Which One is a Better Choice: Amazon FBA or a 3PL?

How Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) Works?

Ever wondered how small sellers ship as fast as Amazon? Here’s the secret: Amazon FBA isn’t just a warehouse service – it’s like having Amazon become your personal shipping department.

You send your stuff to their massive warehouses scattered across the country, kick back, and let the pros handle the rest.

When someone clicks “buy” on your product, Amazon’s team springs into action, grabbing your item off their shelves, boxing it up, and whisking it off to your customer’s doorstep faster than you can say “two-day shipping.”

Think of it as renting space in Amazon’s world-class logistics machine. Instead of cramming boxes into your garage or wrestling with shipping labels at midnight, you’re tapping into the same powerhouse system that keeps the e-commerce giant running. Pretty sweet deal, right?

What Makes Amazon FBA Tick

Look, Amazon’s FBA isn’t just another fulfillment service – it’s a game-changer for online sellers. Think of it as your personal warehouse team, minus the headaches of running one. You ship your products to Amazon, and they handle everything else: storage, picking, packing, shipping, even dealing with those midnight customer service calls.

While you’re busy growing your business or sipping coffee on the beach, Amazon’s massive network is doing the heavy lifting. They’ve got warehouses everywhere, which means your products can reach customers faster than you can say “Prime shipping.”

The beauty of FBA lies in its simplicity – ship your inventory to Amazon, and their team takes it from there. No more late nights packing boxes or sweating over shipping labels, and when Mrs. Smith from Ohio wants to return that blue widget at 3 AM? That’s Amazon’s problem now, not yours. Think about it – you’re essentially renting Amazon’s infrastructure without the billion-dollar investment.

Their warehouses are like Fort Knox for your products, and their distribution network is faster than a caffeinated cheetah. While they’re handling the logistics circus, you can focus on what really matters – finding new customers and scaling your business.

What is a Third-Party Logistics 3PL?

A Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider is a company that other businesses hire to manage different parts of their supply chain. This means they take care of things like keeping track of inventory, storing products in warehouses, packing orders, amazon fulfillment options, and shipping them out to customers. They also handle the process of returns if a customer sends something back.

3PL providers are really helpful for businesses that have a lot of products to sell or see sudden changes in how much they sell. For example, if a business launches a new product and it becomes really popular, a 3PL can help manage the increase in orders. As well as handling other crucial tasks such as seasonal inventory management.

One of the big advantages of using a 3PL provider is that they specialize in logistics, which means they’re experts in making sure products get from one place to another efficiently and safely. This allows the business hiring the 3PL to focus on other important things, like making their products or growing their brand, without worrying about the details of shipping and handling.

In short, a 3PL provider is like a partner for a business, taking care of all the complicated logistics so that the business can run more smoothly.

What is a 3PL: In the Amazon Context?

In the Amazon context, 3PLs provide customized solutions for businesses using the Amazon selling platform such as:

  • Inventory Storage: Helps with storing inventory.
  • Shipping: Manages the shipping process.
  • Branding: Assists in branding your products.
  • Outsourced Fulfillment: Acts as an outsourced fulfillment partner.

Why choose a 3PL warehouse?

Managing in-house warehouse operations can be taxing and takes time away from you being able to find more ways to make money with your product or even create a new one! Finding the right 3PL warehouse to help you manage your operations will relieve some of the headaches you might have.  Hiring a third-party logistics company offers immense strategic and cost benefits. Here are a few of the many benefits.

  • Advanced IT capabilities
  • Flexibility and scaling of your product
  • Improved Efficiency
  • Global Expansion

The Pros and Cons of using Amazon FBA for your fulfillment needs

amazon reach


Pros of Using Amazon FBA

Amazon is a Goliath in the industry. Its business and business practices have become a staple for most of the modern world. Amazon offers options to help essentially use their spare resources for your business. Tapping into their market is easy and can bear high potential growth. 

Prime Day and other Amazon boosts help play a role in the success of your Amazon product to help increase revenue.

Amazon Prime Eligibility & Global Reach

  • Higher Sales: Items fulfilled by Amazon are eligible for Prime shipping, which drives higher sales.
  • Market Access: Sellers gain easy access to Amazon’s global marketplaces like Canada, Mexico, and Europe, growing sales potential.
  • High Traffic: Tap into Amazon’s vast existing customer traffic and brand trust, with access to Amazon’s customer base.

Streamlined Operations​ for Convenience and Time Savings

  • Main Benefit: The main benefit of FBA is convenience. Amazon handles the storage, picking, packing, shipping, and customer service once items are sent to their warehouse.
  • Efficiency: Amazon’s unified platform for inventory, order, and logistics management is efficient and reduces manual work.

Enhanced Customer Experience

  • Quick Deliveries: Prime labeling combined with Amazon’s logistics results in quick deliveries.

Competitive Edge

  • Visibility: FBA listing badges boost visibility in search results, and FBA sellers also get preferential treatment for winning the featured Buy Box spot on product pages.

Multichannel Fulfillment

  • Single Inventory Pool: Leverage FBA’s fulfillment center network to handle orders from multiple platforms.

Cons of Using Amazon FBA

Much as being one of the most successful and profitable companies, working with a such goalith means you can be crushed by fees effortlessly without remorse. You may be in the big sea but that will also leave your brands open to piracy, undercutting your product. Below I’ve put together illuminating facts about using FBA for your business. 

Higher Fees And Storage Costs

  • Cost Analysis: Numerous fees make cost analysis challenging.

Looking for a way to drive down costs with Amazon 3PL? Here is a in-depth guide

Inventory Restrictions & Mixed Product Issues

  • Limitations: Amazon sets limits on the amount of inventory allowed during peak periods.
  • Quality Control: Inventory is blended with other sellers’ inventory, which can cause issues.

Return Handling

  • Policy: Amazon controls the returns process which may not align with seller preferences.

High Competition

  • Market Saturation: FBA lowers entry barriers, resulting in high seller competition.
  • Copy Cat products: People can and may steal your ideas.
  • Amazon is your competition: Remember Amazon has their own products that they sells, ships, and markets on their own platform.

Dependence on Amazon

Limited Customer Interaction

  • Limited Communication: No dedicated account managers to help you out on making the right decision for your brand. We all know how challenging things can be when we cannot directly speak with a representative.
  • Engagement: Amazon controls the entire buyer experience, making it difficult to build loyalty.

The Pros and Cons of Using a 3PL Company for E-commerce Shipping

fba 3pl


Pros of Using a 3PL Company

Utilizing a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) company offers several significant advantages for businesses. Firstly, it allows for expert handling of logistics, ensuring efficient inventory management, accurate order fulfillment, and timely shipping. This expertise often leads to cost savings, as 3PLs can leverage their scale and efficiency to reduce shipping and storage costs.

Additionally, partnering with a 3PL provides flexibility and scalability, enabling businesses to easily adjust to seasonal demands or market growth without the need for investing in additional infrastructure or personnel. Furthermore, 3PLs often have advanced technology for inventory tracking and logistics management, offering businesses valuable insights into their supply chain. By outsourcing logistics to a 3PL, businesses can focus more on their core competencies, such as product development and customer service, while relying on the 3PL’s expertise to enhance overall operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

In-House Warehousing and Fulfillment Centers

A good Third-Party Logistics (3PL) company will have plenty of room in their warehouses to store your products. They also use inventory management and technology tools to help you track your product inventory daily. Although you’ll need to pay for the storage space, you can spread your products across different warehouses nationwide. This can help you save a ton of money on shipping costs in the long run.

Storage Rates and Shipping Cost Reduction.

Outsourcing to a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) provider comes with the advantage of their ability to select from various shipping carriers to secure the most cost-effective rates. Typically, a 3PL can access lower shipping prices than you might get individually, thanks to the large quantity of items they ship (including but not limited to your products) and their established connections with these carriers. Surprisingly to many, even storage costs tend to be more budget-friendly with a 3PL. This is because you’re essentially renting space in an already operational warehouse, which is usually more economical than managing and maintaining your own storage facility.

  • Discounted Rates: 3PLs secure discounted shipping rates and optimize inventory and labor costs.
  • Seasonal Spikes: You can rapidly scale 3PL services up or down.

Here are some examples of how much you can save here at Tactical Logistic Solutions

Shipping Costs Tactical Logistics


Here is a comparison between the cost of storage between 3PL Companies like us at Tactical Logistics compared to Amazon’s fulfillment and storage options.

Logistic Costs Tactical Amazon


Expertise and Experience

  • Logistics Specialists: Staff are experienced in the latest technologies and complex regulations.

Resource Allocation

  • Focus: With 3PLs managing logistics, internal resources can focus on customer-centric tasks.
  • Dedicated Personnel: Get access to specialized in-house teams without the investment.
  • Personalized Attention For Your Product: 3PL Companies with a dedicated team can quickly resolve any issues that might come up.

Global Reach

  • Worldwide Network: 3PLs have an established network of carrier relationships and warehouses.

Continuous Improvement

  • Optimization: 3PLs track logistics KPIs for process enhancements.

Customer Satisfaction

  • Quick Fulfillment: Quick and accurate fulfillment of orders enhances customer satisfaction.

The Real Costs of Working with 3PLs

Let’s talk money – switching to a 3PL isn’t free, but it’s worth understanding the actual costs involved. While the initial investment might make you wince, most of our clients start seeing savings by month two.

Getting Started

Look, every 3PL handles their pricing differently. You might see monthly bills or per-SKU charges, but here’s what typically hits your wallet: First, there’s the setup fee. Think of it as your admission ticket – it covers getting your systems talking to each other, warehouse tours, and showing your team the ropes. When your stuff arrives at the warehouse, you’ll pay receiving fees. Some places charge by the hour to unload and count everything, while others slap on a flat rate per delivery or SKU.

Monthly Expenses

Storage isn’t complicated – you pay for the space your products take up. Whether it’s by square footage or pallet, it’s pretty straight forward. The real work happens in fulfillment – picking products, boxing them up, slapping on labels, and getting orders out the door. Costs here bounce around based on how fancy you want to get with packaging and inserts.

Hidden Benefits

Here’s a bright spot – shipping rates. 3PLs move so much product that carriers give them sweet deals, and those savings land in your lap. Trust me, it’s way better than trying to negotiate rates on your own.

The Trade-offs

Control Freak Alert: We won’t sugarcoat it – handing over your daily operations takes guts. You’re trusting someone else with your baby, and that’s not easy.

Communication Is Key: When expectations don’t line up, things can get messy fast. It’s like any relationship – you need clear communication to make it work.

Tech Talk: Getting your systems to play nice with the 3PL’s software can be a headache. It’s not just plug-and-play – there’s real work involved.

Your Name on the Line: Remember, if your 3PL messes up, it’s your brand that takes the hit. Choose wisely.

The Role of 3PL in Addressing Cons

3pl cons


A personalized Approach

In contrast to FBA, which has tight packaging rules, 3PLs allow for more customization and branding. Sellers have the ability to create custom packaging that reflects their brand image.

This includes customized labels, tape with their brand on it, and more. In comparison to FBA’s generic packaging, 3PLs give sellers significantly greater control over the unboxing process.

3PL companies tend to have more of a caring hand when it comes to servicing your goods. Amazon is a monolith of a company, and rightfully so, yet when you work with Amazon it’s still mainly about their way. Working with a 3PL like Tactical Logistics, tends to lead to a more caring personal touch to your brand. Protecting it, and ensuring your brand grows for you.

Compared to FBA, 3PLs can provide competitive fulfillment rates. Though FBA has economies of scale,  3PL pricing is very competitive. On top of that, sellers with 3PLs receive separate warehouse space as opposed to mixed inventory at Amazon. Last but not least, adopting a 3PL gives you more control over handling returns, doing quality control checks, and controlling the entire client experience. While FBA makes customer support and returns simple, some sellers might want more control over these procedures.
In conclusion, merchants can manage expenses, keep an eye on inventory, personalize branding, and continue to have oversight of the post-purchase experience thanks to the flexibility and control 3PLs offer.

Our Ending Note

3pl fba


Many sellers may find it profitable to combine the benefits of 3PL and FBA when deciding on how to handle order fulfillment. Third-party logistics ( 3PL ) companies offer specific expertise in shipping, warehousing, and supply chain management as a whole. They are able to offer quick shipping options, around-the-globe fulfillment, and optimization of the entire fulfillment process thanks to their infrastructure and specialization in logistics. However, FBA gives businesses immediate access to Amazon’s substantial customer base and Prime subscribers. The ease of use of FBA, combined with Amazon’s brand power, can significantly increase sales and exposure. Using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) can be beneficial if you have fast-moving products and use Amazon as part of a broader sales strategy. On the other hand, if you require more flexibility, control, and a superior level of customer service, opting for a third-party logistics provider (3PL) might be a more suitable choice.

The two fulfillment options are not, ultimately, mutually exclusive. As well as using a 3PL for more complex or customizable shipping requirements, sellers can use FBA for the sales volume and visibility it offers. For instance, brand-focused sellers can rely on Amazon for their primary fulfillment while using 3PL for specialized packaging and inserts. Others might use 3PL to handle slower-moving inventory while using FBA for items that sell more quickly. The particular needs and objectives of each seller’s business will determine the best balance to strike. With a little work, the strengths of both FBA and 3PL can work in harmony to advance a seller’s online store.

Looking for a dedicated Amazon 3PL Company that has a full in-house team with one point of contact? We have all of your Amazon 3PL or eCommerce needs in one place here at Tactical Logistic Solutions

Tactical Logistic Solutions

A simple solution to all of your 3PL, retail, or e-commerce problems. US founded, globally streamlined. We have been in business for over 10 years now and would love to be able to help your business grow too!

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