Growth is a good problem for a Shopify brand to have, until packing boxes, managing inventory, processing returns, and shipping orders begin taking time away from growing the business.

That’s often when e-commerce brands begin looking for a Shopify 3PL.

A third-party logistics provider can take fulfillment off your plate by storing inventory and handling the pick, pack, and ship process for Shopify orders.

Shopify makes connecting ecommerce sales with fulfillment easy, but not every fulfillment company is equally equipped to support a growing Shopify brand. The best Shopify 3PL combines strong technology and fulfillment capabilities with a strategically located East Coast facility that can efficiently reach a large share of U.S. customers, plus a warehouse network the brand can grow into as demand expands.

Key Takeaways A Shopify 3PL stores inventory and handles picking, packing, shipping, tracking, and returns for ecommerce orders. Look for a 3PL with an established direct Shopify integration and strong B2C ecommerce fulfillment experience. A strategically located East Coast fulfillment center can help growing brands reach a large portion of U.S. customers without immediately splitting inventory across multiple warehouses. Choose a 3PL that offers a multi-warehouse network so your fulfillment footprint can expand as your customer base grows. Working with one 3PL across multiple locations can reduce the complexity of managing separate logistics providers. Real-time inventory visibility, order synchronization, returns visibility, and reporting are important technology capabilities for Shopify fulfillment. Evaluate a 3PL based on where your customers are today and where your brand expects to grow next.

What Does a Shopify 3PL Do?

A Shopify 3PL is a third-party logistics provider that connects with your Shopify store and manages the physical fulfillment of customer orders.

Shopify fulfillment services can include:

• Inventory storage
• Order processing
• Pick-and-pack fulfillment
• Parcel shipping
• Inventory synchronization
• Shipment tracking
• Returns management
• Branded and custom packaging
• Multi-warehouse fulfillment

When a customer places an order through Shopify, order information flows to the 3PL. The fulfillment center picks and packs the products, ships the package, and sends fulfillment and tracking information back to Shopify.

As logistics industry experts, they offer a strategic way for business owners to scale fulfillment, improve delivery speed, and avoid building logistics infrastructure in-house. Shopify business owners can take advantage of their negotiated carrier rates, automated systems that help select the fastest shipping method, and existing multi-warehouse networks to ship products from locations closer to their customers.

If I’m Using Shopify for my E-Commerce Business, What Should I Look for in a 3PL?

1. Direct Shopify Integration

For a 3PL that specializes in ecommerce fulfillment, Shopify integration should be a core capability, not a technology project. Those that specialize in this area will already have Shopify integrated into their fulfillment structure and a proven track record of fulfilling Shopify orders with other sellers on the platform.

2. B2C E-Commerce Fulfillment Expertise

Not every warehouse is designed for direct-to-consumer ecommerce fulfillment. Some primarily handle large retail or wholesale shipments. Individual ecommerce orders may represent only a fraction of their business. Others primarily work with B2C orders but lag in technology updates, so their direct-to-consumer shipping may be slower and less accurate.

Shopify sellers, who are accustomed to a technology-forward selling platform, should look for a 3PL that excels at fast, accurate consumer delivery.

The 3PL should routinely handle:

• High-volume individual orders
• Pick-and-Pack
• Parcel shipping
• Inventory accuracy/syncronization
• Same-day fulfillment
• Return management
• Seasonal spikes in demand
• Branded or specialized packaging

A Shopify seller operating on a technology-forward commerce platform should have a fulfillment partner capable of providing an equally efficient experience after the customer clicks Buy.

3. A Strategically Located East Coast Fulfillment Center

Warehouse location can have a major impact on shipping time and cost.

A 3PL centrally located on the East Coast of the US is well positioned to reach a large number of customers quickly and efficiently. Approximately 80% of U.S. packages reach customers within two days via ground shipping from this region.

More warehouses aren’t automatically better. The locations used should align with your customer’s locations, delivery expectations, and inventory strategy.

4. A Multi-Warehouse Network You Can Grow Into

Shopify can help you grow your business with automated order routing, a cost-saving measure to ship packages from facilities closer to your customers.

Shopify automatically determines the best location to ship an order from if a multi-warehouse network is in place. Its Smart Order Routing functionality allows merchants to configure fulfillment according to inventory, geographic proximity, and other rules. A 3PL with multiple locations lets you use this advanced technology to scale your business.

For example:

North Carolina Customer → Charlotte, North Carolina Warehouse

California Customer → Rancho Dominguez, California Warehouse

Canadian Customer → Vancouver, Canada Warehouse

The advantage for a growing brand is flexibility.

You can begin with the fulfillment footprint your business needs today while choosing a 3PL that already has the network capabilities to support expansion tomorrow.

If most of your customers can be served efficiently from one strategically positioned fulfillment center, starting with one location can help keep inventory fulfillment operations simpler. When it’s time to grow beyond one location, your 3PL should have a network in place.

You might only need one location today. But what happens when sales grow? Growing businesses often reach a point where a multi-warehouse distribution model becomes a strategic advantage.

5. One Fulfillment Partner Instead of Multiple 3PL Relationships

Growing brands shouldn’t have to find an East Coast 3PL, then a California 3PL, then a Texas 3PL, and then figure out how to manage all three. A 3PL with a global network can serve as a single partner that can manage multiple fulfillment centers for you.

For Shopify brands planning significant geographic expansion, ask prospective 3PLs not only where they operate today but also how they would support your fulfillment strategy as the business grows.

6. Technology That Can Keep Up With Shopify

Shopify is continuously developing and implementing increasingly sophisticated functionality on its platform. A logistics partner needs technology that can leverage those capabilities. Yet 80% of today’s warehouses have no direct-to-consumer automation, leaving most facilities ill-equipped to handle an increasingly complex, technology-driven process.

Shopify’s recommended tech checklist for 3PLs includes:

• Real-time inventory visibility
• Order status sync
• Returns visibility
• Reporting dashboards

These are key indicators that a 3PL is technologically advanced enough to complement the best features of the Shopify platform.

Is Sweetwater Logistics a Good Fit for a Growing Shopify Brand?

Yes. Sweetwater Logistics is well suited for growing B2C Shopify brands that want e-commerce fulfillment from a strategically located East Coast facility with the ability to expand into a multi-warehouse network as order volume grows.

Sweetwater Logistics offers:

✓ Established direct connection to Shopify

✓ B2C e-commerce pick, pack & ship fulfillment

✓ A strategically located Charlotte, North Carolina, fulfillment center

✓ Multi-warehouse capabilities across the U.S. and Canada

✓ One logistics relationship for multiple fulfillment locations

✓ Technology designed to support modern ecommerce fulfillment

Sweetwater Logistics gives growing Shopify brands the flexibility to start with the fulfillment footprint they need today and expand into additional markets without replacing their logistics partner as they grow.

Ready to Explore Shopify Fulfillment?

If packing and shipping Shopify orders is taking time away from growing your business, it may be time to evaluate a 3PL.

Talk with Sweetwater Logistics about your order volume, inventory, customer locations, and growth plans to receive a customized fulfillment cost estimate.