It has been a difficult three years for parcel shippers. Base rates and accessorial charges have spiked to record levels. They’ve been told in blunt and public terms to pay up or pound sand. Many saw their volumes capped during the past two peak seasons. They’ve lost their money-back guarantees on everything but the parcel carriers’ most expensive services. It’s doubtful that guarantees will ever be restored across the board.
But the worm appears to be turning as 2023 nears. Shippers are expected to recapture the leverage that they held for years prior to the pandemic. With everything being negotiable, shippers will push hard to beat back the record general rate increases (GRI) that take effect over the next few weeks.
“It’s a buyer’s market,” said Jason Murray, co-founder of Shipium, a provider of multicarrier delivery options for e-commerce companies.