2017 was a big year for the small-shipment industry (although, really, is any year in our industry ever non-eventful?). As we reflect on the year that just ended, we take a look at the top 10 articles from 2017 that readers viewed most on our site.

10. Six Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Parcel Lockers

By Rob Jensen

As we all know, our industry is constantly changing, and that means that delivery options are changing along with it. Virtually unheard of a decade ago, parcel lockers are now gaining ground as alternatives to traditional package delivery on your doorstep. Here’s a look at the growing popularity of these lockers.

9. The FedEx 2018 Rate Increase: A Deeper Dive

By Dave Sullivan

As always, anything to do with rate changes garners a lot of attention on our site, and this article is no different. Dave takes a more in-depth look at what 2018 will bring for FedEx customers in terms of the general rate increase.

8. FedEx Announces 2018 Rate Increases: What We Know and What You Can Do Now

By Andrew Brueckner

The announced rate increase doesn’t necessarily match what will show up on your invoice; so much depends on your shipment profile, contract negotiations, and more. This analysis demonstrates how to anticipate the effects of these changes.

7. It’s GRI Announcement Season: Now’s the Time to Prepare for 2018

By Andrew Brueckner

No matter when the actual numbers are announced for the next year’s rate increase, it’s important to start preparing as early as possible. How can you prepare when you don’t know the actual increases? It turns out, there are plenty of ways to do so. And even though the 2018 rates are now in effect, you can use this article as a handy primer in a few months as you start thinking about the 2019 rate changes.

6. Decoding the UPS Saturday Announcement

By Krish Iyer

The UPS announcements on Saturday service, which went into effect this spring, represented a seismic shift in the carriers' perception of service delivery times and days of operations. So how did our readers prepare for this change? This analysis helped immeasurably.

5. UPS 2018 General Rate Increase and Other Changes

By Dave Sullivan

The 2018 general rate increase (GRI) actually was scheduled to take effect yet in 2017, and this analysis helped shippers prepare for the potential impacts on their budgets.

4. An Analysis of the UPS Peak Season Surcharge

By Glenn Gooding

For the first time, a major carrier (in this case, UPS) announced a peak season surcharge. As shippers geared up for the holiday season, this article was one of the most-referenced on our site.

3. FedEx Announces New Dimensional Weight Pricing for SmartPost in 2018

By Dave Sullivan

Dimensional weight pricing already affects the budgets of many shippers, so when FedEx announced it would begin applying a dimensional weight surcharge for SmartPost packages as of January 22, 2018, many questions arose. This analysis of the potential impacts came in at number three on our list of most-viewed articles from 2017.

2. 2017 UPS and FedEx Weekly Fuel Surcharge Calculations (Ground)

By Mark Taylor

Fuel surcharges are often a tricky subject; shippers know these surcharges affect their costs, but they’re often not sure exactly how. It doesn’t help that FedEx and UPS changed their method of calculation as of February 6, 2017. Luckily, Mark broke it down for our readers in an easy-to-understand format, so it’s no surprise that this article almost reached the number one spot in terms of page views.

1. 6 KPIs Every Logistics and Warehouse Manager Should Know

By Lotte Weichenfeldt Schjøtt

Shipments fly out the door of your warehouse on a daily basis, but how do you measure your performance? Are you as efficient as you could be, or are there steps you could take to streamline your process? Here are six key performance indicators (KPIs) every logistics and warehouse manager should take into account.

Honorable Mention: Pre-paid and Collect in a Nutshell

By Brent Wm. Primus, JD

I almost didn't include this article in our list since it's not from 2017; it's not even from the year prior! But yet this piece from 2010 (yes, 2010) continues to be one of the top 10 articles read on our site, month after month (and year after year). In fact, it often nabs the number-one spot in terms of page views and has done so for quite some time. So don't let its age fool you; there is great information in here!

Amanda Armendariz is the Editor of PARCEL media, providing shippers of all sizes with the information needed to succeed in this fast-paced environment. From the ins and outs of carrier contract negotiation to optimizing the warehouse process, PARCEL covers the information needed for every aspect of the supply chain. Follow Amanda on Twitter @PARCELmedia or email amanda.c@rbpub.com.