Retail Supply Chain Shift: 250 Execs Reveal Where Your Freight is Moving

Why It Matters Retail drives the trucking market, not manufacturing or energy alone. When retailers change their distribution strategies, load boards shift immediately. Carriers who anticipate these moves position themselves in the right lanes. Those who don't end up chasing freight that's already moved elsewhere. Key Details A survey of 250 retail supply chain executives reveals major changes underway. Ninety-three percent plan to expand warehousing in the US or Mexico. Eighty-five percent will pull at least half their supply chain out of East Asia by 2028. Seventy-seven percent have already started sourcing away from China. What Changes for Your Load Board For two decades, retailers concentrated product through massive national distribution centers in Columbus, Memphis, Dallas, and California's Inland Empire. That centralized model is breaking apart. Instead of one mega-DC handling everything, retailers are building multiple regional hubs closer to customers and sources. The Impact This means shorter, more fragmented loads replacing long-haul lanes. More regional freight activity instead of concentrated national corridors. Spot rates will move differently across regions as distribution spreads out. Understanding where your freight is concentrating over the next 12-24 months separates successful carriers from those scrambling for loads.