Which players are paying the highest price for stricter trade rules—Postals, Logistics, or Brokers?

1. Postals: Immediate Disruption and Service Suspensions

Postal services have been the hardest hit—many paused shipments to the U.S. as they rushed to understand and comply with the new requirements.

• PostNord (Sweden/Denmark) halted shipments containing goods to the U.S. and Puerto Rico starting August 23, calling the move “unfortunate but necessary” due to the tight timeline for compliance. Letters without goods remain unaffected. (PostNord)
  
  

• Other postal operators including Australia Post, Japan Post, Deutsche Post (Germany), La Poste (France), and bpost (Belgium) similarly suspended or restricted deliveries, citing unclear guidance on duty collection and data processes. (PYMNTS)
  
  

Impact on Postals:

• Immediate loss of cross-border parcel traffic and service credibility.
• Operational confusion and anxiety over unprepared customs systems.
  
  

This is where compliance-first solutions like DutyPlus could make a difference, giving postals the tools to handle automated duty collection and shipment-level reconciliation without pausing services.

2. Commercial Logistics Providers: Facing Cost Pressures and Adaptation

In contrast to postals, many private logistics companies like FedEx, DHL, and UPS continued shipping operations—but with heightened complexity.

• A Reuters report noted that over 90% of de minimis parcels were handled by private carriers, who reported no disruptions despite the regulatory shift. (MarketWatch, AP News)
  
  

• Nevertheless, these providers now carry the burden of ensuring customs accuracy for every parcel, previously exempted under the de-minimis rule.
  
  

Impact on Logistics Providers:

• Increased compliance costs and retraining efforts.
  
  

• Opportunity to differentiate by offering robust, duty-compliant services.
  
  

For providers already integrating technology like DutyPlus hybrid DDP, these new requirements are less disruptive. By collecting duties and taxes either at checkout or even mid-transit, they can keep flows moving smoothly while protecting merchant relationships.

3. Customs Brokers: Growing Demand, Growing Stakes

Customs brokers are seeing increased demand for their expertise—yet the challenge has grown significantly more complex.

• With every parcel now subject to duties, brokers must manage higher volumes of entries and ensure complete data fidelity.
  
  

• However, carriers and shippers unprepared for these requirements lack streamlined automation, creating bottlenecks that savvy brokers might capitalize on.
  
  

Impact on Customs Brokers:

• Surge in volume creates opportunity—but only for brokers with scalable, compliant systems.
  
  

This is where integrated compliance platforms such as DutyPlus can ease the burden—offering brokers real-time tariff accuracy, audit trails, and automated reconciliation that make handling larger volumes more efficient.

Who’s Most Affected—At a Glance

Key Example: PostNord’s Swift Pause

On August 23, PostNord announced a temporary halt to parcel shipments containing goods to the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The swift action highlighted the lack of clarity around new duty collection and data rules, calling the enforcement timeline “too short”. PostNord is now working with international partners to develop compliant systems before re-opening shipments. (PostNord, SEKO Logistics)

This example underscores the fragility of postal networks when regulatory clarity is lacking—and the need for scalable, automated duty solutions to avoid halting services entirely.

Takeaway: The Need for Compliance-First Infrastructure

• Postals: Lost functionality and reputational risk—but also a chance to rebuild with automated clearance tools.
  
  

• Logistics Providers: Ability to maintain continuity positions them well—but only if they can offer frictionless, regulation-ready fulfillment.
  
  

• Customs Brokers: Growing workload—but risks falling behind without scalable digital systems.
  
  

DutyPlus sits at the intersection of these needs—bringing together duties, VAT, real-time FX, hybrid DDP, and audit-ready compliance into one platform. By reducing friction, it helps each stakeholder not just cope with regulation, but transform it into a foundation for sustainable growth.