In 2022, annual package volume declined by 2.2% from pandemic-level highs in 2021 according to the most recent Pitney Bowes US Shipping Index. Some carriers were hit harder than others. FedEx saw a nearly 5% decline in volume during that period. UPS and USPS saw volume fall by 2.5% and 3.2%, respectively. At the same time, regional carriers saw a 25% increase in their volumes.
This is indicative of an industry trend that has been steadily evolving over the past few years—more and more retailers are looking for strategic opportunities to diversify their carrier strategy. That includes moving targeted volume to regional and gig-sourced carriers like AxleHire. What’s behind this gradual shift away from the industry giants and towards a more targeted and diversified carrier strategy?
AxleHire CEO Adam Bryant shares his thoughts in a recent post for Retail Today.
Brands can’t provide delivery across the U.S. in today’s world without using one of the national carriers, but that doesn’t mean they have to give UPS or FedEx all of their business. According to Deloitte, layering regional and crowd-sourced options onto traditional shipping methods can “promote growth and service performance.”
To find out more about the opportunities to improve scalability and service performance through diversification, you can connect with one of our logistics professionals.
