Kelly Martinez, Co-Founder and President of ePost Global, published a comprehensive analysis in Total Retail on navigating the permanent shift in international shipping conditions. Her article reveals how trade disruptions have become customer experience problems, not just operational challenges.
The scale of disruption
The numbers tell the story. In an analysis of 23.3 million cross-border shipments from U.S. companies, rerouting events tied to trade and tariff changes surged by more than 2,400 percent between January and December 2025.
This isn't temporary volatility. Kelly's article makes clear that retailers now operate in an environment where disruption is structural, not cyclical.
Why single-carrier strategies failed
Many retailers entering 2025 depended on a single international carrier. That structure worked fine in stable markets. The past year exposed how quickly those advantages disappear when service conditions change.
Carrier performance varied dramatically. Recent ePost Global data showed a 96 percentage-point gap between the best- and worst-performing carriers serving similar markets.
Retailers with multiple carrier partners could reroute. Others had fewer options once shipments stalled or got caught in trade disruptions.
Customs became the bottleneck
Customs processing proved to be a larger source of disruption than many retailers anticipated. Shipping problems often started before parcels entered carrier networks at all.
Kelly highlights the difference DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) made. According to recent shipment data, pre-cleared shipments were more than 30 times more likely to successfully reach customers. When duties are pushed to delivery, many customers refuse packages.
The transparency of knowing costs upfront matters. Retailers using DDP models generally saw stronger delivery outcomes in higher-risk markets because duties and taxes were collected during checkout, not on arrival.
What's coming next
The EU's planned removal of low-value customs exemptions by 2028 will require retailers to provide more accurate duty calculations and stronger customs documentation earlier in the purchase process.
For retailers expanding internationally in high-complexity categories like electronics, luxury goods, and food, Kelly emphasizes that investing in specialized compliance expertise is as important as choosing the right carrier.
The bottom line
Cross-border e-commerce remains a major growth opportunity, but the operational side of international shipping has become far more complex. Retailers growing internationally now require logistics infrastructure built to withstand disruption—not prepared for temporary challenges.
Read Kelly's full analysis on keeping cross-border e-commerce moving at Total Retail →
