It’s no secret that today’s business environment is very different from that of the past. With each year, new trends emerge that change how companies operate and serve consumers.
For sellers that ship products to their customers, there are certain trends that you certainly need to keep a close eye on this year.
Whether you’re selling DTC, wholesale, or a combination of the two, here’s what I’m focusing on the most when it comes to shipping in 2026:
Sustainability
Sustainability is no longer optional for sellers. The way your packaging, shipping, and fulfillment impacts the environment has a direct impact on consumer sentiment toward your brand.
The numbers don’t lie, and customers are speaking with their wallets. Consider these statistics:
- 61% of consumers say that sustainable packaging influences their decision to buy.
- 82% of customers are willing to pay more money for products with sustainable packaging.
- 68% of buyers want products to arrive in correctly-sized packages in an effort to reduce waste.
As a seller, you need to take this into consideration from two different perspectives.
- How you’re actually packaging and shipping your products.
- Your marketing materials and branding around sustainability.
Being environmentally friendly is obviously a good thing. But take that one step further and actually show it off.
If sustainability feels like a genuine part of your brand mission, it can actually become a competitive advantage and justify higher pricing.
Tariffs and Trade Policy
I’m not going to get into politics here. But no matter where you’re from or what side you lean, it’s impossible to ignore how tariffs and trade policies are impacting our global supply chains.
According to data from Google Trends, the search term for “tariffs” reached its all-time high last year.
And policies are still shifting, becoming more challenging for businesses to predict.
So if you’re sourcing items from other countries or selling to customers across borders, this will directly impact your costs. Make sure you adjust accordingly to ensure your margins are being met.
Cost Reduction
More sellers have recognized that their costs are rising from multiple angles.
- 5.9% average rate increase from FedEx and UPS in 2026.
- Last-mile delivery accounts for 53% of total shipping costs.
- Fuel surcharges.
- Residential delivery surcharges.
- Rising accessory charges.
- Shipping contracts with built-in rate hikes.
These are just a few of the many different reasons why your shipping costs are rising.
I’ve noticed that more companies are making a conscious effort to cut costs and prevent rate creep from cutting into margins.
Getting a parcel audit is a good first step.
AI and Automation
Yes, I know the “AI” buzzword feels like overkill, and you’re hearing it everywhere. But this is truly something that’s become a major part of shipping technology from multiple angles.
- Warehouses are using robotics for picking and packing.
- Shipping carriers and 3PLs are using AI for smarter routing.
- Machine learning helps predict inventory decision-making.
- Consumers are using agentic commerce to shop online.
I’m just barely scratching the surface here.
While not all of this is 100% brand new. It’s still trending up in 2026, with no signs of slowing down in the foreseeable future.
Returns Management
According to 2026 data from Capital One, 24.5% of retail items purchased online are returned.
This is 3x more than the return rate for back-and-mortar merchandise. And the value of total merchandise returned has doubled over the last five years.
Nearly $850 billion worth of goods were returned last year in the US alone.
So if you haven’t started to factor returns into your pricing and operations strategy yet, now is definitely the time to do so.
What percentage of your orders are being returned? How are you accounting for return costs? Are you taking steps to prevent returns?
This is a classic paradox between customer service and cost. Sellers that know how to find this balance will succeed ahead of their competitors in 2026. And unlocking savings tied to shipping expenses may be the secret weapon.
Cargo Theft
As technology advances to help sellers make smarter business decisions, it also makes it easier for scammers to commit fraud.
I’m not just talking about someone using a stolen credit card to buy something online. I’m referring to organized cargo theft that’s disappearing hundreds of millions of dollars in inventory from trucks in transit.
Here’s what the latest data suggests:
- Cargo theft losses totaled $725 million in 2025
- That’s a 60% increase from 2024.
- At this rate, cargo theft will become a billion-dollar problem in 2026.
- The value of theft per incident is an average of $273,990.
Certain locations are more vulnerable than others. In fact, over half of these incidents stem from targets in just three states (California, Texas, and Illinois).
As a seller, there’s truthfully not a ton you can do to prepare for this right now. It’s on the shipping companies and outsourced trucking companies to protect themselves.
But we’ve reached a point where a fraudster overseas can re-route a truck of inventory to a warehouse where the goods will ultimately be stolen instead of arriving at your facility or to your customers.
Final Thoughts
It’s always a good idea to keep your finger on the pulse with what’s trending in shipping. For sellers, this information can help you adjust your strategies accordingly.
And if you look carefully, there’s one common theme across all of these trends: cost.
With shipping costs rising, you can take steps today to help prevent your expenses from getting out of control later this year.