{"id":104503,"date":"2026-11-10T10:07:22","date_gmt":"2026-11-10T16:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/?post_type=guides&#038;p=104503"},"modified":"2026-11-10T11:18:56","modified_gmt":"2026-11-10T17:18:56","slug":"shipping-insights-report-q4-2026","status":"publish","type":"guides","link":"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/en-gb\/guides\/shipping-insights-report-q4-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"The Shipping Insights Report: Q4 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<script>document.documentElement.className+=' rv-js';setTimeout(function(){if(!window.__rvReady){document.documentElement.className+=' rv-off';}},3500);<\/script>\n<style>\n\/* ============================================================\n   RESET + BASE  (same conventions as the Merchant Insights page)\n   Figtree comes from the theme's variable font, so there is no\n   web-font import here. Fonts are applied to the report sections\n   only, so the WordPress header and footer are left alone.\n   ============================================================ *\/\n*, *::before, *::after { box-sizing: border-box; }\n:root {\n  --indigo:     #11003A;   \/* deep indigo: text *\/\n  --mid-green:  #5C50FF;   \/* accent on light surfaces (name kept from the Merchant Insights page) *\/\n  --violet:     #5C50FF;   \/* hero surface *\/\n  --ss-green:   #00E664;   \/* bright green: hero accent *\/\n  --white:      #ffffff;\n  --off-white:  #F7F8FA;\n  --gray-200:   #DDE0EA;\n  --gray-400:   #676B8A;   \/* methodology text *\/\n  --gray-700:   #11003A;\n  --text:       #11003A;\n}\nhtml { scroll-behavior: smooth; }\n.hero, .methodology, .section, .cta-band, .pull-band, .related {\n  font-family: 'Figtree', sans-serif;\n  color: var(--text);\n  line-height: 1.65;\n  -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;\n}\n.hero *, .methodology *, .section * { margin: 0; padding: 0; }\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   HERO\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.hero {\n  min-height: 100vh;\n  background: var(--violet);\n  display: flex;\n  flex-direction: column;\n  align-items: center;\n  justify-content: center;\n  padding: 3.5rem 2rem 2.5rem;\n  position: relative;\n  overflow: hidden;\n}\n.hero-badge {\n  display: inline-flex;\n  align-items: center;\n  gap: 8px;\n  background: rgba(255,255,255,0.14);\n  border: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.35);\n  color: var(--ss-green);\n  padding: 0.4rem 0.95rem;\n  border-radius: 100px;\n  font-size: 0.68rem;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  letter-spacing: 0.4px;\n  margin-bottom: 1.25rem;\n  text-transform: uppercase;\n  white-space: nowrap;\n}\n.hero h1 {\n  font-size: clamp(2rem, 3.8vw, 3.4rem);\n  font-weight: 800;\n  color: var(--white);\n  text-align: center;\n  letter-spacing: -2px;\n  line-height: 1.08;\n  max-width: 1080px;\n  text-wrap: balance;\n  margin-bottom: 1.1rem;\n}\n.hero h1 em {\n  font-style: normal;\n  color: var(--ss-green);\n}\n.hero-sub {\n  font-size: clamp(1rem, 2vw, 1.25rem);\n  color: rgba(255,255,255,0.9);\n  text-align: center;\n  max-width: 900px;\n  margin-bottom: 2.25rem;\n  font-weight: 400;\n}\n.hero-scroll-hint {\n  display: flex;\n  flex-direction: column;\n  align-items: center;\n  gap: 8px;\n  color: #ffffff;\n  font-size: 1.1rem;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  animation: bounce-hint 2.5s ease-in-out infinite;\n}\n.hero-scroll-hint svg { width: 32px; height: 32px; }\n@keyframes bounce-hint {\n  0%, 100% { transform: translateY(0); opacity: 0.4; }\n  50% { transform: translateY(6px); opacity: 0.8; }\n}\n\n\n\/* Hero image: centered, flush to the bottom of the blue header *\/\n\/* Hero photo background (swap the URL to try another photo) *\/\n.hero { background: var(--violet); }\n.hero-photo { position: absolute; inset: 0; background: url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-hero-still.webp) center 30% \/ cover no-repeat; z-index: 0; }\n.hero > *:not(.hero-photo):not(.hero-wash):not(.hero-scrim) { position: relative; z-index: 1; }\n.hero-photo { inset: -6%; animation: hero-drift 14s ease-in-out infinite alternate; }\n.hero-scrim { position: absolute; inset: 0; z-index: 0; overflow: hidden; background: radial-gradient(ellipse 70% 52% at 50% 36%, rgba(17,0,58,0.82), rgba(17,0,58,0) 100%), linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(0,0,0,0.35), rgba(0,0,0,0.65)), rgba(92,80,255,0.16); }\n@keyframes hero-drift { from { transform: scale(1) translate(0,0); } to { transform: scale(1.22) translate(-3%,-2%); } }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .hero-photo { animation: none; } }\n.hero h1, .hero-sub { text-shadow: 0 2px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.35); }\n.hero { height: auto; min-height: 0; justify-content: flex-start; padding-top: clamp(5rem, 11vh, 8rem); padding-bottom: 0; }\n.hero-sub { margin-bottom: 1rem; line-height: 1.4; }\n.hero-scroll-hint { margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }\n.hero-image { margin-top: clamp(1.5rem, 4vh, 3rem) !important; margin-bottom: 0 !important; display: block; width: min(920px, 100%); height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; }\n\n\n\/* Hero entrance: staggered rise *\/\n@keyframes hero-rise { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(24px); } to { opacity: 1; transform: none; } }\n@keyframes hero-slide { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(120px); } to { opacity: 1; transform: none; } }\n.hero-badge, .hero h1, .hero-sub { animation: hero-rise 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1) both; }\n.hero-badge { animation-delay: 0.05s; }\n.hero h1 { animation-delay: 0.2s; }\n.hero-sub { animation-delay: 0.4s; }\n.hero-scroll-hint { animation: hero-rise 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1) 0.6s both, bounce-hint 2.5s ease-in-out 1.6s infinite; }\n.hero-image { animation: hero-slide 1s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1) 0.7s both; }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {\n  .hero-badge, .hero h1, .hero-sub, .hero-scroll-hint, .hero-image { animation: none; }\n}\n\n@media (max-width: 760px) {\n  .hero { height: auto; min-height: 100vh; }\n}\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   METHODOLOGY RIBBON\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.methodology {\n  background: var(--off-white);\n  border-top: 1px solid var(--gray-200);\n  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--gray-200);\n  padding: 1.5rem 2rem;\n}\n.methodology-inner {\n  max-width: 1080px;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n  display: flex;\n  align-items: center;\n  gap: 2rem;\n  flex-wrap: wrap;\n}\n.methodology p {\n  font-size: 0.8rem;\n  color: var(--gray-400);\n  line-height: 20px;\n}\n.methodology strong { color: var(--text); }\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   SECTION BASE\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.section { padding: 6rem 2rem; background: var(--white); }\n.section-inner { max-width: 1080px; margin: 0 auto; }\n.section-label {\n  display: inline-block;\n  font-size: 0.875rem;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  letter-spacing: 1px;\n  text-transform: uppercase;\n  color: var(--mid-green);\n  margin-bottom: 1rem;\n}\n.section h2 {\n  font-size: clamp(2rem, 3.5vw, 3rem);\n  font-weight: 800;\n  letter-spacing: -1px;\n  line-height: 1.1;\n  margin-bottom: 2rem;\n}\n.section h2 em { font-style: normal; color: inherit; }\n\n\n\/* Introduction *\/\n.intro-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 340px; gap: 3.5rem; align-items: start; }\n.intro-lede { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; border-left: 3px solid var(--mid-green); padding-left: 1.25rem; margin: 0 0 2.5rem; color: var(--text); }\n.intro-body { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; color: var(--text); }\n.stat-card { background: var(--indigo); border-radius: 20px; padding: 2.25rem 2rem; text-align: center; }\n.stat-ring { position: relative; width: 190px; height: 190px; margin: 0 auto 1.5rem; }\n.stat-ring svg { width: 190px; height: 190px; transform: rotate(-90deg); display: block; }\n.stat-ring-track { fill: none; stroke: rgba(255,255,255,0.18); stroke-width: 16; }\n.stat-ring-fill { fill: none; stroke: var(--ss-green); stroke-width: 16; stroke-linecap: round; stroke-dasharray: 0 440; transition: stroke-dasharray 1.4s cubic-bezier(.22,.8,.3,1) 0.2s; }\n.stat-card.revealed .stat-ring-fill { stroke-dasharray: 307.9 440; }\n.stat-card-num { position: absolute; inset: 0; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 2.8rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -1px; color: var(--ss-green); }\n.stat-card-label { font-size: 1rem; font-weight: 700; line-height: 24px; color: #fff; }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .intro-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 2rem; } .stat-card { max-width: 340px; } }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .stat-ring-fill { transition: none; stroke-dasharray: 307.9 440; } }\n\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   REPORT SECTIONS (body copy, stat call-outs, chart placeholders)\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.report-section { background: var(--off-white); }\n.report-section .body, .conclusion .body { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; color: var(--text); max-width: 820px; margin: 0 0 1.75rem; }\n.report-section .body.first, .conclusion .body.first { border-left: 3px solid var(--mid-green); padding-left: 1.25rem; margin-bottom: 2.5rem; }\n.stat-callout { background: var(--off-white); border: 1px solid var(--gray-200); border-radius: 20px; padding: 1.75rem 2rem; }\n.report-section .stat-callout { background: var(--white); }\n.stat-callout .num { font-size: clamp(2.6rem, 4.5vw, 3.5rem); font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -2px; line-height: 1; color: var(--mid-green); margin-bottom: 0.7rem; }\n.stat-callout .num .vs { font-size: 0.5em; letter-spacing: 0; font-weight: 700; color: var(--gray-400); }\n.stat-callout .txt { font-size: 1rem; font-weight: 600; line-height: 24px; color: var(--text); }\n.stat-callout .txt b { font-weight: 800; }\n\/* Use .dark only when specifically requested *\/\n.stat-callout.dark { background: var(--indigo); border-color: var(--indigo); }\n.stat-callout.dark .num { color: var(--ss-green); }\n.stat-callout.dark .txt { color: #fff; }\n.stat-callout.wide { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 2rem; }\n.stat-callout.wide .num { margin: 0; flex-shrink: 0; }\n.stat-callout.wide .num + .num { margin-left: 0; }\n.stat-grid { display: grid; gap: 1.5rem; margin: 0 0 2.25rem; }\n.stat-grid.cols-1 { grid-template-columns: 1fr; }\n.stat-grid.cols-2 { grid-template-columns: repeat(2, 1fr); }\n.stat-grid.cols-3 { grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr); }\n.chart-placeholder { background: var(--white); border: 2px dashed var(--gray-200); border-radius: 20px; padding: 3rem 2rem; text-align: center; margin: 0 0 2.25rem; }\n.chart-placeholder .cp-tag { display: inline-block; font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--gray-400); margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }\n.chart-placeholder .cp-title { font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 800; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 0.35rem; }\n.chart-placeholder .cp-note { font-size: 0.95rem; color: var(--gray-400); }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .stat-grid.cols-2, .stat-grid.cols-3 { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .stat-callout.wide { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 0.75rem; } }\n\n\/* ---- Charts (match last report's chart language) ---- *\/\n.chart-card { background: var(--white); border: 1px solid var(--gray-200); border-radius: 20px; padding: 2rem 2.25rem; margin: 0 0 2.25rem; }\n.chart-title { font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: 1px; text-transform: uppercase; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 0.35rem; }\n.chart-sub { font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 20px; color: var(--gray-400); margin-bottom: 1.5rem; }\n.chart-legend { display: flex; gap: 1.5rem; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: 600; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 1.25rem; }\n.chart-legend span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem; }\n.chart-legend i { width: 14px; height: 14px; border-radius: 4px; display: inline-block; }\n.lg-now { background: var(--ss-green); } .lg-prev { background: var(--gray-200); }\n.col-chart { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 1.5rem; border-bottom: 2px solid var(--gray-200); }\n.col-group { display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: flex-end; gap: 1rem; height: 300px; padding-top: 2rem; }\n.col { width: min(110px, 38%); height: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: flex-end; align-items: center; }\n.col-val { font-size: 1.5rem; font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -0.5px; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 0.4rem; }\n.col-prev .col-val { font-size: 1.125rem; font-weight: 700; color: var(--gray-400); }\n.col-bar { width: 100%; border-radius: 10px 10px 0 0; height: 0; transition: height 1.1s cubic-bezier(.22,.8,.3,1) 0.15s; }\n.col-now .col-bar { background: var(--ss-green); }\n.col-prev .col-bar { background: var(--gray-200); }\n.chart-card.revealed .col-bar { height: calc(var(--v) * var(--k, 1) * 1%); }\n.col-labels { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 1.5rem; margin-top: 0.85rem; text-align: center; font-size: 1rem; font-weight: 700; color: var(--text); }\n.chart-callout { background: #EEEDFF; border-left: 4px solid var(--mid-green); border-radius: 0 12px 12px 0; padding: 1rem 1.25rem; margin-top: 1.5rem; font-size: 1rem; line-height: 24px; color: var(--text); }\n.chart-split { display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 280px; gap: 2.5rem; align-items: center; }\n.chart-side .chart-callout { margin-top: 0; font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; padding: 1.5rem 1.5rem; }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .chart-split { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 1.5rem; } }\n.col-chart.six { grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr); gap: 0.75rem; }\n.col-chart.six .col-group { gap: 0.4rem; }\n.col-chart.six .col { width: min(56px, 44%); }\n.col-chart.six .col-val { font-size: 1.0625rem; }\n.col-chart.six .col-prev .col-val { font-size: 0.9375rem; }\n.col-labels.six { grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr); gap: 0.75rem; font-size: 0.9375rem; }\n.col-bracket { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr); gap: 0.75rem; margin-top: 1rem; }\n.col-bracket div { grid-column: 4 \/ 7; border: 2px solid var(--mid-green); border-top: 0; border-radius: 0 0 10px 10px; padding: 0.6rem 0.75rem 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 20px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--mid-green); height: 3.25rem; }\n@media (max-width: 760px) { .col-chart.six .col-val { font-size: 0.8125rem; } .col-chart.six .col-prev .col-val { font-size: 0.75rem; } .col-labels.six, .col-bracket div { font-size: 0.75rem; } }\n.hbar-chart { display: grid; gap: 1.75rem; }\n.hbar-label { font-size: 1rem; line-height: 24px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }\n.hbar { display: flex; align-items: center; margin-bottom: 0.4rem; }\n.hbar-track { flex: 1; height: 34px; background: var(--off-white); border-radius: 8px; overflow: hidden; }\n.hbar-fill { height: 100%; width: 0; border-radius: 8px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: flex-end; padding-right: 0.75rem; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 800; transition: width 1.1s cubic-bezier(.22,.8,.3,1) 0.15s; }\n.hbar.prev .hbar-fill { background: var(--gray-200); color: var(--gray-400); }\n.hbar.now .hbar-fill { background: var(--ss-green); color: var(--indigo); }\n.chart-card.revealed .hbar-fill { width: calc(var(--v) * var(--k, 1) * 1%); }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .hbar-fill { transition: none; } }\n\/* Chart bar stagger: bars grow in sequence *\/\n.col-bar, .hbar-fill { transition-duration: 1.3s; }\n.col-chart .col-group .col-now .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.3s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(2) .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.35s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(2) .col-now .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.5s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(3) .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.55s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(4) .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.75s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(5) .col-bar { transition-delay: 0.95s; }\n.col-chart .col-group:nth-child(6) .col-bar { transition-delay: 1.15s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(2) .hbar.prev .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 0.6s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(2) .hbar.now .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 0.8s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(3) .hbar.prev .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 1.05s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(3) .hbar.now .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 1.25s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(1) .hbar.prev .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 0.15s; }\n.hbar-chart > div:nth-child(1) .hbar.now .hbar-fill { transition-delay: 0.35s; }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .col-bar, .hbar-fill { transition: none !important; } }\n.stat-feature { display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 1.1fr; gap: 1.5rem; align-items: stretch; margin: 0 0 2.25rem; }\n.stat-callout.feature { display: flex; flex-direction: column; justify-content: center; padding: 2rem; }\n.stat-callout.feature .num { font-size: clamp(3.5rem, 7vw, 5rem); margin-bottom: 0.8rem; }\n.stat-callout.feature .txt { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; }\n.stat-feature-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 1rem; }\n.stat-feature-grid .stat-callout { padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem; display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 1.25rem; }\n.stat-feature-grid .num { font-size: 2.25rem; margin: 0; width: 5.5rem; flex: none; }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .stat-feature { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } }\n.conclusion .body { max-width: 820px; }\n.conclusion-list { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; color: var(--text); max-width: 820px; margin: 0 0 1.75rem; padding-left: 1.5rem; list-style: decimal; }\n.conclusion-list li { margin: 0 0 0.6rem; padding-left: 0.25rem; }\n.conclusion-list li::marker { color: var(--mid-green); font-weight: 800; }\n.conclusion-list strong { font-weight: 800; }\n.cta-band { background: var(--violet); padding: 5rem 2rem; text-align: center; }\n.cta-band * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n.cta-band-inner { max-width: 1100px; margin: 0 auto; }\n.cta-band h2 { font-size: clamp(1.75rem, 3vw, 2.5rem); font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.15; color: #fff; margin-bottom: 1rem; }\n.cta-band p { font-size: 1.125rem; line-height: 28px; color: rgba(255,255,255,0.85); max-width: 940px; margin: 0 auto 2rem; }\n.cta-band a.cta-btn { font-family: 'Figtree', sans-serif; display: inline-block; background: var(--ss-green); color: var(--indigo); font-weight: 800; font-size: 1rem; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.95rem 2rem; border-radius: 999px; transition: transform 0.2s ease, box-shadow 0.2s ease; }\n.cta-band a.cta-btn:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); box-shadow: 0 8px 24px rgba(0,230,100,0.35); }\n.pull-band { background: var(--ss-green); padding: 4rem 2rem; text-align: center; }\n.pull-band p { margin: 0 auto; padding: 0; max-width: 1080px; font-size: clamp(1.25rem, 2.2vw, 1.625rem); font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -0.5px; line-height: 1.35; color: var(--indigo); }\n.report-section.alt { background: var(--white); }\n.report-section.alt .stat-callout { background: var(--off-white); }\n.report-section.alt .stat-callout.dark { background: var(--indigo); }\n.report-section.alt .chart-placeholder { background: var(--off-white); }\n.stat-grid.single { grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 560px); }\n.report-section.alt .chart-card { background: var(--off-white); border-color: var(--gray-200); }\n.report-section.alt .hbar-track { background: #E6E8F0; }\n.hbar.hl .hbar-fill { background: var(--mid-green); color: #fff; }\n.hbar-chart.single-series .hbar-label { margin-bottom: 0.4rem; }\n.hbar-chart.single-series { gap: 1.25rem; }\n.chart-card.revealed.has-small .hbar-fill { min-width: 2.75rem; }\n.hbar-label.total { font-weight: 800; }\n.hbar-divider { height: 1px; background: var(--gray-200); margin: 0.25rem 0; }\n.seg-row { margin-bottom: 1.75rem; }\n.seg-row:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }\n.chart-subhead { font-size: 1rem; line-height: 24px; font-weight: 700; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 0.6rem; }\n.chart-card .chart-hr { height: 1px; background: var(--gray-200); margin: 1.75rem 0; }\n.seg-bar { display: flex; height: 44px; border-radius: 10px; overflow: hidden; background: var(--off-white); }\n.seg { width: 0; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; font-size: 0.9375rem; font-weight: 800; color: var(--indigo); background: var(--c); transition: width 1.2s cubic-bezier(.22,.8,.3,1) 0.15s; overflow: hidden; }\n.seg.lt { color: #fff; }\n.chart-card.revealed .seg { width: calc(var(--v) * 1%); }\n.seg-legend { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 0.4rem 1.25rem; margin-top: 0.7rem; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 20px; font-weight: 600; color: var(--text); }\n.seg-legend span { display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.45rem; }\n.seg-legend i { width: 12px; height: 12px; border-radius: 3px; background: var(--c); display: inline-block; }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .seg { transition: none; } }\n.related { background: #EEEDFF; padding: 5rem 2rem 4.5rem; }\n.related * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n.related-inner { max-width: 1080px; margin: 0 auto; }\n.related h2 { font-size: clamp(1.75rem, 3vw, 2.5rem); font-weight: 800; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.15; text-align: center; color: var(--text); margin-bottom: 2.5rem; }\n.related-grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1.15fr 1fr; gap: 1.5rem; align-items: stretch; }\n.related-list { display: grid; gap: 1rem; grid-auto-rows: 1fr; }\n.related-card { background: #fff; border: 1px solid #E3E6EE; border-radius: 20px; overflow: hidden; display: flex; text-decoration: none; color: var(--text); transition: box-shadow 0.2s ease, transform 0.2s ease; }\n.related-card:hover { box-shadow: 0 8px 24px rgba(17,0,58,0.12); transform: translateY(-2px); }\n.related-img { background: #DDF3E6; overflow: hidden; flex: none; }\n.related-img img { width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; display: block; }\n.related-body { display: flex; flex-direction: column; }\n.related-body h3 { color: var(--text); font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: -0.3px; }\n.related-body p { color: var(--text); }\n.related-link { color: var(--mid-green); font-weight: 500; font-size: 0.9375rem; display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem; margin-top: auto; }\n.related-card:hover .related-link { text-decoration: underline; }\n\/* featured *\/\n.related-card.feature { flex-direction: column; }\n.related-card.feature .related-img { aspect-ratio: 2.2 \/ 1; }\n.related-card.feature .related-body { padding: 1.25rem 1.5rem 1.5rem; flex: 1; }\n.related-card.feature h3 { font-size: 1.375rem; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; }\n.related-card.feature p { font-size: 0.9375rem; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 1rem; }\n\/* compact rows *\/\n.related-card.row .related-img { width: 160px; }\n.related-card.row .related-body { padding: 1rem 1.25rem; justify-content: center; gap: 0.5rem; }\n.related-card.row h3 { font-size: 1.0625rem; line-height: 24px; }\n.related-card.row p { font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 22px; }\n.related-card.row .related-body { gap: 0.4rem; }\n.related-card.row .related-link { margin-top: 0; }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .related-grid { grid-template-columns: 1fr; } .related { padding: 3.5rem 1.25rem; } }\n@media (max-width: 520px) { .related-card.row { flex-direction: column; } .related-card.row .related-img { width: 100%; aspect-ratio: 16 \/ 9; } }\n.split-intro { display: grid; grid-template-columns: minmax(0, 1fr) 400px; gap: 3.5rem; align-items: start; margin-bottom: 2.25rem; }\n.split-img { height: 400px; border-radius: 20px; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-color: #E6E8F0; }\n.split-intro .body:last-child { margin-bottom: 0; }\n@media (max-width: 860px) { .split-intro { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 1.75rem; } .split-img { position: static; height: 300px; } }\n.chart-note { font-size: 0.75rem; line-height: 16px; font-style: italic; color: var(--gray-400); margin-top: 1rem; }\n@media (max-width: 760px) { .col-chart, .col-labels { gap: 1rem; } .chart-card { padding: 1.5rem 1.25rem; } .col-group { height: 240px; } }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .col-bar { transition: none; } }\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   REVEAL ANIMATIONS\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.rv-js .reveal {\n  opacity: 0;\n  transform: translateY(28px);\n  transition: opacity 0.7s ease, transform 0.7s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1);\n}\n.rv-js .reveal.revealed { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0); }\n.reveal-delay-1 { transition-delay: 0.1s; }\n.reveal-delay-2 { transition-delay: 0.2s; }\n.reveal-delay-3 { transition-delay: 0.3s; }\n.reveal-delay-4 { transition-delay: 0.4s; }\n\n\/* ============================================================\n   AT A GLANCE\n   ============================================================ *\/\n.takeaways { background: var(--off-white); }\n.takeaways .section-inner { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 340px minmax(0, 1fr); gap: 4rem; align-items: start; }\n.takeaway-head { align-self: start; }\n.takeaway-head h2 { margin-bottom: 0; }\n.takeaway-list {\n  list-style: none;\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: 1fr;\n  gap: 0;\n}\n@media (max-width: 860px) {\n  .takeaways .section-inner { grid-template-columns: 1fr; gap: 2rem; }\n  .takeaway-head { position: static; }\n}\n.takeaway {\n  display: flex;\n  gap: 1.25rem;\n  align-items: flex-start;\n  padding: 1.5rem 0;\n  border-top: 1px solid var(--gray-200);\n}\n.takeaway:first-child { border-top: 0; padding-top: 0; }\n.takeaway-num {\n  font-size: 1.65rem;\n  font-weight: 800;\n  line-height: 1;\n  color: var(--mid-green);\n  letter-spacing: -1px;\n  flex-shrink: 0;\n  min-width: 2rem;\n  padding-top: 0.1rem;\n}\n.takeaway-body p {\n  font-size: 1.125rem;\n  color: var(--gray-700);\n  line-height: 28px;\n}\n.takeaway-body strong { font-weight: 800; }\n\n\n\/* At a glance animation *\/\n.rv-js .takeaway.reveal { transform: translateY(36px); transition: opacity 0.8s ease, transform 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1); }\n.takeaway-num { transform: scale(0.4); opacity: 0; transition: transform 0.6s cubic-bezier(0.34,1.56,0.64,1) 0.2s, opacity 0.4s ease 0.2s; transform-origin: left center; }\n.takeaway.revealed .takeaway-num { transform: scale(1); opacity: 1; }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .takeaway-num { transform: none; opacity: 1; transition: none; } }\n\n@media (max-width: 760px) {\n  .hero { padding: 3.5rem 1.25rem 2.5rem; }\n  .methodology { padding: 1.25rem; }\n  .section { padding: 4rem 1.25rem; }\n}\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {\n  html { scroll-behavior: auto; }\n  .hero-scroll-hint { animation: none; opacity: 0.8; }\n  .reveal { opacity: 1; transform: none; transition: none; }\n}\n\n\/* ---- VIDEO HEADER ---- *\/\n\/* The still image below shows while the video loads, on phones, and for visitors who prefer reduced motion. *\/\n.hero-photo { inset: 0 !important; animation: none !important; overflow: hidden; background: url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-hero-still.webp) center 30% \/ cover no-repeat !important; }\n.hero-video { position: absolute; inset: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; object-fit: cover; object-position: center 40%; opacity: 0; transition: opacity 1.2s linear; }\n.hero-video.on { opacity: 1; }\n@media (max-width: 760px), (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .hero-video { display: none; } }\n\n\/* Failsafe: if the page script is blocked or fails, show everything *\/\n.rv-off .reveal { opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; }\n.rv-off .takeaway-num { opacity: 1 !important; transform: none !important; }\n.rv-off .col-bar { height: calc(var(--v) * var(--k, 1) * 1%) !important; }\n.rv-off .hbar-fill { width: calc(var(--v) * var(--k, 1) * 1%) !important; min-width: 2.75rem; }\n.rv-off .seg { width: calc(var(--v) * 1%) !important; }\n.rv-off .stat-ring-fill { stroke-dasharray: 307.9 440 !important; }\n\n\/* ---- Back to top button ---- *\/\n.back-to-top { position: fixed; right: 2rem; bottom: 2rem; width: 48px; height: 48px; padding: 0; border: none; border-radius: 50%; background: var(--ss-green); color: var(--indigo); display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; cursor: pointer; box-shadow: 0 6px 18px rgba(17,0,58,0.25); opacity: 0; visibility: hidden; transform: translateY(10px); transition: opacity 0.3s ease, transform 0.3s ease, visibility 0.3s, background 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease; z-index: 9999; }\n.back-to-top.visible { opacity: 1; visibility: visible; transform: translateY(0); }\n.back-to-top:hover { background: var(--violet); color: var(--white); }\n.back-to-top:focus-visible { outline: 3px solid var(--violet); outline-offset: 3px; }\n.back-to-top svg { width: 22px; height: 22px; }\n@media (max-width: 760px) { .back-to-top { right: 1rem; bottom: 1rem; } }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { .back-to-top { transition: none; } }\n\n\/* Animated hero graphic (build-in) *\/\n.hero .hg-art { animation: none !important; overflow: visible; }\n.hg-art .hg-sq, .hg-art .hg-reveal { transform-box: fill-box; }\n.hg-art .hg-c { stroke-dasharray: 1; }\n.hg-art .hg-card, .hg-art .hg-conn, .hg-art .hg-kpi { opacity: 0; animation: hg-up 0.8s cubic-bezier(0.22,1,0.36,1) forwards; }\n.hg-art .hg-ca { animation-delay: 0.7s; } .hg-art .hg-cb { animation-delay: 0.9s; } .hg-art .hg-cc { animation-delay: 1.1s; }\n.hg-art .hg-conn { animation-delay: 0.8s; }\n.hg-art .hg-sweep { stroke-dashoffset: 578.1; animation: hg-sweep 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,0.2,1) 1.5s forwards; }\n.hg-art .hg-reveal { transform-origin: left; transform: scaleX(0); animation: hg-wipe 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,0.2,1) 1.6s forwards; }\n.hg-art .hg-tline { stroke-dasharray: 1; stroke-dashoffset: 1; animation: hg-draw 1.4s cubic-bezier(0.4,0,0.2,1) 1.6s forwards; }\n.hg-art .hg-kpi { animation-delay: 2.5s; } .hg-art .hg-k1 { animation-delay: 2.6s; } .hg-art .hg-k2 { animation-delay: 2.7s; } .hg-art .hg-k3 { animation-delay: 2.8s; } .hg-art .hg-k4 { animation-delay: 2.9s; } .hg-art .hg-k5 { animation-delay: 3s; }\n@keyframes hg-up { from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(40px); } to { opacity: 1; transform: none; } }\n@keyframes hg-sweep { to { stroke-dashoffset: 0; } }\n@keyframes hg-wipe { to { transform: scaleX(1); } }\n@keyframes hg-draw { to { stroke-dashoffset: 0; } }\n@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {\n  .hg-art .hg-card, .hg-art .hg-conn, .hg-art .hg-kpi { opacity: 1; animation: none; }\n  .hg-art .hg-sweep { stroke-dashoffset: 0; animation: none; }\n  .hg-art .hg-reveal { transform: none; animation: none; }\n  .hg-art .hg-tline { stroke-dashoffset: 0; animation: none; }\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     HERO\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"hero\">\n  <div class=\"hero-photo\">\n    <video class=\"hero-video on\" autoplay muted playsinline preload=\"auto\"><source src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-guide-video-banner-1.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><\/video>\n    <video class=\"hero-video\" muted playsinline preload=\"auto\"><source src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-guide-video-banner-1.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\"><\/video>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"hero-scrim\"><\/div>\n  <div class=\"hero-badge\">\n    Q4 2026 Quarterly Report\n  <\/div>\n  <h1>The Shipping Insights Report<\/h1>\n  <p class=\"hero-sub\">\n    Merchants can&#8217;t control carrier rates or trade policy, but they can control their response. By optimizing rates, improving cost visibility, using AI to act on insights, and reducing manual work, they can get more from every shipping dollar and expand globally with confidence.\n  <\/p>\n  <a class=\"hero-scroll-hint\" href=\"#takeaways\">\n    <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n      <path d=\"M12 5v14M5 12l7 7 7-7\"><\/path>\n    <\/svg>\n    Scroll to explore\n  <\/a>\n  <svg role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Dashboard cards showing carrier rates, shipments by carrier, and shipping trends\" class=\"art hero-image hg-art\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"20 30 1250 540\" font-family=\"Figtree,Arial,sans-serif\"><defs><filter id=\"shhg\" x=\"-10%\" y=\"-10%\" width=\"120%\" height=\"130%\"><feDropShadow dx=\"0\" dy=\"5\" stdDeviation=\"6\" flood-color=\"#000\" flood-opacity=\".18\"\/><\/filter><linearGradient id=\"gthg\" x1=\"0\" x2=\"1\"><stop offset=\"0\" stop-color=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><stop offset=\"1\" stop-color=\"#00C45A\"\/><\/linearGradient><linearGradient id=\"gbhg\" x1=\"0\" x2=\"1\"><stop offset=\"0\" stop-color=\"#00A24F\"\/><stop offset=\"1\" stop-color=\"#00E664\"\/><\/linearGradient><mask id=\"mkhg\"><circle class=\"hg-sweep\" cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#fff\" stroke-width=\"60\" stroke-dasharray=\"578.1\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0\" transform=\"rotate(-90 595 266)\"\/><\/mask><clipPath id=\"cphg\"><rect class=\"hg-reveal\" x=\"763\" y=\"150\" width=\"480\" height=\"190\"\/><\/clipPath><\/defs><g class=\"hg-conn\"> <path class=\"hg-c hg-c1\" pathLength=\"1\" d=\"M242 76V112\" stroke=\"#11003A\" stroke-width=\"6\" fill=\"none\"\/> <path class=\"hg-c hg-c2\" pathLength=\"1\" d=\"M596 95V70Q596 45 621 45H975Q1000 45 1000 70V111\" stroke=\"url(#gthg)\" stroke-width=\"6\" fill=\"none\"\/> <path class=\"hg-c hg-c3\" pathLength=\"1\" d=\"M242 459V510Q242 540 272 540H567Q596 540 596 510V474\" stroke=\"url(#gbhg)\" stroke-width=\"6\" fill=\"none\"\/> <path class=\"hg-c hg-c4\" pathLength=\"1\" d=\"M998 459V515\" stroke=\"#00A24F\" stroke-width=\"6\" fill=\"none\"\/> <g class=\"hg-sq hg-sq1\"><rect x=\"226\" y=\"42\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" fill=\"#11003A\"\/><rect x=\"236\" y=\"52\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"#00E664\"\/><\/g> <g class=\"hg-sq hg-sq2\"><rect x=\"984\" y=\"513\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" fill=\"#00A24F\"\/><rect x=\"994\" y=\"523\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"#00E664\"\/><\/g> <\/g><g class=\"hg-card hg-ca\"><rect x=\"37\" y=\"112\" width=\"410\" height=\"347\" rx=\"14\" fill=\"#fff\" filter=\"url(#shhg)\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"133\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"148\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">USPS Ground Advantage<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"148\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">2-5 Days<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"130\" width=\"34\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"331\" y=\"148\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$<\/text><rect x=\"360\" y=\"130\" width=\"67\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"393\" y=\"148\" font-size=\"11.5\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#fff\">Cheapest<\/text><path d=\"M37 171H447\" stroke=\"#E5E8E5\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"190\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"205\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">USPS Ground Advantage<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"205\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">2 Days<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"187\" width=\"34\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"331\" y=\"205\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$<\/text><rect x=\"360\" y=\"187\" width=\"67\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"393\" y=\"205\" font-size=\"11.5\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#fff\">Best Value<\/text><path d=\"M37 228H447\" stroke=\"#E5E8E5\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"247\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"262\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">UPS Next Day Air<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"262\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">1 Day<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"244\" width=\"36\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"332\" y=\"262\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$$$<\/text><rect x=\"360\" y=\"244\" width=\"67\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"393\" y=\"262\" font-size=\"11.5\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#fff\">Fastest<\/text><path d=\"M37 285H447\" stroke=\"#E5E8E5\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"304\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"319\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">FedEx 2Day One Rate<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"319\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">2 Days<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"301\" width=\"36\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"332\" y=\"319\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$$$<\/text><path d=\"M37 342H447\" stroke=\"#E5E8E5\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"361\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"376\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">GlobalPost Plus<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"376\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">6-10 Days<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"358\" width=\"34\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"331\" y=\"376\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$<\/text><path d=\"M37 399H447\" stroke=\"#E5E8E5\"\/><rect x=\"54\" y=\"418\" width=\"24\" height=\"20\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><text x=\"94\" y=\"433\" font-size=\"12.5\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">DHL Express Worldwide<\/text><text x=\"249\" y=\"433\" font-size=\"11.5\" fill=\"#33523f\">6-10 Days<\/text><rect x=\"314\" y=\"415\" width=\"34\" height=\"26\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#0B3D1E\"\/><text x=\"331\" y=\"433\" font-size=\"12\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#0B3D1E\">$$<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-card hg-cb\"><rect x=\"468\" y=\"95\" width=\"254\" height=\"378\" rx=\"14\" fill=\"#fff\" filter=\"url(#shhg)\"\/><text x=\"595\" y=\"131\" font-size=\"21\" font-weight=\"700\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Shipments by Carrier<\/text><g mask=\"url(#mkhg)\" transform=\"rotate(-115 595 266)\"><circle cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#E4E5E7\" stroke-width=\"36\" stroke-dasharray=\"199.7 378.3\" stroke-dashoffset=\"0.0\"\/><circle cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#FFB400\" stroke-width=\"36\" stroke-dasharray=\"31.1 546.9\" stroke-dashoffset=\"-200.7\"\/><circle cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#00B050\" stroke-width=\"36\" stroke-dasharray=\"63.2 514.8\" stroke-dashoffset=\"-232.8\"\/><circle cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#80D0FF\" stroke-width=\"36\" stroke-dasharray=\"87.3 490.7\" stroke-dashoffset=\"-297.1\"\/><circle cx=\"595\" cy=\"266\" r=\"92\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#170038\" stroke-width=\"36\" stroke-dasharray=\"191.7 386.4\" stroke-dashoffset=\"-385.4\"\/><\/g><rect x=\"490\" y=\"402\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><rect x=\"490\" y=\"438\" width=\"28\" height=\"10\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#E4E5E7\"\/><rect x=\"536\" y=\"402\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><rect x=\"536\" y=\"438\" width=\"28\" height=\"10\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#170038\"\/><rect x=\"582\" y=\"402\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><rect x=\"582\" y=\"438\" width=\"28\" height=\"10\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#80D0FF\"\/><rect x=\"627\" y=\"402\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><rect x=\"627\" y=\"438\" width=\"28\" height=\"10\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#00B050\"\/><rect x=\"674\" y=\"402\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" rx=\"4\" fill=\"#E6E8E6\"\/><rect x=\"674\" y=\"438\" width=\"28\" height=\"10\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#FFB400\"\/><\/g><g class=\"hg-card hg-cc\"><rect x=\"744\" y=\"111\" width=\"508\" height=\"347\" rx=\"14\" fill=\"#fff\" filter=\"url(#shhg)\"\/><text x=\"761\" y=\"143\" font-size=\"17\" font-weight=\"700\" fill=\"#11003A\">Trends<\/text><text x=\"1063\" y=\"139\" font-size=\"8.5\" fill=\"#11003A\">Date Range<\/text><rect x=\"1112\" y=\"125\" width=\"106\" height=\"21\" rx=\"3\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#BFC3CC\"\/><text x=\"1121\" y=\"139\" font-size=\"8.5\" fill=\"#11003A\">06\/15\/2024 &#8211; 07\/17\/2024<\/text><path d=\"M763 163H1240M763 200H1240M763 250H1240M763 300H1240\" stroke=\"#E7E9EE\" stroke-dasharray=\"3 3\"\/><g clip-path=\"url(#cphg)\"><path class=\"hg-area\" d=\"M763 217L850 245L880 274L903 240L968 208L1025 285L1067 232L1106 260L1155 177L1195 194L1240 181L1240 337L763 337Z\" fill=\"#B4F5D3\"\/><\/g><path class=\"hg-tline\" pathLength=\"1\" d=\"M763 217L850 245L880 274L903 240L968 208L1025 285L1067 232L1106 260L1155 177L1195 194L1240 181\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"#11003A\" stroke-width=\"3\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k0\"><rect x=\"762\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"799\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">$895.75<\/text><text x=\"799\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Spend<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k1\"><rect x=\"844\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"880\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">24<\/text><text x=\"880\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">New Customers<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k2\"><rect x=\"925\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"962\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">+15%<\/text><text x=\"962\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Sales vs. Time Last Ye<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k3\"><rect x=\"1006\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"1044\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">$17.50<\/text><text x=\"1044\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Average Order Value (U<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k4\"><rect x=\"1088\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"1125\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">3<\/text><text x=\"1125\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Returning Customers<\/text><\/g><g class=\"hg-kpi hg-k5\"><rect x=\"1170\" y=\"378\" width=\"74\" height=\"60\" rx=\"5\" fill=\"#fff\" stroke=\"#DADCE0\"\/><text x=\"1206\" y=\"402\" font-size=\"13\" font-weight=\"800\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">37<\/text><text x=\"1206\" y=\"418\" font-size=\"7.5\" text-anchor=\"middle\" fill=\"#11003A\">Orders Fulfilled<\/text><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- METHODOLOGY RIBBON -->\n<div class=\"methodology\">\n  <div class=\"methodology-inner\">\n    <p><strong>Methodology:<\/strong> Based on an online survey conducted in September 2026 with responses from 1,600 decision-makers from US retail, manufacturing, wholesale\/distribution, and transportation businesses with under 500 employees. All survey statistics are from this study unless otherwise noted.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     AT A GLANCE\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section takeaways\" id=\"takeaways\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <div class=\"takeaway-head\">\n      <span class=\"section-label\">At a glance<\/span>\n      <h2>Five truths the latest data <em>reveals.<\/em><\/h2>\n    <\/div>\n    <ul class=\"takeaway-list\">\n      <li class=\"takeaway reveal\">\n        <div class=\"takeaway-num\">1<\/div>\n        <div class=\"takeaway-body\">\n          <p><strong>Carrier costs are taking a bigger bite out of margins.<\/strong> 52% of merchants cite rising carrier fees and fuel surcharges as a major operational hurdle, up from third place (31%) in our last survey.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/li>\n      <li class=\"takeaway reveal reveal-delay-1\">\n        <div class=\"takeaway-num\">2<\/div>\n        <div class=\"takeaway-body\">\n          <p><strong>Fulfillment spending remains high, making efficiency non-negotiable.<\/strong> 72% report climbing shipping and freight costs in just the past three months, with 35% still spending over 15% of revenue on shipping, freight, and fulfillment.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/li>\n      <li class=\"takeaway reveal reveal-delay-2\">\n        <div class=\"takeaway-num\">3<\/div>\n        <div class=\"takeaway-body\">\n          <p><strong>AI is moving from optional to essential.<\/strong> 34% identify AI as critical to growing their business, and 43% say customer expectations are rising.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/li>\n      <li class=\"takeaway reveal reveal-delay-3\">\n        <div class=\"takeaway-num\">4<\/div>\n        <div class=\"takeaway-body\">\n          <p><strong>Going global pays off, but it isn&#8217;t always easy.<\/strong> 62% ship outside the US, and 89% of those international shippers say tariffs, trade policy, or global disruptions have hurt their plans.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/li>\n      <li class=\"takeaway reveal reveal-delay-4\">\n        <div class=\"takeaway-num\">5<\/div>\n        <div class=\"takeaway-body\">\n          <p><strong>Resilient merchants are leaning in while competitors pull back.<\/strong> Undeterred by headwinds, 66% of international shippers expect volume to grow, and 42% plan to enter new markets, more than twice the 19% planning to retreat.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     INTRODUCTION\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section intro\" id=\"introduction\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <span class=\"section-label\">Introduction<\/span>\n    <h2>Rising carrier costs, shifting trade rules, and <em>why shipping is your ultimate growth driver<\/em><\/h2>\n    <div class=\"intro-grid\">\n      <div class=\"intro-text\">\n    <p class=\"intro-lede reveal\">Ask a merchant how business is going, and you&#8217;ll probably hear good news. Ask about shipping and the tone changes. Carrier fees and surcharges have climbed to the top of merchants&#8217; list of difficulties, and shifting trade policy keeps rewriting the rules for cross-border sellers. Yet, forward-thinking businesses recognize a core reality: shipping is one of the strongest levers a brand has for customer acquisition and retention, and most of the businesses we surveyed say shipping will matter even more to their business next year.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"intro-body reveal\">To see how they are managing that tension, we surveyed 1,600 decision-makers across industries. This report breaks down their level of confidence, where shipping costs are squeezing margins, how AI can help teams take back control, and why ambitious companies are doubling down on international markets for their next phase of growth.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-card reveal reveal-delay-1\">\n        <div class=\"stat-ring\">\n          <svg viewBox=\"0 0 190 190\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><circle class=\"stat-ring-track\" cx=\"95\" cy=\"95\" r=\"70\"\/><circle class=\"stat-ring-fill\" cx=\"95\" cy=\"95\" r=\"70\"\/><\/svg>\n          <div class=\"stat-card-num\">70%<\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"stat-card-label\">of businesses say shipping will matter even more to their business success next year<\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     SECTION 1\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section report-section\" id=\"section-1\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <div class=\"split-intro\">\n      <div class=\"split-text\">\n      <span class=\"section-label\">Sentiment and Shipping Costs<\/span>\n      <h2>Merchants feel good about their business but uneasy about their shipping costs.<\/h2>\n      <p class=\"body first reveal\">Merchants remain significantly more optimistic about their own businesses than about the broader economy, a gap that has held steady since our last report. But rising shipping costs are putting that confidence to the test.<\/p>\n        <p class=\"body reveal\">The numbers show the split: 85% of merchants rate their current business health as good or excellent, but only 40% say the same of the economy.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"split-img reveal\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Placeholder image for Section 1\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-image-6.webp)\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">How merchants rate their business vs. the economy<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Share rating current conditions good or excellent<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-legend\"><span><i class=\"lg-prev\"><\/i>Last survey<\/span><span><i class=\"lg-now\"><\/i>This survey<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Their own business<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar prev\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:81\">81%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:85\">85%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">The economy as a whole<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar prev\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:34\">34%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:40\">40%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">That optimism is backed by solid performance. About half expect the economy to improve for businesses like theirs, and just as many say their business is doing better than a year ago.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">52%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants expect the economy to improve over the next three months.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">51%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants say their business is outperforming last year.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">But there&#8217;s one area where the mood turns: the cost of getting orders out the door. Shipping costs are the single biggest drag on optimism, with carrier surcharges and fuel fees leading the list of challenges.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">35%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants consider rising shipping costs their biggest shipping and logistics challenge, more than double any other issue.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">52%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants cite rising carrier surcharges and fuel fees as major difficulties they face right now, up from 31% in our last survey.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:2.6\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">Share of revenue spent on shipping<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of merchants, by share of revenue spent on shipping, freight, and fulfillment<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-legend\"><span><i class=\"lg-prev\"><\/i>Last survey<\/span><span><i class=\"lg-now\"><\/i>This survey<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"col-chart six\">\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">7%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:7\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">7%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:7.4\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">25%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:25\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">26%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:26.2\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">32%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:32\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">31%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:31.4\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">22%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:22\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">21%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:21.3\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">8%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:8\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">9%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:9.0\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"col-group\">\n          <div class=\"col col-prev\"><div class=\"col-val\">5%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:5\"><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"col col-now\"><div class=\"col-val\">5%<\/div><div class=\"col-bar\" style=\"--v:4.7\"><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"col-labels six\"><div>Under 5%<\/div><div>5&#8211;10%<\/div><div>11&#8211;15%<\/div><div>16&#8211;20%<\/div><div>21&#8211;25%<\/div><div>Over 25%<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.7\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">Top business difficulties<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of merchants citing each as a difficulty their business is currently facing<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-legend\"><span><i class=\"lg-prev\"><\/i>Last survey<\/span><span><i class=\"lg-now\"><\/i>This survey<\/span><\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Rising carrier fees and fuel surcharges<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar prev\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:31\">31%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:52\">52%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Tariffs<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar prev\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:32\">32%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:39\">39%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Reduced consumer spending<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar prev\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:34\">34%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:38\">38%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">And the pressure is compounding. Nearly three in four merchants (72%) saw shipping costs rise in the past three months, while almost none saw relief. The costs continue to climb, and the burden isn&#8217;t easing. Roughly a third still allocate more than 15% of revenue strictly to fulfillment, the same share as last time.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">72%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">say shipping and freight costs climbed in the past three months. Only 2% saw a decrease.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">35%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants still spend over 15% of total revenue on shipping.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Instead of waiting for rates to drop, merchants are actively taking charge. Recognizing that fulfillment directly impacts brand loyalty and repeat purchases, more than half plan to invest more, even as they work to reduce shipping costs.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-feature\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout feature dark reveal\"><div class=\"num\">75%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants say shipping and freight made a positive contribution this quarter.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-feature-grid\">\n        <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">70%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants say shipping and freight will be even more important to their business next year.<\/div><\/div>\n        <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">56%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants plan to increase investment in shipping and freight operations.<\/div><\/div>\n        <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">50%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants name reducing overall shipping and carrier costs as a top-3 priority for next quarter.<\/div><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     TRANSITION BAND (end of Section 1)\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"pull-band\" id=\"transition-1\">\n  <p class=\"reveal\">Market carrier rates and fuel charges may lie outside of a merchant&#8217;s control, but how businesses respond does not. Forward-thinking merchants instantly find the best rate on every shipment, automate tedious workflows, and gain complete visibility over where every fulfillment dollar goes. That&#8217;s where AI comes in.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     SECTION 2: AI\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section report-section alt\" id=\"section-2\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <div class=\"split-intro\">\n      <div class=\"split-text\">\n      <span class=\"section-label\">AI and Intelligence<\/span>\n      <h2>AI helps merchants regain control of shipping costs.<\/h2>\n      <p class=\"body first reveal\">Shipping and logistics have never been more complex, or more fragmented. Much of what makes shipping expensive is hidden in the day-to-day micro-inefficiencies: rates that vary by carrier, details entered by hand, and data scattered across systems.<\/p>\n      <p class=\"body reveal\">Freight is a primary example. In our last survey, 58% of freight shippers ran operations through a provider disconnected from their parcel platform, so quotes, tracking, and invoices lived in separate places.<\/p>\n      <p class=\"body reveal\">AI can connect the dots across parcel and freight, giving merchants a smarter, more complete view of their logistics so they see a single, clear picture instead of piecing it together from separate tools. Many businesses are acting fast: one in three call AI critical to growth, 43% face surging customer expectations, and most rate both parcel and freight extremely or very important to their operational model.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"split-img reveal\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Placeholder image for Section 2\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-image-1.webp)\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">34%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants say AI is critical to growing their business.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">82%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of merchants call parcel shipping extremely or very important, and 75% say the same for freight.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.4\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">How merchants see their business<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of merchants who agree with each statement (select all that apply)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Confident their business will succeed<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:65\">65%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Say shipping and inventory management is important to success<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:63\">63%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Say customer expectations are rising<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:43\">43%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Say AI is critical for growing their business<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:34\">34%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Say global events have negatively impacted them<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:33\">33%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Comparing rates across carriers helps merchants avoid overpaying and capture better margins on every shipment, while preventing surprise charges like oversized-box fees. Soon, AI will go a step further, recommending the most cost-effective box before an order is packed, and automatically auditing carrier invoices against quoted rates to catch and dispute billing errors instantly, without anyone combing through statements. With AI, that smarter oversight applies across both parcel and freight.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.7\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">What merchants want to improve next quarter<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of merchants naming each as a top-3 priority (select up to 3)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Reducing shipping and carrier costs<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:50\">50%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Increasing speed and reliability<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:47\">47%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Optimizing packaging and fulfillment<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:41\">41%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Improving tracking and communication<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:40\">40%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Expanding international shipping<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:24\">24%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Simplifying the returns process<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:22\">22%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Automation that learns how a business ships and pre-fills weights, dimensions, and carrier settings takes repetitive entry off teams&#8217; plates, giving them hours back and preventing the mistakes manual work invites. On the freight side, this approach extends to creating orders directly from incoming data and automatically attaching tracking numbers, freeing lean teams from digging through carrier portals. This provides crucial support for overburdened teams, especially as a growing share of businesses struggle to find or retain staff.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">The operational efficiency gains are immediate, cutting shipment creation time by more than a third and LTL order setup time by over three quarters.<\/p>\n    <!-- TODO: confirm 22% vs. 25% in the Q4 deck; add source for 35% and 80% time-savings claims -->\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">22%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of businesses struggle to find or keep staff, up from 16% in our last survey.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout dark reveal\"><div class=\"num\">35%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">AI cuts shipment creation time by 35% and LTL order creation time by more than 80%.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Clearer data shows merchants where costs are creeping up. Soon, merchants can ask plain-language questions, such as where shipping spend climbed last week, and get answers in seconds without building reports manually. And models that learn from carrier and network data are on the way to flag likely delays before they happen, while automation catches missed pickups and reschedules them without a phone call. The impact is clear: when asked to identify their biggest shipping challenge, nearly three in ten highlight delivery delays, carrier reliability, lost or damaged shipments, or tracking issues.<\/p>\n    <!-- TODO: confirm the definition behind nearly 30% -->\n    <div class=\"chart-card has-small reveal\" style=\"--k:3\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">The reliability problem<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent naming each as their biggest shipping issue, in their own words (open-ended responses)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label total\">Any delivery or reliability issue<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:29\">29%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"hbar-divider\"><\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Delays or on-time delivery<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:16\">16%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Carrier or staff reliability<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:6\">6%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Lost or damaged shipments<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:5\">5%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Tracking or visibility issues<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:2\">2%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Together, these capabilities will give merchants a clearer, more connected view and help them maximize value from every shipping dollar without adding extra operational overhead.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     TRANSITION BAND (end of Section 2)\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"pull-band\" id=\"transition-2\">\n  <p class=\"reveal\">The same AI that optimizes domestic shipping creates even greater leverage internationally, where complex regulations, customs friction, and unpredictable fees present the biggest barriers to scale.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     SECTION 3: INTERNATIONAL\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section report-section\" id=\"section-3\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <div class=\"split-intro\">\n      <div class=\"split-text\">\n      <span class=\"section-label\">International Shipping<\/span>\n      <h2>International shipping is a path to growth, even with rising costs.<\/h2>\n      <p class=\"body first reveal\">For growth-minded merchants, expansion no longer stops at the border. Most businesses we surveyed actively ship outside the US, using core international markets&#8212;typically Canada, the UK, and Mexico&#8212;as a proven springboard for global growth.<\/p>\n      <p class=\"body reveal\">Those sales are meaningful without being overwhelming. Most international shippers get a modest share of revenue from abroad, making the next stage of growth less about taking a giant leap and more about perfecting something they&#8217;re already doing.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"split-img reveal\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Placeholder image for Section 3\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-image-5.webp)\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">62%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of the businesses we surveyed ship outside the US.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">74%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of international shippers call cross-border shipping extremely or very important to their business over the next six months.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.3\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">The international footprint<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of merchants by international shipping status, and where international shippers send packages<\/div>\n      <div class=\"seg-row\">\n        <div class=\"chart-subhead\">Do you currently ship outside the US? (all respondents)<\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-bar\"><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:23;--c:#00E664\">23%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:39;--c:#8CF2B4\">39%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:18;--c:#DDE0EA\">18%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:20;--c:#EDEEF4\">20%<\/div><\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-legend\"><span style=\"--c:#00E664\"><i><\/i>Yes, regularly<\/span><span style=\"--c:#8CF2B4\"><i><\/i>Yes, occasionally<\/span><span style=\"--c:#DDE0EA\"><i><\/i>No, planning within 12 months<\/span><span style=\"--c:#EDEEF4\"><i><\/i>No plans<\/span><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-hr\"><\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-subhead\">Where international shippers send packages (select all)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Canada<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:72\">72%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">United Kingdom<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:50\">50%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Mexico<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:49\">49%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">European Union<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:31\">31%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Latin America<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:27\">27%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Asia-Pacific<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:25\">25%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Middle East and Africa<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:18\">18%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">That&#8217;s despite a tough backdrop: tariffs, trade policy shifts, and global disruptions have impacted nearly nine in ten cross-border shippers. Among international shippers, the pressure shows up in several ways. Tariffs and shifting trade policy rank as a primary hurdle, followed by unpredictable costs, fuel fees, and carrier surcharges.<\/p>\n    <!-- TODO: add tariffs vs. last survey stat once 38% vs. 39% is settled; 89%\/49% pair duplicates chart values -->\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">89%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of international shippers say tariffs, trade policy shifts, or global disruptions have hurt their plans.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">49%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of international shippers name tariffs and shifting trade policy as their top pain point.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.7\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">International shipping pain points<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of international shippers naming each as a pain point (select all)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Tariffs and trade policy<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:49\">49%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">High or unpredictable costs<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:44\">44%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Fuel and carrier surcharges<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:41\">41%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Global disruptions to routes<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:34\">34%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Unpredictable delivery times<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:32\">32%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Customs paperwork and compliance<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:28\">28%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Handling international returns<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:27\">27%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Much of that friction stems from the parts of cross-border shipping that are hardest to see in advance. Inaccurate customs declarations delay packages, duties and taxes vary unpredictably by destination, and the cheapest option on paper isn&#8217;t always the cheapest once everything is added up. Doing this manually creates administrative bottlenecks and unexpected costs. A unified shipping platform automates customs paperwork, compares rates across carriers by destination, and consolidates global tracking into one dashboard.<\/p>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Yet ambitious merchants aren&#8217;t backing down. Most expect international volume to grow, and brands actively entering new markets outnumber those pulling back by more than two to one.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-3\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout dark reveal\"><div class=\"num\">66%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">of international shippers expect their international volume to grow.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">42%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">plan to expand into new markets.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">19%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">plan to reduce or pull back.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1.7\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">Plans for the next six months<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of international shippers (select all)<\/div>\n      <div class=\"hbar-chart single-series\">\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Expand into new markets<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:42\">42%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Maintain, no change<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:42\">42%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Deepen current markets<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:33\">33%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Resume after a pause<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:25\">25%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n        <div>\n          <div class=\"hbar-label\">Reduce or pull back<\/div>\n          <div class=\"hbar now\"><div class=\"hbar-track\"><div class=\"hbar-fill\" style=\"--v:19\">19%<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Winning internationally requires total landed-cost clarity. Over half of cross-border merchants currently rely on rough estimates before an international order ships, yet an overwhelming majority recognize that guaranteed, upfront duty and tax calculations are vital to conversion and retention. Providing clear landed costs upfront eliminates surprise fees at delivery&#8212;protecting seller margins and customer trust.<\/p>\n    <div class=\"stat-grid cols-2\">\n      <div class=\"stat-callout reveal\"><div class=\"num\">53%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">only roughly estimate landed costs before an international package ships.<\/div><\/div>\n      <div class=\"stat-callout dark reveal\"><div class=\"num\">86%<\/div><div class=\"txt\">say a guaranteed, all-in cost for duties and taxes upfront would be extremely or very valuable.<\/div><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"chart-card reveal\" style=\"--k:1\">\n      <div class=\"chart-title\">The landed-cost gap<\/div>\n      <div class=\"chart-sub\">Percent of international shippers<\/div>\n      <div class=\"seg-row\">\n        <div class=\"chart-subhead\">How accurately can you calculate landed costs before an international package ships?<\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-bar\"><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:44;--c:#8CF2B4\">44%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:53;--c:#00E664\">53%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:4;--c:#DDE0EA\">4%<\/div><\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-legend\"><span style=\"--c:#8CF2B4\"><i><\/i>Calculate accurately<\/span><span style=\"--c:#00E664\"><i><\/i>Only roughly estimate<\/span><span style=\"--c:#DDE0EA\"><i><\/i>Don&#8217;t calculate<\/span><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"seg-row\">\n        <div class=\"chart-subhead\">How valuable would a guaranteed, all-in cost for duties and taxes upfront be?<\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-bar\"><div class=\"seg lt\" style=\"--v:43;--c:#5C50FF\">43%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:43;--c:#9C94FF\">43%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:13;--c:#DDE0EA\">13%<\/div><div class=\"seg\" style=\"--v:1;--c:#EDEEF4\">1%<\/div><\/div>\n        <div class=\"seg-legend\"><span style=\"--c:#5C50FF\"><i><\/i>Extremely valuable<\/span><span style=\"--c:#9C94FF\"><i><\/i>Very valuable<\/span><span style=\"--c:#DDE0EA\"><i><\/i>Moderately valuable<\/span><span style=\"--c:#EDEEF4\"><i><\/i>Not very or not at all<\/span><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <p class=\"body reveal\">Cost clarity builds lasting customer loyalty. Global shoppers expect the exact same tracking visibility and easy return options they get at home. With one platform managing global labels, customs automation, tracking, and returns, entering a new market stops being a complex operational project and becomes just another shipping destination.<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     TRANSITION BAND (end of Section 3)\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"pull-band\" id=\"transition-3\">\n  <p class=\"reveal\">The merchants growing internationally understand the real cost before a package ships, keep their customs paperwork accurate, and give customers the same tracking and returns they expect at home. Set up that way, a new market stops being a project and becomes one more destination.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     CONCLUSION\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"section conclusion\" id=\"conclusion\">\n  <div class=\"section-inner\">\n    <div class=\"split-intro\">\n      <div class=\"split-text\">\n      <span class=\"section-label\">Conclusion<\/span>\n      <h2>You can&#8217;t control carrier rates. You can control your response.<\/h2>\n      <p class=\"body first reveal\">Today&#8217;s merchants are confident in their businesses and clear-eyed about cost realities. Carrier fees are climbing, tariffs are testing international plans, and the share of revenue going to shipping isn&#8217;t easing. While merchants can&#8217;t control carrier rates or trade policy, they can maintain full control over their operational response.<\/p>\n      <p class=\"body reveal\" style=\"margin-bottom:1rem\">Winning in today&#8217;s market comes down to three strategic moves:<\/p>\n      <ol class=\"conclusion-list reveal\">\n        <li><strong>Optimize every shipment:<\/strong> Compare real-time carrier rates for every shipment rather than defaulting to a single provider.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Automate the busywork:<\/strong> Let AI handle repetitive tasks so teams can focus on growth.<\/li>\n        <li><strong>Eliminate cost surprises:<\/strong> Ensure complete cost transparency on every international shipment before it leaves the warehouse.<\/li>\n      <\/ol>\n      <p class=\"body reveal\">With a smarter, fully connected view of logistics across parcel and freight, merchants can maximize every shipping dollar and expand globally with total confidence.<\/p>\n      <\/div>\n      <div class=\"split-img reveal\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Conclusion image\" style=\"background-image:url(https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/q4-2026-report-image-7.webp)\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<section class=\"cta-band\" id=\"cta\">\n  <div class=\"cta-band-inner reveal\">\n    <h2>Ready to make every shipping dollar work harder?<\/h2>\n    <p>Discover how ShipStation can empower you to save money by finding the best rates, save time by automating fulfillment, and scale your business with confidence&#8212;at home or abroad.<\/p>\n    <a class=\"cta-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/start-a-free-trial\/\">Start a Free Trial<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<!-- ============================================================\n     RELATED RESOURCES (placeholder content; swap titles, images, and links)\n     ============================================================ -->\n<section class=\"related\" id=\"related-resources\">\n  <div class=\"related-inner\">\n    <h2>Related Resources<\/h2>\n    <div class=\"related-grid\">\n        <a class=\"related-card feature\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/guides\/shipstation-2026-merchant-insights-report\/\">\n          <div class=\"related-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/shipstation-guide-banner-2026-merchant-insights-report-1.webp\" alt=\"The 2026 Merchant Insights Report\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n          <div class=\"related-body\">\n            <h3>The 2026 Merchant Insights Report<\/h3>\n            <p>What merchants said about where freight fragments from parcel, and the second workflow that never caught up.<\/p>\n            <span class=\"related-link\">Learn More <span aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8594;<\/span><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/a>\n        <div class=\"related-list\">\n          <a class=\"related-card row\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/guides\/the-peak-season-shipping-playbook-for-ecommerce-order-fulfullment\/\">\n            <div class=\"related-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/thumbnail-resource-peak-1.webp\" alt=\"The Peak Season Playbook\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"related-body\">\n              <h3>The Peak Season Playbook<\/h3>\n              <p>A guide to preparing for, executing, and learning from your biggest shipping season.<\/p>\n              <span class=\"related-link\">Learn More <span aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8594;<\/span><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/a>\n          <a class=\"related-card row\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/guides\/what-is-ltl-shipping-ltl-freight-101\/\">\n            <div class=\"related-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/thumbnail-resource-ltl-1.webp\" alt=\"LTL Freight 101\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"related-body\">\n              <h3>LTL Freight 101<\/h3>\n              <p>Your complete guide to less than truckload (LTL) shipping.<\/p>\n              <span class=\"related-link\">Learn More <span aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8594;<\/span><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/a>\n          <a class=\"related-card row\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/guides\/scaling-without-breaking\/\">\n            <div class=\"related-img\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/thumbnail-resource-scale-1.webp\" alt=\"Scaling Without Breaking\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n            <div class=\"related-body\">\n              <h3>Scaling Without Breaking<\/h3>\n              <p>How to solve the biggest shipping and fulfillment problems growing businesses face.<\/p>\n              <span class=\"related-link\">Learn More <span aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8594;<\/span><\/span>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"back-to-top\" id=\"back-to-top\" aria-label=\"Back to top\">\n  <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M12 19V5M5 12l7-7 7 7\"><\/path><\/svg>\n<\/button>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@graph\": [\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Report\",\n   \"@id\": \"#q4-2026-report\",\n   \"name\": \"The Shipping Insights Report\",\n   \"description\": \"Survey findings on merchant sentiment, shipping costs, AI and automation, and international shipping from 1,600 US decision-makers.\",\n   \"about\": [\n    \"Ecommerce shipping costs\",\n    \"Carrier fees and surcharges\",\n    \"AI in shipping and logistics\",\n    \"International shipping and tariffs\"\n   ],\n   \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n   \"publisher\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"ShipStation\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/\"\n   },\n   \"isBasedOn\": {\n    \"@id\": \"#q4-2026-survey\"\n   }\n  },\n  {\n   \"@type\": \"Dataset\",\n   \"@id\": \"#q4-2026-survey\",\n   \"name\": \"The Shipping Insights Report: Q4 2026 Survey Results\",\n   \"description\": \"Results of an online survey conducted in September 2026 with 1,600 decision-makers from US retail, manufacturing, wholesale and distribution, and transportation businesses with under 500 employees. Several questions allowed multiple selections, so some percentages exceed 100.\",\n   \"creator\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"ShipStation\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/\"\n   },\n   \"publisher\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"ShipStation\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.shipstation.com\/\"\n   },\n   \"temporalCoverage\": \"2026-09\",\n   \"spatialCoverage\": \"United States\",\n   \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n   \"measurementTechnique\": \"Online survey\",\n   \"variableMeasured\": [\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Rate their current business health as good or excellent\",\n     \"value\": 85,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Rate their current business health as good or excellent. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents. 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Last survey: 32%.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Spend 16 to 20 percent of revenue on shipping, freight, and fulfillment\",\n     \"value\": 21,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Spend 16 to 20 percent of revenue on shipping, freight, and fulfillment. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents. Last survey: 22%.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Spend 21 to 25 percent of revenue on shipping, freight, and fulfillment\",\n     \"value\": 9,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Spend 21 to 25 percent of revenue on shipping, freight, and fulfillment. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents. 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Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Say shipping and freight will be even more important to their business next year\",\n     \"value\": 70,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Say shipping and freight will be even more important to their business next year. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Plan to increase their investment in shipping and freight\",\n     \"value\": 56,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Plan to increase their investment in shipping and freight. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name reducing overall shipping and carrier costs as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 50,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name reducing overall shipping and carrier costs as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name increasing shipping speed and reliability as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 47,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name increasing shipping speed and reliability as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name optimizing packaging and fulfillment efficiency as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 41,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name optimizing packaging and fulfillment efficiency as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name improving order tracking and customer communication as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 40,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name improving order tracking and customer communication as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name expanding international shipping capabilities as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 24,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name expanding international shipping capabilities as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name simplifying the returns process as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter\",\n     \"value\": 22,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name simplifying the returns process as a top-3 priority to improve next quarter. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Call parcel shipping extremely or very important to their business\",\n     \"value\": 82,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Call parcel shipping extremely or very important to their business. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Call freight shipping extremely or very important to their business\",\n     \"value\": 75,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Call freight shipping extremely or very important to their business. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Freight shippers who ran freight through a provider disconnected from their parcel platform\",\n     \"value\": 58,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Freight shippers who ran freight through a provider disconnected from their parcel platform. Base: freight shippers in the last survey.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Struggle to find or keep staff\",\n     \"value\": 22,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Struggle to find or keep staff. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents. Last survey: 16%.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name any delivery or reliability issue as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses)\",\n     \"value\": 29,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name any delivery or reliability issue as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses). Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name delays or on-time delivery as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses)\",\n     \"value\": 16,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name delays or on-time delivery as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses). Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name carrier or staff reliability as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses)\",\n     \"value\": 6,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name carrier or staff reliability as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses). Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name lost or damaged shipments as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses)\",\n     \"value\": 5,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name lost or damaged shipments as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses). Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name tracking or visibility issues as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses)\",\n     \"value\": 2,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name tracking or visibility issues as their biggest shipping issue (open-ended responses). Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship outside the US\",\n     \"value\": 62,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship outside the US. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship outside the US regularly\",\n     \"value\": 23,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship outside the US regularly. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship outside the US occasionally\",\n     \"value\": 39,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship outside the US occasionally. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Do not ship outside the US but plan to within 12 months\",\n     \"value\": 18,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Do not ship outside the US but plan to within 12 months. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Do not ship outside the US and have no plans to\",\n     \"value\": 20,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Do not ship outside the US and have no plans to. Base: Share of all 1,600 survey respondents.\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to Canada\",\n     \"value\": 72,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to Canada. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to United Kingdom\",\n     \"value\": 50,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to United Kingdom. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to Mexico\",\n     \"value\": 49,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to Mexico. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to European Union\",\n     \"value\": 31,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to European Union. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to Latin America\",\n     \"value\": 27,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to Latin America. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to Asia-Pacific\",\n     \"value\": 25,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to Asia-Pacific. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Ship to Middle East and Africa\",\n     \"value\": 18,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Ship to Middle East and Africa. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Call international shipping extremely or very important to their business over the next six months\",\n     \"value\": 74,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Call international shipping extremely or very important to their business over the next six months. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Say tariffs, trade policy shifts, or global disruptions have negatively affected their international shipping plans\",\n     \"value\": 89,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Say tariffs, trade policy shifts, or global disruptions have negatively affected their international shipping plans. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name tariffs and shifting trade policy as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 49,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name tariffs and shifting trade policy as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name high or unpredictable shipping costs as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 44,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name high or unpredictable shipping costs as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name fuel and carrier surcharges as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 41,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name fuel and carrier surcharges as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name global disruptions affecting shipping routes as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 34,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name global disruptions affecting shipping routes as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name unpredictable delivery times as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 32,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name unpredictable delivery times as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name customs paperwork and compliance as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 28,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name customs paperwork and compliance as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Name handling international returns as an international shipping pain point\",\n     \"value\": 27,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Name handling international returns as an international shipping pain point. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Expect their international shipping volume to grow\",\n     \"value\": 66,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Expect their international shipping volume to grow. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Plan to expand into new markets in the next six months\",\n     \"value\": 42,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Plan to expand into new markets in the next six months. Base: international shippers (n=997).\"\n    },\n    {\n     \"@type\": \"PropertyValue\",\n     \"name\": \"Plan to maintain international shipping with no major changes in the next six months\",\n     \"value\": 42,\n     \"unitText\": \"percent\",\n     \"minValue\": 0,\n     \"maxValue\": 100,\n     \"description\": \"Plan to maintain international shipping with no major changes in the next six months. 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