Our Week 19 Top Logistics Stories

It’s week 19 and here are three stories you should be updating your customers and prospects on this week. They need your expertise!

Shippers may not be aware of what’s occurring or its importance, so offering your assistance and insights will help you build a stronger relationship with them.

Knowing what’s going on in the market is only half the battle. Your customers need to be told what to do about it and they should hear that from you.

1.      Ocean rates continue to soften, although in some unbalanced ways. US imports from China have slowed to a crawl thanks to tariffs. One result is that carriers are diverting capacity to Asia to Europe lanes and lowering rates there. There is a possible break through with the Red Sea Crisis, according to a Trump statement, which could also make shipping easier for the region and further lowering costs.

2.      Another thing slowing down is manufacturing in the US. The April PMI came in at 48.7%, down from 49% the previous month. A reading below 50% shows economic contraction and is a poor sign for economic health. Experts point to a lack of confidence and confusion over the current US trade policy. This likely means low demand for shipping in the US will continue.

3.      Finally, some shifts are happening in the small parcel delivery market that should be on the radar for e-commerce sellers. For example, the USPS is lowering its delivery speed and performance targets. And the end of de minimis exception, along with higher tariffs, is changing the delivery cost structure for many companies. The options online retailers have are changing, and smart companies should take advantage.

Of course, these stories are just a small part of what’s going on in the supply chain space right now. Updating your clients on how this and other information is relevant to their business is a way to provide more value and strengthen your relationships.

If you need help creating more complete and customized updates for emails, blogs, and social media, we can help. Visit www.shippingbrief.com to learn more.