The Tipping point of using 3PL’s
Dermalogica’s logistics director discusses how to think about a 3PL transition “Any business has its risks. But getting your products into customers’ hands faster has never made less money.” It’s clear, in 2023, that rising costs and supply-chain issues are part of a new reality. Shipping has not avoided the fallout, and the uncertainties of the last few years have had an outsized effect on carriers. Inflation, rate increases, fuel surcharges, delays, and other bumps have changed what we fundamentally understand about shipping. Because shipping is the backbone of ecommerce, every retail executive must look at shipping and fulfillment to determine whether the established solution is still the right one. Third-party logistics solutions can mitigate these issues. But a business leader examining the costs and unknowns around a third-party logistics (3PL) solution may be hesitant to take the leap. A 3PL may not be the right solution—or at least not the right solution today. But to b