Hala Karim
Hala Karim
You’re Not the Only One Paying: A Look into the Labor of Online Shipping
You’re Not the Only One Paying: A Look into the Labor of Online Shipping
In the last 20 years, the ability to order products online and have them shipped to your door has made shopping more accessible for millions around the world. Rather than waiting weeks or even months, consumers can now receive their goods in less than 24 hours after placing their order.
E-commerce has grown significantly in the last two decades and now plays a major role in the global economy. According to the International Trade Administration, the global business-to-business e-commerce market is valued at $36 million USD in 2026. Similarly, global business-to-consumer e-commerce revenue is expected to grow to $5.5 million by 2027.
Although e-commerce contributes to the global economy, it also carries costs that are not reflected in the price tag consumers see. Online shipping can have negative environmental impacts, requires human labor at multiple stages of the shipping process and adds to transportation expenses.
Within the manufacturing stage, labor is often derived from countries outside of the U.S. There is an invisible cost when ordering online as large corporations often rely on multiple forms of labor and transportation in the shipping process.
“I would say there’s very limited clothing that comes from the U.S.,” Spelman Bookstore employee Jazlyn Lancaster said. “I see a lot of things made in China, made in Vietnam, Pakistan, India.”
The environmental impact of e-commerce is undeniable. According to the ClimateWorks Foundation, maritime shipping contributes approximately 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This is in addition to the last-mile emissions, which are greenhouse gases released during the final leg of the delivery process. These emissions can increase as consumers opt for same-day or next-day delivery.
“Amazon is dropping off no less than 500 a day, and you'll get in probably about 250 off of UPS. Another 250 come in from the post office, and then probably 200 from FedEx. And then throughout the day, Amazon Flex drivers are dropping off all day, throughout the day,” Karl Clemons, manager of postal operations at the Spelman College Mail Center, said.
The shipping process also requires untold hours of assembling, packaging, organizing and moving packages each day. This labor is carried out by manufacturers, cargo ship crews, truck drivers and postal workers. At the Spelman College Mail Center, the volume of incoming packages can exceed what employees are able to process during regular operation hours.
“We can't process packages fast enough as we get them in. So for Amazon to stop, drop off 500 packages at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I can't get those processed before we close at 4:50, and that's when I'm gonna have to stay over and process more packages so that we're able to have a quick turnaround for students to pick up packages,” Clemons said.
Consumers may become frustrated when items are unavailable or packages are delayed, and workers responsible for getting merchandise to customers can bear the brunt of that frustration.
“Some customers really come in thinking that they own the place and like you’re just there to serve them and that you’re not really a human yourself and you don't deserve any type of respect,” Lancaster said.
While e-commerce has increased access to goods across the world, corporations and consumers often neglect the people and places tasked with getting their order to their door.
As consumers, it is crucial to research and understand the impact that online shipping has on the environment and marginalized communities, as well as recognize the many hours of labor that various employees spend packaging, shipping and processing orders.
“The only thing we would ask from the mail center is the patience of turnaround. We have lots and lots of packages to process before we get up, put those on the shelf, put them in your box, then start that processing again,” said Clemons.
In the last 20 years, the ability to order products online and have them shipped to your door has made shopping more accessible for millions around the world. Rather than waiting weeks or even months, consumers can now receive their goods in less than 24 hours after placing their order.
E-commerce has grown significantly in the last two decades and now plays a major role in the global economy. According to the International Trade Administration, the global business-to-business e-commerce market is valued at $36 million USD in 2026. Similarly, global business-to-consumer e-commerce revenue is expected to grow to $5.5 million by 2027.
Although e-commerce contributes to the global economy, it also carries costs that are not reflected in the price tag consumers see. Online shipping can have negative environmental impacts, requires human labor at multiple stages of the shipping process and adds to transportation expenses.
Within the manufacturing stage, labor is often derived from countries outside of the U.S. There is an invisible cost when ordering online as large corporations often rely on multiple forms of labor and transportation in the shipping process.
“I would say there’s very limited clothing that comes from the U.S.,” Spelman Bookstore employee Jazlyn Lancaster said. “I see a lot of things made in China, made in Vietnam, Pakistan, India.”
The environmental impact of e-commerce is undeniable. According to the ClimateWorks Foundation, maritime shipping contributes approximately 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. This is in addition to the last-mile emissions, which are greenhouse gases released during the final leg of the delivery process. These emissions can increase as consumers opt for same-day or next-day delivery.
“Amazon is dropping off no less than 500 a day, and you'll get in probably about 250 off of UPS. Another 250 come in from the post office, and then probably 200 from FedEx. And then throughout the day, Amazon Flex drivers are dropping off all day, throughout the day,” Karl Clemons, manager of postal operations at the Spelman College Mail Center, said.
The shipping process also requires untold hours of assembling, packaging, organizing and moving packages each day. This labor is carried out by manufacturers, cargo ship crews, truck drivers and postal workers. At the Spelman College Mail Center, the volume of incoming packages can exceed what employees are able to process during regular operation hours.
“We can't process packages fast enough as we get them in. So for Amazon to stop, drop off 500 packages at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I can't get those processed before we close at 4:50, and that's when I'm gonna have to stay over and process more packages so that we're able to have a quick turnaround for students to pick up packages,” Clemons said.
Consumers may become frustrated when items are unavailable or packages are delayed, and workers responsible for getting merchandise to customers can bear the brunt of that frustration.
“Some customers really come in thinking that they own the place and like you’re just there to serve them and that you’re not really a human yourself and you don't deserve any type of respect,” Lancaster said.
While e-commerce has increased access to goods across the world, corporations and consumers often neglect the people and places tasked with getting their order to their door.
As consumers, it is crucial to research and understand the impact that online shipping has on the environment and marginalized communities, as well as recognize the many hours of labor that various employees spend packaging, shipping and processing orders.
“The only thing we would ask from the mail center is the patience of turnaround. We have lots and lots of packages to process before we get up, put those on the shelf, put them in your box, then start that processing again,” said Clemons.