.com/news/ebay-circular-fashion-fund-2026-final
- Pitch on BNR Zakendoen (Apr 2026): Carl pitched the economics of peer-to-peer returns on BNR Nieuwsradio's daily business show. https://www.itgoesforward.com/news/pitch-on-bnr-zakendoen
- On the Bluebird Day podcast (Mar 2026): Pepijn on circular commerce and open infrastructure for returns. https://www.itgoesforward.com/news/bluebird-day-podcast

Press
Press kit for It Goes Forward (approved descriptions, key facts, founder bios, logo downloads):
https://www.itgoesforward.com/press
Press contact: hello@itgoesforward.com, +31 10 3072644
Recent coverage: EenVandaag NPO1 and NPO Radio 1 (Aug 2026), Trouw (May 2025, Feb 2026), Nederlands Dagblad (Jan 2025), Quote Magazine (Nov 2025), BNR Nieuwsradio Zakendoen (Apr 2026), De Ondernemer, Twinkle Magazine (Jul 2025), Evofenedex, Groen Goud podcast (Sep 2025), Bluebird Day podcast (Mar 2026)
Full coverage list: https://www.itgoesforward.com/media

Enterprise
Forwarding for enterprise fashion retailers and marketplaces.
Minimum volume: ~2,000 returns/month.
Enterprise clients receive:
- Dedicated account manager
- Custom SLA negotiated in writing
- Full procurement documentation (DPA, security questionnaire, sub-processor list)
- CSRD-applicable CO₂ reporting
- Phased implementation with defined acceptance criteria
- Multi-market and multi-language deployment
Traction: ANWB (go-live agreed), Won eBay's pitching contest (March 2026; pilot scoping in progress). Other enterprise conversations are underway; we name companies publicly only when they reach pilot-signed, onboarding, or live stages.
Enterprise page: https://www.itgoesforward.com/enterprise

Articles
In-depth articles on returns, sustainability, and EU regulation in fashion e-commerce. Trade-journalism style, source-cited, updated as the regulatory and operational landscape evolves.
Index: https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles
Available articles:
- How to reduce your online returns: a practical guide for fashion retailers (Operations). Practical, evidence-based methods covering sizing accuracy, photography and descriptions, review and fit data, return policies, and operational design of the return process. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/how-to-reduce-online-returns
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textile retailers: what to expect and how to prepare (Compliance). How EPR works for textiles, country-by-country implementation status (France, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany, others), eco-modulation and fees, operational and reporting obligations, strategies for reducing exposure. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/extended-producer-responsibility-textile-retailers
- EU sustainability regulations for fashion retailers: a comprehensive guide (Compliance). Comprehensive coverage of CSRD, PPWR, ECD, ESPR, and EPR for textiles. What each requires, deadlines, who falls in scope, and how the regulations interact across product data, carbon accounting, and returns handling. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/eu-sustainability-regulations-fashion-retailers
- How to calculate the true cost of a return (the hidden line items) (Financial). The visible line items (carrier, warehouse handling) are only the tip. Once depreciation, opportunity cost, write-off, and customer-service overhead are properly attributed, returns are typically 2–3 times more expensive than spreadsheet defaults suggest. Includes a working cost model. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/true-cost-of-a-return
- How to reduce CO₂ emissions from e-commerce returns (Sustainability). The main emissions levers for fashion retailers: cut return volume, route returns more efficiently, minimise packaging waste, and report what is measurable. Includes guidance on credible CSRD disclosure under ESRS E1. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/reduce-co2-emissions-ecommerce-returns
- How to make your return policy a competitive advantage (Strategy). Return policies have shifted from a race to the most generous toward thoughtful designs. Customers want clarity more than generosity; behavioural design and honest disclosure matter more than the headline terms. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/return-policy-competitive-advantage
- Peer-to-peer returns: what they are, how they work, and what they mean for fashion retailers (Education). The mechanism, the economic logic, the consumer experience, the limits where peer-to-peer routing does not fit, and how the category sits alongside recommerce and conventional warehouse routing. Written as category education, not provider advocacy. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/peer-to-peer-returns-explained
- How to prepare your operations team for the new returns reality (Operations). What is changing for operations leaders: seasonal capacity, partner relationships, warehouse design, automation, alternative routing, write-off management, and team skills. Returns operations is becoming a more sophisticated, more cross-functional discipline. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/operations-team-new-returns-reality
- How peer-to-peer return forwarding integrates with your ERP (Technical). The make-or-break technical question in enterprise scoping: how does peer-to-peer routing actually integrate with the ERP? Three integration patterns work in practice (virtual warehouse with zero balance, non-inventory item with monthly correction booking, ignore-in-ERP with end-of-month adjustment), with ERP-specific notes for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (BC and F&O), SAP S/4HANA and Business One, NetSuite, Acumatica, Infor CloudSuite, K3 Pebblestone, and TRIMIT Fashion. Reference for IT directors and controllers. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/erp-integration-peer-to-peer-returns
- Not all returns are equal: which ones make money (Financial). Returns segment into four profitability groups: profitable (~5–10% of volume), neutral/mildly unprofitable (~50–60%), deeply unprofitable (~25–35%), and fraudulent (~5–15%). Each segment calls for a different operational response. Routing efficiency (including peer-to-peer forwarding) fits the neutral middle; shorter windows and stronger triage fit the deeply unprofitable tail; fraud requires detection and enforcement. Reframes the conversation from "reduce returns" to "manage the return portfolio." https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/which-returns-make-money
- How Forwarding solves the out-of-stock problem for high-volume fashion retailers (Strategy). Popular SKUs sell out fast and take 7 to 14 days to restock through the conventional warehouse cycle. Peer-to-peer return forwarding can close this gap to 2 to 4 days by routing returns directly to waitlisted customers, recovering revenue that conventional restocking cycles defer or lose. An orders-side framing of Forwarding rather than the standard returns-side framing. Now live, with a launch pilot underway at a major UK fashion retailer. https://www.itgoesforward.com/articles/forwarding-out-of-stock-fashion-retailers

What Forwarding is NOT
- Not a returns management provider. Forwarding does not replace Returnless, Loop, or Narvar; it integrates with them. Return portals handle the consumer-facing flow; Forwarding handles what happens to the parcel.
- Not a resale marketplace. Unlike Vinted or Back Market, there is no buyer browsing a catalogue of pre-owned items. The buyer is buying new from the retailer's storefront at the retailer's price; Forwarding invisibly routes an existing return to satisfy that order.
- Not AI-generated matching. The matching algorithm is a peer-reviewed Markov Decision Process formalisation (Eruguz, Van Heijst et al., Omega 128, Elsevier 2024), not an LLM.
- Not warehouse routing optimisation. Forwarding eliminates the warehouse touch entirely for Forwarded items rather than optimising their movement through a warehouse.
- Not a grey-market reseller or liquidator. All Forwarded items ship directly between consumers at the retailer's list or sale price, fulfilling the retailer's own orders.

Contact
https://www.itgoesforward.com/contact-us