As we head toward mid-2025, the logistics industry is bracing for another potential freight crisis, sparked by aggressive tariff policies and evolving global trade dynamics. With U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports surging as high as 145%, freight volumes, sourcing decisions, and shipping costs are facing unprecedented pressure.
The big question for supply chain professionals: Could this tariff turmoil lead to a repeat of past peak-season disruptions?
Without proactive action today, the answer might very well be yes.
The Looming Threat: Tariffs Meet Peak Season Demand
Peak season, typically spanning from late Q3 into Q4, is always a pressure cooker for logistics. Retailers ramp up inventory, carriers run at full capacity, and warehouses stretch to their limits. But 2025 brings a new challenge: a volatile tariff environment that’s inflating costs, straining capacity, and making supply chain planning harder than ever.
Here’s why the risk is higher this year:
- Disrupted sourcing: Retailers and importers are scrambling to shift production out of China, but alternate suppliers in Vietnam, Mexico, and India can’t instantly match volume.
- Increased shipping costs: Tariffs drive up landed costs, forcing businesses to renegotiate contracts or absorb margin hits.
- Tightened carrier availability: With demand and uncertainty rising simultaneously, the risk of capacity shortages -and pricing surges – during peak is real.
What We Learned from Past Shipping Crises?
The pandemic taught us painful lessons about what happens when supply chains aren’t ready:
- Lack of flexibility leads to stockouts or missed delivery windows.
- Poor visibility into transportation spend can drain budgets when rates spike.
- Inability to shift modes or lanes quickly leaves companies stuck with bottlenecks they can’t reroute.
In 2021, for example, port congestion and record freight costs turned the holiday season into a logistical nightmare. Many businesses didn’t receive their seasonal goods until after New Year’s.
Don’t let 2025 be a repeat performance.
How to Prepare: Proactive Strategies for a Resilient Peak Season?
The good news with the right systems and planning, you can protect your business from the worst of the chaos.
1. Use Freight Audit for Real-Time Spend Visibility
Freight Audit and Payment solutions from providers like nVision Global give you precise, actionable insights into your shipping costs. When tariffs shift pricing, real-time data helps you:
- Benchmark rates
- Spot inefficiencies
- Eliminate billing errors
- Enforce contracts with carriers
Result: Cost control before your budget spirals out of control.
2. Leverage TMS to Build Flexible Peak Season Plans
A robust Transportation Management System (TMS) allows you to:
- Simulate different routing and mode scenarios
- Identify alternative carriers or forwarders
- Reroute freight dynamically based on real-time delays or pricing shifts
With nVision Global’s IMPACT TMS, you’re not stuck with static logistics plans. You adapt fast.
3. Scenario Plan With Tariff Modeling
Build “what-if” scenarios around key tariff thresholds:
- What happens if sourcing from China becomes 30% more expensive?
- How does your cost to deliver change under various rate conditions?
- Can you shift fulfillment centers or split shipments to reduce duty exposure?
Data-driven modeling allows smarter, faster decisions when market conditions change overnight.
4. Diversify Supply Chain Partnerships Early
Peak season is not the time to look for new partners. If your current 3PLs, carriers, or customs brokers aren’t agile – or if they’re too reliant on China – it’s time to explore alternatives. Secure backup lanes and regional suppliers now.
Conclusion: Tariffs Don’t Have to Derail Your Holiday Season
The 2025 peak season is already shaping up to be unpredictable. But with proactive planning, smart technology, and actionable data, your business can stay ahead of tariff disruptions and keep freight moving.
nVision Global is here to help you mitigate risk, control transportation costs, and build a supply chain strategy that’s ready for anything – tariffs included.
Start preparing now. Contact nVision Global to learn how our freight audit and TMS solutions can help you navigate peak season with confidence.