The decision in brief
- Group a representative order sample by destination and parcel characteristics.
- Splitting inventory introduces decisions about where each item lives, how much stock to hold, and when to rebalance it.
- Consider an illustrative basket containing two products stocked in different locations.
- Destination and basket analysis
- SKU placement plan
- Split-order rules
- Replenishment and transfer costs
Map demand before drawing a network
Group a representative order sample by destination and parcel characteristics. Include the products that travel together, not just total order volume. A map of customers is useful, but it does not show whether enough stock can sit near those customers. Ask a proposed 3PL to show the location plan it would recommend for your actual order file and to state the assumptions behind that plan.
Follow each SKU through replenishment
Splitting inventory introduces decisions about where each item lives, how much stock to hold, and when to rebalance it. Slow-moving products may behave differently from high-volume essentials. Build a simple SKU-by-location view and identify the items likely to run short at one site while remaining available at another. Ask who makes transfer decisions and how the associated labor and freight would be quoted.
Model the awkward order
Consider an illustrative basket containing two products stocked in different locations. Would the order split, wait, or route to a single site? Establish who owns that choice and how the customer sees the result. Compare shipping, handling, packaging, and customer-service consequences together. A shorter distance for one parcel is not a complete answer if the same order creates two shipments.
Agree on a decision threshold
Ask for a one-location and a two-location proposal using the same demand sample. Document stock requirements, receiving charges, transfer work, and service expectations in both. Decide which measurable improvement would justify the added complexity. Revisit the plan as the product range or destination mix changes; do not assume a network design remains suitable indefinitely.
Put the guide to work
Use the downloadable worksheet to record your requirements, the evidence you receive, and the next action. The rows below are prompts for your own evaluation; they contain no provider scores or claimed results.
| Discussion item | Record before deciding |
|---|---|
| Destination and basket analysis | Your requirement and the proposed approach |
| SKU placement plan | Supporting document, example, or calculation |
| Split-order rules | Remaining question and the person responsible |
| Replenishment and transfer costs | Decision, review date, and next step |
Download the editable worksheet (CSV)
Opens in Excel, Numbers, or Google Sheets. Fill in your own information; downloading does not submit a request.
Continue your research
Use these profiles to prepare provider-specific questions: ShipBob · LVK · Tondo Fulfillment. Inclusion here is a reading suggestion, not a scored recommendation. Category selections are explained on the relevant category pages.
Research scope and provider sources
This is original buying guidance, not an account of a facility visit or a customer interview. Examples are hypothetical. Provider sources support their published service descriptions; confirm the proposed account scope directly.
THE DECISION BRIEF
CHANNEL STRATEGY