It's been six weeks of freight market disruption. The impacts are affecting multiple stages of the supply chain but ecommerce fulfillment providers are feeling it acutely as fuel surcharges rolled in to offset the rising price of fuel.

The ceasefire between the US and Iran came through on April 8, just before Trump's strike deadline expired. As a result, oil dropped 13% in a day but surcharges don't dissolve with a press release.

Even if the deal holds, the effects will not resolve quickly as carriers will leave surcharges intact to offset uncertainty and jet fuel supplies will likely take months to recover. Most operators will know this, but it's worth talking to customers to help protect margins on both sides of the conversation.

What's trending

Carriers are repricing at the same time

📦 USPS is adding an 8% fuel surcharge starting April 26. Amazon is adding a 3.5% FBA fuel fee starting April 17. UPS and FedEx are already running 25–28% fuel surcharges.

📦 For 3PLs running multi-carrier strategies, the impact compounds quickly. Cost models built earlier this year likely need to be rebuilt and pass-through structures rechecked.

USPS Surcharge → WSJ | Amazon FBA Fee → WSJ

Retailers continue to consolidate and automate

📦 Walmart is closing legacy facilities and shifting volume into automated hubs as part of a long-term move toward a fully automated network. Ulta is expanding ship-from-store without adding new DCs.

📦 The direction is clear: Higher density and more automation to drive lower cost per unit. For 3PLs, this is the benchmark your clients will begin measuring against operationally and financially.

Walmart Closures → Sourcing Journal | Ulta Ship-From-Store → Supply Chain Dive

Tariff refunds expand while new costs come in

📦 The pool of eligible tariff refunds has expanded to include fully liquidated entries, with roughly $166B at stake and a portal expected to go live soon.

📦 At the same time, new tariffs on pharma and metals are taking effect.

Expanded Refund Scope → Supply Chain Dive | New Tariff Orders → Reuters

Parcel networks continue to reshuffle

📦 Amazon is now reducing USPS volume by 20% instead of two-thirds, keeping over a billion packages flowing through the postal network, largely due to rural delivery constraints.

📦 UPS is moving the other direction, reducing Amazon exposure and shifting toward higher-margin business.

Amazon-USPS Deal → WSJ | UPS-Teamsters Settlement → Reuters

Highlight: Warehouse Innovators Community

Coming out of both Manifest and IWLA, it's clear that there is no shortage of technology in the warehousing space right now. The question is not what exists but what actually makes sense for your operation today versus what might matter five years from now.

I sat in on Kevin Lawton’s session at IWLA where he walked through that exact problem. What’s real, what’s viable, and how operators should be thinking about adopting new technology without getting distracted.

He’s now taking that a step further with the launch of the Warehouse Innovators Community, a private community built specifically for operators. It is focused on warehouse innovation and technology, and intentionally removes vendor noise.

What it includes:

1. Private, curated insights on warehouse technology

2. Direct access to peer conversations with other operators

3. Community exclusive pricing on select solutions

4. Event perks like discounted tickets and meet-up opportunities

5. Members-only livestreams, demos, and virtual events

6. Initial sales pitches taken by Kevin on behalf of the group

If you're having difficulty navigating the technology landscape this resource can help you sort through the options and get feedback from others who have used the solutions you are considering.

You can apply here: Join the Warehouse Innovators Community

Opportunities in Fulfillment