20 Questions to Ask a 3PL Before You Sign
Choosing a 3PL is one of the biggest operational decisions an ecommerce brand makes. Your 3PL touches every order, every customer and every campaign. Here are 20 questions to ask any 3PL in Melbourne or Australia before you sign, and what a good answer sounds like.
Fit and experience
1. What kinds of brands do you work with?
Look for experience in your category. Beauty, supplements and apparel all have different handling needs.
2. What order volumes do your clients typically ship?
You want to be a valued client, not the smallest account in a giant warehouse or the biggest in a tiny one. As a guide, brands shipping around 1,000+ orders a month usually get the best value from a 3PL.
3. Can I speak to a current client?
A confident 3PL will happily connect you with a reference.
4. Can I visit the warehouse?
Seeing how stock is stored and orders are packed tells you more than any sales deck.
Accuracy and quality
5. How do you make sure the right item is picked?
Barcode-verified picking should be standard.
6. What happens when an error occurs?
Ask how mistakes are reported, fixed and prevented from happening again.
7. How do you handle custom packaging, inserts and samples?
If presentation matters to your brand, make sure it matters to them.
8. Can you handle kits, bundles and PR mailers?
Campaigns and launches need flexible, hands-on packing.
Speed and capacity
9. What is your dispatch timeframe?
Ask about the daily cut-off for same-day dispatch and what happens to orders after it.
10. How do you handle peak periods like Black Friday and Christmas?
Look for forward planning of labour and space, not just promises.
11. How much room do I have to grow?
Ask about additional warehouse capacity and what happens if your volume doubles.
Systems and visibility
12. Which warehouse management system do you use?
A modern cloud WMS (such as CartonCloud) with a client portal gives you live stock and order visibility.
13. How does my store integrate?
For Shopify brands, orders should sync automatically and tracking should flow back to customers.
14. How do I book inbound stock?
Clear intake processes prevent delays and miscounts.
15. What reporting will I receive?
Stock on hand, orders, returns and stock movements at a minimum.
Pricing and contracts
16. How is your pricing structured?
Expect separate charges for receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging and freight. See our 3PL pricing guide.
17. Are there setup, minimum or hidden fees?
Ask for a full rate card and an example invoice based on your real volumes.
18. What are the contract terms and exit process?
Understand notice periods and how your stock would be released.
People and communication
19. Who will I talk to day-to-day?
A named, reachable contact beats a generic support inbox.
20. How do you handle returns?
Returns affect margin and customer experience. Ask about condition checks, restocking and reporting.
The bottom line
The cheapest 3PL is rarely the best value. The right partner protects your customer experience, gives you visibility and grows with you. If you’re comparing 3PLs in Melbourne, ask Virago Logistics these 20 questions. We’re happy to answer every one. You can also read how to choose the right 3PL in Melbourne or see our Melbourne 3PL services.