01
Peak surcharges destroy Q4 margin
Uncapped peak-season surcharges run 25–60% above base rates. Worst possible timing for a Q4-heavy category.
Industries · Toys & Games
Q4 is your year. Don't pay peak surcharges for it.
Toys and games run 50%+ of annual revenue in Q4. Peak-season surcharges on uncontracted volume can wipe out the margin you spent the rest of the year building. We negotiate peak caps before Black Friday.
Where the money leaks
Three problems we see in every toys & games audit.
02
Damage rates on fragile play sets
Damage claims on toys are commonly denied without documentation. Returns spike post-holiday.
03
Cubic and dim mismatch on boxes
Toy boxes are big and light. Default dim factors over-bill them.
Our playbook
Four levers, specifically for toys & games.
01
Peak surcharge negotiation
Caps or eliminations on peak-season surcharges, negotiated before Q4 starts.
02
Dim divisor renegotiation
Renegotiate divisors against your actual product mix — big boxes, light contents.
03
Damage claim automation
Photo evidence at the warehouse, claims filed weekly. Recovers a real percentage of Q4 damage losses.
04
Post-holiday return ratesheet
Returns priced at outbound parity, important for January return waves.
Best fit if you are
- ✓Toys, games, and hobby DTC brands
- ✓Multi-channel toy retailers
- ✓Seasonal gift brands
- ✓Brands with heavy Q4 / Christmas volume
Probably not for you if
Year-round low-volume toy shops — peak negotiation is the main lever, and it needs Q4 volume to matter.
Other industries
Different verticals, same audit-first approach.
E-commerce & DTC
Shopify, BigCommerce, Amazon, multi-channel — we cover the full carrier stack you're juggling.
Open playbook →Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
Carrier rates are the second-biggest line on your bid sheet. We negotiate them as one consolidated book.
Open playbook →Distribution & B2B Wholesale
B2B parcel is a different problem from DTC. We treat it that way.
Open playbook → Want the toys & games playbook on your invoices?
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