What Onboarding with a 3PL Should Look Like
- Jul 22, 2025
A successful 3PL onboarding experience is what lays the foundation for a long-term, strategic partnership. The fulfillment onboarding process is when systems are connected, workflows are tested, and clear lines of communication are set up. When done right, onboarding is a collaborative effort where both teams align on goals, define expectations, and establish systems that ensure accuracy, speed, and scalability. Look for a 3PL that can deliver a smooth and thoughtful onboarding experience, because it’s a strong signal that they’re equipped to support your growth well beyond the first shipment.
We know that outsourcing logistics to a 3PL for the first time or switching from one 3PL to another can feel overwhelming, which is why it’s important to choose the right fullfillment partner. When interviewing 3PLs, ask them to provide transition timelines and details about the transition support and hands-on guidance they offer to ensure a smooth and minimally disruptive move and onboarding process.
What Onboarding with a 3PL Should Look Like
G10’s Director of Fulfillment, Connor Perkins, shares his insights into what the onboarding process with a 3PL should look like:
“Onboarding should be a time where both teams strengthen the existing relationship and learn how to work cohesively to transition fulfillment responsibilities. In order to succeed, the onboarding process must be well thought out and guided by a detailed project plan to ensure key milestones are met by the expected delivery dates. During onboarding, the client’s online stores will be integrated with the 3PL system to sync orders and inventory and testing should be completed to ensure the integration is working correctly and that order data has been transmitted accurately.”
Key areas to focus on during onboarding:
1. Open communication. The 3PL team should keep open lines of communication to maintain a high level of customer service throughout the process. Communication also makes it easier to catch issues early and supports a smoother, more coordinated launch.
2. Product setup. There are several pieces of important information required to set up products during transition, including item data, barcode information, SDS sheets, inbound and outbound volume, and an understanding of the key stakeholders.
3. Packaging expectations. Clear guidelines around packaging help prevent errors, reduce damage in transit, and ensure the 3PL is able to meet retailer or marketplace requirements. This includes labeling, kitting, and branded packaging needs.
4. Shipping preferences. Preferred carriers, service levels, and cutoff times should be discussed during the onboarding process to ensure alignment of the 3PL’s operations with your shipping goals and the D2C customer experience.
5. Inventory management strategies. The 3PL should guide discussions about inventory management strategies such as reorder points, safety stock levels, cycle counts, and how real-time inventory visibility will be maintained.
3PL Onboarding Q & A
As a 3PL provider, these are the most common questions we receive about the onboarding process:
Q: How long does the onboarding process typically take?
A: Onboarding timelines will vary depending on the complexity of your operations, but most 3PLs aim to complete the process in 2 to 6 weeks. A detailed project plan is important for keeping everything on track.
Q: Will there be any downtime during the onboarding process?
A: Ideally, there is no or very minimal downtime (1-3 business days). A well-managed onboarding plan is designed to avoid disruption to your operations. Most 3PLs will coordinate closely with your team to create a smooth transition and maintain order fulfillment.
Q: What do we need to provide during onboarding?
A: You’ll typically need to share product data (like SKUs and barcodes), packaging requirements, shipping preferences, and access to your sales channels or order management system for integration.
Q: How will we know everything is working before we go live?
A: A good 3PL will run system tests to verify that all systems have been successfully integrated, orders are flowing correctly, inventory is synced, and shipping labels are printing accurately before your first live order. These tests help catch any issues before launch.
G10 is Committed to Getting the Onboarding Process Right
G10 works hard to ensure that our clients who are transitioning from handling logistics in-house or a different 3PL are supported through the entire transition process. We review each client’s specific needs and business complexities, set expectations, and create a strategy to track progress to ensure a smooth and timely transition.
We have received a lot of great feedback about the G10 onboarding process from our clients. Connor shared, “Clients appreciate our tested approach and detailed project plans. G10 provides an experienced, personable, and dedicated support team that is there to meet clients' needs during the transition. The level of customer service we provide is a major key to making this process smooth and enjoyable.”
Our team recently spoke with NORI Co-Founder & COO Annabel Love who described her onboarding experience with G10 Fulfillment as “super seamless.” G10 made the entire process easy and stress-free from efficient communication and team collaboration to a smooth Shopify WMS integration. She shared, “The onboarding experience was super seamless. Your team is very collaborative, very efficient, very organized, and I could tell that G10 was going to be very dedicated from the start. You helped us seamlessly integrate with Shopify WMS…it was a very easy onboarding process, which was great.”
If you’re looking for a trusted 3PL partner and you think G10 may be the right fit, contact us today to get the ball rolling. We are ready to discuss your needs and set you up for success from day one.
