E-Commerce Platforms Are Taking Over Last-Mile Carrier Selection: What It Means for Independent Shippers
E-commerce platforms are no longer just sales channels — they're becoming logistics gatekeepers. In 2026, Amazon, Allegro, Walmart, and emerging Asian marketplaces are aggressively restricting carrier choices for sellers while building proprietary delivery networks that reshape the last-mile landscape entirely.
The Platform Logistics Power Grab
The last-mile delivery market is projected to reach $199.68 billion in 2026, growing at an 8.4% CAGR. But who controls that spend is shifting dramatically. Where shippers once chose their own carriers, platforms are increasingly dictating — or outright mandating — how packages reach customers.
Amazon's tightening grip illustrates the trend. Starting January 2026, all FBA inventory must be fully prepped and labeled by sellers or certified 3PLs before shipment — Amazon no longer handles preparation. Meanwhile, Amazon's On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) enforcement, updated February 28, 2026, means carrier delays directly affect seller metrics. Poor OTDR scores can suppress listings or suspend selling privileges entirely.
The message is clear: use our logistics infrastructure, or risk your marketplace standing.
Proprietary Delivery Networks Are Expanding Fast
Platforms aren't just restricting carrier choice — they're building alternatives. Amazon Logistics now handles the majority of its own deliveries in the U.S. Walmart is integrating same-day delivery through gig networks like DoorDash and Instacart directly into online checkouts. In Europe, Vinted launched Vinted Go, a logistics arm operating its own network of parcel lockers and pickup shops across multiple countries.
The out-of-home (OOH) delivery network is particularly explosive. Across Europe alone, nearly 180,000 parcel lockers, convenience stores, and collection points now serve as last-mile endpoints — a number growing quarterly. Platforms like Allegro in Poland have built proprietary OOH networks (Allegro One) that preference their own infrastructure over third-party carriers, effectively locking sellers into platform-controlled delivery ecosystems.
For independent shippers selling across multiple marketplaces, this creates a fragmented logistics nightmare. Each platform demands different carriers, different prep standards, and different delivery SLAs.
Alternative Carriers Are Fighting Back
The good news: a wave of alternative parcel carriers is emerging to give shippers options outside the platform-controlled duopoly. At Manifest 2026 in Las Vegas, carriers like Veho, UniUni, Better Trucks, and Gofo showcased expanded capabilities designed to compete with FedEx and UPS — and, by extension, platform logistics networks.
Veho launched FlexSave, an AI-powered delivery option that lets shippers trade day-certain delivery for cost savings on broader windows. Maersk E-Commerce rolled out real-time carrier performance monitoring portals with picture proof-of-delivery and weekend delivery launching in Q2. Gofo, after acquiring Cirro E-Commerce, now reaches over 70% of the U.S. population across 31 states.
These carriers aren't competing on price alone. EssilorLuxottica's SVP of North America distribution planning told the Manifest audience that cost savings mean nothing if customer expectations aren't met — reliability and service quality are what keep shippers with alternative carriers long-term.
The Impact on Independent Shippers and 3PLs
The platformization of last-mile delivery creates three critical challenges for independent shippers:
1. Carrier lock-in reduces negotiating power. When a platform mandates its own logistics network, shippers lose the ability to negotiate rates or switch providers. Walmart, for instance, blocks Amazon Logistics deliveries entirely — meaning multi-channel sellers must maintain separate fulfillment strategies for each marketplace.
2. Data asymmetry favors platforms. Platforms that control delivery also control shipment data — tracking information, delivery performance metrics, customer satisfaction scores. Independent shippers operating outside platform logistics often have less visibility into their own supply chain performance than the marketplace does.
3. Rising compliance complexity. Each platform's logistics requirements are diverging. Amazon's prep mandates, Walmart's carrier restrictions, Allegro's OOH preferences, and TikTok Shop's speed expectations each demand different operational workflows. Without a centralized TMS, managing this complexity manually becomes unsustainable.
Strategies for Maintaining Carrier Diversity
Shippers who want to avoid becoming entirely dependent on platform logistics need a proactive strategy:
Invest in multi-carrier TMS technology. A transportation management system that integrates with multiple carriers, marketplaces, and OOH networks from a single dashboard is no longer optional — it's survival infrastructure. The ability to route shipments dynamically based on platform requirements, cost, and performance data is what separates resilient operations from fragile ones.
Build direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels. Every sale through your own website is a sale where you control the carrier. Brands that maintain a healthy DTC mix alongside marketplace sales retain leverage over their logistics spend and customer experience.
Leverage regional and alternative carriers. The alternative carrier market is maturing rapidly. Regional players often offer better last-mile performance in specific geographies at lower cost. FedEx's new AI-powered post-purchase tools like Tracking+ and Returns+ are also giving shippers embeddable delivery experience solutions that work across channels.
Negotiate OOH network access independently. Rather than relying solely on platform-provided locker networks, shippers can partner with multi-carrier OOH aggregators that provide access to parcel lockers and PUDO (Pick-Up Drop-Off) points across carriers and geographies.
The Road Ahead
The platformization of last-mile logistics is accelerating, not slowing down. As Asian e-commerce models — built on ultra-fast delivery expectations and platform-controlled fulfillment — expand globally, the pressure on independent shippers will only intensify.
The shippers who thrive will be those who treat carrier management as a strategic capability, not an operational afterthought. Multi-channel carrier orchestration, real-time performance visibility, and the flexibility to adapt to each platform's evolving requirements are the table stakes for 2026 and beyond.
Struggling to manage carriers across multiple e-commerce platforms? Contact CXTMS for a demo of our multi-carrier TMS that keeps you in control of your last-mile strategy.
