When someone mentions a disruption affecting the supply chain, the next logical question is which disruption? Is it the latest labor strife, tariff policy change or a transportation bottleneck? In parcel logistics today, the question is no longer whether a disruption will occur – it’s when and where. It’s a feature of the modern supply chain.
In a recent Gartner survey, 76% of supply chain executives indicated that compared with three years ago, their companies today are facing more frequent disruptions in their supply chains. One of the most impactful events, the Canada Post strike in late 2024, which lasted 32 days, cost small and medium-sized businesses C$1.6bn (US$1.1bn) by the time it was over.
Although many brands say they learned lessons from that disruption, not enough of them have invested in fundamental changes to their supply chains and are still treating each new disturbance as an isolated incident.
However, they’re not always isolated. Canada Post is still negotiating with unions, leaving the possibility of another disruption on the table. Other strikes affecting different carriers could come with little warning.
No one has a crystal ball to predict when the next strike or customs overhaul is going to happen or how it’s going to affect operations. However, it’s time for the parcel industry to shift its posture from reactive to resilient by building logistics systems that expect volatility and adapt accordingly.
Building your safety net before you need it
The number-one step for brands to get ahead of this reality of constant change is to build flexibility into their logistics and diversify their shipping carriers.
That means partnering with providers that work with multiple shipping carriers. Having two or three alternatives isn’t sufficient in today’s volatile environment. The most resilient operations maintain relationships with significantly more service providers, ensuring options remain available even if disruptions hit multiple carriers simultaneously.
Relying on one carrier can leave brands vulnerable. Furthermore, they’re typically resistant to any change until their hands are forced. But what happens when a technical outage causes a carrier to go offline, or your carrier increases fees right before a busy sales period? If you have a logistics partner with built-in alternatives, they can shift shipping volume quickly to a different partner, keeping shipments on schedule and costs in check.
In the most extreme cases, brands without flexibility risk losing entire segments of customers. We’ve seen companies completely stop shipping to a specific country, for example, because they had only one option. It was more cost-effective to completely turn off that shipping lane than to pivot to another carrier in the middle of the chaos. By the time a labor issue is over, it’s much harder to regain trust from customers who were shut out.
Another area that brands can’t control is rising regulatory complexity. Countries are reevaluating how they collect duties, taxes and customs fees. We’ve already seen increased scrutiny in regions such as the UK, EU and Canada, with more aggressive collection efforts at the parcel level. These changes can slow down cross-border shipments or add unplanned costs that frustrate customers if not accounted for early or if you can’t shift carriers when necessary.
Brands can also add flexibility by offering more than one tier of shipping service. Adding express alternatives on top of standard or economy options, even if at a premium, gives customers another choice during service outages. This ensures that not all orders are dependent on a single method.
A brand that has all its eggs in one basket may think it’s easy to change service providers when there’s a challenge to get around, but that’s not the reality when a crisis is in motion. When disruptions occur, alternative carriers face immediate demand surges from businesses seeking new solutions.
Carriers often limit the new accounts they may accept, and impose restrictions on the volume they do ship to prevent network bottlenecks and protect existing customers. However, for brands that are already established with a service provider that has access to multiple carriers, the pivot to other routes is quick and doesn’t disrupt operations.
Smart partnerships for an unpredictable world
When selecting different carriers to partner with, brands need to be aware of coverage areas and limitations. Many carriers find shipping to rural and remote areas difficult and not as cost-effective for their volume of packages. Brands need to know whether it is only the incumbent postal service that will ship to the areas they need to deliver to.
Similarly, brands must consider special delivery requirements such as PO box restrictions. Since only postal services can deliver to these, companies using alternative carriers need clear website notifications requiring physical addresses to avoid fulfillment issues.
Understanding these coverage gaps helps brands make informed decisions about service options and pricing strategies, weighing the cost of out-of-area surcharges against the risk of lost sales in underserved markets.
Operationalizing resilience: it’s not just about carriers
Beyond diversification, smart brands are seeking logistics partners that invest heavily in real-time data capabilities and predictive analytics. Stamp Free’s report on the industry trends for 2025 found that artificial intelligence is the top technology trend this year, ahead of automation and big data. We’re already seeing AI being used to support everything from capacity planning to customs documentation.
Logistics platforms that implement AI allow for flexible routing, track carrier performance in real time and provide early warning about customs or tariff changes. This can significantly reduce lag during a disruption, as it enables brands and logistics partners to make faster, data-driven decisions no matter the disruption.
E-commerce parcel volumes have exploded in growth since the pandemic, and will only continue to grow. Brands that broaden their shipping infrastructure and partner with providers who can pivot quickly will create operations that can stay in motion even when conditions shift. Because if there’s one thing we can predict with certainty, it’s this: the next disruption is coming. Resilience isn’t a luxury – it’s the baseline for staying in business.
Alison Layfield is the vice president of product development at ePost Global, where she leads cross-border shipping strategies and product innovation. With over 20 years of experience in global logistics, she has also held leadership roles at TNT Mailfast and DHL, providing her deep expertise in international shipping, customs compliance and supply chain optimization.