{"id":7752,"date":"2018-12-07T22:56:00","date_gmt":"2018-12-07T22:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dcl-v3\/blog\/amazon-fulfillment\/guide-third-party-logistics-3pl-fulfillment-providers\/"},"modified":"2024-05-15T06:05:50","modified_gmt":"2024-05-15T13:05:50","slug":"guide-third-party-logistics-3pl-fulfillment-providers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaeljbrumm.com\/dcl-v3\/blog\/3pl\/guide-third-party-logistics-3pl-fulfillment-providers\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a 3PL? Everything you Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

For any company, from a large ecommerce business to one just getting off the ground, customer satisfaction is a top priority, and nothing keeps a customer happier than getting their favorite products quickly and efficiently. Getting products into your clients hands efficiently and cost effectively are the core of any business operation. Yet as your business expands, managing that supply chain becomes difficult and costly; mistakes made in logistics can damage the customer experience, stunt your business\u2019 growth, and eat into your profits. To alleviate a lot of these issues, companies often outsource their fulfillment and logistic operations to a third-party logistics company, also known as a 3PL or third party logistics provider.<\/span>
\nOutsourcing to a 3PL can mean significant benefits for a business as it grows and faces more complex supply-chain management and logistics challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is third party logistics (3PL)?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Third party logistics is outsourcing the supply chain operations and logistics to get a company\u2019s products to their customer. Most basically this includes receiving, storing, packing, and shipping services. Some 3PL companies also provide other logistics services, referred to as value added services. These include inventory management, kitting and assembly, returns management (RMA), postponement packaging, and others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because 3PLs have been managing these kind of logistics for years or decades, they have the expertise and leverage to make the process simpler, quicker, and more cost effective for the seller.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the difference between a 3PL and 4PL?<\/b><\/h2>\n

In a 3PL model, the business maintains management oversight, but outsources the logistics operations to a 3PL provider. The 3PL provider has complete control of the fulfillment facilities, operations, and inventory within the facilities. <\/span><\/p>\n

In a 4PL structure, the business outsources all or most of the company\u2019s logistics operation. In this case, the 4PL is often the single point of contact between the seller and multiple logistics providers, making decisions regarding all aspects of the supply chain. Often a 4PL will work with other 3PLs to manage some of the logistics or logistics services. <\/span><\/p>\n

What are the core services 3PLs provide?<\/b><\/h2>\n

If you are new to the idea of outsourcing and managing a 3PL, it may seem like a daunting and expensive process, but it doesn\u2019t have to be, and it certainly shouldn\u2019t. It also might feel strange relinquishing control of the fulfillment process to an outside company. But by working with a 3PL, you can leave all the operational details to them, freeing you up to focus more on other aspects of your supply chain and your core business goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

The topics below illustrate what a typical 3PL might handle for a seller from a fulfillment perspective, as well as some value added benefits that not every 3PL offers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Receiving<\/b><\/h3>\n

The first step in getting inventory to the 3PL so that they can fulfill orders and ship. <\/span><\/p>\n

A 3PL\u2019s warehouse will receive your company\u2019s inventory and then store your products before they go out to a customer. The 3PL will need to coordinate the inbound shipments with the company who often use freight forwarders, a person or company who helps manage and organize the bulk shipments from the manufacturer to the distribution center. The inventory is organized and recorded to ensure the 3PL can quick find and unpack to fulfill orders when they are received.<\/span><\/p>\n

Picking<\/b><\/h3>\n

The next step happens when a customer places an order, which is known as picking. This is really where the 3PL fulfillment process begins. Once an order is submitted it is sent to the warehouse where it is being stored. \u00a0<\/span>The types of orders vary in size, complexity, and pick type so the 3PL you decide to choose needs to support all types of orders. For example, an ecommerce or business-to-consumer order is vastly different than a business-to-retailer (or business) order.<\/p>\n

Packing<\/b><\/h3>\n

Once an order is \u201cpicked\u201d, the products in the order are organized and prepared for packaging. A 3PL will work with the seller during the initial setup process to identify the best way to package the product to ensure the seller\u2019s products are secure, presentable, and packed in the most cost effective way possible. There is a wide range of types of picks from a single unit to be sent to a residence or several pallets for retail fulfillment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shipping<\/b><\/h3>\n

Shipping can be the most complicated and expensive aspect of the fulfillment process. This is due to the large number of carriers, numerous shipping options per carrier, shipping cutoff times, and shipping locations. <\/span>An experienced 3PL can layout a clear shipping strategy and provide significant savings on the shipping costs, speed to customer, and overall quality of shipping service. <\/span><\/p>\n

Returns<\/b><\/h3>\n

Whether the item is ordered by mistake, damaged during the shipping process, or other various reasons, returns are part of the shopping process and an important part of the customer experience.\u00a0 A strong 3PL will manage returns by inspecting inbound returns, documenting the items within the return, and development business rules on what to do with the returns depending on the state or nature of the return.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About the Core Services 3PLs Offer<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Other than order fulfillment, how else can a 3PL help my business?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Aside from providing the ability to cost effectively and efficiently fulfill orders, a 3PL\u2019s service can be quite different depending on which company you choose to work with. Below is a number of additional 3PL services and ways in which a 3PL and their expertise in logistics can benefit your business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inventory Management<\/b><\/h3>\n

Inventory management is a key component of the order fulfillment process and your overall supply chain. It involves much more than the simple aspect of a 3PL warehousing your products to ship whenever an order comes in.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ideally, a 3PL will have the technology to allow integration between your digital storefront and the warehouses that store your products. This will give the seller a real-time view of their inventory at each facility, helping them plan and ensuring they avoid running out of products, also known as stockouts. By having the proper integration, the 3PL can push real-time inventory counts to your digital storefront and retailers so customers know what is in stock and what might have to be backordered. <\/span><\/p>\n

A 3PL will work with the seller or sellers’ freight forwarder to get advanced shipping notifications (ASNs) from the manufacturer with the inbound inventory. The 3PL and seller get a clear view on what products are coming, the quantity, what facility it\u2019s being shipped to, and when. This is crucial for planning purposes as the seller can properly manage how much inventory is being stored and provide insights on what needs to be ordered.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ensuring your products are securely stored and accounted for at all times is critical. A 3PL should perform physical audits of your inventory on an ongoing basis to verify that the physical count of your inventory matches what’s in the system. 3PLs need to have strict operational rigor and control to manage your inventory properly.<\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About 3PL Inventory Management Services<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Business-to-Retailer Fulfillment (B2R or B2B) <\/b><\/h3>\n

Most of what we\u2019ve covered in this article is order fulfillment to the individual customer, also known as business-to-consumer (B2C). Another large sales channel for sellers are the retailers: e-tailers like Amazon and brick and mortar retailers like Target or Walmart. Sellers can use 3PLs to manage the order fulfillment directly to the retailers, referred to as business to retailer (B2R) or business-to-business (B2B).<\/span><\/p>\n

The process for B2R fulfillment is similar to B2C, but on a much larger scale. The retailer submits the order and the 3PL picks, packs, and ships the order. Often times, the orders are being shipped in bulk on large pallets to several or dozens of the retailer’s stores. These orders require a lot more coordination with the shipping companies, labor, and retailers. Most of the big-box retailers have strict guidelines of how they product is shipped to them, including custom labeling and scheduled delivery dates. If a seller or 3PL deviates from the requirements outlined by the retailer, the seller can be penalized with fines, also known as chargebacks, which can be significant.<\/span><\/p>\n

3PLs that handle B2R fulfillment require specific technical integrations with the retailers the seller is working with. When a retailer orders product from the seller, the transaction is done via a electronic data interchange (EDI) which sends the order details to the 3PL and manages the transaction. The EDI setup with the retailer and 3PL can be complicated and often requires a person or team of specialists.<\/span><\/p>\n

3PL Value Added Services<\/b><\/h3>\n

Customer demands can be high, and businesses have to adapt quickly to keep customers happy. A 3PL partner can provide a lot of value in helping with solutions. Some 3PLs provide value added services (VAS) outside of the basic services listed above, to provide solutions to meet their customers\u2019 needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some examples of value added services a 3PL might provide:-<\/span><\/p>\n

Kitting and assembly<\/b><\/h4>\n

Taking any number of SKUs and combining them into a single unit. A new SKU is created for the combination. Kitting and assembly is often required for retail distribution and special promotions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Personalization<\/b><\/h4>\n

Whether it\u2019s laser etching a customer\u2019s name on a product or inserting a personalized note into the order, a 3PL can add customization. This means a more personal touch, and hopefully better customer loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Postponement packaging<\/b><\/h4>\n

This is a technique used where the products are sent from the manufacturer and the packaging for the products are sent separately. Once the product and packaging arrive at the 3PL facility, the staff assembles it. This can save sellers time and money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Product destruction<\/b><\/h4>\n

3PLs can provide services to dispose of obsolete products or returned units. This includes breaking down the product, recycling them, or disposing of them in an environmentally and cost-effective manner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About 3PL Value Added Services<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

In-house Technology Expertise<\/b><\/h3>\n

Over the past decade, there\u2019s been an explosion in technological advances in the logistics space. From shopping cart platforms to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems to EDI connections with retailers. The complexity of how these systems work together has grown exponentially. A technology focused 3PL<\/a><\/span> can leverage their expertise and in-house technology team to ensure these connections are setup correctly and maintained. <\/span><\/p>\n

A 3PL can provide the necessary tools to give their sellers a real-time look of their inventory and fulfillment processes. It\u2019s important that the seller understands the tools and technical support they\u2019ll have access to when evaluating a potential 3PL partner.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About 3PL Technology<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Distributed Inventory<\/b><\/h3>\n

Most 3PLs have multiple locations that are strategically spread throughout the country or globally, thus ensuring the quickest and most cost effective process to deliver products from the seller to the consumer. <\/span><\/p>\n

A 3PL will automate the order process to ensure products leave from the right locations, delivering optimal results for timeliness and shipping costs. Depending on a seller\u2019s individual needs, having products located at numerous fulfillment facilities could facilitate a much quicker delivery process at a fraction of the cost compared to having all their products at one facility.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a particular area where choosing the right 3PL, with the best locations and distribution points can maximize the benefits for a seller.<\/span><\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About Distributed Inventory<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Reverse Logistics<\/h3>\n

Reverse Logistics, also known as returns management is an integral part to any ecommerce fulfillment operation. It includes all of the necessary actions that are involved products moving from the end customer back to their origination point (either the direct manufacturer or a\u00a0third-party logistics provider(3PL)\u00a0that handles their order fulfillment). It is a necessary part of order fulfillment, since returns due to damage, inaccuracies, and buyer\u2019s remorse require the disposal or reintegration of returned products. Reverse logistics may involve varying levels of planning, implementation, and control of goods as they are shipped back to the fulfillment center and navigate the supply chain to the appropriate application.<\/p>\n

Click Here to Learn More About Reverse Logistics<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

What are the benefits of working with a 3PL?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Though the idea of outsourcing to a 3PL can seem expensive, complicated, and time consuming, choosing the right 3PL<\/a><\/span> can actually help grow a business effectively. <\/span><\/p>\n

Often business owners don\u2019t have bandwidth to think about getting their product from the manufacturer to the end consumer. Product iteration, marketing, the rest of their supply chain, and company operations should be their focus. But logistics, returns, order fulfillment, and quick shipping are what will keep customers happy. And ultimately if the customer is happy, the business will thrive. <\/span><\/p>\n

The four biggest benefits of working with a 3PL are:<\/span><\/p>\n