Research on 3PL, FBA Prep & Warehouse Operations
In-depth articles on 3PL fulfillment, Amazon FBA prep, warehouse operations, and ecommerce logistics.
FBA vs FBM: Which Amazon Fulfillment Method Is Right for Your Business in 2026?
FBA wins on Prime conversion and Buy Box. FBM wins on margin for slow movers and oversized items. The real cost comparison, when each method wins, and how to build a hybrid strategy that cuts fulfillment spend on the right SKUs.
3PL ContractsHow to Negotiate a 3PL Contract: The Terms That Matter Most and the Clauses That Cost You
Most sellers sign 3PL contracts without reading the rate escalation clauses, minimum commitments, or exit fees. The six terms that matter most, how to negotiate each one, and the red flags that predict a bad relationship before it starts.
Customer ServiceEcommerce Customer Service: What It Costs to Handle In-House, and When Outsourcing Makes the Business Case
Most operators undercount their CS cost by 50 percent — they track agent wages but miss management overhead, turnover, and tooling. The per-ticket math, the three metrics that determine service quality, and the five signals that make outsourcing the clear call.
Kitting & AssemblyKitting and Assembly Services: What They Are, What They Cost, and When to Outsource
Most sellers underestimate kitting cost by counting only materials — not labor, space, and management overhead. The per-kit pricing breakdown, in-house vs outsourced math, and the volume triggers that make outsourcing the clear choice.
Warehouse Consulting7 Signs Your Warehouse Has a Problem (And What to Do About Each One)
Slow picks, inventory errors, space you can't use, labor costs that won't come down. Seven specific warehouse warning signs, what's actually causing each one, and what a real fix looks like.
Inventory ManagementWhat Is Dead Stock? How to Identify, Value, and Get Rid of It
Dead stock costs 20–35% of its value every year it sits — on top of the original purchase price. How to find it with a velocity report, calculate what it's really costing you, and the six ways to move it or cut the loss.
3PL SelectionHow to Choose a 3PL: The 2026 Vetting Guide for Ecommerce Sellers
The 10 questions to ask before signing with a 3PL, the red flags that predict a bad partnership, how to compare quotes apples-to-apples, and the contract terms that cost sellers the most.
FBA Prep PricingHow Much Does Amazon FBA Prep Cost in 2026? A Per-Unit Pricing Breakdown
$0.50–$1.50 per unit all-in for a standard item — but the per-unit number is misleading on its own. The full breakdown of receiving, storage, labeling, packaging, and outbound fees, plus the in-house-versus-outsourced math and the hidden line items most quotes leave out.
Reverse LogisticsEcommerce Returns Are Eating Your Margin: The 2026 Reverse Logistics Playbook
What a return actually costs once you add up shipping, inspection, restocking, refurbishment, and lost shelf time — plus the six levers that move that number in half.
FBA & Trade PolicyAmazon Killed FBA Prep. The Government Killed De Minimis. Here's What That Means for Your Business.
Two structural changes in 2025 and 2026 rewrote the supply chain for every small ecommerce seller. What actually happened, why it matters, and how smart operators are rebuilding.
3PL FundamentalsWhat Is a 3PL? A Complete Guide for Ecommerce Sellers in 2026
What a 3PL is, what one actually does, what one doesn't do, and how to vet one before signing anything. Pricing, trigger points, and honest trade-offs.
Warehouse OperationsHow to Improve Warehouse Efficiency: The 2026 Playbook
Eight operational levers that actually move the needle, the three KPIs that prove changes worked, and the honest trade-off between fixing things in-house and bringing in help.
Free tools to go with the reading
Calculators and benchmarks to put the ideas above into numbers on your own operation.