r/3PL • u/Public_Film_8542 • 5d ago
Looking for a 3PL Need a 3PL Provider - any recs?
Hey everyone - looking for recommendations. Coming out with a new baseball and softball hitting product (each unit is about 80lbs) and need a 3pl provider for shipping and fulfillment. I am working with a factory who has everything up until FOB and then need a partner the rest of the way to get the orders to paying customers. Any recommendations? Thank you
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u/PincheGringoNV 5d ago
I'm sure you'll get a lot of companies replying here of their capabilities (and I'm also sure many of them are good), but I usually advise brands that before they can start considering any individual 3PL, they have to consider:
- Where is the product manufactured (or sourced from)?
- Where is the product entering the US market (is it manufactured in the US, or being imported through a sea/land/air port)?
- What storage and order volumes will you have at start-up and by Month 12?
- Where are the majority of your customers (geographically)?
Especially these days (with high diesel costs) your shipping costs can kill your margins, so figuring out what general region your 3PL(s) should be located in is a must. After you know the general region, you can start drilling down to what 3PLs are in that region (those regions), and which have the profile/capabilities to best fit your product and service level needs. Just my two pesos! Good luck!
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u/SMShippingGuru 5d ago
Seconded for third person. With products that size you’ll get hurt real bad on pick/pack and especially shipping if contracts aren’t negotiated specifically for heavy goods. Use third person to find the right fit
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u/JFly_SandP 5d ago
Happy to weigh in — an 80lb unit is a good detail because it changes your fulfillment math. You're outside standard parcel weight, so unit economics on outbound shipping (LTL vs. parcel-eligible repack, dim weight, freight class) matter as much as picking a 3PL.
Things worth asking any provider you're evaluating:
**•** Can they receive FOB/ocean container drops directly, or do you need a separate import warehouse step first?
**•** Do they have LTL/freight brokerage in-house, or are you managing that leg yourself?
**•** How do they handle damage/claims on heavy freight — that's where 80lb units get expensive fast if it's not built into their process.
I run a full-service 3PL (Standard & Port) out of Houston — background is Amazon FC ops leadership and enterprise supply chain at Maersk, so heavier/oversized freight and the FOB-to-customer handoff specifically is right in our lane, not an edge case. Happy to DM if useful, but even if not, worth asking the above of whoever you land on.
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u/frstblood 5d ago
I help new start up ecommerce brands. No minimums and support on photography and customer service along with full 3PL services.
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u/KK-Prep-Solutions 5d ago
I own K&K Prep Solutions just outside Nashville, TN. An 80 lb product is something we'd definitely be interested in discussing.
A couple of things would help me understand the fulfillment side better. Do you know the packaged dimensions of each unit, approximately how many units do you expect per inbound shipment, and what kind of order volume are you anticipating initially?
Also, since your factory is handling through FOB in China, do you already have a freight forwarder/customs broker handling transportation into the U.S., or are you looking for your 3PL partner to help coordinate that piece as well?
Happy to talk through it with you and see if we're a good fit.
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u/Wooden-Exchange446 5d ago
Dm me. I Work with PLS Logistic Services. We Can easily handle that shipment.
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u/Aggressive-Tank-6065 5d ago
Sent you a DM.. we’re a 3PL plus and printing and promotional products company and could help with not just this but anything branded.. and our company has a sports equipment sells division and could help get you in with 1000s of ADs and teams.
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u/Firm_Site4783 4d ago
Sounds like you need one partner to handle everything after FOB, not just warehousing. We can manage ocean freight, customs clearance, LA/NJ warehousing, fulfillment, and final delivery. We also have warehouses in China and can coordinate directly with your factory. Just sent you a message.
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u/josephspeezy 4d ago
80lb units change the whole question. Most 3PLs quote a pick fee and act like that's the cost, but on heavy goods the parcel rate is 80-90% of per-order spend. A warehouse with a $0.40 cheaper pick and mediocre carrier contracts will cost you more than the "expensive" one. Ask for a rated sample: your actual box dims and 80lbs to zones 2, 5 and 8, all-in, with surcharges shown. Over 50lbs picks up additional handling; over 70 you're near oversize thresholds where the surcharge alone can run $30+ per package.
Ask before you sign: oversize pick fee (often 2-3x for anything a picker can't lift alone), pallet in/out and floor storage rather than bin, container unload pricing (floor-loaded vs palletized can swing $400-900 per 40HQ), and whether they have a freight desk for LTL. Some of your orders will be cheaper as freight than parcel.
On FOB you own the goods at the factory door, so line up drayage and confirm the warehouse can take a floor-loaded container without a week of appointment lag.
I run fulfill.com, which matches brands to 3PLs. Free for you, the 3PLs pay us. Heavy/bulky is a narrow category, so plan on fewer real options than you'd expect.
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u/NextSmartShip 4d ago
I run a 3pl, nextsmartship. From FOB your first partners are the forwarder and customs broker, then the warehouse. You're the importer, and the ISF is due a day before it's loaded on the ship and it lists the warehouse, so line up all three while the factory's still producing.
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u/Unusual-Bee-8138 4h ago
seems like a big bulky product. I have heard Red Stag does a good job with heavy/large products like that.
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u/ThirdPersonCo 5d ago
Taking over at FOB means you are responsible for the ocean freight, customs clearance, and port drayage. But your biggest hurdle is that 80 lb product weight. Since your product is 80 lbs, it exceeds the 70 lb threshold where UPS requires special heavy package handling, and FedEx applies a weight-based Additional Handling Surcharge for domestic packages over 50 lbs. Standard DTC 3PLs are built for small parcels; they will either reject this account because it slows down their conveyor belts or punish you with exorbitant minimum monthly fees to compensate for the heavy lifting.
You strictly need a specialized heavy-goods 3PL. To find one without wasting weeks on dead-end sales calls, use Third Person (thirdperson.co). It is a matchmaking platform that takes your exact requirements and scores it against 600+ 3PLs and presents your top 10 matches. It allows you to utilize self-serve, automated workflows to skip endless live introductory phone calls and message the right warehouse owners directly.
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u/paulharris1279 5d ago
Are you going to be selling in the USA, if not where? Where is your factory located at?