Logistics has never been so central to the decisions of Brazilian e-commerce. This is revealed by the study Panorama of Logistics Management in Brazilian E-commerce, conducted by nstech, the largest supply chain software company in Latin America, in partnership with Frete Rápido, a company of the leading TMS group for e-commerce. Based on the analysis of thousands of medium and large virtual stores, the survey shows that, although the sector is digital, logistics management still faces structural barriers, lack of technological integration, and high operational costs — factors that directly impact the conversion and profitability of online sales.
Among the main difficulties pointed out by companies in managing transportation are:management of freight tables and calculation (27.7%), prospecting and integration of carriers (26.8%), proof of delivery and auditing (16.1%), traceability (15.8%), and indicators and KPIs (13.5%).
Another highlight of the study is the strongdependence on outsourced services for deliveries: 72.9%of stores use outsourced carriers,21.3% operate with a hybrid model, which combines own fleet and third parties, while only5.8% rely exclusively on their own fleet.
“E-commerce was born digital, but logistics still carries many challenges. There is a lack of integration between systems, tracking is not always accurate, and many processes are still manual,” says Mário Rodrigues, CEO and founder of Frete Rápido.
Freight management is still an operational bottleneck
The study shows that29% of companies still manage freight manually, while only 20.3% use solutions like Gateway or TMS comprehensively. The hybrid model (manual + technology) is adopted by 27.7% of operations.
In addition,51% consider the impact of freight costs on abandoned carts to be significant; 34.5% report ease and agility in integrating new carriers; and 24.2% have already lost business opportunities due to limitations in logistic systems.
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For Diego Gonçalves, COO of shipper at nstech, “logistics has ceased to be a backend function to become a protagonist, directly impacting indicators such as conversion, repurchase, and profitability. With consumers increasingly connected and demanding, delivery needs to be fast, traceable, and flexible — with the option to choose the day and time.”
The lack of control over costs, real-time visibility, and integration with partners affects not only the customer experience but also profit margins, which are already suffering from the rising costs of logistics.
Solutions and expectations for the coming years
The report also outlines a vision for the future of logistics in e-commerce, highlighting investments in automation, omnichannel, and new operational models. Among the interviewees,38.7% consider a new logistics management system fundamental by next year; 20% plan to switch systems and review processes; 31.3% intend to expand to marketplaces; 29.7% adopt or plan to operate with multi-origin/dark store; and 24.8% want to enhance the use of ship from store.
Regarding growth projections for 2025/2026,43.5% expect expansion of 10% to 30%; 27.4% between 30% and 50%; 6.5% up to 100%; and 4.8% more than 100%.
With the arrival of major events like Black Friday and Christmas, logistical preparation becomes even more strategic. “More than just delivering orders, it is necessary to deliver experience. Optimizing processes, updating timelines, and balancing cost and quality are essential to ensure competitiveness in a market where every detail makes a difference,” concludes Diego Gonçalves.
