Independent 3PL selection advisory

Pick the right EU fulfilment partner the first time.

We help ecommerce brands choose an EU 3PL and skip the expensive trial and error. We talk to the vendors, check they will actually handle your products, and pin down what they really cost. You get a shortlist you can act on.

Book a call See how it works

Independent. We are paid by you, never by the vendors.

3PLpick evaluation project #0427

Vendor	Region	Fit	Status
Vendor A	Benelux	92	Recommended
Vendor B	DACH	84	Shortlisted
Vendor C	Iberia	76	Shortlisted
Vendor D	Nordics	61	Passed

Storage, per pallet a month€18.00

Pick and pack, per order€1.85

Postage, average EU parcel€4.20

Labelling, per unit€0.12

Setup, one off€450

Real cost per order≈ €6.40

Example figures, worked out at 1,200 orders a month so you are comparing like for like.

woocommerce-3pl.sync.json

// order import and tracking writeback
{
  "trigger": "order.paid",
  "import": "woocommerce.rest_api",
  "rules": { "status": "processing", "partial": true },
  "writeback": {
    "tracking": "to wc.order.note",
    "inventory": "sync every "15m
  }
}

Works with the tools you already run

WooCommerceShopifyWordPressShipStationMakeZapierREST API

DHLDPDGLSPostNLRoyal MailColissimoUPS

Finding vendors

We find the vendors worth talking to.

We go through the EU fulfilment market, contact the providers that look like a fit, and check each one against what you actually need. By the time you see a name on the list, it has already been through the wringer.

We compare 15 or more EU providers against your brief
We email and call vendors directly, not just fill in web forms
We confirm they will take your products before you waste time onboarding

Longlist of every credible EU 3PL42

Contacted and qualified18

Right category and integration7

Shortlist you can sign3

Checking the costs

One number you can actually compare.

Every vendor quotes differently. Storage by the pallet, picking by the order, postage by the parcel, plus setup fees and minimums buried in the footnotes. We turn all of it into one cost per order, so the cheapest sticker price cannot fool you.

We work out your real cost per order at your volume
Setup fees, minimums and surcharges out in the open
Cheap to start, with room to grow into thousands of orders

Cost line	Vendor A	Vendor B
Storage, per pallet	€18.00	€14.50
Pick and pack	€1.85	€2.40
Postage, average	€4.20	€4.05
Monthly minimum	€350	€600
Cost per order	€6.40	€7.15

Example figures. The real ones come from your own quotes.

How we work

We treat it like the procurement project it is.

Scope

We pin down your products, your volumes, where you ship, and how it all needs to connect.

Longlist

We list every EU 3PL that could fit, not just the ones with the biggest ad budgets.

Validate

We get in touch, confirm they will take your products, and ask the awkward money questions.

Recommend

You get a clear comparison and our top three, each with a sensible next step.

Making it connect

We check it plugs into your store before you sign.

A great warehouse is useless if it cannot talk to WooCommerce. So we check how each vendor pulls in orders, pushes tracking back, and keeps stock levels in sync, whether that runs through a direct plugin, ShipStation, an API, CSV files, or a tool like Make. Then we map who sets it up and how long it takes.

Order import, tracking and stock sync, all checked
Only ships once payment clears, and handles partial orders
Who sets it up, what it costs, and how long it takes

integration-check.log

# vendor A, woocommerce path
order_import:     rest_api   // realtime
tracking_sync:    order.note // writes back ok
inventory_sync:   scheduled  // every 15m
ships_when:       paid       // payment confirmed only
partial_orders:   true
setup_owner:      3pl + middleware
live_in:          10 to 14 days

How we score

Every vendor gets the same scorecard.

Same scorecard for everyone, weighted to what matters for your brand. No favourites.

Criterion	What we check	Weight
Product and SDS fit	Will they take your category and read the paperwork?	20%
EU coverage and carriers	Where they warehouse, where they ship, who they ship with.	15%
WooCommerce integration	Can they pull orders and push tracking and stock back?	20%
Honest pricing	A real cost per order, with no surprises later.	20%
Room to grow	Low minimums now, headroom for thousands of orders.	15%
Onboarding and SLAs	How long to go live, and what they promise on accuracy.	10%

12 to 20vendors we contact and qualify

20+things we score them on

3partners ready to onboard

EU-widecoverage and carriers

Sectors

Made for the products other 3PLs turn away.

If your first question to a warehouse is "will you even take this?", we get it. We sort out category fit and the compliance paperwork up front, so nobody pulls out after you have already moved your stock.

Research and lab supplies

Non-hazardous, research use only.

Cosmetics

Labelling and CPNP aware.

Nutraceuticals

Batch and expiry handled.

Supplements

Lot tracking and FEFO picking.

Scientific products

Vendors who are fine with the paperwork.

Non-hazardous chemicals

SDS reviewed, stored properly.

Medical-adjacent

Clean handling, full traceability.

Semi-regulated DTC

The stuff most 3PLs avoid.

"Most 3PL directories are just paid ads. We don't take a penny from the vendors. The only person paying us is you, so the only thing we care about is finding you the right one."

That is the whole point of hiring someone independent.

FAQ

Questions, answered plainly.

Do you take commission from the 3PLs?

No, and we never will. You pay us, the vendors don't. That is what keeps the shortlist honest. If a 3PL was slipping us a referral fee, you couldn't trust a word of our recommendation.

Which products do you cover?

Regulated and semi-regulated ecommerce: research and lab supplies, cosmetics, nutraceuticals, supplements, non-hazardous chemicals, and medical-adjacent goods. We sort out category fit and SDS review before anyone signs anything.

How long does it take?

Usually two to four weeks from kickoff to a scored top three. It mostly depends on how fast the vendors reply. You will see the longlist and the outreach as it happens, not just a report at the end.

Do you handle the technical setup too?

We check the integration path and map out the onboarding before you commit, across WooCommerce, Shopify, ShipStation, API, CSV, or a middleware tool. If you want hands-on help wiring it up, we can scope that separately.

What do I get at the end?

A longlist of who we looked at, a summary of who said what, a scored comparison table, and our top three with a clear next step for each.

Get in touch

Looking for an EU fulfilment partner?

Tell us what you sell, roughly how many orders you ship, and what you are running on. We will take it from there.

Based in the EU. We usually reply within a day.