Slotted

If you're planning to switch 3PLs or add a location before Q4, September is your deadline, not October. Every year we watch brands wait until the volume spike to make this call, and every year the brands who ran their RFP in August are the ones who aren't scrambling in November. Onboarding a new 3PL takes 4 to 8 weeks done right. Backwards from a September go-live, that means the first conversations need to start now. If you're not sure your current partner can handle peak, ask three questions this week: what's your peak-week throughput ceiling, what's your dock-to-stock time under volume, and what's your plan if a carrier misses a pickup. If they can't answer clearly, that's your answer. Slotted is the RFP platform that gives you the structure to run this process well: clear, comparable data from every provider you evaluate, so the decision is yours to make with confidence, not a guess. If you want to run an RFP for Q4 readiness, or a second look at your current setup, send us a message.

Most 3PL RFPs are a mess for the providers responding to them. Incomplete requirements, data buried in spreadsheets, and no way to tell if the brand is serious. So this note from Steve White, SVP of Fulfillment and Logistics Solutions at Qualfon, meant a lot: "In my 20+ years of selling 3PL services, the data and content included is one of the most comprehensive and complete that I have seen in a long time. The format in which the data is organized and available on Slotted is far better than the other platforms that RFPs are commonly run through." We built Slotted so brands show up with complete, standardized requirements and providers can respond to real opportunities instead of chasing incomplete ones. When the people quoting the business say the data is better, the matches get better for everyone. If you run fulfillment sales and want to see the RFPs coming through, reach out.

🏆 In a crowded 3PL marketplace, winning an RFP isn't about being the cheapest — it's about telling the most compelling story. Michael DeFabis, SRD sales leader at DHL Supply Chain, and Joe McIntyre, general manager at Slotted, are bringing Strategies for Winning the 3PL RFP Race — a session packed with battle-tested strategies for crafting smarter, more strategic RFP responses that build trust and stand out from the pack. You'll walk away knowing what decision makers are really looking for and how to position your 3PL as the most aligned option in the room — not just the most affordable. Register today for the 2026 IWLA Fulfillment Forum, Aug. 6 & 7 in Schaumburg, Illinois. The IWLA hotel block ends on July 23. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ebWDaZHP

🚩 Visibility is a black box You can't get clean inventory data. Reporting is manual. You're guessing at stock levels instead of knowing them. Find 3pls with data visibility on https://lnkd.in/g8Xb_S6a #signsyouneedanew3pl

🚩 You have no idea what your real costs are Invoice line items don't match what you were quoted. Storage fees appear out of nowhere. You're paying, but you don't know for what. Find 3pls with transparent pricing on https://lnkd.in/g8Xb_S6a #signsyouneedanew3pl

In 1776, the delivery window wasn't "arriving Thursday."  It was "probably before winter." Goods moved by horse, wagon, and ship. Last-mile meant the last literal mile — someone walking it, carrying it, or hauling it by cart. There were no routing algorithms. No fulfillment centers. No Saturday delivery. If your product got damaged in transit, you found out when it arrived. Returns weren't a policy, they were a conversation. Usually an uncomfortable one. The bar for delivery has changed completely. Customers now expect to know where their order is at all times, and they expect it fast. "Probably before winter" doesn't work anymore. But building a fulfillment operation that actually delivers? That part is still hard work.

🚩 Channel expansion requires different handling You're moving into wholesale/retail and need EDI, compliance packaging, or B2B shipping capabilities your DTC-focused 3PL doesn't have. Find 3pls that do more than DTC on https://lnkd.in/g8Xb_S6a #signsyouneedanew3pl

Your current 3PL might handle today's volume, but will they handle next year's? You're growing fast and need to plan 12-18 months out. Run the RFP early so you're not scrambling mid-growth. It's time to run an RFP on https://lnkd.in/g7ZvqXd8

🚩 Your product complexity outgrew their capabilities You've added kitting, lot tracking, expiration dates, or regulated handling and they're struggling to keep up. Find regulated 3pls that do kitting on https://lnkd.in/g8Xb_S6a #signsyouneedanew3pl

Do you know if you are overpaying your fullfillment provider? You rates haven't been benchmarked in years. You have no idea if $4.50/order is competitive or if you are being charged too much. It's time to run an RFP on https://lnkd.in/g7ZvqXd8