3PL Services for Brands Shipping Across the US and Worldwide
3PL services let you hand off the parts of order fulfillment that slow a growing brand down: receiving stock, storing it, picking and packing orders, and shipping them to customers. At Lite Fulfillment, our 3PL services cover the full cycle from inbound receiving through same-day dispatch, plus warehousing, kitting, returns, Amazon FBA prep, and cross-border shipping to more than 200 countries. We run it from one warehouse in Wilmington, so you manage a single inventory pool and one point of contact instead of stitching together carriers, storage, and prep on your own. This page walks through every service we offer, what a 3PL should cost, and how to tell whether outsourcing fulfillment is the right move for your business.
What 3PL Services Include
A third-party logistics provider, or 3PL, runs order fulfillment on your behalf. You send us your inventory; we store it. When an order comes in from your store or a marketplace, we pick it, pack it, and ship it. Most 3PL services group into a few core areas:
Receiving and inventory storage: we take in your inbound shipments, count them, and shelve them with SKU-level tracking.
Pick, pack, and ship: every order is pulled from stock, packed, and handed to the carrier that fits its destination.
Carrier management: we compare rates so each parcel moves on the option that suits its weight, speed, and zone.
Returns handling: inbound returns are inspected and either restocked or set aside based on your rules.
Value-added work: kitting, bundling, labeling, and Amazon prep happen before an order ever ships.
Reporting: you see stock counts, order status, and shipping data in one place.
Not every provider offers all of these. Some only pick and pack. Our 3PL services cover the full list above under one roof, which matters once you are running more than one sales channel.
The 3PL Logistics Services Lite Fulfillment Offers
Here is the full set of 3PL logistics services we run, and where to read the detail on each. You can start with one and add others as you grow. There is no requirement to take the whole stack.
Ecommerce & Multi-Channel Fulfillment
For Shopify, WooCommerce, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Etsy, and eBay orders.
Learn moreAmazon FBA Prep & FBM
Inspection, FNSKU labeling, polybagging, and direct-to-fulfillment-center shipments.
Learn moreWarehouse Storage & Inventory Management
Real-time visibility and low-stock alerts.
Learn moreKitting & Bundling
Subscription boxes, multi-product sets, and PR kits assembled before orders arrive.
Learn moreReturns Management
Inspection, restock or disposal, and reporting on what came back and why.
Learn moreNationwide US Fulfillment
1 to 2 day ground reach across most of the country.
Learn moreGlobal Fulfillment & Worldwide Shipping
To more than 200 countries.
Learn moreAssisted Purchasing
Sourcing US products with up to $500,000 in trade credit for verified international buyers.
Learn more3PL Warehousing and Inventory Management
3PL warehousing services are more than shelf space. Where your stock sits, how it is counted, and how fast it can be pulled all affect what you pay to ship and how quickly orders reach customers. In our warehouse, every SKU is tracked by location, so a picker knows exactly where an item is instead of hunting for it. You set reorder points, and we flag stock before it runs low, which is the difference between a planned restock and an oversold listing.
3PL Kitting and Custom Assembly Services
3PL kitting services bundle multiple items into a single ready-to-ship unit before orders arrive. If you sell subscription boxes, multi-product sets, or influencer and PR kits, kitting is what keeps pack times low during a launch. We assemble monthly boxes, build bundles, and add branded inserts, tissue, and ribbons so the unboxing matches your brand.
What 3PL Services Cost
Most 3PL providers hide pricing behind a form. Before you fill one out, it helps to know how 3PL fulfillment services are usually charged, so you can compare quotes on the same terms.
| Fee type | How 3PLs usually charge | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Receiving | Per unit, or per hour on inbound | Whether pallet and carton rates differ |
| Storage | Per bin, shelf, pallet, or cubic foot per month | How long-term storage fees ramp |
| Pick and pack | Per order, plus a fee per extra item | If the first item is included |
| Shipping | Carrier rate plus any handling markup | If you get the carrier's rate or a marked-up one |
| Kitting | Per unit, or per project | Setup fees for new kit configurations |
| Returns | Per return processed | Restock versus disposal handling |
How to Choose a 3PL Service Provider
Not every 3PL service provider fits every brand. Use this checklist to compare providers on what actually affects your orders and your margin:
Location and reach: is the warehouse positioned to hit your customers in 1 to 2 days, and can it ship to the countries you sell in?
Integrations: does it connect to your store and marketplaces (Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, WooCommerce, TikTok Shop) without manual order entry?
Transparent pricing: are all fees listed, including receiving, storage, and returns, or are there line items you find out about later?
Service range: can it handle kitting, FBA prep, and returns, or only pick and pack?
Reporting: do you get live inventory and order data, or a spreadsheet once a week?
Contract terms: are you tied to a long contract and monthly minimums, or can you scale up and down?
International capability: if you plan to sell abroad, does it handle customs paperwork and cross-border carriers, or stop at the US border?
Score each provider against these seven points. The one that answers all seven cleanly is usually the right fit, regardless of size.
When Your Business Is Ready for a 3PL
You do not need a 3PL on day one. You need one when fulfillment starts costing you growth. The clearest signs are order volume outpacing your capacity, late nights packing boxes, shipping too slow to compete, rising overhead on space and staff, and expansion into regions you cannot ship to yourself. Here is how in-house stacks up against outsourcing to us:
| In-house fulfillment | Lite Fulfillment 3PL | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | You buy space, shelving, software, and staff | No infrastructure to buy |
| Shipping speed | Limited to your location and negotiated rates | 1 to 2 day US ground, 200+ countries |
| Staffing | You hire and manage pickers | Handled by our team |
| Peak season | You scramble for temporary labor | We flex with your volume |
| Storage | Fixed lease you pay for year-round | Short or long term as needed |
| International | You arrange carriers and customs | We handle documentation and cross-border |
How Onboarding Works at Lite Fulfillment
Getting started takes days, not weeks. Here is the exact sequence:
Scope & quote
We review your SKUs, volume, and destinations and send a per-unit quote.
From you: product list and monthly order estimate.
Connect your store
We integrate your platform so orders flow in automatically.
From you: store or marketplace access.
Send inventory
You ship stock to our warehouse; we receive and count it.
From you: your inbound shipment.
Set reorder points
We shelve by SKU and set low-stock alerts with you.
From you: target stock levels.
Orders ship
Orders received by our cutoff go out the same day.
From you: nothing, it runs.
Track & report
You watch stock, orders, and returns in one dashboard.
From you: ongoing review.
3PL services are outsourced order fulfillment: a third-party logistics provider receives your inventory, stores it, and picks, packs, and ships each order for you. Most also handle returns, kitting, and Amazon FBA prep. Lite Fulfillment runs all of these from one warehouse and ships to more than 200 countries, so you manage a single inventory pool instead of several vendors.
3PL pricing is usually built from separate fees: receiving, storage, pick and pack, shipping, and any value-added work like kitting. Rates depend on product size, order volume, and destinations. Lite Fulfillment quotes per unit with no monthly minimums and no long-term contract, and publishes its fee structure so you can compare it against other providers line by line.
A warehouse only stores your inventory. A 3PL stores it and also picks, packs, ships, manages carriers, handles returns, and reports on stock. In short, a warehouse holds product; a 3PL moves it. If you only need shelf space, you want storage; if you need orders to reach customers, you want 3PL services.
Some do. Lite Fulfillment provides Amazon FBA prep as part of its 3PL services: inspection, FNSKU labeling, polybagging, and direct shipments to Amazon fulfillment centers. This matters because Amazon has strict inbound requirements, and prep done wrong causes delays or rejections at the fulfillment center. We follow Amazon Seller Central guidelines on every inbound shipment.
Yes, if it is set up for it. Lite Fulfillment ships from the USA to more than 200 countries and prepares the customs documentation each shipment needs, with a focus on West Africa and South America alongside UK, EU, and APAC lanes. For current duty and threshold rules, we point clients to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, since customs rules change often.
It depends on the provider. Many require monthly minimums or long contracts. Lite Fulfillment does not: there are no monthly minimums and no long-term contracts, so smaller and seasonal brands can use the same 3PL services as high-volume sellers and scale up or down as their order flow changes.
3PL kitting is assembling multiple items into one ready-to-ship unit before orders come in, such as a subscription box, a multi-product bundle, or a PR kit. It lowers pack time during launches and keeps unboxing consistent. Lite Fulfillment handles kitting, bundling, branded inserts, and custom packaging as part of its service range.
The Takeaway
3PL services should do one thing above all: get your orders to customers faster and cheaper than you can alone, without locking you into terms you will regret. Lite Fulfillment covers the full cycle, from receiving and storage through same-day dispatch, kitting, FBA prep, returns, and cross-border shipping to 200+ countries, all from one warehouse and one point of contact. No minimums, no long contracts, and pricing you can see before you commit. If fulfillment is starting to slow your growth, that is the signal to talk.
Talk to a Lite Fulfillment specialist about your fulfillment.
Email hamza@litefulfillment.com or call +1 (302) 765-8843.
