Editorial Standards

Last updated: March 27, 2026

ShipMint's Resource Center publishes content to help parcel shippers make better decisions. We believe in transparency — about our process, our sources, and our use of technology, including artificial intelligence.

Our content falls into four categories, each with distinct editorial standards. These standards exist to ensure that our readers can trust what they read, regardless of how the content was produced.

Insights

What it is: Expert analysis, commentary, and strategic perspectives from ShipMint's leadership. These are editorial pieces — opinion-driven, data-supported, and written from direct industry experience.

Authorship: Every Insights article carries a named byline. When an article is attributed to Brandon Staton or another ShipMint team member, that person has personally reviewed and approved the content, analysis, and conclusions.

Editorial process

  • AI tools may be used to assist with research, drafting, or structuring initial content
  • All statistics, quotes, and factual claims are verified by the named author before publication
  • The thesis, analysis, and strategic conclusions reflect the author's genuine professional perspective
  • Each article undergoes a minimum 48-hour review period before publication
  • Articles reference primary sources (carrier announcements, regulatory filings, published reports) wherever possible

What we ask of ourselves

Insights content should meet the standard of credible trade journalism. If a claim wouldn't hold up in a Wall Street Journal interview, it doesn't belong in an Insights article.

Shipping 101

What it is: Educational content explaining fundamental shipping concepts — rate table structures, invoice line items, surcharge calculations, carrier service levels, and other foundational topics that shippers encounter daily.

Authorship: Shipping 101 articles are attributed to "ShipMint Team" and are primarily AI-generated.

AI transparency

We use artificial intelligence to synthesize complex shipping documentation — rate guides, tariff publications, carrier terms of service, and public regulatory filings — into searchable, accessible explanations. We believe this is the best use of AI: taking dense, scattered information and organizing it for human understanding.

Editorial process

  • Content is generated using AI models trained on or provided with official carrier documentation and public shipping industry data
  • Each article is reviewed for factual accuracy against carrier-published rate tables and service guides
  • Articles are periodically updated when carriers publish new rate guides, GRI announcements, or service changes
  • We clearly disclose AI involvement — we are not trying to pass AI-generated educational content as human-written original reporting

What we ask of ourselves

Shipping 101 content should be correct, current, and genuinely useful. A shipper reading these articles should finish with a clear understanding of the topic that matches how it actually works in practice.

Industry News

What it is: Timely coverage of carrier announcements, regulatory changes, and market developments. Industry News is factual reporting — we present what happened, when, and what it means at face value.

Authorship: Industry News articles are attributed to "ShipMint Team."

Editorial process

  • Stories are sourced from official carrier press releases, regulatory filings, and established industry publications
  • We report facts as announced — Industry News does not contain ShipMint opinion or strategic analysis (that belongs in Insights)
  • Original sources are cited or linked whenever available
  • AI tools are used to assist with summarization and formatting; all facts are verified against source material
  • We publish timely — our goal is to deliver relevant news within 24 hours of an announcement

What we ask of ourselves

Industry News should be accurate and objective. We report what carriers and regulators have announced without editorializing. When we have an opinion on the news, we write a separate Insights piece.

Industry Trends

What it is: Data-driven analysis of shipping market patterns and dynamics. Industry Trends articles connect developments across the shipping landscape and examine them through the lens of real market data.

Authorship: Industry Trends articles are attributed to "ShipMint Team" or a named analyst when individual research is involved.

Editorial process

  • Trend analysis is grounded in data gathered from ShipMint's platform, aggregated and anonymized across our client base
  • Claims about market direction, pricing shifts, or carrier behavior are supported with data or clearly labeled as projections
  • We distinguish between established trends (supported by data) and emerging signals (early indicators that may or may not develop)
  • When we cite industry benchmarks or third-party data, we attribute the source
  • AI tools may assist with data analysis and drafting; conclusions are reviewed by ShipMint's analytics team

What we ask of ourselves

Industry Trends content should demonstrate that ShipMint has a unique, data-backed perspective on the shipping market. If we can't support a trend claim with data, we don't publish it as a trend — we frame it as analysis in Insights.

General Principles

These apply across all content categories:

Corrections

If we publish something that is factually incorrect, we will correct it promptly and transparently. Corrections are noted at the top of the affected article with the date corrected and a description of what changed.

Conflicts of interest

ShipMint is a commercial business. Our Resource Center articles may reference ShipMint's products or services where relevant. We do not disguise marketing as editorial — when we reference our platform, it's clear that we're the ones offering it.

AI disclosure

We use AI across our content production process. Rather than hiding this, we believe in being straightforward about it. AI is a tool we use to produce better content faster — just as it's a tool we build into our platform to help shippers manage costs. The editorial standards above define the guardrails.

Updates and revisions

Shipping rates, carrier policies, and market conditions change regularly. We review and update our content on an ongoing basis, particularly Shipping 101 articles that reference specific rate tables or surcharge structures. Updated articles display the last-reviewed date.

Questions or concerns about our editorial standards? Contact us at info@goshipmint.com.