How to Choose a 3PL Fulfilment Company in the UK

How to Choose a 3PL Fulfilment Company for Your Business Needs

Handing your stock and your customer experience to someone else is a big decision, and it’s normal to feel nervous about it. You’ve worked hard to build your brand, and one wrong parcel can undo a lot of goodwill. 

At Complete Packaging, we look after warehousing, stock control, picking, packing and delivery in-house, so we know what small and mid-sized businesses want to ask before they commit. Here’s how to choose a 3PL fulfilment company in the UK with confidence.

Start With Where Your Business Is Heading

The best fulfilment companies in the UK are the ones that suit where you’re going, not just where you are today. You might be packing orders yourself and losing your evenings to it, or your small team might be stretched as sales grow. A good partner should take the pressure off now and still fit when your order volumes double. Our warehousing is flexible and scalable, so you won’t need to switch provider just because your business is doing well.

What to Look For in a UK Fulfilment Company

Accuracy You Can Rely On

Every wrong or late order is a customer who might not come back. Ask any provider for their pick accuracy rate and how they keep it high. Ours is 99.9%, and that’s the level of precision we think you should expect.

Clear Sight of Your Stock

You shouldn’t have to send an email to find out how many units you have left. We use barcode scanners to book in and track stock control in real time, with remote access to your stock information whenever you need it.

A Real Person Who Knows Your Business

When something needs sorting, you want a name, not a ticket number. Every customer works with a dedicated account manager, rather than a chatbot or ticketing system.

Software That Works With Your Sales Channels

Your fulfilment partner should fit around the way you already sell. Our order fulfilment and warehouse management software connects with platforms like Shopify, Amazon and WooCommerce, so Shopify and ecommerce fulfilment orders reach us automatically.

Pricing You Can Plan Around

Unexpected charges make it hard to budget, so always ask exactly what a quote includes. Our fulfilment pricing is tailored to your business, transparent and has no hidden costs.

Questions to Ask a 3PL Logistics Provider Before You Sign

A good provider will be happy to answer these:

• How do you handle returns from my customers?
• What happens when orders suddenly spike?
• Who will I speak to when something goes wrong?
• Can I see the warehouse before I decide?
• What exactly does my quote include?

Good third party logistics services should cover more than shipping parcels. 3PL warehousing should be part of the package, with secure warehousing and storage, returns management and stock control all under one roof. We offer pallet racking for over 1,200 pallets, plus national, international, same-day and next-day delivery options.

Choosing a Partner That Fits Your Size

Smaller brands often worry about being overlooked by a large operation, while mid-sized businesses worry about outgrowing their provider. Both are fair concerns to raise with any 3PL company. If you’re comparing mid-sized 3PL providers in the UK, ask how they’ll keep service personal as your volumes grow. We work with businesses of all sizes, and if you’re just starting out, our fulfilment for startups service includes free business mentoring.

Why Choose Complete Packaging for Your Packaging Needs?

• Over 25 years of packaging and fulfilment experience
• 99.9% pick accuracy
• Warehousing, stock control, picking, packing and delivery all handled in-house
• A dedicated account manager for your business
• Real-time stock control and our own order fulfilment software
• FHDDS compliance, so you know we meet the right regulatory standards
• A no-obligation operations survey, so you can see where your money goes before committing

Talk to Complete Packaging About Your 3PL Fulfilment

Choosing the right 3PL fulfilment company is easier when you can speak to the people who will look after your stock. Tell us about your business and we’ll talk you through how our fulfilment service could work for you, with a no-obligation operations survey if you’d like to see where your money goes first.

Contact our UK fulfilment centre today, call us on 01491 832222 or email sam@completepackaging.co.uk.

FAQs about 3PL Fulfilment

Can a fulfilment company store my stock as well as ship my orders?

Yes, we do both under one roof. We can receive your stock from anywhere in the world and store it securely, with real-time tracking, until it’s needed for an order.

Can I visit the fulfilment centre before I decide?

Yes, we’d love to show you around. Meeting the team and seeing the operation first-hand is the best way to judge whether we’re the right fit, so visit us anytime.

Can a fulfilment company cope with seasonal peaks?

Yes, ours can. Our warehousing solutions adapt to seasonal changes and growth, and we offer fulfilment support for busy periods such as Black Friday and Christmas.