eCommerce Shipping &amp; Fulfillment Blog

Nov 5, 2026

Footwear Returns: Why Shoes Cost More to Process, and What to Do With Each Pair

A return reason says "didn't fit"; only the shoe says whether it was tried on or worn. Why a pair takes more work than a folded tee, how to make that call, and what a 3PL should do with each pair.

Nov 5, 2026

Nov 4, 2026

FedEx 2027 Rate Increase: What Changes on January 4 for Small Shippers

FedEx list rates rise an average of 5.9% on January 4, 2027, but a 1 lb Home Delivery parcel rises closer to 8% once the $6.90 residential charge and the new November fuel tables are added. The effective dates, the surcharges that hit a small ecommerce parcel, which new fees don't apply to you, and what to check before and after January 4.

Nov 4, 2026

USPS Fuel Surcharge: How the Weekly Charge Works From January 2027

From January 2027 USPS adds a weekly fuel surcharge, a percentage of base postage on Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and Parcel Select. Which fuel price each service follows, why base-postage-only matters, what a percentage point adds to a label, and what USPS hasn't published yet.

UPS Rate Increase 2027: What Changes on December 21 and How to Read the 5.9% Average

UPS raises Daily Rates an average 5.9% on December 21, 2026. At published list rates a light residential parcel rises more, because the residential surcharge goes up about 9% against about 6% on the base rate, and fuel is then charged on both. A 1 lb worked example, the surcharge table, what differs on platform, discounted or Small Business Rates, and what to do before the date.

Oct 26, 2026

How to Send Inventory to a 3PL: ASNs, Carton Labels and Receiving

How to prepare a first inbound shipment to a 3PL: the advance ship notice, carton and pallet rules, what the warehouse actually counts at the dock, and what to do when counts come back short.

Oct 26, 2026

Oct 22, 2026

How to Read a Retailer Routing Guide Before Your First Wholesale PO

A retailer routing guide is a fee schedule with shipping instructions attached. Here is how a small brand reads one, where the costly rules sit, and which parts a 3PL can take off your plate.

Oct 22, 2026

Oct 16, 2026

What to Do When Your 3PL Shuts Down or Holds Your Inventory

Your inventory is still yours, but possession, the warehouse lien and the bankruptcy stay stand between you and your pallets. How to tell the three situations apart and what to do this week.

Oct 16, 2026

Oct 12, 2026

How 3PL Minimums Work (and How to Compare Them)

What a 3PL minimum really is, what counts toward it, what "no minimum" usually leaves on the bill, and the questions to ask so two quotes compare on equal terms.

Oct 12, 2026

Shipping

Oct 9, 2026

USPS Price Increase 2026–2027: Holiday Prices, the 8% Increase, and What Changes in January

The USPS holiday prices and April's 8% increase both end January 17, 2027. Here's what each adds per package, plus UPS and FedEx holiday surcharges and FedEx's 2027 increase.

Oct 9, 2026

Aug 13, 2026

3PL Data Security After a Real Incident: What to Ask Before You Sign

A recent data exposure at a fulfillment vendor affected thousands of ecommerce customers' records. Four questions worth asking about data retention, access controls, breach notification, and subprocessors before you sign with a 3PL.

Aug 13, 2026

Jul 16, 2026

Apparel Fulfillment 3PL: What Growing Clothing Brands Need in a Warehouse Partner

Apparel fulfillment is harder than standard ecommerce: size-and-color SKU matrices, high return rates, and poly-bag and hang-tag requirements. Here's what changes when you move clothing through a 3PL, what to ask before you sign, and how Simpl runs apparel programs, starting at $7/order.

Jul 16, 2026

Jul 15, 2026

3PL Companies in Austin, TX Compared (2026)

3PL companies in Austin, TX for ecommerce brands, compared on location, services, and pricing transparency, starting with Austin-based Simpl Fulfillment.

Jul 15, 2026

Best Subscription Box Fulfillment Companies: 8 3PLs Compared

Eight subscription box 3PLs compared on kitting, published rates, minimums and contract terms, with a worked landed-cost example.

Peak Season 3PL Fulfillment: What to Lock In Before Black Friday 2026

Black Friday is November 27, 2026. What you can still fix at your 3PL with weeks left, the USPS, FedEx and UPS ship-by dates to post on your site, what peak costs extra, and how to handle January returns.

Simpl Fulfillment vs. SIMPL Automation

Simpl Fulfillment is an Austin TX ecommerce 3PL. SIMPL Automation is a robotics company Home Depot acquired in 2026. Two different companies.

Same-Day Fulfillment at a 3PL: Cutoff Times vs. Measured Ship Rates

Same-day at a 3PL means the order ships today, not that it arrives today. Here's how to read a cutoff, what a measured ship rate should leave out, and what to ask.

The Advantages of a 3PL: 7 Benefits for Ecommerce Brands

Seven advantages of using a 3PL for ecommerce brands: Simpl's per-order pricing, carrier costs built into the rate, and the hours back to run the business.

What Is a Boutique 3PL?

A boutique 3PL carries fewer accounts and is built to give each one a real point of contact, flexible handling, and per-order pricing that's easy to plan around, though delivery varies by provider. How it compares to enterprise 3PLs, who it fits, and whether Simpl is the right call.

Best 3PL for Shopify Stores in 2026: What to Look For

Comparing 3PLs for your Shopify store? Here is what actually matters in a fulfillment partner, an honest look at ShipBob, ShipMonk, Red Stag, FBA, and ShipCalm, and where Simpl fits with native Shopify integration, starting at $7/order.

Crowdfunding Fulfillment: How to Ship Kickstarter and Indiegogo Rewards

How crowdfunding fulfillment works for Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns, when to start planning, and where creators run into trouble.

Amazon FBA Packaging Requirements by Category (2026)

Amazon FBA packaging requirements by product type: poly bag rules and suffocation labels, fragile and oversize prep, box size and weight limits, and case-pack specs, organized by category so you can check your products fast.

FBA Prep Costs: What Prep Centers Charge and How It Compares to a 3PL

What FBA prep actually costs by service type: labeling, poly bagging, bubble wrap, bundling, and oversize prep, plus how standalone prep-center fees compare to a 3PL that preps and ships from one inbound.

FBA Prep Checklist: What Your Inventory Needs Before It Goes to Amazon

A step-by-step FBA prep checklist: FNSKU labeling, category packaging, bundling, and shipment creation, so your inventory clears Amazon's receiving without a fee or a hold.

Best 3PL for Health & Wellness Brands in 2026

Six 3PLs compared for health and wellness brands in 2026 on storage, compliance, pricing, and shipping speed: Fulfyld, ShipBob, Simpl Fulfillment, ShipMonk, Shipfusion, and Red Stag.

How to Choose an FDA-Compliant 3PL for Your Supplement Brand

Supplement fulfillment generally requires a 3PL whose storage facility holds FDA food-facility registration and follows Part 111's holding and distribution recordkeeping — plus operational controls like FEFO that go beyond what the regulation itself requires. Here's what to check for and how to verify it before you sign.

Fulfillment

3PL for Apparel Brands: What DTC Clothing Labels Should Look For

Apparel fulfillment is harder than standard ecommerce for structural reasons: one style becomes dozens of SKUs once you add sizes and colorways, and returns run well above the ecommerce average because fit is a guess until the box arrives. This guide covers what to require from any apparel 3PL, what separates an apparel-ready operation from a generalist one, and how Simpl fits.

Best 3PL Companies in 2026

The best 3PL companies for ecommerce in 2026, compared: ShipBob, Red Stag, ShipMonk, Simpl Fulfillment, and more. Pricing starts at $7/order.

ShipMonk Alternatives in 2026: 3PLs Compared on Minimums and Fit

Leaving ShipMonk or comparing quotes? See how Simpl Fulfillment, ShipBob, LVK, Red Stag and ShipCalm set their prices and monthly minimums.

9 ShipBob Competitors and Alternatives: Pricing, Minimums and Who Each One Fits

Nine ShipBob alternatives compared on published pricing, minimums, contract terms and the order volume each says it's built for, from Simpl and Red Stag to Flowspace and Stord.

Merch Drop Fulfillment: What to Look for in a 3PL

Merch drops concentrate a month's orders into an afternoon. Most 3PLs aren't built for that kind of spike. Here's what makes drops hard to fulfill, what to look for in a partner, and how Simpl handles it.

Best 3PL for Merch Drops in 2026 (Compared for Speed, Kitting, and Pricing You Can Predict)

A comparison guide to the best 3PLs for merch drops. We compare Simpl, ShipBob, ShipMonk, Whiplash, and Shipwire on burst capacity, kitting, Shopify integration, and flat-rate pricing.

What DTC Merchants Need to Know About the EU De Minimis Change (July 2026)

The EU dropped its €150 duty-free threshold on July 1, 2026. Parcels valued at €150 or less now owe a flat €3 duty plus VAT (narrow exception applies).

Jun 25, 2026

In-House Fulfillment vs. 3PL: When Does It Make Sense to Outsource?

Whether to hand fulfillment to a 3PL comes down to two numbers worth writing down. Here is how to count both, what to do if it's not time yet, and how to compare quotes.

Jun 25, 2026

Amazon's FBA Prep Service Is Gone. Here's What Sellers Need Now.

Amazon ended its FBA prep service January 1, 2026. Here is what that means for sellers and how to find a prep center that covers FNSKU, polybag, and bundle prep.

Amazon FBA

Amazon FBM Handling Time: How the June 2026 Rule Works

Since June 29, 2026, Amazon requires accurate handling times on seller-fulfilled SKUs. How the check works, what happens when a SKU is flagged, and whether to turn on AHT.

Pick and Pack Fulfillment: How It Works and What to Look For

Pick and pack is the core fulfillment process: receive inventory, pull each order, pack it, ship it. Here's what it actually looks like — and how to tell if a provider does it well.

Amazon FBA Freight Forwarders and Prep Centers: How the Inbound Flow Works

If you source overseas and sell on Amazon, your inventory passes through more hands than most sellers expect before it ever reaches a fulfillment center. Two of those hands get confused constantly: the freight forwarder and the 3PL prep center. Here is how the inbound flow actually works.

How 3PL integrations work — and what to ask before you switch

How 3PL integrations actually work for Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon stores, and what to ask before you switch. Starts at $7/order, $750/mo minimum.

How to Choose a Fulfillment Center for Your Small Business

When you're ready to stop self-shipping, picking the right fulfillment center matters. Here's what to check before signing with any 3PL.

Six returns questions apparel brands should ask a 3PL

Return-to-restock time, sellable share, photo proof, grading rules, unsellable handling and all-in cost: the six returns questions to put to a 3PL, and how to check the answers before you sign.

The 8-point pre-peak 3PL audit, and what to do if peak is close

An 8-point audit to run against your current 3PL before Q4 — leading with the pricing and capacity questions generic checklists skip, so you know whether to stay, fix, or switch while there's still time to move.

How Brands Recover Overpaid IEEPA Tariffs Through CBP CAPE: A 2026 Operator's Guide

The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs in 2026, and CBP's new CAPE process lets importers claim refunds on what they overpaid. Here's how the refund works, who can file, and what's still not refundable.

3PL

AI agents are starting to place orders directly with 3PLs. Here's what brand operators actually need to know in 2026.

ShipBob, ShipHero, and Easyship shipped AI-agent access to fulfillment data in 2026; Stord is investing heavily to follow. Here's what's real, what isn't, and how to evaluate agent access before you grant it.