Carlos Barbosa, VP of Commerce Solutions at ePost Global, examines why the middle mile, the space between shipment origin and delivery, has become the most critical battleground for supply chain resilience.
Clearing customs has always been a complex process for merchants. Add carrier performance gaps and regulatory changes, and they now determine whether brands maintain margins and deliver on promises. According to our ePost Global's Shipping Intelligence Report, there's a 96-point gap in delivery performance between top-performing and underperforming carriers. This proves that not all carriers are equally equipped to handle customs, documentation, or regional expertise.
Over the last several years, customs went from a back-office function to a business strategy. With EU regulatory shifts, the elimination of the € 150 IOSS threshold by 2028, the €3 customs fee (July 1, 2026), and additional handling fees (November 1), brands need to treat customs as a competitive advantage.
DDP (Delivery Duty Paid) has emerged as the baseline for high-performing operations. By clearing duties and customs upfront, DDP removes the uncertainty that DDU creates and delivers significantly better performance, especially in European markets.
The complex nature of the middle mile is now where brands win or lose customer trust, margins, and market position.
