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Rate shopping is one of the core processes of outbound fulfillment. However, traditional methods for rating leave both cost savings and performance improvement opportunities on the table.

Choosing the right shipping mode can significantly impact your bottom line and delivery efficiency. If you’re dealing with varying shipment sizes, deciding between Less Than Truckload (LTL) and small parcel shipping is critical.

The OTM User Conference (OTM SIG) brings together passionate transportation technology professionals to share stories and consider what the next year of evolution looks like. A few points stood out to me as I attended and presented as a sponsor for the first time this year.

The global beauty market is booming. Valued at over $430 billion in 2023 and projected to exceed $580 billion by 2027, beauty is now one of the fastest-growing consumer categories worldwide. At the forefront of this trend are DTC brands—offering clean ingredients, niche formulations, and highly personalized customer experiences. And increasingly, they’re going global.

While carrier volume commitments can offer favorable pricing incentives, predictable rates, and guaranteed capacity during high volume periods, traditional approaches to meeting those limits often leave savings on the table. In this post, we’ll detail how Shipium supports the configuration of Dynamic Limits, which enable shippers to meet and reap the benefits of volume commitments while capitalizing on additional savings driven by smarter service selection. Let’s explore how.

Founded in 2019, Shipium has had a lot of “firsts” but one of the more fun recent occasions was when Tamsen Fricke joined Shipium’s transportation ops team. Tamsen is the first former customer and direct user of Shipium to change seats and actually work for Shipium.

At this year's Blue Yonder ICON conference, the annual event where customers and partners get together, as a leading Blue Yonder shipping partner Shipium was awarded a prestigious honor: ISV Partner of the Year.

Gartner’s Supply Chain Symposium always presents a unique opportunity for supply chain leaders to exchange actionable ideas for how to improve their operations. On the conference floor and within various keynote sessions, it was clear that addressing macro-level challenges was top of mind. How do you build resilience in the face of geopolitical instability? How do you navigate increasing network complexity? How do you address the ever-present pressure of rising costs? We were fortunate to have insightful discussions with both supply chain executives and several of Gartner’s leading analysts, uncovering some common challenges and trends that have become prevalent in the industry.

Shippers Are Seeking Smarter Strategies It’s tough out there. Shipping has turned from just a cost center to a competitive, strategic advantage. Consumers expect fast, affordable, and reliable delivery, but shippers often struggle to balance service quality with cost efficiency. Many rely on static carrier contracts or outdated shipping models, leaving money on the table and missing opportunities to optimize their logistics networks.

This year’s LogiMed conference yielded some great insights, providing a deep dive into the evolving strategies of pharmaceutical companies aiming to modernize their supply chains. The insights from our conversations at the conference closely mirrored the technology investment priorities we've consistently seen in our discussions with leading HLS organizations.