3PL Resources
Tools, guides and industry data, grouped by who they are for: brands choosing a 3PL, and the operators running one.
Choosing a 3PL
For eCommerce brands
Cost and freight math, buying guides, and the template for running a 3PL search.
Every calculator and checklist also sits together on the 3PL tools hub.
Fulfillment Cost Calculator
Model pick and pack, storage, receiving and returns costs per order.
Open the toolToolFreight Density Calculator
Density in pounds per cubic foot, and the NMFC class it lands in.
Open the toolToolPallet Calculator
Cases per pallet from carton dimensions, with TI/HI and cube utilization.
Open the toolToolFuel Surcharge Calculator
Fuel surcharge from any published schedule: percent of linehaul, step table, or cents per mile.
Open the toolTool3PL Evaluation Questions
The questions to ask a 3PL before you sign, organized by category.
Open the toolGuide3PL Pricing Guide
What a 3PL costs in 2026, benchmarked across 16 fees.
Read the guideGuideWhat Is a 3PL
How third-party logistics works, what it covers, and how to choose a partner.
Read the guideGuideEcommerce Fulfillment Guide
The models, the real costs, and how an order gets stored, picked, packed and shipped.
Read the guideGuidePeak Season Fulfillment
What to lock in with your 3PL before the holiday peak: cutoffs, forecasts, SLAs.
Read the guideGuidePeak Season Surcharges 2026
FedEx and USPS peak windows and amounts, cited to the carriers, and what your 3PL passes through.
Read the guideGuideAmazon Supply Chain Services vs. Independent 3PLs
Where Amazon's service leads on cost, and where an independent 3PL wins.
Read the guideGuideSection 321 and De Minimis
Duty-free entry for shipments of $800 or less is suspended. What applies now, and what importers do next.
Read the guideGuideBest West Coast 3PLs
13 West Coast 3PLs compared on warehouse footprint, specializations, technology and client feedback.
Read the guideGuideBest Bicoastal 3PLs
15 multi-location 3PLs compared across East and West Coast operations.
Read the guideTemplate3PL RFP Template
A structured request-for-proposal template for comparing 3PLs on the same questions.
Get the templateRunning a 3PL
For 3PL owners
Valuation, M&A, and the systems and staffing side of running a fulfillment business.
3PL Valuation Tool
Answer a few questions for an estimated enterprise value range and EBITDA multiple.
Open the toolDataSupply Chain Acquisitions Tracker
A sourced record of 3PL and fulfillment M&A deals across parcel and reverse logistics.
See the dataAdvisory3PL M&A Advisory
How our M&A team works with owners selling, acquiring, or raising capital.
Learn moreGuideBest WMS for 3PLs
Ten warehouse management systems compared, with data from 30 benchmarked operators.
Read the guideGuidePeak Season Hiring
Where 3PL hiring plans commonly break, and what to fix before Q4 begins.
Read the guideGuidePersonal Touch in 3PL Fulfillment
How a 3PL gives customers direct access to real people and takes ownership when the process breaks.
Read the guideTemplateThe 3PL Guide to CRM Success
A customer relationship management template built around a 3PL sales pipeline.
Get the templateBoth sides
Reference
Used by both sides of the match.
Logistics Glossary
Plain-English definitions for logistics, shipping and supply chain terms.
Start browsingDataResearch Reports
Original research on how ecommerce brands and 3PL providers work together.
See the dataReferenceBlog
Insights on choosing a 3PL, evaluating partners, and scaling an ecommerce operation.
Start browsing