A New Era of Parcel Delivery

For decades, national carriers like UPS and FedEx dominated ecommerce shipping. But the landscape is changing fast.

Today, alternative carriers — regional networks purpose-built for ecommerce — are quietly outperforming the national giants on speed, cost, and flexibility.

As parcel volumes rise and customer expectations shift toward faster, lower-cost delivery, the question isn’t if you should add alternative carriers — it’s how quickly you can.

1. Cost: Simpler Pricing, Real Savings

National carriers are known for complex rate structures filled with add-ons — fuel, residential, and extended-area surcharges that can make up 30–35% of your total parcel cost.

Alternative carriers, on the other hand, operate leaner networks with transparent, predictable pricing, especially across short-haul zones. That simplicity translates into real savings for ecommerce brands shipping high volumes to repeat customers.

With the Tusk Operations Platform, shippers can see those cost gaps lane by lane,  revealing exactly where alternative carriers deliver instant ROI.

➡️ Related: How to Reduce Parcel Shipping Costs with Regional Carriers

2. Speed: Ground That Moves Like Air

When it comes to speed, alternative carriers excel where it matters most: dense metro regions and short-zone deliveries.

Because they skip the national hub-and-spoke model, parcels spend less time in transit and more time on local trucks.

The result? Next-day or two-day ground delivery that rivals national SLAs at a fraction of the cost.

Tusk’s network maintains 95% on-time delivery and 87% two-day delivery — a metric that keeps shippers competitive.

3. Coverage: Depth Over Breadth

National carriers boast coast-to-coast coverage, but not every brand needs it. If most of your orders ship within a few zones, regional depth often delivers better performance and margin.

That’s why many ecommerce brands use a hybrid model: national carriers for long-haul coverage, and alternative carriers for local and regional fulfillment.

Tusk simplifies that balance with a unified platform connecting top regional carriers like GLS, LSO, and UniUni under one integration.

4. Customer Experience: Consistency Counts

At the end of the day, customers don’t care who ships their package, only that it arrives fast and reliably.

Alternative carriers can provide real-time parcel visibility, responsive support, and fewer handoffs, all of which drive a smoother post-purchase experience. For shippers, that means fewer “Where is my order?” tickets and stronger repeat purchase rates, both critical in retaining customer loyalty.

5. The Bottom Line: Control and Confidence

Alternative carriers aren’t just an alternative — they’re the modern backbone of ecommerce delivery. While national carriers will always play a role, the brands that win are those that blend both networks strategically for greater flexibility, lower costs, and more control.

Through a single integration, Tusk connects ecommerce brands to a nationwide network of alternative carriers, offering unified invoicing, tracking, and performance analytics in one platform.

When cost pressure is high and reliability matters most, Tusk gives you both.

Ready to Diversify Your Delivery Mix?

🚀 Explore how Tusk’s platform connects ecommerce brands to the top alternative carriers without the integration hassle.

Get Started with Tusk → https://www.tusklogistics.com/request-a-rate-card