E-commerce supply chains are reckoning with the whirlwind that was 2020. With another year ahead and no signs of normalcy, societal and supply chain shifts are likely to stick. The major parcel carriers have confirmed suspicions that peak surcharges will continue beyond the holiday season.

In this series, we take a look at the past, present and future of parcel carriers and e-commerce shippers in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

The past is a peak season in which capacity was scarce, communication incomplete, volume unprecedented and service erratic. The present is the ubiquity of same-day logistics startups and their integration into retailers' e-commerce options. And the future is a new dynamic between shippers and carriers that could benefit a select few.