The Shipper Briefing: A Recap on What's Important to Know Right Now

If you weren't able to make our recent Shipper Briefing webinar, here's the TL;D(W). Interested in watching/listening to the whole thing? Head here to access it on-demand.

Since the airing of the webinar, a couple of things have changed. Effects of the Iran War are making their way through the entire supply chain. And carriers, including USPS, are actively applying new fuel surcharges to the roster.

But much of what was shared a few weeks ago is still in play. Here's the breakdown of what matters most.

The market has shifted. Stability is not back. Cost pressure is showing up in places many teams are not actively managing. And some of the biggest risks and opportunities come down to execution.

Below is a distilled view of what is actually happening and what to do about it.

The Market Has Shifted and Leverage Has Changed

For the last few years, many shippers had strong leverage in negotiations. That is no longer guaranteed.

As Hannah Testani, CEO of Intelligent Audit, explained:

“If you are a shipper, you are in a position to be going to market and getting better rates… It was very much a shipper’s market.”

That environment has changed.

What this means:

• You may not see the same outcomes going back to market today
• Past negotiation success does not reflect current leverage
• Pricing strategies are becoming more controlled and intentional

What to do:

• Reassess your strategy before going to market
• Lead with data, not assumptions
• Prepare for different outcomes than in previous cycles

Stop Waiting for Stability

If your plan assumes things will settle down, it likely needs to change.

As Joe Wilkinson put it:

“I keep waiting for parcel to return to some form of normality or stability… and it keeps disappointing me.”

What this means:

• Ongoing change is the operating environment
• Static strategies will fall behind

What to do:

• Build processes that can adjust continuously
• Reevaluate assumptions more frequently
• Avoid anchoring decisions to past conditions

Cost Pressure Is Not Just About Rates

Costs are being influenced by broader market behavior, not just contract terms.

What this means:

• Competitive dynamics are shifting
• Pricing is being used strategically across the market
• The structure of the market itself is evolving

What to do:

• Pay attention to market trends, not just your contract
• Avoid over-reliance on a single strategy or carrier mix
• Maintain flexibility as conditions change

Tariffs Are Still Disruptive and Still Not Settled

Tariffs were a major focus in the discussion, and that has not changed. What has changed is how fluid the situation has become.

As Hannah Testani noted:

“It will not be automatic, which means you have to be able to act on it.”

What is happening:

• Tariff policy continues to shift both legally and operationally (see most recent updates on Supply Chain Dive or FreightWaves as of the publishing of this article)
• Refund processes are evolving but not fully finalized
• New tariffs are still being introduced through different mechanisms

What this means:

• There is no passive approach to tariffs
• Outcomes depend on your ability to track and respond
• Administrative effort remains high

What to do:

• Stay close to ongoing developments
• Maintain visibility into what you have paid and where exposure exists
• Plan for continued change rather than resolution

Execution Is Where You Are Winning or Losing

Even with the right strategy, execution gaps are creating cost leakage.

As Hannah Testani emphasized:

“Determine who on your team are the experts… and make sure that you are budgeting time for them.”

What this means:

• Opportunities are often missed due to lack of ownership
• Manual effort is still required in key areas
• Strategy alone does not drive results

What to do:

• Assign clear ownership for high impact initiatives
• Ensure teams have time and resources to execute
• Treat execution as a core part of your strategy

Multiple Forces Are Shifting at the Same Time

This is not a single issue. Several forces are impacting parcel at once.

As Joe Wilkinson summarized:

“There’s a lot going on in the parcel world.”

What this means:

• Market, policy, and operational changes are overlapping
• Decisions are more complex than they appear

What to do:

• Avoid making decisions in isolation
• Monitor both parcel and external factors
• Expect continued change across multiple fronts

Bottom Line

If you take nothing else from the webinar:

• The market is different than it was
• Stability is not returning anytime soon
• Cost pressure is coming from multiple directions
• Execution is where results are determined

The teams that stay close to what is actually happening and act on it will be in a much stronger position than those that wait for conditions to stabilize.