Build the brief
Order profile, channels, SKU and storage needs, geography, seasonality, systems, services, and dealbreakers.
Independent 3PL selection
Choosethe3PLyouroperationactuallyneeds.
We turn a wide field of fulfillment providers into a short list you can defend, then negotiate the agreement and manage the move.
Freak Athlete used this process across three regions. Across our client work, 85% of messages are answered within the hour.
Fit before price
The right partner has already solved the operation you are growing into.
One operation. Different promises.
DTC
Amazon
Retail
Wholesale
Key accounts
Customization
Omnichannel brands do not need a warehouse that can ship a box. They need a partner that can keep different inventory rules, integrations, workflows, and working at the same time.
The selection process
Go wide. Get specific. Decide on evidence.
A referral is a useful lead, not a selection process. We start with the market, qualify against your real operation, and make the finalists compete on the same terms.
Source the field
Start with a broad provider network, then remove anyone who has not already served an operation like yours.
Vet the fit
References, operating depth, communication, claims, capacity, channel capability, and the team behind the proposal.
Model the finalists
Normalize each bid against your actual orders so postage, labor, storage, returns, minimums, and extras compare cleanly.
Negotiate and move
Improve price and terms, protect the exit, plan integrations and inventory transfer, then prove live orders before scaling.
What we compare
The rate card is only one row.
We do more than compare rates and capabilities. We run the selection with you and test how each 3PL communicates before you commit.
Response times, named ownership, escalation paths, and follow-through are scored alongside operational fit and total cost. We stay involved through the decision, transition, and first orders.
Operational fit
Products, packaging, kitting, B2B routing, returns, customization, geography, and peak capacity.
WMS, ERP and integrations
The WMS they run, Shopify and marketplace connections, ERP migration, EDI, and whether the API is genuinely open.
Data and accountability
Order-level data access, billing detail, inventory accuracy, SLA measurement, exception reporting, and claims recovery.
Communication
Who answers, where the work happens, escalation paths, response standards, and access to someone near the operation.
Fully loaded economics
Postage, pick and pack, storage, receiving, packaging, minimums, returns, onboarding, projects, and account fees.
Commercial terms
Pricing leverage, renewal mechanics, service commitments, liability, implementation obligations, and a clean exit if the fit changes.
Built from real searches
From a large field to a partner that can grow with you.
We have run this process for consumer brands including Freak Athlete, turning broad provider markets into structured finalist decisions and supporting the work after the selection.
Search
Wide field
Built around the brief
Decision
Finalists
Scored on the same inputs
Deal
Negotiated
Price, terms and SLAs
Launch
Controlled
Integrate, test, then scale
What to expect
Questions before a 3PL search
What do you handle, and what does my team still do?
We run the carrier and fulfillment work: benchmarking, RFPs, negotiation, invoice recovery, claims, SLA and accessorial review, and 3PL oversight. Your team keeps shipping exactly as it does today. We handle the analysis and the market benchmarking and bring you clear options; you approve every decision.
How long does it take to see results?
About 2 weeks from kickoff to a benchmarked recommendation, and typically 4 to 6 weeks to fully live. We've moved faster than that, but the timeline depends on the complexity of the project and how quickly we can get what we need from your side. Carrier setup and integration are the long pole, not the analysis. From there we onboard the new carrier and review the first invoices, with the rest of the work running alongside.
How much lift is onboarding for my team?
Light. We need one export of your last 90 days to start, usually a few clicks in your platform, plus a short call to confirm box sizes and weights. No engineering or integration project on your end.
What data do you need to get started?
An export of your last 90 days of shipping. Each row needs at minimum: origin zip, destination zip, weight, dimensions, carrier, service type, and cost. Format varies by WMS (ShipStation, EasyPost, Shopify, Shiphero, Extensiv exports all work). We'll guide you through the export on the intro call.
Who owns the carrier contracts?
You do. We negotiate on your behalf, but the contracts are between you and the carrier. No Iron Margin in the middle, no third-party billing layer.
What happens if we stop working together?
You keep everything. The contracts are in your name, the rates stay in place, and the savings continue. There is nothing to unwind and no carrier relationship to untangle. That is the advantage of us sitting on your side of the table instead of in the middle.
Ready when the fit matters
Bring us the operation you have and the one you are building.
We will tell you whether to fix the incumbent, negotiate the current deal, or run the market.