Establish the baseline
Build an order sample with SKU count, units per order, parcel dimensions, destinations, and normal and peak volumes. Record which sales channels need fulfillment. That baseline lets you compare proposals for the same work.
Model the tradeoffs
Ask each provider which warehouses would hold your stock. Assess delivery coverage alongside replenishment, split shipments, inventory duplication, and account minimums. Request a written explanation of the assumptions behind the proposed setup.
Build a brief someone else can use
Write a one-page description of the products, order patterns, channels, destinations, and timing the provider would need to support. Attach a representative order file and list the questions that would rule a candidate out. Keep your must-haves separate from preferences. If a team member could not use the brief to explain what you need, simplify it before sending it to providers.
Review the operating tradeoff
Compare the effect on cost, inventory, and service scope together. Record the assumptions that would change the decision, not just the option that currently looks attractive. Ask for a baseline and one alternative so the consequences of the choice remain visible. A useful business case can be revisited when demand, product mix, or warehouse requirements change.
Use this question in your next meeting:
Which requirements are mandatory, and which can change if the tradeoff is worthwhile?
Go deeper: How to compare 3PL quotes for a growing CPG brand. The companion article includes an editable worksheet and links to provider profiles.
Further reading
Shopify: inventory states. Reference for the distinction between available, committed, and other inventory states.