Maya started her kitchen tool brand in a spare room. Packing orders felt fun at first. Then sales grew. Boxes took over the garage. Weekends turned into tape-and-label marathons. One Monday, a customer asked where their order was, and Maya had no good answer.
Sound familiar? Many growing brands hit this wall. The fix is often a third party logistics company. This guide explains what that means, how it works, and when it makes sense to hire one.
What is a third party logistics company?
A third party logistics company, often called a 3PL, stores, packs, and ships products for other businesses.
Why “third party”? You are the first party. Your customer is the second. The 3PL is an outside expert that sits in the middle and handles the physical work.
A 3PL can take care of:
- Storing your products in a warehouse
- Picking and packing customer orders
- Shipping orders by truck or parcel carrier
- Moving containers from the port
- Tracking inventory so you always know what you have
How does a 3PL work day to day?
The process is simpler than it sounds.
- Your products arrive at the 3PL warehouse.
- The team counts them and adds them to inventory software.
- A customer places an order on your store or a retailer sends a purchase order.
- The order flows into the 3PL’s system. Staff pick the items, pack them, and hand them to a carrier.
- You see tracking and inventory updates in your own dashboard.
You keep selling. The 3PL handles everything after the click.
Why use a 3PL instead of doing it yourself?
Doing it yourself works at small volume. Over time, it gets costly in money and in attention.
A 3PL helps you:
- Save time. Your team can focus on product and sales, not tape guns.
- Grow without a new building. More orders do not mean more rent on your side.
- Avoid costly mistakes. Trained teams and good systems keep errors low.
- Ship faster. Warehouses near ports and major highways shorten delivery times.
- Meet retailer rules. Big retailers have strict shipping guides. Missing them can lead to chargebacks, which are fines taken from your payment.
In-house or outsourced: how do they compare?
| Do it yourself | Use a 3PL | |
|---|---|---|
| Space | Your garage or rented unit | Large, professional warehouse |
| Staff | You or your small team | Trained warehouse team |
| Growth | Hard to scale fast | Capacity grows with you |
| Retailer rules | Learned the hard way | Built into daily process |
| Your time | Spent on packing | Spent on your business |
What should you look for in a 3PL?
Not every 3PL fits every brand. Ask these questions:
- How long have they operated? Experience shows. Bee Imagine has been in business since 2012.
- How big are they? Space matters when you grow. Bee Imagine runs over 500,000 square feet.
- Do clients stay? Long relationships are a good sign. Some of our clients have stayed for four years or more.
- Can they connect to your tools? Look for easy links to your store and software. See our WMS and integrations.
- Where are they? Check the locations to see if they are close to your shipping routes.
How does Bee Imagine help?
Bee Imagine is a 3PL based in Southern California. We offer DTC and B2B fulfillment, Foreign Trade Zone warehousing, and drayage from the Port of Long Beach. If your needs are unusual, our custom solutions are built around your process.
Our quality average is 99%, and we measure it. You can learn more about our team and what drives us.
FAQ
What does a 3PL cost? Pricing depends on storage space, order volume, and extra services. A good 3PL gives you a clear quote before you start.
Do I lose control of my inventory? No. You still own your products. You can see stock levels and orders through reporting tools.
Is a 3PL only for big companies? No. Many small brands use one to avoid packing orders themselves.
How do I get started? Share your product types, order volume, and sales channels. The 3PL then suggests a plan.
Ready to stop packing boxes? Tell us about your products and orders. We will show you what a simple handoff looks like. Talk to Bee Imagine
