3PL

Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers are external companies that offer logistics services such as warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, shipping, and returns handling.

For Amazon sellers - especially those using FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant) - a 3PL can act as an essential backend partner to manage operations at scale without needing to own a warehouse.

Many 3PLs also integrate directly with Amazon, syncing orders and inventory in real time. This lets sellers:

• Store products outside of Amazon's fulfillment centers
• Save on FBA fees or long-term storage
• Customize packaging or kitting
• Handle multi-channel fulfillment (Amazon + Shopify, eBay, etc.)

Sellers using 3PLs must meet Amazon’s shipping performance metrics if fulfilling FBM orders. Unlike FBA, where Amazon handles everything, you (or your 3PL) are responsible for fast and reliable shipping.

This model is especially common for:

• Oversized or restricted items not ideal for FBA
• Brands wanting full control over packaging and branding
• Sellers avoiding Amazon’s increasing FBA storage fees