In the daily conversations I have with shippers across the country, including customers and prospects, there is increasingly a feeling that something fundamental changed. Many, particularly in... View More
Given the current landscape facing shippers, it has become increasingly important for shippers to recognize the new normal and a future with “perpetual peak” surcharges. This environment... View More
While most shippers have become accustomed to the carriers announcing record general rate increases (GRI) and new surcharges, 2021 will be in a class of its own. More than any other year, it i... View More
As a shipper entering a parcel carrier bid process, you are subject to a great deal of doubt and risk from the unknown. A successful RFP often begins by considering two critical questions –... View More
Over the last few years, there have been several installments of PARCEL Counsel relating to transportation contracts. Other columns have discussed issues relating to loss or damage to cargo. G... View More
Across the world, two strategies remain top of mind for parcel shippers as peak season and the year’s end draw nearer: 1) carrier diversity; and 2) carrier negotiation. COVID-19 continues to... View More
Many companies think long-term vendor contracts are the best approach for their organizations, and a number of arguments exist that support this position. However, and especially as it relat... View More
It’s no secret that parcel agreements are complex. The sheer quantity of services and surcharges to which discounts can apply make this mostly unavoidable. With typical agreements ranging be... View More
In a matter of weeks, the entire world went virtual. Every industry’s supply chain was upended as they scrambled to figure out how to support everything from shelter-in-place orders to getti... View More
The shipping industry is in the midst of a digital revolution, and while that has certainly changed many aspects of the field, contract negotiations are still as straightforward as ever, at le... View More
Today’s UPS and FedEx contracts are more complicated and difficult to negotiate than ever before. Before we address the major issues affecting your carrier contracts and how you can success... View More
The small-parcel market just continues to grow, and this growth can present new challenges and opportunities for shippers. Navigating the ever-increasing number of surcharges and fees while simultaneo
As recently as just a couple of years ago, the term “delivery experience” was little more than an industry buzzword, often prefaced by “the Amazon effect” or “the e-commerce... View More
Another year, another major carrier rate increase, as UPS and FedEx continue to raise their list rates for transportation charges and accessorial charges, as well as implementing new methods to squeez
Do you ever feel that since you’re a low-volume shipper, you can’t get the shipping rates, discounts, and savings your larger competitors do? Although a higher shipping volume can have a... View More
It is critical for organizations with any kind of parcel volume to understand the impact of the carriers’ general rate increase (GRI). Yet, while the annual announcement by FedEx and UPS is... View More
If international shipping is not on your radar already, it is likely it will be soon. After all, cross-border trade is the next big growth arena in e-commerce. Figure 1 shows the top five coun... View More
The process of analyzing high-volume shipper distribution patterns, identifying opportunities to save money and, in many cases, reduce transit times is often called mode (or modal) optimization (MO)... View More
On September 16, 2019, FedEx announced their annual general rate increase for 2020. Effective January 6, 2020, FedEx Express (Domestic, US Export, and US Import), FedEx Ground, and FedEx Home... View More
With hurricane season upon us and extreme weather events becoming an increasingly common reality nationwide, the arrival of bad weather tends to illustrate that there are two types of people in the wo
