This comprehensive guide will answer all your questions when it comes to 3PL (Third Party Logistics). If you’re an established eCommerce business or bricks and mortar retail brand looking to improve your fulfilment processes, this guide will help you understand what 3PL is, how it works, and how we can help you save time, money and grow your business.
A Third-party logistics company (3PL) is a service provider who handles your ecommerce logistics, warehousing and order fulfilment operations. This usually includes functions such as warehousing, inventory management via access to technology, order fulfilment, and shipping.
Instead of managing a warehouse, staff and tasks such as picking, packing and delivery, your 3PL provider will manage your operational requirements for you, saving you time and money, and allowing you to focus on growing your business.
Service offerings are based on your requirements and can include B2B (wholesale fulfilment, cross dock) and B2C (ecommerce order fulfilment).
Outsourcing logistics services started to become popular in the 1980’s, and the introduction of the world wide web and ecommerce in the 1990’s completely built and revolutionised the 3PL landscape that we know today.
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If you’re managing your own fulfilment, you’re probably spending hours on managing staff, inventory management, picking, packing and tracking, not to mention the costs involved with paying for a warehouse, staff and all the equipment you need. A 3PL helps you:
We keep it simple. Here’s how it works in four steps:
A great third-party logistics (3PL) partner does more than just ship orders. The best 3PLs offer a suite of powerful services that simplify your operations, boost efficiency, and ultimately help you scale. Whether you’re just starting out or managing a high-growth brand, here are 10 of the most valuable 3PL services available — and yes, Plan A Logistics offers them all.
Outsourcing your fulfilment to the right 3PL partner can unlock serious growth for your ecommerce business. Here’s what you gain when you team up with a provider like Plan A Logistics:
Plus, with our smart warehouse location in Sydney, your customers get faster shipping — and you save on freight.
The right 3PL isn’t just a storage facility — it’s a growth partner. With Plan A Logistics, you’re getting expert support, powerful tech, and a team that cares about your brand as much as you do.
Ready to scale with less stress? Let’s chat logistics — we’ll show you how it all works.
Outsourcing to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can seriously level up your business. You get time back, reduce costs, and scale faster, especially if you’re selling across multiple channels.
But not all 3PLs are equal. Before signing up, make sure you’re choosing a fulfilment partner that understands ecommerce, prioritises customer experience, and has the tech and flexibility to support your growth.
Here are 5 questions to help you find the right fit:
Pro tip: At Plan A Logistics, our clients stay with us long-term because we evolve with them. We’ve helped brands grow from side hustle to retail powerhouse.
With Plan A: You get a modern, cloud-based platform that shows you stock levels, order status, delivery tracking and more, all in real time.
Why it matters: At Plan A, our clients often say they never hear complaints about fulfilment — because everything just gets done.
At Plan A: You get full access to our client portal — track stock, orders, shipping costs and carrier performance all in one place.
Plan A’s HQ is in Sydney, close to key freight routes and within reach of major carriers like AusPost, StarTrack and DHL. That means faster, cheaper delivery options for your customers — and more control for you.
Want to see how we stack up?
Let’s chat logistics. We’ll walk you through a demo, pricing, and how Plan A can support your ecommerce growth — no pressure.
If you’re picking and packing orders or managing a warehouse team, we can help you remove the stress by streamlining your daily operations so you can focus on growing your business.
In-House Logistics
Requires management of staff, stakeholders, and service providers
Costly as you grow. Requires you to pay upfront for warehouse space and staff costs.
You must find a suitable warehouse management system and pay upfront for the services you require.
Often in house order fulfilment is slow and during sale periods can be delayed, creating a negative customer experience.
Using a 3PL
Saves time with all aspects of warehousing and order fulfilment managed by your dedicated 3PL team.
Scales easily. You pay only for the services you use – not an entire warehouse.
Access the best warehouse management system for free as part of your service agreement. We will fully integrate your software & carrier requirements quickly.
Working with a dedicated 3PL will guarantee same day dispatch, and this high service level will remain even during your peak sales periods.
If you’re weighing up whether to keep your fulfilment in-house or look at working with a 3PL company, the biggest difference usually comes down to cost. Running your own warehouse means locking yourself into messy leases, hiring and managing staff, and covering all the required overheads. With a 3PL, you don’t need to worry about any of that. You only pay for what you use; stock space, pick and pack, packaging, and shipping. That way, your costs scale with your business at your peak times, instead of being stuck with fixed expenses all year round.
Every 3PL pricing structure is different — but here’s what typically gets charged:
We’re always transparent. No hidden fees. Just clear pricing to help you scale.
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Here are the signs you’re ready:
We track our performance using clear SLAs and KPIs:
We keep you in the loop and we are accountable for our results.
In today’s ecommerce savvy world consumers expect excellence from their retail experiences. Once they make a purchase, they want fast delivery, a standout unboxing experience and if they need it, a smooth returns process.
Using a tech-savvy 3PL like Plan A Logistics means you can deliver all that, without the stress or cost of doing it in-house.
If you are looking for a professional 3PL service provider that delivers, we’ll help you scale with ease. Let’s make logistics the easiest part of your business.
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