News / CargoWise customers 'confused' by first invoices under new pricing model

© Bulat Silvia

The first CargoWise invoices issued under WiseTech Global’s new Value Pack pricing model are triggering fresh concern among freight forwarders.

Users are reporting unexpected ‘Transitional Pricing Protection’ (TPP) adjustments, conflicting billing summaries, and growing frustration over how charges are being pushed through to shipper invoices. 

On Reddit, forwarders comparing December invoices described what they say are discrepancies between expected pricing under the new CargoWise Value Pack (CVP) model and the amounts ultimately billed.

One said their company should have received a 29% lower bill, but instead was charged an equivalent amount under a line item labelled ‘Transitional Pricing Protection’. 

The description of which, according to the user, read: “This adjustment ensures your pricing does not change during the transition from the prior pricing model.” However, it was unclear how long the ‘transition’ period would last.

Another Reddit user responded simply: “Wow, that’s scummy.” 

Several others reported similar experiences. One forwarder said their December invoice arrived with three separate summaries: a December 2025 STL billing summary; a CVP billing summary; and a disbursable fees summary.  

“They basically just kept their old pricing and then had this adjustment line on the CVP summary to make the total the same as the old STL billing,” the user wrote, adding that their own internal reports showed much higher usage than WiseTech’s CVP job counts. 

“They must have realised whatever billing system or report they built to calculate CVP pricing is messed up; so this is a rushed stopgap,” the user said, describing the situation as chaotic, but potentially a short-term reprieve for customers. 

Others questioned whether TPP was meant to work in both directions.

“We should get the same the other way around – saving us the 15% increase versus STL billing,” one Reddit commenter said. Another forwarder said they were unaware of any option to remain on the old pricing model, despite being a CargoWise customer for 18 years. 

The confusion over invoices has reignited wider concerns about the rollout of the new pricing model, which replaces seat-based licensing with mandatory per-transaction charges designed to be passed through to shippers as disbursements, a point that has become increasingly contentious. 

On LinkedIn, freight forwarders have criticised WiseTech for what they describe as an invasive approach to pushing those costs onto customers. Jay Rogers of MA Logistics said WiseTech’s systems were now geared to make removal of CargoWise charges from shipper invoices “an extremely manual process”.

“Their response that ‘it’s up to the forwarder whether they recover these costs’ is far from true,” he added. 

Independent consultant Natalia Gerasina accused WiseTech of introducing the new pricing model without negotiation, and failing on customer centricity, communication, and change management, particularly in a fragmented forwarding market where operators face intense competition and limited ability to pass on new IT costs. 

WiseTech CEO Zubin Appoo has responded to the criticism, defending the new approach. He said the Value Packs introduced ‘Community Pricing’, which by its nature was standardised rather than negotiated.

He also rejected claims that WiseTech was forcing pass-through of charges, stating that fees ranging from approximately $2 to $19 were “one of the smallest disbursements on the shipper’s invoice” and that it was “entirely up to the forwarder” whether to recover them.

“I am very comfortable accepting dissatisfaction,” Mr Appoo wrote, adding that his engagement on social media was intended to help address uncertainty and confusion around the changes. 

But one technology provider told The Loadstar the situation was deeply confusing and unlikely to be temporary. 

“It’s a very weird thing, Zubin basically saying that companies had the choice to not opt into CVP and that the people are getting this surcharge because they opted in and are therefore getting increased value in the system,” the source said.

“Some people I’ve spoken to make it sound like this is a credit they’ll get back, but I’m doubting that’s accurate, as that would mean WiseTech holding the millions in TPP charges as a liability, and then having a down month or quarter when they issue the rebates. It more seems like they just got the numbers wrong – which, if true, is scary.

“If I were a forwarder, I’d anticipate this being the new normal.” 

Industry analysts say the practical impact may be very different. Robert Petti, CEO of Prompt Global, warned that forwarders needed to start changing how they operate now to avoid a margin crunch.  

“We’ve been talking to forwarders daily since the pricing change was announced in October about how they need to fundamentally restructure how they work a shipment. It’s not software, it’s not AI, it’s an entire rework. AP automation and AI agents will not move the needle enough.” 

As forwarders continue to reconcile December invoices, many say they are bracing for further volatility, particularly as another price adjustment will arrive next month, and be reflected in March invoices, for CVP Premium Cloud Services pricing. 

But for now, the arrival of the first invoices under CargoWise’s new pricing model appears to have deepened, rather than resolved, concerns over transparency, cost control and trust. 

This article is © The Loadstar. Reproduction, rewriting, or derivative use requires a license. Contact [email protected] for licensing enquiries.