Most third-party logistics providers quote 30-90 days for onboarding. At Simpl Fulfillment, we get smaller e-commerce brands live and shipping in 5-7 days. Here's exactly how we do it—and why the industry standard takes so much longer.
Industry Standard Timeline:
Our Streamlined Timeline:
The difference? We specialize in smaller e-commerce brands (100-10,000 orders/month) and built our entire process around speed and simplicity.
Most 3PLs treat every client like a Fortune 500 company requiring:
Our approach: We work with smaller brands who need results, not bureaucracy. Our system connects to your store in 45 minutes and automatically imports products, orders, and inventory levels.
Traditional 3PLs often use warehouse management systems that require:
How we're different: Our modern WMS automatically syncs with Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and other major platforms. No manual data entry, no IT delays.
Many 3PLs add delays through:
Our advantage: No onboarding fees, no receiving fees, straightforward agreements. We remove the financial barriers that slow down other providers.
The main variable: How quickly you can ship inventory to us
Our receiving process:
A CBD brand's previous 3PL completely dropped the ball during Black Friday. They reached out in January desperate for a new solution.
Timeline: Signed Monday, delivered inventory Wednesday, shipping orders Friday (7 days total)
The difference: While other 3PLs quoted 6-8 weeks, we had them operational before their next major sales event.
An e-commerce jewelry brand suddenly went viral on TikTok and couldn't handle the order volume from their garage.
Timeline: Local pickup Tuesday, receiving Wednesday, shipping Thursday (3 days total)
Result: Zero missed orders during their viral moment—actually turned a potential crisis into their best month ever.
A home goods brand had such a terrible Q4 experience they couldn't wait until spring to switch providers.
Timeline: 6 days from first call to shipping orders
Key factor: Our no-fee structure meant they could switch immediately without budget approvals or additional costs.
Our solution: We handle the cleanup, but it adds 1-2 days to receiving
What we do: Proactive communication and expedited receiving once inventory arrives
Reality check: Even complex setups rarely add more than 1-2 days to our timeline
For smaller e-commerce brands, time is revenue. Every day without proper fulfillment is:
While enterprise 3PLs treat speed as a luxury, we treat it as essential. Your business moves fast—your 3PL should too.
Most 3PLs require 30-90 days for onboarding, but specialized e-commerce providers can complete setup in 5-7 days. The key is automated systems and streamlined processes designed for smaller brands.
With local inventory delivery, we've onboarded clients in 2-3 days. The fastest possible timeline depends on inventory shipping speed and organization—not complex setup processes.
Yes, absolutely. Starting in September gives 8-12 weeks, which is plenty of time even for international inventory shipping. Most 3PLs only need 1-2 weeks for actual setup.
Enterprise 3PLs use legacy systems requiring manual setup, multiple approval layers, and extensive testing phases. Smaller, tech-forward 3PLs eliminate these bottlenecks with automated processes.
The biggest delays are inventory shipping time and poor organization from previous providers. The actual software setup and receiving process should only take 3-5 days maximum.
Yes, typically. Smaller 3PLs have streamlined decision-making, modern technology, and dedicated teams. Large providers often have bureaucratic processes that add weeks to simple setups.
Emergency onboarding is possible in 3-7 days with expedited inventory shipping. Many brands successfully switch providers mid-peak season without missing orders.
Modern 3PL systems connect to Shopify, WooCommerce, and other platforms in 30-60 minutes. Legacy providers may quote weeks for the same integration that should take under an hour.