The newly implemented 2025 U.S. tariffs are making waves across industries far and wide, placing significant pressure on businesses of all sizes. Shippers that rely on imports have obviously been among the first to feel the financial strain as rising costs disrupt supply chains and profitability. And while tariffs may fluctuate, the general principle of tariffs and their disruption remain the same.
With import tariffs impacting a wide range of goods, smaller businesses are grappling with squeezed margins, while larger corporations struggle to maintain their competitive edge. Companies now must make strategic decisions regarding pricing, shipping, supply chains and overall logistics.
Below, we provide nine tips to optimize your shipping and tell you how a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can help you during these difficult times.
1. Create Short-Term and Long-Term Shipping Strategies
- Tip: To successfully navigate import tariff challenges, it's essential to have both short-term and long-term shipping strategies in place. In the short term, businesses should have contingency plans that can quickly address tariff increases. This may include efforts such as sourcing new vendors and route optimization, while long-term strategies should focus on building supply chain resilience against future tariff fluctuations.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL provider can work with you to develop a dynamic shipping strategy that accommodates both immediate challenges and future uncertainties. They will analyze your current shipping processes and develop strategies to optimize your logistics operations. This could involve identifying cost-saving opportunities and recommending flexible shipping methods. A 3PL can also help by quickly matching a new vendor or expediting materials before further tariffs are implemented. By having a comprehensive plan, businesses can remain agile and minimize disruptions from tariffs.
2. Understand Customs Clearance
- Tip: Navigating the complexities of customs clearance is essential for navigating tariffs. Since these taxes are often imposed at the point of entry, failing to understand customs requirements can lead to delays, penalties or unexpected costs.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL should be well-versed in customs procedures and can assist with ensuring that all necessary documentation — such as commercial invoices, certificates of origin and packing lists — are accurately completed. They can also guide you through proper classification and valuation of your products, ensuring compliance with import regulations. With their knowledge of the international logistics landscape, a 3PL provider helps you avoid costly errors and delays, making the customs process more predictable and efficient.
3. Optimize Shipping Routes
- Tip: One of the most effective ways to offset the cost of tariffs is to optimize shipping routes. By analyzing and improving the routes your goods take, you can reduce transit time, minimize delays and lower transportation costs.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL provider can assess your current shipping routes and recommend more efficient alternatives. Using their expertise and extensive carrier relationships, they can help you identify the fastest and most cost-effective ways to move goods in case your shipments are delayed due to tariffs. This might even involve adjusting the mode of transportation to optimize cost savings and efficiency.
4. Stay Informed On Changes in Import Tariffs
- Tip: Tariffs are dynamic and can change suddenly due to political or economic shifts. Staying informed about these changes is essential to adapting your logistics and business strategy to avoid unexpected costs.Two good sources to keep up on information include UPS: 2025 Tariffs and Their Impact on Global Trade and the FreightWaves Tariffs coverage.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL monitors tariff changes and can provide actionable insights to help businesses adapt to tariff fluctuations, minimize expenses and optimize logistics operations. This helps ensure efficient supply chains while maintaining compliance and maximizing profitability.
5. Negotiate Carrier Rates
- Tip: Another way to offset the cost of tariffs is to reduce carrier rates. Negotiating better rates with carriers — whether through volume discounts or alternative shipping methods — can help businesses absorb some of the tariff burden.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL has established relationships with numerous carriers and can receive volume discounts, which allows them to negotiate better rates on behalf of their clients. Through their extensive network, a 3PL can leverage volume discounts and optimize transportation costs. They can also advise you on alternative shipping methods or carriers that might be more cost-effective, helping you lower shipping expenses and, in turn, mitigate the impact of tariffs on your overall shipping operations.
6. Leverage Dedicated Support
- Tip: Understanding and navigating a shifting supply chain and logistics landscape due to tariffs can be a complex and ongoing challenge. Having a dedicated account team focused on your business needs can ensure that you always have a partner to help manage disruptions and identify opportunities to mitigate the impact of tariffs.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL can assign a dedicated account team to work closely with your business to understand your unique challenges and logistics requirements. By offering personalized support and insights, the dedicated account team can help you adjust your strategy and find the best solutions for supply chain resilience.
7. Invest In Logistics Technology
- Tip: The right logistics technology can streamline operations, helping businesses manage and optimize their shipping and logistics efficiently during disruptive times. Technology provides cost saving measures and visibility into your supply chain.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL can provide access to a transportation management system that offers shipment tracking, rate comparison, automated shipping processes, integration capabilities, reporting/visibility, scalability for growth and much more. By leveraging these systems, businesses can better track their shipping costs, identify inefficiencies, adjust their strategies as necessary and make data-driven decisions to reduce the impact of rising tariffs.
8. Create Scalable Shipping Solutions
- Tip: Tariffs can fluctuate unexpectedly, and it's crucial to develop scalable solutions that allow your business to respond without major disruptions. A flexible approach means you can scale shipping volumes, switch transportation methods and adjust routes based on current tariff rates.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL can design scalable shipping solutions that give you the flexibility to adapt to changes in tariffs. By utilizing their expertise and resources, they can help you expand or contract shipping volumes, react to capacity changes, adjust transportation methods and explore alternative strategies that you aren't currently utilizing. This adaptability ensures your business remains resilient, even in the face of unpredictable tariff changes.
9. Optimize Inbound and Outbound Logistics Efficiency
- Tip: Tariffs affect both inbound and outbound logistics and optimizing both can help reduce costs and minimize tariff exposure. By streamlining the movement of goods back and forth within your supply chain, you can improve overall logistics efficiency and make your operations more cost-effective.
- How a 3PL Can Help: A 3PL can evaluate your inbound and outbound shipping and recommend strategies for optimization. This might involve consolidating shipments, reducing excess inventory or adjusting delivery schedules to reduce costs. Their expertise in managing complex logistics networks ensures that your goods move smoothly and cost-effectively through every step of the supply chain.
Need help managing the impact of tariffs? GlobalTranz can help.
GlobalTranz has over 30 years of expertise in the logistics industry and helps thousands of freight shippers of all sizes move products with great efficiency. As part of WWEX Group, alongside Worldwide Express and Unishippers, we're part of one of the largest and most diverse 3PL networks in the industry.
Our solutions include access to a vetted network of 75+ less-than-truckload (LTL) and 45,000+ FTL freight carriers, warehousing and inventory management solutions, along with cutting-edge technology to help you minimize tariff impacts and optimize your supply chain.
Reach out today for a free consultation and let us help you navigate the challenges of tariffs.