Questions and Answers

Plain answers to what online sellers ask about fulfillment.

Common questions

The Basics

What is a 3PL, and what does it do for an online seller?

What is a 3PL?

A 3PL, or third-party logistics company, stores your products in its warehouse and handles the work of getting orders to your customers. That includes receiving your inventory, picking and packing each order, shipping it and handling returns.

What is eCommerce fulfillment?

eCommerce fulfillment is everything that happens between a customer clicking buy and the package arriving: receiving stock, storing it, picking the items, packing the order, labeling it, shipping it and managing returns.

What is the difference between a 3PL and shipping from home?

When you ship from home, you store the stock, pack every order and take every package to the carrier. With a 3PL, a warehouse team does all of that, and you keep your time for selling. You also stop running out of space at home.

What does a 3PL actually do all day?

The warehouse receives and counts inventory, stores it, picks items for each order, packs and checks them, ships with the right carrier, and processes returns. You watch stock, orders and tracking in your dashboard.

What is the difference between a 3PL and Amazon FBA?

Amazon FBA stores and ships orders for Amazon. A 3PL can ship for Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Whatnot and your own website from one stock of inventory. We also prepare inventory for Amazon FBA shipments. See Amazon FBA prep.

Common questions

Getting Started

What to know before you send us your first products.

When is it time to hire a 3PL?

Common signs are that packing takes more time than selling, inventory has taken over your home, orders ship late when you are busy, or you sell on several platforms and stock is hard to track. Read when to hire a 3PL.

How do I get started with Sonic Fulfillment?

Request a quote and tell us about your products, platforms and order volume. We reply with a quote, and once you sign up we send you the receiving address and instructions for sending your inventory. See how it works.

What information do I need for a quote?

Roughly how many orders you ship each month, how many different items (SKUs) you carry, the size and weight of your products, where you sell and where your customers are, and anything special such as kitting or subscription boxes.

How do I send my inventory to the warehouse?

You ship your stock to our receiving address in cartons or on pallets. We count it in, check it against your list and tell you about any differences before it goes on the shelf.

Is onboarding complicated?

No. We keep it simple. Tell us what you sell and where, and we connect your orders and receive your first shipment. See easy onboarding.

Common questions

Platforms and Products

Where you sell and what you sell.

Which platforms do you work with?

We fulfill for sellers on Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Etsy, Shopify, WooCommerce, TikTok Shop, Whatnot and many more, as well as your own website. If you sell somewhere else, tell us and we confirm how your orders reach us. See any platform fulfillment.

Can you ship orders from more than one sales channel?

Yes. One stock of inventory can serve every channel, and the warehouse packs each order to the rules of the channel it came from. Read how multichannel sellers use a 3PL.

Do you fulfill live selling orders, like TikTok Shop and Whatnot?

Yes. Live shows create orders in bursts, with several small items per buyer. We pick, bundle and pack them together. See TikTok Shop and Whatnot.

What kinds of products can you store?

We store most eCommerce products, including apparel, accessories, beauty, health, home goods, collectibles, electronics, pet and more. If you are not sure about your product, ask us. See the industries we serve.

Can you do retail and wholesale orders?

Yes. We can prepare orders for retailers and wholesale customers as well as individual shoppers. See retail and wholesale fulfillment.

Common questions

Shipping and Returns

How orders go out, and how they come back.

Which carriers do you ship with?

UPS, USPS, FedEx and DHL. We choose the service that suits each package.

Do you ship internationally?

Yes. We ship to customers worldwide with DHL, FedEx, UPS and USPS international services, and we prepare the customs forms for every package. See international shipping.

Do you pack in boxes or poly bags?

Both. Poly bags and boxes are available with every service, along with inserts and branded packaging.

How are returns handled?

We receive returned items, inspect them and restock the sellable ones so they can ship again. See returns management.

How do you make sure orders are accurate?

Every order is checked before it is sealed. Our engineering team designs the quality control process, so the right items reach the right customer. Read our story.

Can I see my inventory and orders?

Yes. Your client dashboard shows stock levels, orders shipped and tracking in one place.

Common questions

Kitting and Subscription Boxes

Bundles, kits and recurring boxes.

What is kitting?

Kitting means assembling several items, inserts or samples into one ready-to-ship package, such as a gift set, a bundle or a subscription box. Kitting and bundling are available with every service.

Can you fulfill subscription boxes?

Yes. We kit, pack and ship subscription boxes on monthly or weekly cycles, with packaging from us or from you. See subscription box fulfillment and our guide.

Common questions

Pricing and Location

What it costs, and where we are.

How much does a 3PL cost?

It depends on your products, order volume and how you ship. Most 3PL pricing comes down to receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging, shipping and extras. Read how much a 3PL costs.

Why don't you list prices on your website?

Every seller ships different products at different volumes, so a single price would not be fair. We build each quote around your products and order volume, list every fee, and use the same lines on your invoice. See how pricing works.

Where is your warehouse?

We are based in Southern California, close to Los Angeles, Orange County and the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. We work with sellers across California and the rest of the US, and you can send your inventory from anywhere. We send the receiving address when you sign up. See Orange County and Los Angeles.

How do I choose the right 3PL?

Write down what you sell, how many orders you ship and which platforms you use, then ask each provider how they check orders, what the quote includes and leaves out, and how you will see your stock. Read how to choose a 3PL.

Get started

Get a Fulfillment Quote

Tell us a little about your store and order volume. We'll send back pricing built for your products, with every fee listed.

Get a quote