Parcel Shipping

With the existing contract between global e-commerce retailer Amazon and the United States Postal Service set to expire in October 2026, media reports published yesterday indicated that there could be some shifts coming in that relationship.

A trio of industry stakeholders—each focused on different areas of surface transportation, including truckload, ground parcel, and less-than-truckload (LTL)—addressed current market conditions for their respective modes, as well as take a look at key priorities shippers need to be focusing on in 2026, at a session at this week’s Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) EDGE conference in National Harbor, Maryland.

Effective today, August 29, the de minimis exemption, which allows shipments under $800 sent to the United States to not be subject to tariffs, officially will be removed. That was the edict delivered in a White House executive order in late July.

USPS said that the objective of temporary price adjustment, “is to help cover extra handling costs to ensure a successful peak season.”

The package from UPS includes $1,800 per year of service at UPS, with a minimum payout of $10,000, with all years of service honored. The company has more than 10,000 full-time drivers with 25 years of service or more.

A report stated that Amazon has tapped FedEx to be a partner for the delivery of select large packages to homes, citing an Amazon spokesman, saying the company, “has reached an agreement with FedEx to serve as one of several third-party partners to deliver packages to our customers.”

Steiner will replace Louis DeJoy, whom resigned from the position in March, as well as current Acting Postmaster General Doug Tulino, whom USPS said will resume his role as Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Human Resources Officer. USPS added that Steiner is expected to come on board in July, pending the outcome of necessary background and ethics checks.

As carriers grapple with stagnant demand and shifting economic conditions, parcel shippers must stay agile to maintain negotiating power in a market still defined by rising rates and strategic recalibration. Three top parcel industry experts weigh in on the most consumer-facing sector of freight logistics.

A report recently issued by ShipMatrix, a subsidiary of Warrendale, Pa.-based SJ Consulting, points to an increasing shift in the parcel marketplace that is having an impact on the parcel duopoly of FedEx and UPS.

During this podcast Shipware's Paul Yaussy and Adi Karamcheti addressed various topics, including: the current state of today's parcel marketplace; the current state of parcel rates and pricing; parcel Peak Season prospects; and how tariffs are impacting the market, among others. 

In this podcast, Jeff Berman, Group News Editor for Logistics Management and the Peerless Media Supply Chain Group, interviews Paul Yaussy, Senior Director of Parcel Consulting, for San Diego-based Shipware, and Adi Karamcheti, Consultant, Professional Services at Shipware.

The new service, UPS Global Checkout, addresses issues consumers face when making global online purchases, particularly an additional bill for unpaid import costs, which UPS called “an unpleasant surprise.” To that end, the company explained that through UPS Global Checkout, UPS is able to guarantee upfront the amount being paid in duties, fees, and taxes by online shoppers, ridding them of unexpected costs upon delivery.

Various reports published last week highlighted a letter sent to Congress by United States Postal Service (USPS) Postmaster General Louis DeJoy indicating that the USPS is eyeing cutting 10,000 employees through a voluntary retirement program, which the USPS announced in January, in the coming weeks, coupled with the USPS saying it will work with the White House’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

According to a new FedEx report, more than 80% of consumers prioritize free shipping, and 76% say it influences where they shop. But while customers expect it, free shipping is anything but free. Someone is footing the bill. The question is: who?

United States Postal Service (USPS) said that there will be a change coming at the top sooner than later, with USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy having notified the Postal Service Board of Governors “it is time for them to begin the process of identifying his successor.”