UPS 2024 Holiday Shipping Deadlines

In a world where convenience is priority, subscription models are becoming increasingly popular for consumers. Offering products or services on a recurring basis not only provides a steady stream of revenue but also fosters long-term customer relationships. In this guide, we'll explore the benefits of subscription models for both brands and consumers, common challenges associated with subscription models, and key steps to start a successful subscription model for your store.

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Benefits of Subscriptions to Brands

• Predictable Revenue Streams: Subscriptions provide brands with a steady and predictable source of revenue, allowing for better financial planning and stability.
• Increased Customer Loyalty: Subscribers are more likely to remain loyal to a brand over time, leading to higher customer lifetime value and reduced churn rates.
• Enhanced Customer Insights: Subscription models enable brands to gather valuable data on customer preferences, purchasing behavior, and demographics, helping targeted marketing efforts and product development.
• Opportunities for Upselling and Cross-selling: Brands can leverage subscription models to introduce new products or services and upsell or cross-sell to existing subscribers, driving additional revenue.
• Improved Inventory Management: With a subscription model, brands can better forecast demand and manage inventory levels, reducing the risk of overstocking or understocking.

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Benefits of Subscriptions to Consumers

• Convenience and Simplified Purchasing: Subscriptions offer consumers a convenient way to receive products or services regularly without the need to repeatedly place orders.
• Cost Savings: Many subscription models offer discounts or savings compared to one-time purchases, providing value for money to consumers.
• Personalization and Customization: Subscription services often allow consumers to customize their orders based on their preferences and needs, leading to a more personalized experience and in turn, inc
• Discovery and Exploration: Subscriptions introduce consumers to new products or services they may not have discovered otherwise.
• Consistency and Reliability: Subscribers can rely on consistent delivery schedules, ensuring they always have access to the products or services they need.

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Examples of Different Types of Subscription Models

• Product Subscription: Subscription boxes can be used for products for beauty products, clothing, meal kits, health supplements, etc.
• Service Subscription: Subscription-based streaming services like Netflix and Spotify, as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms like Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Membership Subscription: Memberships include Amazon Prime, which offers various benefits such as free shipping, streaming, and exclusive deals for members.
• Access Subscription: Subscription-based access to digital content libraries, such as Kindle Unlimited for e-books and Audible for audiobooks.

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Common Challenges Associated with Subscription Models

• Customer Churn: Keeping subscribers engaged and preventing them from canceling their subscriptions can be a significant challenge.
• Acquisition Costs: Acquiring new subscribers can be costly, requiring effective marketing and promotional strategies.
• Content or Product Quality: Ensuring high-quality content or products is essential to maintaining subscriber satisfaction and retention.
• Logistics and Fulfillment: Managing inventory, shipping, and fulfillment processes can be complex, especially as the subscriber base grows.
• Competition and Differentiation: Standing out in a crowded market and offering unique value propositions can be challenging.

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Key Steps to Start a Successful Subscription Model

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Market Research and Analysis

Identify your target audience, understand their needs and preferences, and analyze competitors' subscription offerings.

Product Selection

Choose products or services suitable for a subscription model, ensuring they provide ongoing value to subscribers. We outlined a few popular ideas above for you.

Pricing and Tiers

Determine different subscription tiers based on features, frequency, and pricing, balancing value for subscribers with profitability for the business. These different tiers also allow brands to upsell customers to better value subscriptions.

Technology

Leverage an e-commerce platform that supports subscription billing and management, as well as customer relationship management (CRM) tools for personalized communication. Shopify provides its own Shopify Subscriptions feature, or there are a variety of integrations such as Recharge Payments, that will streamline and simplify the process.

VESYL integrates with all major e-commerce platforms so you can easily import orders, purchase discounted shipping labels and get those packages out the door.

Marketing and Promotion

Develop targeted marketing strategies to promote your subscription offering, leveraging channels such as social media, email marketing, and influencer partnerships. Clearly narrate the cost savings, convenience and other benefits to customers.

Customer Experience Optimization

Streamline the subscription sign-up process, provide excellent customer support, and continuously monitor and improve the subscriber experience to reduce churn rate.

Continuous Optimization and Analysis

Monitor key metrics such as churn rate, retention rate, and lifetime value, collect feedback from subscribers, and optimize your subscription offering to address customer needs and preferences.

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In Summary

Starting a successful subscription model requires careful planning, execution, and a customer-centric approach. By understanding the benefits and challenges associated with subscription models and following the key steps outlined in this guide, e-commerce brands can build lasting relationships with subscribers and drive sustainable business growth.

The global ecommerce market is growing, but with opportunity comes complexity—especially when it comes to international shipping. In 2025, shifting regulations, climate-related disruptions, and changing carrier strategies are transforming how ecommerce businesses manage cross-border shipping and supply chain operations.

For online retailers, staying ahead of these trends is crucial—not just to control costs, but to deliver a seamless online shopping experience for more consumers across the globe.

In this article, we explore the key international shipping services trends shaping the ecommerce industry in 2025, and share actionable insights to help your online business adapt, stay competitive, and support continued global growth.

Carriers Are Scaling Back International Shipping Services on Risky Routes

The Trend:

Some major carriers are scaling back international shipping services to regions facing heightened risk, tighter regulations, and costly import/export friction. Ongoing geopolitical tensions, tariff disputes, and evolving trade alliances are reshaping the ecommerce landscape and disrupting cross-border shipping operations.

For example, in early 2025, select carriers suspended inbound shipments from Southeast Asia due to increased customs forms scrutiny and escalating tariffs—signaling broader challenges for ecommerce stores reliant on global markets.

What It Means for Ecommerce:

Your previously reliable international shipping lane may no longer be accessible—or may now come with longer delivery times, higher costs, and reduced services. This shift directly impacts ecommerce platforms, and online businesses that depend on fast, affordable cross-border fulfillment to serve online shoppers and meet the expectations of many customers.

How to Adapt:

• Monitor carrier updates monthly to make more informed decisions and adjust routes as needed.
• Use multi-carrier platforms like VESYL to reroute packages, maintain delivery speed, and protect your customer experience.
• Diversify your carrier network to improve resilience and reduce disruptions to your supply chain.
• Review inventory and adjust product offerings based on affected regions.
• Explore regional alternatives to support ongoing global growth.

2. De Minimis Threshold Changes Are Impacting Cross-Border Orders

The Trend:

De minimis thresholds, the minimum value under which goods can enter a country duty-free, are tightening, impacting international shipping services and reshaping the ecommerce landscape.

In the U.S., discussions are heating up around reducing the current $800 de minimis limit. Meanwhile, some countries have already enforced stricter tax collection policies at lower thresholds, affecting cross-border online shopping and increasing the complexity of customs documents and shipping procedures.

What It Means for Ecommerce:

For ecommerce stores, these changes can lead to online shoppers encountering unexpected duties and taxes at checkout, causing abandoned carts, disrupted customer journeys, and negative customer experiences.

How to Adapt:

• Clearly communicate whether duties and taxes are included in the total cost at checkout to reduce surprises.
• Offer Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) options to simplify the payment process for customers.
• Leverage shipping software like VESYL to simplify customs and duties forms, and provide full shipment transparency.
• Tailor products and shipping strategies based on destination-specific regulations to protect your bottom line and meet the expectations of consumers.

3. Green Shipping Initiatives Are Becoming Mandatory for Online Stores

The Trend:

Sustainability is no longer just a buzzword in ecommerce, it's becoming a requirement. In regions like the EU, carbon emission disclosures for cross-border shipments are now required for cross-border shipments. Many carriers are rolling out greener delivery methods, while some governments are offering incentives to reduce the environmental impact of the supply chain.

For ecommerce businesses, adapting to these policies is essential as eco-conscious consumers reshape the global commerce conversation. As the ecommerce market experiences significant growth, the pressure to integrate sustainable practices into shipping and supply chain management continues to increase.

What It Means for Ecommerce:

Brands may incur added costs, fines, or regulatory pushback for non-compliant packaging or unsustainable shipping practices. However, green initiatives also present a competitive opportunity to enhance the customer experience, and align with the values of Gen Z and more consumers who prefer to shop online with brands that care about the planet.

Sustainability can become a powerful differentiator in a crowded ecommerce space, especially when clearly communicated across your online store, and checkout pages.

How to Adapt:

• Audit your packaging for recyclability, minimal waste, and eco-friendly materials.
• Choose carriers offering carbon-neutral options for both domestic and international shipping.
• Prominently feature green shipping options on your ecommerce platform, product detail pages, and throughout the shopping experience to influence purchasing decisions.
• Stay up to date on compliance requirements across regions like Canada, Australia, and South and North America, especially when managing customs documentation.

4. Regional Warehousing Is Accelerating for Faster Cross-Border Fulfillment

The Trend:

To reduce shipping costs and speed up delivery, more ecommerce businesses are adopting regional warehousing strategies. By storing inventory closer to international shoppers, retailers can improve international shipping services while reducing shipping costs, minimizing customs delays.

This shift supports the growing demands of the ecommerce market, where fast, affordable shipment options are now expected by customers who shop online globally.

What It Means for Ecommerce:

If your store is fulfilling all international orders from a single location, you’re likely facing higher costs, longer transit times, and reduced flexibility in your supply chain. This setup can also hurt the customer experience, especially for buyers who prioritize speed and transparency when making a purchase.

How to Adapt:

• Partner with 3PLs or fulfillment providers that offer strategically located warehouses to serve key international regions.
• Use data-driven demand forecasting to allocate inventory levels abroad and meet online sales demand efficiently.
• Work with software like VESYL to streamline international shipping, customs forms, and cross-border fulfillment services.

5. AI-Driven Rate Shopping Is the New Norm In Online Retail

The Trend:

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way ecommerce businesses approach shipping. Modern, AI-powered tools are optimizing international shipping in real time—factoring in customs documentation, transit times, carrier fees and geopolitical risks. These emerging technologies are transforming the ecommerce landscape, helping brands operate more efficiently in a complex global market.

What It Means for Ecommerce:

Relying on static shipping rules or sticking to a single carrier is no longer viable. Online shoppers expect fast, affordable delivery, and many customers will abandon carts if better options aren’t available. As international shipping grows more complex, brands must make informed decisions—not just fast ones.

How to Adapt:

• Use intelligent shipping software like VESYL, which leverages real-time data to select the best carriers and routes for each shipment.
• Continuously A/B test regional shipping strategies to optimize for cost, delivery time, and shopping experience.
• Align rate shopping strategies with your supply chain, inventory, and evolving purchasing triggers of global shoppers.

Final Thoughts: International Shipping in 2025's Ecommerce Market

As global ecommerce grows, the logistics behind it are evolving rapidly. Carrier pullbacks, changing tax rules, sustainability mandates, and shifting consumer expectations all require an increasingly proactive approach.

By staying informed and using advanced tools like VESYL, ecommerce brands can navigate these changes with confidence—and turn global complexity into their competitive advantage.

Ready to future-proof your cross-border shipping strategy? Let’s talk.

The busy seasons are both a blessing and a challenge for e-commerce businesses. Whether it's the holiday rush, back-to-school season, Black Friday or any other peak period, increased demand brings with it the potential for significant revenue, but only if your shipping operations can keep up.

In this article, we'll explore key strategies for effectively scaling your shipping operations during busy seasons, ensuring your business can handle the increased volume without compromising on service quality.

Forecasting Demand Accurately

The foundation of scaling your shipping operations lies in demand forecasting. By analyzing historical sales data, market trends, and customer behavior, you can best predict the volume of orders and products you'll need to fulfill during peak periods. This information allows you to plan your inventory, staffing, and logistics accordingly.

Optimizing Inventory Management

Efficient inventory management is critical during busy seasons. Overstocking can lead to unnecessary storage costs, while understocking can result in missed sales opportunities, delayed shipments and unhappy customers. The key is to find the right balance. To stay ahead of inventory needs, work closely with suppliers to ensure timely restocking and leverage inventory management for clear and real-time insights to stock levels. With any management system, implement regular inventory checks to reduce the risk of any mistakes. 

Streamlining Fulfillment Processes

As order volumes increase, your fulfillment processes need to be as efficient as possible. Streamlining and automating these processes helps reduce the time it takes to pick, pack, and ship orders, minimizing the risk of delays and errors. For example, batch processing orders significantly speeds up order fulfillment, allowing you to get more orders out of the warehouse, in less time. 

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Learn how VESYL automations are improving fulfillment efficiency for businesses.

Enhancing Warehouse Operations

Your warehouse is the heart of your shipping operations, and its efficiency can make or break your ability to scale. During busy seasons, optimizing your warehouse layout, staff training, and workflow processes is essential. For example, you can create a "Golden Zone," where the top 20% of SKUs that account for 80% of your orders are stored. This zone should be located near the packing and shipping stations to minimize the distance these items travel.

Leveraging Multiple Carriers

Relying on a single carrier during busy seasons can be risky. Carrier delays or capacity issues can disrupt your fulfillment. By working with multiple carriers, you can mitigate these risks, ensure timely deliveries and save on costs.

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With VESYL, we deliver the best-in-class shipping rates across multiple carriers in just a few clicks, allowing you to make the most informed decisions for your shipments, without sacrificing flexibility.

Implementing Flexible Shipping Options

Customers expect fast and reliable delivery, especially during busy seasons. By offering flexible shipping options such as expedited shipping, same-day delivery, or in-store pickup, you can meet customer’s expectations and improve their experience. It’s important to clearly communicate shipping options and cut-off dates for guaranteed delivery on your website. 

Outsourcing Fulfillment and Logistics

For many e-commerce businesses, outsourcing fulfillment and logistics to third-party providers (3PLs) is a scalable solution during peak seasons. 3PLs can offer additional storage space, advanced technology, and expertise in managing high volumes, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business. However, 3PL’s can come with their own set of challenges such as a large initial investment and limited visibility. 

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Alternatively, businesses can leverage shipping software. At VESYL, brands can simply connect their stores, import orders, run shipping automations, such as assigning particular products to certain package sizes or shipping rates, batch purchase up to 500 shipping labels at once at the best rates, and print labels with their corresponding packing list. This allows businesses to manage their fulfillment internally while still saving time and money on shipping. 

Enhancing Customer Communication

During busy seasons, clear communication with customers is vital. Be sure to keep them informed about order status, shipping timelines, and any potential delays. This transparency can help manage expectations and reduce customer frustration. You can utilize automated email notifications and SMS alerts to keep customers updated throughout the fulfillment process.

Preparing for Returns and Exchanges

Both brands and customers would prefer to get it right the first time but as we know, it doesn’t always go that way. Busy seasons can often lead to increased returns and exchanges, especially during the gifting season. Preparing for this influx is crucial to maintaining customer satisfaction and minimizing operational disruptions.

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Streamline your returns process by providing clear instructions and offering easy-to-print return labels or QR codes. You can also consider using a returns management software that automates the process and provides customers with instant refunds or exchanges.

Conclusion

The key to a successful busy season is ensuring your fulfillment can keep up. By forecasting demand, optimizing inventory and warehouse management, leveraging multiple carriers, and enhancing customer communication, you can ensure a smooth and successful peak season. Finally, be sure to track, record and analyze for continuous improvement and business success.