Peak Season Shipping Tips: Why It’s a Game of High Stakes and Higher Costs for your Ecommerce Business
- Danyul Gleeson
- Jul 28
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 27
Shipping during peak season is not for the faint-hearted it’s a full-blown logistical battlefield where demand skyrockets, carriers flex their pricing power, and shipping rates go up faster than your stress levels. If you’re not ahead of the game, you’ll be left paying holiday-season surge pricing for shipments that may or may not arrive before your customers lose patience.
Peak seasons aren’t just a one-time event -they hit multiple times a year, each with its own set of challenges:
🚛 Back-to-School & Holiday Inventory Rush (Mid-August – Mid-October) Retailers bulk-order for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas, creating a capacity crunch that sends shipping rates through the roof. 🚛 Black Friday is always held on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the US. In 2025, that date is 28 November. Because Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, Black Friday's date changes from year to year. 🚛 Cyber Monday is a marketing term for e-commerce transactions on the Monday after Thanksgiving in the United States.
🎄 Christmas & New Year Chaos (November – December) This is the grand finale of shipping madness, where everyone wants their goods yesterday, and parcel carriers buckle under the sheer volume.
🧧 Chinese New Year Shutdowns (January – February) Factories across China close for weeks, causing a pre-holiday shipping rush that chokes ports and drives up rates.
During these high-stakes months, rates surge, transit times stretch, and getting your shipments where they need to be requires more strategy than a game of chess.
The question is: Will your supply chain survive the storm, or will you be stuck watching your goods collect dust at a port?
Let’s break down how to keep your shipping costs in check, avoid peak-season delays, and outmaneuver the competition eith these Peak Season Shipping Tips.
Understanding Shipping Costs and Transit Times During Peak Seasons
Impact on Shipping Costs
During peak seasons, shipping costs often rise due to increased demand and limited capacity. Key factors contributing to these cost escalations include:
General Rate Increases (GRIs): Carriers implement GRIs to adjust for heightened demand, leading to higher base shipping rates. For instance, in April 2017, shipping prices increased by 7.6% before adjusting later in the month. (Freightos)
Peak Season Surcharges: Major carriers like FedEx and UPS apply additional fees during peak periods to manage the surge in shipments. In 2024, UPS's peak surcharges took effect in October, while FedEx implemented theirs starting August 15, with further increases anticipated during the holiday season. (Best Yet Express Trucking)
Additional Operational Costs: Congested ports lead to longer wait times for truckers, who may charge extra fees for delays. Moreover, shortages of equipment like chassis can result in additional charges, further increasing shipping expenses. (Flexport)
Impact on Transit Times
Transit times can be adversely affected during peak seasons due to several factors:
Port Congestion: High volumes of shipments can overwhelm ports, leading to delays in loading and unloading cargo. This congestion extends overall transit times.
Carrier Overbooking: To maximize profits, carriers may overbook shipments, resulting in some cargo being rolled over to subsequent vessels, thereby delaying delivery schedules. (Flexport)
Extended Delivery Times: The increased strain on logistics networks during peak seasons can lead to longer delivery times. For example, during the chaotic peak season of 2020, the slowest average Zone 5 shipping speed reached 5.43 days, nearly two days longer than previous records. (ShipBob)
Strategies to Mitigate Challenges During Peak Seasons
To navigate the challenges of peak season shipping effectively, consider the following strategies:
Advance Planning: Schedule shipments well in advance of peak periods to secure capacity and avoid last-minute rate hikes.
Flexible Shipping Options: Opt for services with slightly longer transit times, as they are less likely to be overbooked, reducing the risk of delays. (Flexport)
Diversify Carriers: Utilize multiple carriers to mitigate the impact of any single carrier's capacity constraints or surcharges.
Optimize Packaging: Efficient packaging can reduce dimensional weight charges and minimize the risk of incurring additional fees during peak seasons.
By understanding and proactively addressing the fluctuations in shipping costs and transit times during peak seasons, businesses can maintain operational efficiency and better manage expenses.
Peak Season Shipping Tips: 5 Essential FAQs
Why Do Shipping Costs Increase During Peak Seasons?
Shipping costs surge during peak seasons due to increased demand, limited carrier capacity, and congestion across ports and warehouses.
Key reasons for price hikes:
General Rate Increases (GRIs) – Major carriers raise base rates to adjust for high demand.
Peak Season Surcharges – FedEx, UPS, and DHL implement additional fees from October through January.
Limited Capacity – Freight demand spikes before Black Friday, Christmas, and Chinese New Year, increasing competition for space.
Port Congestion – Longer wait times at major ports drive up detention and demurrage fees.
Trucking Delays – Overbooked networks lead to higher rates for last-mile delivery.
How to reduce costs:
Book shipments at least three months in advance.
Diversify freight options (air, ocean, rail, trucking) to balance speed and cost.
Use multiple carriers to avoid dependence on one provider.
Consolidate shipments to optimise load efficiency.
Want to secure lower rates before the surge? Check out our smart freight solutions.
How does peak season impact transit times?
Peak season shipping is notorious for delays. With increased order volumes and strained logistics networks, transit times can increase by 25–50%.
Common causes of delays:
Port congestion – High shipment volumes slow down container processing times.
Overbooked air and ocean freight – Shipments get pushed to later flights or sailings.
Trucking shortages – Increased demand extends last-mile delivery times.
Weather disruptions – Winter storms and hurricanes frequently cause transit slowdowns.
How to avoid delays:
Ship before peak season starts (August–October).
Use alternative ports and distribution centers to bypass congestion.
Choose carriers with priority shipping options.
Track shipments in real time to anticipate delays.
Need a more reliable peak season shipping plan? We can help.
What are the best ways to reduce peak season shipping costs?
Managing costs during peak season requires strategic planning and flexibility.
Cost-cutting strategies:
Book early – Rates typically rise 30–50% during peak months.
Use a mix of ocean and air freight – Balances cost and speed.
Leverage regional distribution centers – Reduces last-mile delivery expenses.
Optimise packaging – Right-sized boxes help reduce dimensional weight charges.
Monitor peak season surcharges – Carriers adjust fees quarterly.
Businesses that use dynamic freight routing save up to 18% on peak season shipping (Logistics Management).
Want to cut your shipping costs before peak season hits? See how we optimise freight.
How do retailers manage inventory for peak season demand?
Retailers must balance stock levels carefully to avoid stockouts and overstocking.
Key strategies for inventory management:
Demand forecasting – AI-driven analytics predict seasonal sales trends.
Increased warehouse capacity – Many businesses expand storage by 25–50% before peak season.
Regional warehousing – Storing products closer to high-demand areas speeds up deliveries.
Flexible fulfilment models – Dropshipping and supplier diversification allow for quick adjustments.
In 2022, Amazon increased its fulfilment center space by 40 million sq. ft. to handle peak demand (Amazon Logistics Report).
Need a better inventory strategy for peak season? Check out our warehouse management solutions.
How can businesses prevent supply chain disruptions during peak season?
Peak season supply chain disruptions cost businesses billions every year.
Ways to avoid disruptions:
Diversify suppliers and carriers – Reduces reliance on a single freight provider.
Use digital freight platforms – Automates carrier selection and tracking.
Invest in predictive analytics – AI tools identify potential delays and reroute shipments.
Expand regional distribution networks – Reduces last-mile delays by 35%.
In 2021, supply chain disruptions cost businesses over $4 trillion, with 83% of companies reporting major disruptions (McKinsey).
Want to bulletproof your supply chain before peak season? Let’s future-proof your logistics.
Stay Ahead of the Peak Season Rush - Without the Headaches
Every year, peak season shipping sends costs soaring and transit times crawling - but it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right strategy, you can secure capacity, keep costs in check, and avoid the dreaded holiday delays that send businesses scrambling.
The difference between on-time deliveries and costly disruptions? Smart planning, flexible freight solutions, and a logistics partner who knows how to navigate the chaos.
Want a peak season shipping strategy that actually works - without the stress, surcharges, and surprises? Let’s make it happen.
Insights from Danyul Gleeson, Founder & Chaos Tamer-in-Chief at Transport Works
Danyul has been in the trenches - warehouses where pick paths were sketched on pizza boxes and boardrooms where the “supply chain strategy” was a shrug. He built Transport Works to flip that script: a 4PL that turns broken systems into competitive advantage. His mission? Always Delivering - without the chaos.
