The Hidden Physics of Onboarding with G10

Most brand owners approach a 3PL switch with the same grim suspicion you might reserve for a tupperware container with no label. There is promise, but also peril. Research shows that operators worry switching providers will tank their sales, inflate their costs, or trigger downtime that sends customers into detective mode wondering why their package is still sitting somewhere in the Midwest. These fears are valid, but they are also the exact reasons many companies stay too long in slow fulfillment arrangements that quietly kneecap their growth.

The Tempo of Transition

Research into the 3PL landscape shows onboarding timelines ranging from six weeks to six months, depending on internal bottlenecks and how many other clients a warehouse is juggling. Brands selling in both D2C and B2B channels often see even longer ramps because the margin for error is smaller, the requirements are stricter, and the software integration list reads like a wiring diagram.

G10 compresses that timeline. Director of Sales Matt Bradbury says, "We could onboard anyone typically between like two to three weeks from the first call to first shipments going out." CTO and COO Bryan Wright describes the structure behind that speed. "We assign a project team to it, decipher all of those details, and put a project plan together so that we both know what the plan is, what they have to get done, what we have to get done." When expectations are defined clearly at the start, time stops being a mystery and becomes a schedule.

What You Pay to Change Your Supply Chain

Research consistently shows that pricing transparency is one of the biggest concerns when brands evaluate a new 3PL. Many have lived through the sinking feeling of an invoice that quietly contradicts every number they were promised during the sales pitch.

G10 does not play that game. Director of Fulfillment Connor Perkins says, "We do our best to minimize setup fees, and a big part of how we keep costs down is through simplicity of process." He also notes that costs stay contained because "we do it all in house" instead of outsourcing integrations to external vendors that charge by the hour. In a market where onboarding costs can spike unpredictably, predictability becomes an advantage.

Knowing When the Switch Should Happen

Research shows that operators search for signs indicating the right moment to switch 3PLs. Some wait until after peak, others wait for slower seasons, and many wait until something goes wrong. The problem is that waiting rarely improves conditions.

VP of Customer Experience Joel Malmquist hears this often. "Unless you're an enterprise merchant, you really didn't get that attention at a big box operation that we give here at G10." The timing becomes less about finding a perfect moment on the calendar and more about recognizing that the cost of staying outweighs the cost of moving. Malmquist describes the support during the transition simply. "It's that simple. You only have to worry about reaching out to one person." That single point of human contact turns a risky leap into a controlled handoff.

The Dollars and Sense of Moving Day

A move forces founders to examine the hidden math of their supply chain. Freight to relocate inventory, potential slowdowns, and the soft but expensive cost of inaccurate stock all factor into the decision. Research shows that a surprising amount of lost margin in ecommerce comes from mis picks, misplaced product, and slow receiving.

Perkins sees this pattern regularly. "One of the pain points our clients have experienced with previous 3PLs is inventory accuracy... maybe their previous 3PL wasn't great at picking the orders accurately." Better accuracy reduces the need for safety stock and restores confidence in the numbers driving your forecasting.

Wright illustrates what real transparency looks like. "At any point in time, I know that Bobby has this product on fork 10 right now." When you can track every step, you stop operating in the dark and start recovering the margins that sloppy handling once burned away.

Sales Momentum in the Middle of a Move

A major concern surfaced in research is whether switching 3PLs will cause a dip in sales. Ecommerce momentum is fragile, and a few bad days can echo for weeks.

Bradbury explains how G10 approaches this. "We have a director of onboarding... he'll make sure everything is going smooth and only pass off to the account management team when it's ready." The continuity is intentional. Malmquist reinforces it. "Because you have one person you call stateside, things are going to get done."

The operational performance strengthens the story. Malmquist says, "We have over 99.9 percent ship accuracy... I almost couldn't believe it when I came here." When accuracy climbs and the shipping clock tightens, many brands see their performance stabilize or even improve immediately after onboarding.

Downtime That Avoids the Downside

Good onboarding lives or dies on receiving and integration. Research shows that many warehouses take longer than they promise to get product scanned in. This delay drives stockouts, lost sales, and ugly emails from customers.

G10's SLAs are straightforward. Malmquist says, "For receiving, the SLA is three days... and for D2C, if it's before noon, we're going to ship that order the same day." Bradbury reiterates the typical ramp. "Two to three weeks... from the first call to first shipments." With clear targets and the ability to execute quickly, downtime shrinks instead of expanding into chaos.

Where G10 Stands in This Landscape

Research shows that mid market ecommerce operators want something specific. They want accuracy, visibility, adaptability, and a real human being who knows their business. They do not want ticket queues, offshore responses, rigid software, or a warehouse that cannot keep up.

Perkins gets right to the heart of it. "You want everything to be scanned in the warehouse, nothing done on paper... having a 3PL and WMS that is 100 percent scan based is crucial."

Malmquist explains the human advantage. "Every single account at G10 has a direct point of contact... that is unique."

Bradbury highlights how it all comes together. "We could onboard anyone typically between like two to three weeks."

And Wright captures the technical edge. "We can make that change extremely quickly because we have our own development staff."

For growing brands, this combination of precision, responsiveness, and speed reshapes what onboarding can look like.

A Next Step Worth Taking

If onboarding has felt like stepping into a cold lake, you deserve a better experience. G10 turns the process into a guided transition driven by people who know your channels, your technology, and your goals. If you are ready for a clearer, faster path into your next stage of growth, connect with G10 today and see what a steady takeoff feels like.