With holiday shipping volumes typically 30 to 40 percent higher than at other times of the year, the pandemic-fueled acceleration of online purchases this season is already pushing distribution networks to the limit.
On Cyber Monday, UPS instructed drivers across the U.S. to temporarily stop picking up packages at six retailers — Macy’s, Nike, Gap, L.L. Bean, Hot Topic and New Egg — after their shipments exceeded volume agreements, according to The Wall Street Journal.
“The temporary limits, which some drivers say they haven’t seen during previous holiday seasons, are a sign that UPS is metering the flow of packages into its network to preserve its performance during one of the busiest shipping weeks of the year,” wrote the Journal’s Paul Ziobro.
