Block's Basics

Can 3PL Parcel and Freight Discounts Offset Fulfillment Fees?

Wondering if your 3PL’s carrier discounts actually cover what they charge you in fulfillment fees? Here’s how to run the math yourself and make sure you’re not getting quietly overcharged.

Pick-and-Pack, Case-Pick, and Pallet Fulfillment Pricing Explained

Not sure if your pick-and-pack quote is fair, or why your wholesale orders get priced so differently from your DTC ones? Here’s how 3PLs actually build out those numbers.

Understanding a 3PL Pricing Proposal: Standard Fees, Hidden Charges, and Quote Red Flags

Three quotes on your desk, all formatted differently, and the cheapest one is somehow the hardest to read. That’s not an accident.

At What Order Volume Does a 3PL Become More Cost-Effective?

Somebody told you 500 orders a month. Somebody else said 10,000. Here’s the actual math that tells you where your own crossover point sits.

Pallet Storage Rates vs. Warehouse Rent: How to Compare the Real Cost

Somebody quoted you $22 a pallet and your lease works out to $1.85 a square foot. Those numbers aren’t comparable yet. Here’s how to make them comparable.

In-House Fulfillment vs. a 3PL: How to Compare the True Total Cost

Think your “cheap” in-house warehouse is actually cheap? Run the real numbers before you decide, most companies are missing more than half the picture.

Which Problems Can a 3PL Solve, and Which Still Belong to You?

Thinking a 3PL makes your fulfillment headaches disappear? It solves a lot of them, but a few will still land on your desk.

Kitting, Custom Packaging, Relabeling, and Rework: When to Outsource Value-Added Services

Buried in tissue paper and gift boxes every time a kit ships? See when it’s time to hand that work to a 3PL that does it as their actual job.

Should Manufacturers Outsource Finished-Goods Storage and Distribution?

Plant running full-tilt but the finished pallets have nowhere to go? Here’s how to think through whether a 3PL should take that part off your hands.

Build a WMS or Outsource to a 3PL? How to Choose

Warehouse full but inventory data a mess? Before you call a 3PL, figure out if what you actually need is better software.

Should a Startup Use a 3PL From Day One?

Wondering if you need a 3PL before you’ve even proven demand? Here’s the honest math on self-fulfillment vs. outsourcing early.

Slow-Moving Inventory: Will a 3PL Help or Just Increase Storage Costs?

Got pallets that haven’t moved in months? Here’s whether a 3PL actually fixes that or just adds a monthly bill to the problem.

Ready to Reduce Your Warehousing Costs?