Photo by Gabriel Garcia Marengo on Unsplash
“Good luck getting your holiday gifts delivered on time this year. You’ll need it,” writes Chris Isadore in an October 2020 CNN Business article. He adds, “Demand for shipping has reached levels they didn’t expect to deliver until several years from now.” The they he’s referring to are the carriers delivering the sea of packages ordered online in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s no denying the system bog as carriers and delivery drivers around the country struggled to keep up with e-commerce demand, impacting businesses and consumers alike.
What, then, is in store for 2021?
Well, Isadore’s words may reign true. Starting October 1, a slowdown of all first-class USPS deliveries, originally proposed by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy back in June, will take effect, delaying first-class mail by up to 5 days sent from certain areas of the country.
And not only will brands need to ship those gifts much earlier this year, but they’ll be paying more to ship them with USPS, as well. Kimberlee Speakman, for Forbes, outlines some of the important facts, including:
Under the proposal, customers can expect to pay from 25 cents more for packages up to 10 pounds, up to as much as $5 more for packages weighing between 21 and 70 pounds.
The additional fees would be added to packages shipped between Oct. 3 and Dec. 26
The USPS started charging more for packages sent by retailers and large shipping companies last year, adding surcharges ranging between 24 cents and $1.50 per package.
With e-commerce’s heavy traffic expected to continue, shipping orders and gifts is going to cost brands and consumers even more time and money this 2021 holiday season, without guarantee packages will arrive on time. This, of course, isn’t forgetting the predictable, single-use packaging waste to come.
There’s a better way – a smarter way.
The Webinar:
There’s a lot going on in the world, already, and with the rules changing, making shipping even more analog and expensive, it’s time we learn from the past – if even just the past year – and prepare for the future.
It was David Biello, TED’s Science Curator who said:
“It’s not just saving the planet. In fact it’s not really saving the planet. It’s saving ourselves. You know, the planet has dealt with climate change many times before, and honestly the planet will be fine. Our civilization, if we don’t act now, and act quickly, will not be fine.”
And the best ways to save ourselves? Education and collective cooperation. Thus, in support of sustainability education, the theme of its August Giveback, and collective circularity, LimeLoop presents its first webinar: Reusable Packaging for Holiday Shipping in hopes of inspiring and easing holiday shipping experiences this season.
Topics covered in this webinar:
- Holiday Forecasts and Opportunities
- How Reusable Packaging Works
- Implementing Reusable Packaging
The webinar will take 20 to 25 minutes. So, whether you’re setting up the basics or shipping what may feel like your millionth package, join LimeLoop to review what you might know and to learn what you might not.