Why You Probably Won’t Switch 3PLs
Even if you should
You know the signs. Your 3PL’s reporting is vague. Your team’s chasing orders more than they’re managing them. You’ve started padding SLAs to manage expectations internally.
You talk about switching. But let’s be honest, you’re probably not going to. Not this quarter. Maybe not this year. Maybe not until something breaks.
We see it all the time. Brands growing quickly, ops stretched thin, and a 3PL relationship that’s clearly creaking. And still, nothing changes. Here’s why.
3PLs are sticky by design
This isn’t just inertia, it’s structural. Switching a 3PL isn’t like changing a returns app or email provider. It’s not even like changing your ERP (which is hard enough).
It means moving actual stock; in trucks, not spreadsheets. It means rebuilding core integrations: ERP, OMS, WMS, eCom, and CS systems. It means reteaching your team how to work with a new partner and coordinating all of it without disrupting fulfilment.
That’s why most brands delay it for as long as they possibly can.
So what finally forces a change?
From what we’ve seen, it usually takes something big. A major service failure during peak. Costs ballooning. Functionality gaps so wide they can’t be ignored. Or a leadership change that reopens the conversation.
Very few brands switch 3PLs just because it feels like the right time. They switch because staying put has become more expensive than moving.
The hidden cost of doing nothing
It’s easy to delay. You tell yourself the current setup is “fine for now.” You patch over problems, add headcount, make workarounds.
But the cost builds quietly. More refunds. More CS tickets. Slower launches. Ops leaders stuck in fire-fighting mode.
If you’re outgrowing your 3PL, you’re already paying for it. Just not as a line item.
How to know when it’s time
There’s no perfect checklist. But if your ops team is constantly working around your 3PL, if visibility across stock and fulfilment is a mess, if better functionality or pricing is on the table, it’s worth asking some hard questions.
Especially if you already know the answer and you’re just hoping it’ll fix itself.
Plan before it becomes urgent
If a switch is coming, don’t wait for a crisis. Start planning early.
Audit your setup. Map your integrations. Understand your stock picture. Get your data clean.
Because when it’s time to move, the only thing harder than migrating your 3PL… is doing it in a panic.
Want help planning a 3PL migration, or figuring out if you actually need one? We’ve worked with brands consolidating providers, replacing legacy setups, and rebuilding ops from the ground up.
Let’s chat.