As wage pressures begin to ease, a new margin challenge is emerging: the hidden cost of serving customers across channels, orders, and fulfillment networks. Our latest analysis shows parcel delivery costs have risen more than twice as fast as inflation since 2020, while e-commerce growth, returns, and fulfillment complexity continue to put pressure on profitability. Companies that can measure true cost-to-serve at the customer, channel, and order level will be best positioned to protect margins and drive smarter growth.
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