While business success for retailers depends in large part on their supply chains, they are extremely difficult and complicated to manage. Handling shipping, distribution and other aspects of logistics on your own can easily occupy an outsized percentage of your attention. This is why many opt to hand off all or part of their fulfillment operations to a 3PL. Here’s how to find the right one for you.
If any sector was ever ripe for consolidation, it’s third-party logistics (3PL), with literally thousands of companies plying their trade, looking to help retail shippers outsource fulfillment, storage, shipping and other operational aspects. Well, 2022 got us at least part of the way there. Here are some of the deals that got done.
We’ve opened up the submission period for Multichannel Merchant’s annual Top 3PL directory. This is your chance to show off your chops and differentiators to more than 74,000 MCM readers in ecommerce and retail. It’s the industry’s go-to resource for this rapidly evolving market, so don’t miss your opportunity to be represented.
Flexe, which provides outsourced warehousing and fulfillment services by matching excess provider capacity with shipper needs, has reached a $1 billion-plus valuation with its latest $119 million Series D round. The company claims six of the ten largest retailers and four of the five largest consumer packaged goods companies as clients.
Consumers focus on curbside pickup, fast delivery, trouble-free returns and seamless experiences, but retailers face heightened fulfillment challenges, leading more of them to embrace 3PLs. And getting it right is essential. This special report dives into the trends, outlining key decision factors when considering a 3PL partnership.
3PLs and 4PLs have both seen an explosion in popularity and are now being used to ship all kinds of goods. Each offers big potential benefits for retailers to outsource major elements of their supply chain. Here are some of the main differences between them and pluses and minuses to help you decide which is right for your business.
Multichannel Merchant has published its sixth annual MCM Top 3PL listing for 2021, a searchable directory of leading third-party logistics (3PL) providers in ecommerce and direct-to-customer operations. Each of the 60+ profiles includes data on key capabilities, top merchandise categories, facilities, B2B/B2C split and more.
Walmart has launched a fulfillment service for sellers on its marketplace, similar to Fulfillment By Amazon, leveraging its vast logistics network to provide storing, picking, packing and shipping returns processing and customer service for a fee and entice more sellers onto the platform.
Multichannel Merchant has published its fourth annual MCM Top 3PL listing for 2019, a searchable directory of leading third-party logistics (3PL) providers in ecommerce and direct-to-customer operations. This key resource lists the capabilities and experience of over 50 top 3PL providers, helping you select the right one for your needs.
While there are many clear advantages to using a third-party fulfillment (3PL) partner for outsourcing some or all of your operations, the majority of merchant companies still opt for keeping these functions in house and firmly within their control. According to respondents to the MCM Outlook Survey, 26.5% of respondents said they use a 3PL in 2016, up from 21.2% in 2015, while the rest said they handle fulfillment internally. Of those who said no, only 2.9% said they are considering use of a 3PL, down from 6.2% in 2015.