Kase® industry report reveals peak season readiness gaps for retailers
APPLETON, Wis., May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kase®, in collaboration with independent research firm TrendCandy, has released Peak Season Retailer Sentiment: Operational Gaps Brands Are Racing to Fix, a new survey featuring insights from 328 retail and ecommerce fulfillment leaders preparing for peak season 2026.
The results reveal a retail industry balancing strong confidence with growing operational pressure. While 61% of leaders say they are very confident in their ability to meet peak season demand, 79% say they are likely to face reactive decision-making once volume spikes.
“Peak season confidence only matters if the infrastructure behind it can hold up under pressure,” said Mike Venditti, Vice President of Fulfillment Operations at Kase. “Brands need accurate forecasting from the start, followed by the ability to bring supplemental labor up to speed quickly and efficiently when demand rises.”
The survey found inventory imbalance remains the top operational concern heading into peak season, followed by labor shortages, cost spikes, and carrier delays. At the same time, organizations are rethinking fulfillment strategy to improve resilience and control.
Key findings include:
- 81% are concerned about carrier capacity and transportation disruption.
- 89% say their 3PL strategy is becoming more strategic and integrated.
- 93% are repositioning inventory closer to demand centers.
- 96% are using automation to manage peak season complexity.
The report also highlights a change in how brands evaluate fulfillment partners, with leaders prioritizing inventory accuracy, carrier diversification, systems integration, and real-time visibility.
“This is no longer just about moving orders faster,” added Venditti. “Retailers are redesigning networks to protect margins while improving reliability when disruption happens.”
Download the report
Peak Season Retailer Sentiment: Operational Gaps Brands Are Racing to Fix
About Kase
Kase™ delivers direct-to-consumer, retail, and omnichannel fulfillment powered by proprietary technology that provides real-time order tracking, order routing, inventory control, and parcel rate selection. Kase helps brands keep their promises with every order. Learn more at Kase.
About Trend Candy
TrendCandy partners with leading brands to produce original, data-driven research that fuels thought leadership and industry storytelling.
Contact
Alyssa Wolfe
Director of Demand Generation
[email protected]
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SOURCE Kase
