The Golden Age of Freight Forwarding — Challenged by “Full-Service” Thinking

The Golden Age of Freight Forwarding — Challenged by “Full-Service” Thinking

As global e-commerce continues to surge, freight forwarders are facing a paradox: business volume is growing, but profitability and positioning are under pressure.

A new FlightGlobal report reveals that many e-commerce retailers no longer seek traditional “end-to-end” forwarding solutions. Instead, they prioritize capacity, customs compliance, and delivery speed over comprehensive service packages.

According to DHL’s eCommerce Trend Report, 96% of global online retailers consider logistics essential to their success, yet more than one-third identify customs as their biggest challenge. High shipping and return costs further limit cross-border expansion.Transport Intelligence (Ti) notes that despite the end of the U.S. de minimis rule, parcel volume remains stable — particularly in Asia-Pacific, where China’s export activity continues to drive growth. Ti forecasts a 15.5% global e-commerce growth in 2025, but only 3.3% for freight forwarding’s contract logistics sector.

Industry experts agree: e-commerce clients mainly need space, not full service.To stay competitive, freight forwarders must shift from offering “everything” to providing specialized, high-reliability solutions.At Niuku Shipping, we believe precision beats expansion.Our focus remains clear — efficient capacity management, customs expertise, and cross-border fulfillment that meet the real demands of a changing logistics era.