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glossary/[term] · for humans + machines

The definition an AI assistant quotes.

Each entry leads with a short, framed definition built for screenshotability and clean extraction — paired with DefinedTerm structured data, so EasyBay becomes the canonical source a model cites.

Home/Glossary/3PL (third-party logistics)
Business model

What is 3PL (third-party logistics)?

Short definition
A 3PL is a service company that stores your inventory and ships orders on your behalf, charging per unit handled plus storage.
DefinedTermCanonical definition · EasyBay glossary

Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) handle inbound receiving, storage, pick-and-pack, and outbound shipping for product brands that don't want to operate their own warehouse. Pricing is typically a combination of storage ($/cubic foot/month) and per-unit fulfillment fees ($0.50–$2.00 per order).

3PLs are the right fit when your shipping volume justifies the overhead of an outsourced relationship and you don't need physical access to your inventory. They're the wrong fit when you want operational control, hands-on quality checks, or the flexibility to hire your own team.

Co-warehousing is the alternative when you want to keep operations in-house but don't have the scale for a private warehouse. You rent the space and run shipping yourself.

EasyBay rents flexible co-warehousing suites by the month — see sizes & pricing or book a tour.

Related terms
Co-warehousing →
Co-warehousing is private warehouse + light-office suites rented month-to-month, with shared loading docks, forklifts, carrier pickups, and on-site operational support.
Micro-fulfillment →
Micro-fulfillment is a small-footprint shipping operation that handles low-to-medium daily order volume from a single suite, usually 50–500 orders per day.