In the United States, the boundary between retail and logistics continues to blur: giants Walmart and Amazon are accelerating the opening of their capacities to third-party clients, consolidating their role as full-fledged logistics providers. This evolution is explained by a structural advantage: already massive infrastructure, data, execution network, and the ability to pool costs over high volumes.
In parallel, the movement puts pressure on more modest initiatives. Several players who had attempted to position themselves in comparable services seem to be scaling back, unable to sustain the same level of investment, geographic coverage, or service promise. The power gap is also reflected in a battle over execution speed, reliability, and the ability to offer “end-to-end” options that include fulfillment, transport, and returns.
For the global logistics community, the stakes are high: the rise of these “mega-3PLs” could permanently reshape market access, pricing conditions, and competition on the last mile, while imposing new standards of technological integration.
