For high-volume manufacturers, wholesalers, and regional distributors, Q4 is no longer just peak shipping season; it is peak margin compression season. Every year from late September through mid-January, primary parcel carriers like UPS, FedEx, and DHL implement temporary rate hikes known as Demand Surcharges (formerly called “Peak Surcharges”). What many logistics and finance teams treat as an unavoidable cost of doing business is often the result of hidden contract mechanic