Apparel 3PL Checklist

People and support (questions 1 to 3)

Every warehouse has problems. What separates them is how fast a problem gets fixed. That depends on who you reach and whether they can see the problem. Ask where the account manager works, how requests are acknowledged, and whether support is outsourced.

Inventory and receiving (questions 4 to 6)

Apparel accuracy is decided before the first order. Ask how sizes and colors are slotted, how fast inbound is received, and what happens when a carton does not match the paperwork. A warehouse that mixes sizes in one bin will ship wrong sizes.

Picking, packing and shipping (questions 7 to 9)

Ask whether every pick is scanned, what the same-day cutoff is, and whether they will follow your packing instructions. For apparel, the packing instructions are part of the brand: folding, bags, stickers, inserts.

Returns (questions 10 to 12)

Apparel returns are constant. Ask how fast they are processed, whether you get return reasons by SKU, and whether the warehouse works with your returns app.

Drops, bundles and wholesale (questions 13 to 15)

Ask how the warehouse prepares for a drop, whether bundles can be built ahead, and whether it can ship wholesale orders to retailers from the same inventory.

Money and terms (questions 16 to 20)

Ask how storage is billed, how often you are invoiced, whether there is a minimum or a long-term contract, how shipping is billed, and how long onboarding takes.

Score each answer from 0 to 2. Zero means vague, missing or only verbal. One means clear but not shown. Two means clear, in writing, and shown to you on a visit or in a report.

Weight the people and returns groups more heavily if your brand runs drops. A low score on support costs more during a launch than a slightly higher pick fee costs all year.

• Nobody can tell you where your account manager works.
• Support is a ticket form with no named person.
• Sizes are stored together in mixed bins "to save space".
• Picks are not scanned, or only some are.
• Returns are processed "when we can get to them".
• No sample invoice, or a price list with blanks.
• A monthly minimum that is hard to get stated plainly.
• A long contract with a costly exit.
• No plan for drops beyond "we can handle it".

For a broader list, see modern 3PL red flags and what to ask a 3PL before trusting it.

Ask to visit. A warehouse that welcomes you is a good sign. Bring this list and look for these things while you are there.

1. Walk receiving. Ask to see how a factory carton is checked against an advance shipping notice.
2. Look at apparel storage. Are sizes and colors in separate, labeled locations?
3. Watch a pick. Is every unit scanned?
4. Watch a pack. Ask to see packing instructions for another apparel brand.
5. Walk returns. How long have the items in the returns area been waiting?
6. Meet the person who would be your account manager, where they work.
7. Ask what they would need from you before your next drop.

We welcome visits to Anaheim. Teddy Fresh, the Los Angeles streetwear brand, ships from our Anaheim warehouse.

Once the integration is connected, place test orders that stress the parts of apparel fulfillment where mistakes happen. Do this with any warehouse you are considering.

Look at what arrives, not just the tracking. Is it folded and packed the way you asked? Did the right sizes ship?

For an apparel brand, the dashboard is where you find out which sizes are running low, which returns came back, and which inbound shipments were short. Ask every warehouse to show you its portal with a real apparel account, not a demo screen.

• Can I see inventory by variant, size by size and color by color?
• Does inventory sync with my store, and how often?
• Are receiving discrepancies shown with photos?
• Can I see returns by style, size and reason?
• What reports arrive every week without my asking?
• Who explains the numbers when something looks wrong?

At OC3PL you see live inventory by SKU in your dashboard, receiving discrepancies are logged in your portal with a photo of every SKU, and your account manager sends weekly performance reporting covering service levels, shipping costs and inventory status. Returns come with monthly summaries by SKU and reason. See real-time SKU reporting.

Ask each warehouse for references from apparel brands near your size. When you call, skip the general questions and ask about the moments that test a warehouse.

• Tell me about the last time something went wrong. Who did you talk to, and how long did the fix take?
• How did your last drop or promotion go?
• How long do returns take to show back in stock?
• Have wrong sizes or colors been a problem?
• Has your invoice ever surprised you?
• Would you choose the same warehouse again?

Listen for specifics. A reference who can name their account manager and describe a real problem being fixed is worth more than one who says everything is great.

A warehouse can only answer well if it knows what you need. Before you start, write down your own answers to these.

Brands that come to the conversation with these numbers get better quotes and better answers. See the apparel 3PL RFP template.

For streetwear and creator brands

• How far ahead do you need a drop forecast, and what happens if it sells faster?
• Can bundles and gift-with-purchase items be built before launch?
• How do you handle orders that need to be canceled or held after a drop?
• Can you pack branded mailers, stickers and inserts on every order during a spike?

For surf brands

• Can you ship to surf shops and retailers from the same inventory as DTC orders?
• How does storage change between the summer peak and the off-season?
• How are wholesale purchase orders routed, labeled and palletized?
• Can you store and ship larger items, such as boards or bulky hardgoods? Yes. Send dimensions and volumes so storage and shipping are planned before they arrive.

See streetwear fulfillment for LA brands and surf brand fulfillment.

Ask for the answers that matter to be written into your agreement or service terms. That usually includes order accuracy, receiving turnaround, the shipping cutoff, inventory accuracy, returns processing time, and what happens when a target is missed.

Ask how each one is measured and reported, and whether the clock starts at order receipt or at label creation. See what an apparel brand should put in a 3PL service agreement and what is a 3PL SLA.