In the September 2025 edition of Parcel and Postal Technology International, Helaine Rich, Vice President of Strategic Sales & Administration at ePost Global, joined other industry experts in outlining how brands are navigating the uncertainty caused by shifting U.S. e-commerce tariffs – especially ahead of the peak holiday season.
Rich emphasized that many retailers are in strategic planning mode, assessing long-term shifts to mitigate tariff exposure:
“They’re not going to change their manufacturing or distribution centers prior to Black Friday, but they are looking at, for example, opening up facilities in the EU as a 2026 plan.”
She explained that while most brands are holding off on major infrastructure changes until after peak, many are actively modeling the financial viability of EU-based hubs, weighing labor costs, operating expenses, and overall risk exposure before making any moves.
Rich also noted a spike in interest in U.S.-based bonded warehouse solutions following the de minimis changes – a move allowing merchants to defer duty payments and better manage cash flow while still servicing U.S. customers.
“They’re going to monitor and watch what happens and be as nimble as they can to react to changes that may not be as much of an effort to adjust to as expected,” Rich added.
