Choosing a 3PL (third-party logistics provider) is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as an e-commerce business.
The right fulfilment partner can help you scale, improve delivery times, and reduce stress.
The wrong one can cause stock issues, shipping delays, and unhappy customers.
If you're currently speaking to fulfilment companies or thinking about outsourcing, this guide will walk you through how to choose the right 3PL — and the questions you should be asking.
When Should You Start Looking for a 3PL?
Most brands start looking at outsourcing fulfilment when they hit one or more of the following:
- You’re shipping 200+ orders per month
- You’re running out of space
- You’re packing orders late at night
- Hiring staff is becoming a challenge
- Mistakes and returns are increasing
- You want to focus on growth, not packing boxes
The key thing to understand is this:
The best time to move fulfilment is before things break — not when they do.
A good 3PL does much more than just packing boxes. They should manage:
- Receiving and checking stock
- Storage
- Picking and packing orders
- Shipping and courier management
- International shipping and customs
- Returns processing
- Subscription boxes and kitting
- Retail and Amazon prep
- Reporting and stock tracking
Fulfilment is not just labour — it’s systems, process, and accuracy.
The Biggest Mistake When Comparing 3PLs
The most common mistake businesses make is comparing fulfilment companies based only on pick and pack price.
But fulfilment pricing usually includes:
- Goods in
- Storage
- Pick & pack
- Packaging
- Postage
- Returns
- Monthly fees
So what you should actually compare is:
Total Cost Per Order — not just the pick fee.
This is where many businesses get caught out, because a cheap pick fee often comes with higher storage, packaging, or shipping costs.