The 3PL selection checklist
- Location and shipping zones. A central warehouse means fewer zones and faster, cheaper ground delivery to most of the country.
- Fit for your order profile. Make sure they are set up for your volume and order type, whether that is single-item DTC, multi-item bundles, or wholesale pallets.
- Integrations. Confirm they connect to your channels, such as Shopify, Amazon, and your other stores, so orders and inventory sync automatically.
- Pricing transparency. You should be able to see exactly what receiving, storage, pick and pack, and extras cost. Read the 3PL pricing guide first.
- Accuracy and speed. Ask for pick accuracy and dispatch times. Small errors compound into refunds and lost customers.
- Product expertise. If you sell CPG, confirm they handle lot tracking and expiration dates. If you sell on Amazon, confirm FBA prep.
- Support. Look for a named account contact, not a ticket queue, so problems get solved quickly.
Questions to ask before you sign
These apply at any size. If you are a small brand weighing whether to outsource at all, our guide to choosing a 3PL for small business covers minimums, fees at low volume, and the signs you are ready.
- What is your pick accuracy, and how do you measure it?
- How fast do orders ship after they come in?
- Exactly what is included in the per-order fee?
- How is storage billed, and is there a monthly minimum?
- How long does onboarding take?
- How do you handle returns and damaged inventory?
- Have you worked with brands like mine?
Red flags to watch for
- Pricing that is vague or hard to compare.
- No clear accuracy or turnaround numbers.
- Support only through a shared ticket queue.
- A network of unaffiliated warehouses rather than their own facility.
If you are leaving a 3PL, find the cause first
Stockouts, late receiving and rising costs are common reasons to switch, but they often start upstream, in how stock is forecast, ordered or shipped in. If so, they follow you to the next warehouse. A supply chain audit separates what belongs to your current provider from what will travel with you, and gives a new 3PL the order and inventory facts it needs to quote you properly.
Run a test first
Before you move all your inventory, start with a portion or a single channel and watch accuracy, speed, and communication for a few weeks. A confident 3PL will welcome it. When you are ready to compare, get a free quote from RitePrep or see how we run DTC fulfillment from our Texas warehouse.