What to prepare before you outsource your order fulfilment

Outsourcing fulfilment is a big step – one that can unlock growth, efficiency, and peace of mind for eCommerce brands. But too often, businesses rush into partnerships with third-party logistics (3PL) providers without first preparing their internal operations. To get the most value out of outsourced fulfilment, you need to lay solid groundwork.

Here’s what to prepare before you make the switch.

Audit your current order volume and trends

Before any 3PL partnership, the first step is understanding your numbers. Most providers will want to know your average daily and monthly order volumes, SKU count, seasonal fluctuations, and growth forecasts.

If you’re shipping 100 orders one week and 1,000 the next, they need to know. Equally, if you see consistent growth month over month, this impacts how a 3PL will structure their service and pricing.

If you’re forecasting growth, aim to present a 12-month projection based on your current trajectory, marketing plans, or product launches.

Organise your product catalogue

3PLs will need an accurate inventory list, including:

• SKU codes
• Product weights and dimensions
• Packaging requirements
• Whether items are barcoded or need labelling
• Product bundles or kits

If you’re not already using a product information management (PIM) system or something similar, this is a good time to get organised. Accurate product data reduces receiving errors, ensures correct packaging, and makes future forecasting much smoother.

Centralise your sales channels

One of the biggest issues that small businesses face is using multiple disconnected platforms. Orders might come in from Shopify, Amazon, and eBay – but without a central order management system, these platforms often don’t sync.

This is where 3PL Fusion and similar tools come in. It connects all your channels into one central hub, meaning your stock, orders, and fulfilment processes are unified. But even before you start using software like this, it’s important to tidy up how and where your orders are managed.

If you’re still processing orders manually through individual apps or exporting CSVs, it’s time to explore centralised systems. You don’t necessarily need to commit before you outsource, but you do need a clean setup that a 3PL can integrate with.

Review your packaging and unboxing process

When you outsource fulfilment, you’re handing over part of your customer experience. That means your packaging needs to reflect your brand – even if you’re not packing the boxes yourself.

Ask yourself:

• Do we have branded packaging we want the 3PL to use?
• Are we happy for them to use plain packaging?
• Are inserts or marketing materials part of our fulfilment process?

You’ll need to prepare packaging artwork, templates, or physical samples for your 3PL if you want consistency.

Map out your returns process

Many brands forget to consider returns when outsourcing. But returns are a vital part of the post-purchase experience.

Before outsourcing, you need to decide:

• How do we want returns handled?
• Should they be restocked or quarantined?
• Do we provide return labels?
• Should the 3PL issue refunds or notify us?

Having a clear reverse logistics policy not only streamlines customer service but ensures your 3PL can manage this part of the process without delays.

Forecast for seasonal demand

If your business experiences peaks (Black Friday, Christmas, product drops), prepare data showing these fluctuations. A good 3PL will want to understand how to scale their team and warehouse space to support you.

You should also set clear cut-off dates, promotional calendars, and key product launches well in advance so the fulfilment team can plan.

Understand your lead times and customer promises

Are you offering next-day delivery? 48-hour tracked? Do you need cut-off times as late as 11pm?

Set these expectations early. Your 3PL needs to know what SLAs (service-level agreements) they’re committing to, and how this aligns with their own courier pickups, warehouse shifts, and operational capacity.

Decide on your level of involvement

Outsourcing doesn’t mean stepping away completely. You’ll need to decide how hands-on you want to be.

• Will you manage stock forecasting and reordering, or will the 3PL?
• Do you want to monitor orders in real time or get daily reports?
• Will customer service still sit with your team?

Clarifying this avoids confusion and helps you define the working relationship from day one.

Ready to scale with less stress?

Outsourcing fulfilment should feel like a weight lifted – not a loss of control. The key is in the prep. By getting your internal processes in order and knowing what to expect, you’ll hit the ground running with your chosen 3PL.

Whether you’re moving 50 orders a day or 5,000, our team can help you prepare for a seamless transition. With 3PL Fusion, channel integration, inventory syncing, and returns are all handled in one place – giving you full visibility and more time to grow.

Speak to our team today to learn how to get your business fulfilment-ready.