{"id":28429,"date":"2023-02-06T14:47:34","date_gmt":"2023-02-06T14:47:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/localhost:10003\/what-is-a-3pl\/"},"modified":"2024-05-08T15:38:28","modified_gmt":"2024-05-08T14:38:28","slug":"what-is-a-3pl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Third-Party Logistics for eCommerce Fulfillment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#what-is-3pl\" >What is 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#what-does-a-3pl-do\" >What does a 3PL do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#whats-the-difference-between-a-3pl-and-a-4pl\" >What\u2019s the difference between a 3PL and a 4PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#how-do-3pls-work\" >How do 3PLs work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#why-should-i-work-with-a-3pl\" >Why should I work with a 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#what-are-the-cons-of-working-with-a-3pl\" >What are the cons of working with a 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#how-do-i-know-if-im-ready-to-work-with-a-3pl\" >How do I know if I\u2019m ready to work with a 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#what-should-i-look-for-in-a-3pl\" >What should I look for in a 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#how-should-i-choose-a-3pl\" >How should I choose a 3PL?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/what-is-a-3pl\/#learn-more-about-james-and-james-an-industry-leading-3pl\" >Learn more about James and James, an industry leading 3PL<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-3pl\"><\/span>What is 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A 3PL (or third-party-logistics) partner is an organisation that typically provides warehousing, fulfillment, transportation, and other forms of logistics support to retailers and eCommerce businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a business starts to grow, day-to-day operations can quickly become too cumbersome to handle in-house. A 3PL can help you with inventory storage, order fulfillment, last-mile delivery, returns management, inventory management, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As eCommerce continues to boom, 3PLs are constantly in demand. For you, that means there are plenty of 3PLs available on the market, each with their own pros and cons, features and services, and specialisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After reading this article, you should have a thorough understanding of what a 3PL is, <a href=\"\/en_US\/order-fulfillment\/third-party-logistics\/\">how a 3PL can help your business<\/a>, how to determine whether you\u2019re ready to outsource to a 3PL, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-does-a-3pl-do\"><\/span>What does a 3PL do?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The purpose of a 3PL is to manage <a href=\"\/en_US\/order-fulfillment\/\">various aspects of logistics and fulfillment<\/a>. Different 3PLs offer different services, but the majority of 3PLs will offer these core services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inventory tracking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When a 3PL processes your goods into inventory, they\u2019ll also label, scan, and input tracking information into their <a href=\"\/en_US\/fulfillment-software\/\">inventory management system<\/a> to provide you with status updates and stock visibility, wherever the stock is in the fulfillment process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This helps both your business and the 3PL keep track of things (ensuring inventory doesn\u2019t go missing), and can even be used to provide tracking information for your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>3PLs will have one or more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/about\/fulfillment-centers\/\">warehousing facilities<\/a> to keep your goods safe and pristine until a customer makes an order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These facilities are equipped with shelves, racking, pallet storage areas, bins, and in some cases, temperature controlled areas (for chilled \/ frozen produce, etc), high value cages, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Picking and packing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When an order is placed on your website or marketplace, the 3PL will <a href=\"\/en_US\/order-fulfillment\/pick-and-pack\/\">pick the items<\/a> from storage and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/operations\/what-is-dunnage-meaning-types-and-more\/\">pack them in suitable packaging<\/a> ready to be dispatched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most 3PLs will choose the most suitable, cost-effective packaging on your behalf, or give you the option to use custom packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shipping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/partners-and-integrations\/\">integrating<\/a> with your shopping channels, 3PLs will have access to all the necessary shipping information for each order, and print the required shipping labels once orders have been packed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most 3PLs have a network of carrier partners that collect from their facilities at multiple times throughout the day. You can leave it up to the 3PL to allocate the most cost-effective shipping service for each order, or opt-in to preferred shipping solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Returns management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most 3PLs offer a <a href=\"\/en_US\/order-fulfillment\/returns-handling\/\">returns management<\/a> service. As part of this service, the 3PL will process returns on your behalf. Customers will return products to a 3PL facility, where fulfillment staff will check the validity of the return, and if valid, place it back into storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inventory Management<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tech-enabled 3PLs will also provide you with a sophisticated inventory management system. These systems are designed to give you clarity and control over inventory that\u2019s with your 3PL, as well as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/releases\/controlport-what-are-insights-and-why-are-they-important\/\">detailed inventory insights<\/a> that you can use to help grow your business.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"634\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/third-party-fulfillment-us.jpg-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"What is a 3PL? Info-graphic\" class=\"wp-image-28564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/third-party-fulfillment-us.jpg-scaled.jpg 634w, https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/third-party-fulfillment-us.jpg-93x300.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/third-party-fulfillment-us.jpg-317x1024.jpg 317w, https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/third-party-fulfillment-us.jpg-768x2480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"whats-the-difference-between-a-3pl-and-a-4pl\"><\/span>What\u2019s the difference between a 3PL and a 4PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>During your research, you may have heard the terms <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/3pl-vs-4pl\/\">3PL and 4PL<\/a> being floated around quite a bit. While 3PLs and 4PLs operate in the same niche, their roles are quite different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A 4PL\u2019s responsibilities encompass much more than a 3PL. A 4PL will manage 3PLs on your behalf, as well as various elements of the end-to-end supply chain. They often operate as the middleman between your business and supply chain partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>4PLs are much rarer than 3PLs, and exist primarily to serve enterprise-level companies that have vast, complex supply chains. A 4PL will take on-board practically every element of supply chain management, which can be great for companies who do not have the resources to manage such a task in-house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-do-3pls-work\"><\/span>How do 3PLs work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Operationally, 3PLs are complex. They generally blend human resources and technology to ensure that orders can be fulfilled efficiently, with total visibility for all stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order for a 3PL to function properly, they will need to connect their inventory management system with your online storefronts. To do this, 3PLs use an API to sync the systems together, so they can communicate with each other seamlessly. This integration is the catalyst for the rest of the operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The way a 3PL\u2019s facilities work depends on a number of factors, such as technology (like automation), size, and business model. As a rule, 3PLs follow a strict step-by-step process to fulfil an order, reducing the risk of human error, and creating a systematic baseline that all facilities under the 3PLs umbrella can follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3PL pricing models vary, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/fulfillment-pricing\/\">pricing should be a tailored solution for your business<\/a>. It\u2019s better to avoid 3PLs that feature an out-of-the-box pricing model, as this fails to understand the intricacies and bespoke requirements of every business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a rule, expect to pay a monthly subscription fee to access the 3PL\u2019s inventory management platform and client support services, as well as pay-as-you-go fee on the various different services that make up a 3PL\u2019s offering, such as picking, packing, and shipping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"why-should-i-work-with-a-3pl\"><\/span>Why should I work with a 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many benefits to working with a 3PL. Supply chains can be complicated, and as you scale, so does the complexity of your supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Practically all successful businesses reach a point where it becomes financially viable and operationally essential to seek external help in the form of a 3PL. If your business is beginning to experience growing pains, working with a 3PL can bring value in the following ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Expertise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>By nature, a 3PL understands the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/operations\/distribution-logistics\/\">logistics industry<\/a> inside-out. They\u2019re well positioned to support your business in developing and implementing a logistic strategy that\u2019s unique to your size, industry, and requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Partners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>3PLs often work with partners that can provide additional value to their services and support for your business. For example, 3PLs will have good relationships with leading carriers in the UK, such as Royal Mail and DPD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many 3PLs also partner with companies in the wider eCommerce industry, such as digital marketing agencies, payment providers, packaging companies, and more. By working with a 3PL, you can often gain access to these partner services at a reduced rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Time-saving<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest benefits of working with a 3PL is the amount of time they can save you every day. Fulfilling orders takes time, whether it\u2019s procuring packaging materials, packing orders, speaking with carriers, or handling returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other big time-sink is inventory management, but a good 3PL will make it easy for you to check-in on stock and manage inventory effectively, without the need for complex spreadsheets and headache-inducing data analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can then reinvest this time and energy into other areas of your business, such as marketing, networking, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/inventory-management\/product-sourcing\/\">product development,<\/a> recruitment, or any other activity that will help you grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Smoother, faster growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A 3PL has the capacity to continue to meet your needs as you grow your business. Growth can often be bottlenecked by space, workforce, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/technology\/what-is-supply-chain-technology\/\">technology<\/a>, processes, and other factors. 3PLs are designed to reduce common growing pains associated with rapid growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, when you consider the time saved via outsourcing to a 3PL, and the resources you no longer have to manage directly, you can put further energy into growing your business rapidly, rather than meeting the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/ecommerce-insights\/how-to-improve-your-ecommerce-customer-service\/\">day-to-day needs of your customers.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-the-cons-of-working-with-a-3pl\"><\/span>What are the cons of working with a 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As with all things, we\u2019d be remiss to not mention potential downfalls to working with a 3PL. While most cons can be overcome, issues can arise if you\u2019re working with an inexperienced or inflexible 3PL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relinquishing control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be used to having full control over every aspect of your business, personally ensuring that things are running as intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, when you start working with a 3PL, you aren\u2019t going to be able to personally oversee everything, which for some people, can be a source of anxiety. If your 3PL does a good job, these feelings will subside over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good 3PL will understand this, and make ongoing communications with you a priority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A 3PL may not understand your brand<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your business won\u2019t be the only one in a 3PL\u2019s client-pool, but they should have processes in place to fully understand your businesses\u2019 goals, values, and ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should be a 3PL\u2019s priority to begin developing a deep understanding of your business right off the bat, straight from the initial phone call. Conversations should continue through onboarding, and through regular catch-ups with account management teams and customer service professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, some 3PLs do not follow this process, which can have a detrimental effect on your relationship with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-do-i-know-if-im-ready-to-work-with-a-3pl\"><\/span>How do I know if I\u2019m ready to work with a 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s generally unwise to start using a 3PL if you\u2019re yet to start selling or are only shipping a handful of orders every week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But, as your business grows, you\u2019ll soon get to a point where fulfilling orders is becoming too time-consuming, or you&#8217;re making a lot of mistakes. If you resonate with either of these issues, then it\u2019s probably time to start looking for a 3PL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another limiting factor when it comes to fulfilling orders in-house is space. Even if you\u2019re selling smaller, lighter goods, boxes and containers can eventually stack up and take over your living space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A 3PL allows you to store your stock elsewhere, letting you reclaim space in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-should-i-look-for-in-a-3pl\"><\/span>What should I look for in a 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In your search for a 3PL, you might be overwhelmed with the amount of options available. But like everything in life, some 3PLs will be more suited to your needs than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s the starting point; you need to figure out what your needs are before you approach potential 3PLs for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you require local fulfillment, for example, it won\u2019t be necessary to approach 3PLs that offer international services. Similarly, if you aren\u2019t planning on growing your business in the future, then you probably don\u2019t need to speak to 3PLs with huge capacities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That being said, here are some key areas that most eCommerce businesses should look for in any potential 3PL partner:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track-record<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A good 3PL will have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/case-studies\/\">demonstrated experience<\/a> in working with eCommerce businesses like yours. Take a look at their website to see if they have any case studies that support this, and ask whether they have fulfilled products within your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They should be able to give examples of clients who have succeeded, grown, and scaled while working with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Scalability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have significant growth aspirations, you need to look for a 3PL that can keep pace with you. If you choose a 3PL that\u2019s too small, you may end up outgrowing them, resulting in a disrupted service to your customers and some unnecessary headaches for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Technology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Modern 3PLs should have sophisticated technology to support their operations, and data analysis on your side. 3PLs without robust tech in place will be far more inefficient than their tech-enabled counterparts, resulting in a slower, less accurate service for your customers, and poor data visibility for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Any 3PL you work with should be positioned closely to your customer base. It makes little sense to ship your inventory to a warehouse that\u2019s a large distance away from where the majority of your customers are based. Strategic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/resources\/inventory-management\/inventory-position\/\">inventory positioning<\/a> is key to cost-effective shipping and fast delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Customisation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>eCommerce businesses often use bespoke and tailor-made solutions to sell goods to their customers. A good 3PL should be similarly flexible, and be able to adapt to your specific requirements. Out-of-the-box 3PL solutions are generally best to be avoided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Navigating the world of eCommerce logistics is difficult; that\u2019s one of the reasons you\u2019ll likely be in search of a 3PL in the first place. A good 3PL will have a dedicated support team who are knowledgeable, friendly, and responsive. They should be able to provide day-to-day support as well as ongoing account management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Culture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your brand and company culture is an important aspect of your value proposition. Any 3PL you work with should be aligned with your worldview and values, as they will play an enormous role in your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/V4Nmm9khbU8\" width=\"100%\" height=\"500\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-should-i-choose-a-3pl\"><\/span>How should I choose a 3PL?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Outsourcing to a 3PL isn\u2019t a decision to be taken lightly. While pricing will, of course, be involved in your decision-making, there\u2019s much more to consider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, any 3PL you choose will be entrusted with lots of responsibility. Your customers rightly expect high standards, and so your chosen 3PL needs to understand that they will be acting as a custodian of your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover, it\u2019s important to choose a 3PL that aligns with your business culture and values. It\u2019s important for your customers, and it will make day-to-day communications between you both far easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help you choose the right 3PL, here\u2019s 20 questions you should ask during an initial consultation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you provide international shipping?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have service-level agreements (SLAs) with your clients?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do you prevent the wrong items being sent to customers?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer a returns management service?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What security measures do you have in place?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer a secure area for high-value products?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can my customers track their orders?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a customer service team?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I visit your facility?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How many hours a day \/ days a week do you operate?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have back-up hardware and internet connections, to maximise uptime and<br>efficiency?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can you help me with business sales forecasting? For example, identifying best and worst-selling lines and stock levels?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer flexible pricing plans?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer custom packaging?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How do you reduce damages to products?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer multiple shipping options and services?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you offer same-day despatch on orders?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a culture of continuous improvement? What improvements have you<br>recently implemented?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a pre-built integration with my eCommerce platform? How long will it take to set up?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"learn-more-about-james-and-james-an-industry-leading-3pl\"><\/span>Learn more about James and James, an industry leading 3PL<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in learning more about what a 3PL can do, or are looking to start using 3PL services, J&amp;J can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019re an <a href=\"\/en_US\/order-fulfillment\/third-party-logistics\/\">industry-leading 3PL<\/a> that combines refined operations, an international network of fulfillment centers, and an award-winning inventory management platform to offer a cost-effective and optimized solution for growing eCommerce businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Founded in 2010, James and James are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/en_US\/about\/our-story\/\">first digital-native 3PL in the world<\/a>, and offer dedicated account management, custom packaging options, assembly services, and much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a no-obligation discussion about your business, growth aspirations, and barriers standing in your way, contact us today on <a href=\"tel:+44 (0)1604 801 915\">+44 (0)1604 968 820<\/a>, or get in touch via our <a href=\"#requestQuote\">online contact form.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is 3PL? A 3PL (or third-party-logistics) partner is an organisation that typically provides warehousing, fulfillment, transportation, and other forms of logistics support to retailers and eCommerce businesses. When a business starts to grow, day-to-day operations can quickly become too&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":28205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[377],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecommerce-insights"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"James Dillon","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/3pl-blog@2x.png","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/3pl-blog@2x.png","author_info":{"display_name":"J&amp;J Global Fulfilment","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/author\/james-and-james\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}