How to switch 3PL without the downtime
Moving warehouses sounds risky, but with the right plan your customers won't notice a thing. Here's the step-by-step process, a checklist, and a planner that builds your dated timeline.
Is your 3PL holding you back?
Most brands put off switching longer than they should. If three or more of these sound familiar, it's worth getting a quote.
Mistakes you can't prove
Wrong items, missing items, and no way to check what actually went in the box.
Invoices you can't follow
Surprise charges, vague line items and fees that weren't in your quote.
Missed cut-offs
Orders that should have gone today going out tomorrow, especially at peak.
No one to talk to
Emails that take days to answer, or a new contact every month.
No route into Europe
EU customers paying import charges at the door because everything ships from the UK.
Stock that doesn't add up
System stock that never matches what's on the shelf.
Big move or phased move?
Big move
All your stock moves in one go, usually over a quiet weekend. Your old 3PL stops at an agreed cut-off, and we start shipping as soon as your stock is checked in.
- Simplest to manage, and one clean cut-over
- A short pause of one to three days while stock is in transit
- Best for smaller ranges and quieter months
Phased move
Your best sellers move first. We start shipping them while your old 3PL ships the rest, then the remaining stock follows.
- Orders keep shipping throughout
- A little more admin while two warehouses run side by side
- Best for bigger ranges and brands that can't pause
Build your switching timeline
Pick the date you want to go live with us, your current notice period and how you want to move. We'll work backwards to give you a dated plan.
Your move
What you'll need, and from whom
From your current 3PL
- A full stock report by SKU, with batch and expiry dates
- A list of open orders, back orders and pre-orders
- Returns still on their way back to the warehouse
- Pallet and carton counts, so transport can be booked
- Any packaging, inserts or marketing materials they hold for you
- The exact cut-off date and time for their last despatch
For your new 3PL
- Your product list with SKU codes, descriptions and pack sizes
- Product dimensions and weights (these drive courier costs)
- Packing rules: gift notes, inserts, fragile items, bundles
- Your courier and delivery options at checkout
- Who does what on returns, and your returns address
- Contacts for day-to-day questions and invoices
In your own systems
- Change the fulfilment location in your webshop at cut-over
- Update your returns address and returns portal
- Update the warehouse address given to suppliers
- Tell your customer service team what's changing and when
- Keep reordering paused to the old warehouse
- Check stock levels match after the move
Where switches go wrong
Moving in peak
Avoid November and December if you can. Aim to be settled in with your new 3PL by October.
Missing the notice period
Check your current contract first. Your notice period often decides your go-live date.
Skipping the stock count
Get a stock report from your old 3PL before the move and compare it with what arrives. Differences are much harder to chase later.
Guessing product dimensions
Wrong sizes mean wrong courier charges. Measure your products before they move.
Forgetting returns
Parcels coming back to the old address need a plan. Update your returns address on the day you switch.
Not testing the connection
Connect your store and test an order before go-live, so the first real orders flow straight through.
Switching 3PL, answered
How long does it take to switch 3PL?
Will my orders stop while I move?
Can you collect my stock from my current 3PL?
How quickly is my stock available after it arrives?
Do I need to change my webshop?
When is the best time of year to switch?
Thinking of switching?
Tell us your products, volumes and current setup and we'll send a transparent quote and a move plan, usually within one business day.