Although it feels like summer just ended, the Holiday season is right around the corner!
Courier and freight shipments have exploded since COVID, and are consistently setting new records. This will continue to increase into peak shipping season (now until January).
You can expect:
- Longer transit times – certain lanes with certain carriers
- Unforeseen delays – delays at terminals or on trucks due to time/volume constraints
- Mis-routed packages
- Peak Season surcharges: all couriers are implementing temporary surcharges around October 1st to the new year
- Suspension of service guarantees: still suspended for most courier/LTL services
What you can do:
- Plan ahead: ask your customers for more lead time if possible
- Track your shipments, report any unusual delays
- Communicate with customers: Help me help you, inform them of any delays
- Select the right service: sometimes the $5.00 haircut is not the right choice
We are already seeing delivery dates being bumped back a day or longer, particularly with UPS. Expedited service is not immune to these delays either.
If you plan on shipping for Christmas, be sure to check your carrier’s shipping service deadlines to ensure your goods arrive by the big day! For most it’s looking like around December 15th, 2021.
Please reach out to us if you would like to review your Holiday shipping options. Let’s plan ahead!
