Quick answer: what to check before choosing a 3PL in 2027
Look past order volume and rate cards. Confirm the 3PL can handle your product complexity, understand who actually benefits from its carrier discounts, know your options before you’re locked in, and check how it handles tariffs, communication, and returns.
- Operational fit: Confirm the 3PL has real experience with your product type, not just your order volume.
- Carrier discounts: Find out whether you get the full discount, part of it, or none.
- End of the relationship: Settle contract length, notice, inventory transfer, and data access before you sign.
- Tariffs: Ask how tariff changes affect inbound timing and receiving.
- Communication: Know your contact, the escalation path, and the review schedule.
- Returns: Decide the rules before the first return arrives.
Key Terms
3PL (third-party logistics): A company that handles warehousing, order fulfillment, and shipping on behalf of a brand.
SKU (stock keeping unit): A unique code for each distinct product or variant, used to track inventory.
Kitting: Assembling multiple items into a single sellable unit, like a gift set or subscription box.
Offboarding: The process of ending a 3PL relationship, including inventory transfer and data handoff.
Duty (import duty): A tax on imported goods, based on product classification and country of origin.
RMA (return merchandise authorization): Approval that authorizes a return, often required before a 3PL will process it.
1. A 3PL That Isn’t Built for Your Brand’s Complexity
What should you check about a 3PL’s operational fit?
Order volume alone doesn’t tell you whether a 3PL can handle your brand. Two brands shipping the same number of orders may need completely different fulfillment operations, so confirm the 3PL has practical experience with your specific product type and requirements, not just your order count.
A provider that works well for a company with 20 simple SKUs may struggle with hundreds of product variants, subscription boxes, custom kits, wholesale orders, or products requiring lot and expiration tracking.
Before choosing a 3PL, confirm that it has practical experience with your specific product type, sales channels, and fulfillment requirements. Ask how it manages:
- High SKU counts and product variants
- Kitting and subscription-box changes
- Custom packaging, inserts, and gift notes
- B2B and retail compliance requirements
- Amazon preparation
- Fragile, oversized, or regulated products
- Lot, expiration, or serial-number tracking
A good operational fit matters more than order capacity alone. The right question is not simply, “Can you ship our volume?” It is, “Can you consistently handle the complexity behind our orders?”
See our complete guide to choosing a 3PL fulfillment partner for a deeper walkthrough of evaluating fit beyond order volume.
2. Understand Who Benefits from Carrier Discounts
Who benefits from a 3PL’s carrier discounts?
It depends on the 3PL’s model. Some pass the full negotiated discount to the brand, some share part of it, some add a markup, and some rebill shipping from a separate rate schedule. Ask which one applies to your account before you sign.
Many 3PLs negotiate carrier rates based on their combined shipping volume. But brands shouldn’t assume they’ll receive the full discount. None of these models is automatically wrong. The problem is not knowing which one you’re in.
| Model | How it works | What to ask |
| Full pass-through | You pay the carrier rate the 3PL pays. The 3PL earns its money on fulfillment fees. | Can I see the carrier’s charge next to my bill? |
| Shared discount | You receive part of the savings, and the 3PL keeps the rest. | What percentage do I receive, and does it change? |
| Markup | The 3PL adds a percentage or per-label fee to the negotiated rate. | Is the markup flat, a percentage, or built into the rate? |
| Separate rate schedule | Shipping is rebilled from the 3PL’s price list, which may not show the carrier’s actual charge. | How is the schedule set, and how often does it change? |
Carrier discounts are usually a percentage off published rates. When list prices rise, your cost rises even if your discount percentage stays the same, and some surcharges rise faster than the average. FedEx’s 2027 increase averages 5.9%, but several surcharges rise faster:
| FedEx surcharge | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
| Residential delivery charge (Ground, Home Delivery) | $6.45 | $6.90 | +7.0% |
| Delivery area surcharge, extended residential | $8.80 | $9.60 | +9.1% |
| Additional handling, dimension (zones 5–6) | $38.50 | $41.25 | +7.1% |
| Additional handling, weight (zones 5–6) | $56.25 | $60.25 | +7.1% |
Percent changes calculated by Ware-Pak from FedEx’s published tables.
A discount that looks strong on base rates may not extend to these surcharges. Ask your 3PL whether the discount applies to surcharges too, or only to the base rate.
Ask a 3PL
- Do you pass through, share, mark up, or rebill carrier costs on my account?
- Does the discount apply to surcharges as well as base rates?
- Can I use my own carrier account, and what changes in price and service if I do?
- What happens to my rate when a carrier changes prices mid-contract?
At Ware-Pak, clients receive the full carrier discount, and they’re free to use their own carrier accounts. Brands that want help with carrier rates can use discounted rates through our freight partners.
3. Plan for the End of a Relationship Before It Begins
What should you settle before signing, if case you leave?
Review contract length, termination notice, inventory transfer, data access, and move-out costs, even when both sides expect a long partnership. These terms are hardest to negotiate once you’ve decided to leave, so settle them before you sign.
Most contract discussions focus on getting started, not on getting out. But offboarding terms decide how expensive and disruptive a switch will be, if you ever need to make one. One brand reported that its 3PL refused to arrange outbound shipment, count inventory, or handle customs once the brand said it was leaving, and none of this was covered in the original quote.
Contract terms are also where a low quote can turn into a high total cost over time. In The Fulfillment Advisor’s 2025 survey, cited in our Hidden 3PL Fees guide, the average monthly minimum rose from $337.50 in 2024 to $517 in 2025, and 77% of warehouses raise pricing on a regular basis. Long-term storage fees are now charged by 48.6% of warehouses, up from 23.33%, a trend we cover in more detail in our storage cost trends guide. None of this is necessarily a problem, but it means the contract you sign today may look different a year in, so know what triggers a rate change and what your options are when it happens.
Before you sign, know:
- Contract length and renewal. How long is the term, and does it auto-renew?
- Termination notice. How much notice does either side need to give?
- Inventory transfer. Who counts, packs, and ships your inventory out, and what does it cost?
- Data access. Do you keep access to your order history, inventory records, and integrations after you leave?
- Move-out costs. Are there fees for final counts, deconsolidation, or unused storage?
Ask a 3PL
- What’s the contract term, and what’s the notice period to end it?
- Who handles counting and shipping out my inventory when I leave, and what does it cost?
- Will I keep access to my historical data and reports after the contract ends?
- Are there early-termination fees, and how are they calculated?
- What triggers a rate change or renewal negotiation before the term is up?
Ware-Pak uses a transparent price schedule with minimums and terms disclosed upfront.
4. Tariffs Will Keep Reshaping Your Inbound Costs
How do tariffs affect a 3PL?
A 3PL doesn’t set duties, but tariff changes affect when inventory arrives, how much lands at once, and how long it may be held. Ask how a 3PL handles late or bunched inbound shipments and what receiving records it keeps.
Where things stand as of September 2026:
- On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court held that IEEPA does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.
- A 10% temporary surcharge under Section 122 followed, effective February 24, 2026, for 150 days.
- That surcharge expired July 24, 2026, and was replaced by Section 301 tariffs of 10% or 12.5%, depending on the country. The new layer has no statutory expiration and was challenged in court within a week of taking effect.
- The suspension of duty-free treatment for low-value shipments was also continued.
- This is a fast-moving area, so confirm current rates with your customs broker or trade counsel.
Ask a 3PL
- How do you handle inbound shipments that slip or arrive all at once?
- Do you work with customs and freight partners?
- What receiving documentation do you keep, and can I access it?
Ware-Pak works through an established network of global agent partnerships to support shipments worldwide.
5. Evaluate Communication
What should you ask about 3PL communication?
Ask who your day-to-day contact is, where they work, how issues are escalated and how fast, and how performance is reviewed. Problems become expensive when answers are slow.
Some brands report no phone support, no account manager, and no way to reach anyone in the warehouse. Before you sign, know:
- Who your day-to-day contact is, and whether you can call them.
- Is your CSR on site in the warehouse?
- How issues are escalated, and how quickly each step happens.
- How performance is reviewed, including which metrics you see and how often.
At Ware-Pak, every client is paired with a dedicated customer service representative. Our CSRs work on site in the warehouse, and they’re always willing to walk the floor to check inventory or look into an issue in person. Our Ware-Pak Promise commits us to refunding any fees charged for an order that isn’t handled correctly.
Ask a 3PL
- Can I call someone during an urgent problem, or is support ticket-only?
- Is my rep in the same building as my inventory?
- What’s the escalation path, and what response time should I expect?
- What do account reviews cover, and who attends?
6. Review the Returns Process Before the First Return Arrives
What should a 3PL returns process cover?
It should define what happens to each returned item, what each step costs, how long it takes to reach sellable inventory, and what reporting you receive. Settle these rules during onboarding, not after returns pile up.
Ware-Pak handles returns according to each client’s rules, using barcode and scanning technology for accurate restocking, repackaging, and redistribution.
| Return outcome | Decide up front |
| Inspect | What’s checked, and against what standard |
| Restock | What counts as sellable, and how fast it returns to available inventory |
| Exchange | How exchanges are triggered and what they cost |
| Repackage | Who decides, and who pays for materials |
| Dispose | Who authorizes it, and what documentation you receive |
| Donate | Who authorizes it, and what records you receive |
Our ecommerce fulfillment page reports that 85% of returned products are processed and back in inventory the same day.
Ask a 3PL
- What are the return categories, and what happens to each?
- What does each step cost, and can fees stack on a single return?
- How long from arrival to restocked inventory?
- What returns reporting will I see?
Frequently Asked Questions
Who benefits from a 3PL’s carrier discounts?
It depends on the 3PL’s pricing model. Some pass the full discount through, some share it, some add a markup, and some rebill shipping from their own rate schedule. Ask for the carrier’s charge next to your invoice to see which applies.
Should I use my own carrier account with a 3PL?
It depends on the 3PL’s discount model and your shipping volume. Ask what changes in price, service, and invoicing if you use your own account, and compare the total cost of each option, not just the shipping rate.
What should I check about a 3PL’s operational fit for my brand?
Ask about experience with your specific product type and requirements, not just your order volume: SKU count and variants, kitting or subscription boxes, custom packaging, B2B or retail compliance, Amazon prep, and lot or expiration tracking.
What contract terms should I check before signing with a 3PL?
Check monthly minimums, term length, how and when prices can change, storage penalties for slow-moving inventory, exit and offboarding terms, and who is responsible for lost or damaged inventory. Keep the signed rate schedule.
How do tariffs affect a 3PL?
A 3PL doesn’t set duties, but tariff changes can delay inbound shipments or make them arrive all at once. Ask how the 3PL handles irregular receiving, whether it works with customs and freight partners, and what receiving records it keeps.
What should a 3PL returns process include?
It should define inspection, restocking, exchange, repackaging, disposal, and donation rules, plus the cost and turnaround for each step and the reporting you receive. Decide these with your 3PL before the first return arrives.
Want to see if a 3PL is the right fit for your brand?
Talk to Ware-Pak, a Chicago-area 3PL since 1963, about your product complexity, order volume, and fulfillment requirements.
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Also, see our guide to How to Choose a 3PL Fulfillment Partner