How to Switch 3PLs Without Missed Orders

A step-by-step plan to change 3PLs without missed orders: gather data, stage the inventory move, run an overlap and review after 30 days.

Switching 3PLs sounds risky, and it can be if you wing it. Missed orders, wrong stock counts and angry customers all come from the same cause: no plan for the handoff. The good news is that a careful switch is mostly project management. Here is a step-by-step plan you can follow, whichever providers are involved.

Before you start: know why you are switching

Write down the two or three real reasons. Maybe shipping times slipped, errors went up, support got hard to reach or your products changed. These reasons become your checklist when you evaluate a new provider. Without them, you risk moving to a new setup with the same problems.

Also check your current contract. Look for notice periods, minimum terms, fees for removing inventory and rules about how stock is returned. Surprises here cost money, so read it before you tell anyone you are leaving.

Step 1: Gather your data

Pull the last 90 days of order data and your current inventory list. You want order volume by day, SKU list with dimensions and weights, average units per order, return rates and any special handling such as kits, inserts or fragile items. A new provider will use this to quote you and plan your setup.

Step 2: Compare providers fairly

Request quotes from at least two or three providers. Ask each one for fee types in writing, how they handle your sales channels, what support looks like and how onboarding works. Be clear about your needs.

If you are weighing us against another well-known name, we wrote fair summaries of how different brands fit in our guides to a ShipBob alternative and a ShipMonk alternative. Use them as a starting point, then compare quotes and terms directly. Every brand's needs are different, so your own numbers matter more than any general summary.

Step 3: Agree on a timeline and a point person

Ask your new provider for a written onboarding plan with dates. Our median onboarding is 7 days, but that is a median, not a promise, and your timeline depends on your products, integrations and how fast stock can move. Assign one person on your side to answer questions and approve decisions.

Step 4: Connect your systems

Your store and channels need to talk to the new provider so orders flow in and tracking flows out. Test with a few sample orders before any real ones. Check that SKUs match exactly, because a small naming difference can stop an order from routing.

Step 5: Plan the inventory move

This is where most missed orders happen. Do not move everything at once. A split approach protects you:

1. Count what you have. Get a final stock count from the old provider and compare it to your records.
2. Send a first shipment of your best sellers to the new warehouse. This lets you start shipping from the new location while the old one still covers the rest.
3. Label and pack stock clearly. Cartons should show SKU, quantity and your reference so receiving goes quickly.
4. Ask for an inbound notice. Give the new provider the shipment details before the stock arrives so they can plan receiving.
5. Move the remainder in waves. Once the first wave is received and counted, send the rest.

Step 6: Choose your cutover day

Pick a calm period. Avoid your biggest sale, a product launch or the holiday rush. Many brands pick the middle of the week and the middle of the month. Decide exactly when new orders will route to the new provider, and which provider fills orders placed before that moment.

Keep both providers active for a short overlap. This is your safety net. If an item is not yet received at the new location, the old one can still ship it.

Step 7: Run a short parallel period

During the overlap, compare both sides daily. Check that orders shipped on time, tracking uploaded, stock counts match and packaging is right. Keep a simple log of issues and review it each day. Small issues caught in week one are cheap to fix.

Step 8: Tell your customers only what they need

Most customers will never notice a switch if it goes well. If tracking numbers or packaging will look different, update your shipping page and support macros. Brief your support team on what changed and who to ask when something looks odd.

Step 9: Close out the old provider

After the new setup is stable, confirm the final inventory count at the old warehouse and reconcile any differences. Make sure the last invoices are correct, that you stop paying for storage you no longer use and that your integrations to the old provider are turned off. Keep records of the final counts.

Step 10: Review after 30 days

Compare your numbers to the baseline you collected before the move: ship time, error rate, cost per order and customer messages about delivery. Share the review with your new provider and agree on anything that needs adjusting.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Switching during peak season. Even a good plan is stressed by a rush.
• Moving all stock at once. One delay can leave you out of stock everywhere.
• Skipping test orders. Integration problems are easy to fix before launch and painful after.
• Not reading the old contract. Notice periods and removal fees can change your timeline.
• No single point person. Questions pile up and decisions slow down.

Ready to talk it through?

A switch does not have to be stressful. With clear data, a staged move and a short overlap, you can change providers without missing orders. If you want help planning one, contact our team and share your volume, products and channels. We will walk through what a move could look like and give you a quote you can compare directly.

https://www.shipsquared.com/blog/how-to-switch-3pls-without-missed-orders