7. Is storage temperature and humidity controlled?
OC3PL: yes, supplements are stored indoors in temperature- and humidity-controlled space.
The Supplement 3PL Checklist
Twenty questions to ask any warehouse before it touches your inventory, and our answers to each.
Compliance and Traceability
Ask these first. A warehouse that cannot answer them clearly is not set up for supplements, whatever its rates are.
1. Is the facility FDA-registered?
OC3PL: yes, the facility is FDA-registered.2. Are lot number and expiration date captured at receiving?
OC3PL: yes, both are recorded at receiving, before product reaches a shelf.3. Is FEFO enforced by the system or by habit?
OC3PL: by the system. Pickers are directed to the soonest-expiring lot on every order.4. Can you tell me which orders contained a given lot?
OC3PL: yes. If a recall is needed, we can identify the orders that contained the affected lot.5. Can I see inventory by lot myself?
OC3PL: yes, inventory is visible down to the lot in your dashboard.6. Do you warn me about stock nearing expiration?
OC3PL: yes, slow-moving lots approaching expiration are flagged so you can move them.
Questions 1 to 6:
Storage and Handling
Questions 7 to 10.
8. What can the warehouse not store?
OC3PL: we do not offer refrigerated or frozen storage. A warehouse should state its limits this plainly.
9. How do you ship heat-sensitive product in summer?
OC3PL: thermal liners and coolants by product and transit time, and weekend holds for meltable orders.
10. What do you photograph and record at receiving?
OC3PL: every SKU is photographed at receipt and a receiving report is logged in your portal.
Accuracy and Speed
Questions 11 to 14.
11. What is your same-day cutoff?
OC3PL: orders imported by 12 PM PST ship the same day.
12. How fast is inbound stock made sellable?
OC3PL: within one business day when the shipment arrives labeled and scheduled.
13. How are bundles and free gifts verified?
OC3PL: quality checkpoints through the build, and a barcode scan or visual inspection before packout.
14. How is your accuracy figure measured?
Ask over what period, and whether it is in the service level agreement. OC3PL publishes its inventory accuracy on its receiving page.
Pricing and Service
Questions 15 to 20.
15. Is there a monthly minimum?
OC3PL: no order minimums, no thresholds, no long-term contract.
16. Are there setup fees?
OC3PL: no setup fees.
17. How is storage billed?
OC3PL: invoices are weekly and storage is pro-rated daily on the space you use.
18. Are lot capture and FEFO billed as add-ons?
Get the answer in writing, with a sample invoice.
19. Who do I talk to, and how fast do they answer?
OC3PL: a dedicated account manager, and all client requests acknowledged within two hours.
20. How long until I am live?
OC3PL: most clients go live within five to ten business days, depending on complexity.
Common Questions
An FDA-registered facility, lot number and expiration date captured at receiving, FEFO enforced by the warehouse system, the ability to trace which orders contained a lot, temperature- and humidity-controlled storage, and pricing with every line item spelled out.
Registration rules depend on what a facility does with the product, so confirm your own obligations with your regulatory adviser. What you can check directly is whether the warehouse is registered and can show you. OC3PL is an FDA-registered facility.
FIFO ships the stock that arrived first. FEFO ships the stock that expires first. For supplements the two can differ, because a later delivery can carry an earlier expiration date, which is why FEFO is the rule that protects the customer.
Ask whether standard packing materials are included, what an order edit or cancellation costs, how kitting and bundling are priced, and whether the rate changes with SKU count. Then compare complete quotes rather than headline rates.
Related Reading
More detail, in OC3PL’s own guides.
Supplement Fulfillment at OC3PL
The overview: what we handle, how product moves through the building, and every supplement guide.
Key Questions to Ask a 3PL for Subscription Fulfillment
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What to Look For in a Modern 3PL (Checklist + Red Flags)
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How To Audit Your 3PL After a Disaster Peak Season
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Nutrition & Supplement Fulfillment: Batch Tracking Basics
Learn how to manage batch tracking in nutrition and supplement fulfillment to ensure accuracy, safety, and compliance.
Pick & Pack Fees: What You’re Really Paying For
Pick and pack is the core fulfillment charge. How 3PLs structure it, where it gets complicated, and why a higher per-order fee is sometimes the cheaper option.
Ask Us All Twenty
Bring this list to a call. We will answer every question and show you the warehouse.