Year-Round eCommerce Demand Makes Saturday Shipping the New Normal

Ralph Mezzoni | Thursday, Jan 17th 2019
packages transported in a high tech streamline settings

Shippers are seeing more services and options than ever and FedEx® has just added another one. FedEx recently expanded their U.S. operations to six days a week, joining both USPS® and UPS® in making six-day shipping the new normal. USPS currently offers Saturday shipping and UPS has been offering Saturday ground pickups and deliveries in many cities including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, with plans to expand.

 

Get Ready for the eCommerce Effect

Driving these new services are unprecedented shipping volumes from eCommerce that show no signs of slowing down. According to FedEx CEO Raj Subramaniam, “The rise in demand and volume at FedEx has been both dramatic and consistent for more than 10 years.” Ten years ago the record volume day for FedEx was 12 million shipments. Today, FedEx handles more than 14 million shipments on an average day! In fact, FedEx is betting that these rise in shipment volumes will continue and are forecasting that this holiday season they will handle their largest shipping volumes on record.

You might think that you only have to worry about shipping volumes during the holidays. However, Subramaniam argues that this is not the case; that the rise in demand for eCommerce goes beyond peak and has become “a year-round phenomenon.” The eCommerce effect has made “peak shipping” standard all year.

The eCommerce effect has changed consumer behavior and many businesses of all sizes and industries are adjusting to increased shipping volume and service demands. Is your business feeling the eCommerce effect? How are you managing it in your own business?