For the second year in a row, UPS and FedEx will enforce peak season surcharges that will impact shipping costs for e-commerce businesses this holiday season. Peak season charges are here to stay, and there is no getting around this so let’s dive into the details.

FedEx

Fortunately, FedEx will not apply peak season surcharges to most residential deliveries, except for packages that are oversized, unauthorized, or those that require additional handling between November 19 and December 24.

UPS

In contrast to FedEx, UPS will be applying peak season surcharges on residential deliveries.  Shippers will be paying a surcharge on residential ground shipments from November 18 through December 1 and then again from December 16 through December 22.  UPS peak season surcharges are intended to help meet the expectations of customers and help offset the additional operating costs incurred in this busy time of year.