Distribution centers are the heart of modern fulfillment. Whether you’re a 3PL operator scaling operations or an e-commerce brand shipping DTC orders in-house, your supply list of distribution centers supplies can quietly make or break efficiency.
From packing stations to labeling systems, let’s examine the essential supplies every distribution center needs and how the right tools support faster, smarter fulfillment.
What Are Distribution Center Supplies?
At a basic level, “distribution center supplies” refers to the physical tools, equipment, and materials used to move, pack, and ship products within a warehouse or fulfillment center.
Supplies aren’t just about what’s on your shelves — they’re about maintaining flow.
3 Core Supply Categories to Get Right
1. Packing & Shipping Materials
These are your frontline tools for order accuracy, protection, and brand presentation.
Boxes: Choose right-sized boxes to avoid dimensional weight fees.
Mailers: Padded, poly, or eco-friendly — it depends on the product.
Void Fill: Paper, air pillows, or biodegradable peanuts help reduce damage.
Tape: Branded, water-activated, or just cost-effective — it all adds up fast.
Labels: High-quality thermal labels speed things up and avoid scanning issues.
🧠 Pro tip: Invest in a label printer that doesn’t require ink cartridges (like a thermal printer) to reduce cost and downtime.
2. Equipment That Speeds Up Fulfillment
Supplies aren’t just consumables. They include tools that help your team move faster, safer, and more accurately.
Handheld scanners: Essential for batch picking and reducing errors.
Pallet jacks or forklifts: Required for higher-volume or bulk operations.
Workstations: Ergonomically designed stations increase team throughput.
Racking systems: A good shelving system reduces pick times and improves inventory visibility.
3. Safety and Efficiency Tools
These often get overlooked, but they reduce accidents and fatigue while keeping your operation flowing.
Gloves and back supports: Protect workers during repetitive tasks.
Floor tape and signage: Maintain safe traffic lanes and reduce confusion.
Lighting: Poor lighting slows teams down. It’s worth the upgrade.
Packing stools or mats: Comfort pays dividends in long shifts.
What to Avoid
Not every supply choice is a smart one. Here’s what we recommend skipping:
One-size-fits-all box sizes: You’ll bleed money on shipping fees and damage.
Low-quality tape: You’ll pay for it in repacks, lost inventory, or worse.
Ink-based printers: Too much maintenance and supply cost over time.
Over-reliance on manual processes: Invest in systems that scale.
Why This Matters for Fast-Growing Brands
If you’re scaling ecommerce or fulfillment, small supply decisions snowball.
The right supplies:
Speed up pick and pack times
Reduce carrier fees and chargebacks
Improve customer satisfaction
Keep teams safer and more efficient
Even better, they set the foundation for carrier orchestration, automation, and more advanced fulfillment strategies down the line.
Final Takeaway: Build a Smarter Supply Stack
Your distribution centers supplies shouldn’t be static. As volume grows, complexity does too — and the right tools can simplify everything.
At eHub, we help fast-growing ecommerce brands and 3PLs streamline operations with intelligent fulfillment tools, optimized carrier selection, and high-speed label generation.
Need help leveling up your shipping stack? Let’s talk.
For certain industries and product categories, the delivery experience matters just as much as the product itself. Whether you’re shipping health-related items, adult products, or personal care goods, customer privacy is a top priority. That’s where discreet shipping comes in.
In this post, we’ll break down what discreet shipping really means, when it matters most, and how brands can use it to enhance trust, loyalty, and brand protection.
What Is Discreet Shipping?
Discreet shipping refers to the practice of packaging and delivering items in a way that does not reveal the contents of the package to the outside observer. It typically means:
No brand names or logos on the box
No product descriptions on the label
No return address that hints at the product category
Plain, nondescript packaging (usually brown or white)
In some cases, even the billing name used on credit card statements is altered to provide an added layer of anonymity.
The goal? To ensure the customer’s privacy at every step, from checkout to doorstep.
Why Do Customers Care About Discreet Shipping?
Privacy is no longer a niche concern; it’s mainstream. But for certain product types, it’s absolutely critical. Customers expect a level of sensitivity when they’re buying items that are:
Personal or sensitive in nature (e.g., healthcare products, supplements, contraceptives)
Embarrassing to discuss or display publicly (e.g., adult products)
High-value or theft-prone (e.g., jewelry, electronics, medication)
Offering discreet shipping isn’t just about protecting the item — it’s about protecting the customer’s dignity, comfort, andpeace of mind.
Which Industries Commonly Use Discreet Shipping?
Discreet shipping isn’t limited to one vertical. It’s widely used by:
Adult and intimacy brands
Health and wellness retailers
CBD and cannabis-related businesses
Pharmaceutical and supplement providers
Luxury or high-ticket brands that want to reduce theft risk
Even some DTC hygiene and beauty brands opt for nondescript packaging to meet customer expectations regarding privacy and sustainability.
How to Offer Discreet Shipping as a Brand
If you’re a merchant or fulfillment partner, offering discreet shipping involves more than slapping a plain label on a box. Here are a few best practices:
1. Use Plain Packaging
Keep exterior boxes free of branding, product names, and flashy colors. Opt for neutral boxes or padded mailers that blend in with everyday mail.
2. Create a Neutral Return Address
Avoid listing your full brand name in the return address. Instead, use a fulfillment partner’s name or a shortened business name that doesn’t give away what’s inside.
3. Communicate Clearly on the Product Page
Let customers know you offer discreet shipping before they check out. You can mention this on the product page, the FAQ section, or during checkout for maximum reassurance.
4. Coordinate With Your 3PL or Fulfillment Partner
If you’re using a third-party logistics provider (3PL), make sure they support discreet labeling and packaging processes. Not all warehouse systems are set up for this, especially if custom labeling or alternate sender names are required.
Discreet Shipping: Good for Customers, Better for Business
Offering discreet shipping isn’t just a courtesy—it’s a competitive advantage. Customers who feel safe and respected are far more likely to reorder, recommend your brand, and leave positive reviews. In fact, not offering this type of nondescript shipping could be a dealbreaker for privacy-conscious buyers.
In an age where trust is everything, even the box you ship in says something about your brand. Make sure it’s saying the right thing.
Need help scaling discreet fulfillment? eHub connects e-commerce brands with vetted 3PLs that support customized, discreet packaging. We help you find the right partner, optimize your costs, and protect your customers’ privacy at every touchpoint.
You’re tracking a package. Everything looks normal—until it doesn’t. You refresh the page and see a new status: Shipment Exception.
Now what?
Whether you’re a customer trying to understand a delivery hiccup or an e-commerce brand managing your own outbound shipping, a shipment exception can be confusing and stressful. But the good news is: it doesn’t always mean a package is lost, and in most cases, the issue can be resolved quickly.
Let’s break down what a shipment exception actually means, what causes it, and what you can do to fix or prevent it.
What Is a Shipment Exception?
A shipment exception is a carrier update that indicates something unexpected has delayed or interrupted the delivery process. It doesn’t necessarily mean the package is lost or undeliverable—it just means there’s been a deviation from the original delivery plan.
In many cases, shipment exceptions are temporary and resolve themselves without any intervention. But occasionally, they require input from the sender, receiver, or carrier to keep things moving.
Common Causes of Shipment Exceptions
Here are some of the most frequent reasons you might see a shipment exception:
📍 Incorrect or incomplete address
🌧️ Weather delays (storms, floods, natural disasters, and especially snow)
🏠 Delivery attempt failed (no one home, gated property, etc.)
🌐 Customs issues (for international shipments)
🔍 Label damage or scanning errors
📦 Package held or rerouted by the carrier
In short, anything that prevents the carrier from delivering the shipment as planned may trigger an exception.
What Should You Do When a Shipment Exception Happens?
If you’re a merchant or fulfillment operator, here’s how to respond:
✅ Check the Tracking Page
Carriers like USPS, UPS, and FedEx often provide additional notes when exceptions occur. Read carefully for clues—sometimes the fix is as simple as a missing apartment number.
✅ Verify the Address
If the issue is address-related, cross-check the shipping information from your store or platform. Make sure street numbers, zip codes, and apartment or suite numbers are accurate.
✅ Notify the Customer
It’s always better to be proactive. A quick email or message explaining the delay (and what’s being done about it) can go a long way toward preserving trust.
✅ Contact the Carrier
If the tracking page doesn’t offer clear instructions, contact the carrier directly with the tracking number and shipment details.
✅ File a Claim if Necessary
If the package is confirmed lost or damaged, depending on the carrier’s policies and your coverage, you may be eligible to file a claim.
How to Prevent Shipment Exceptions Before They Happen
You can’t control the weather, but there are several things you can do to reduce the chance of exceptions:
🧠 Validate addresses automatically before label generation
🏷️ Ensure labels are printed cleanly and securely affixed
📞 Include a valid customer phone number for delivery teams
🚚 Choose the right carrier and service level for the destination
📦 Avoid handwriting shipping labels or editing them manually
📊 Monitor exception trends and escalate recurring issues with your carrier or fulfillment provider
How eHub Helps You Minimize Shipping Exceptions
At eHub, we help e-commerce brands simplify and streamline their shipping operations, so exceptions are the exception, not the norm.
With eHub, you can:
🧭 Validate every address before label generation
📦 Automate label creation across multiple carriers
🚨 Get visibility into tracking and exception updates
Exceptions will happen—but with better data, automation, and flexibility, you can stay ahead of them.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Panic—Just Be Proactive
A shipment exception is frustrating, but it’s not the end of the road. Most issues are solvable, and the faster you identify them, the quicker you can get the order back on track.
As your brand grows, so does the complexity of your operations. More SKUs, more bundles, more packaging—what once felt manageable quickly turns into a fulfillment headache.
That’s where the kitting process comes in.
Whether you’re shipping curated product bundles, prepping inventory for Amazon FBA, or building influencer kits with branded inserts, kitting helps streamline your warehouse operations and improve the customer experience. Let’s break down what kitting is, how it works, and when it makes sense to build it into your fulfillment strategy.
What Is the Kitting Process?
Kitting is the process of pre-assembling multiple products into a single ready-to-ship unit. Instead of picking and packing each item individually every time an order comes in, kits are built ahead of time—either as made-to-stock or on-demand—so they can be fulfilled faster and more consistently.
For Example:
A skincare brand sells a “Glow Starter Kit” with a cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer. Rather than picking those four SKUs for every order, the fulfillment team builds the kits in advance and stores them as a single unit.
The result? Less complexity, faster shipping, and a better unboxing experience for the customer.
How the Kitting Process Works
The process will vary slightly depending on the fulfillment setup, but here’s how it generally flows:
Inventory Arrival All individual SKUs are received and stored in the fulfillment center.
Kit Assembly Warehouse staff assemble kits based on predefined instructions. This can include:
Specific item combinations
Branded packaging or boxes
Inserts, promo materials, or instructions
Labeling and Storage Each kit is labeled with a unique SKU and stored as its own unit in the warehouse.
Order Fulfillment When an order for the kit comes in, it’s picked and shipped as a single item—no last-minute bundling required.
Some fulfillment providers also offer on-demand kitting, where kits are built as orders come in, useful for dynamic bundles or low-volume SKUs.
Why Kitting Matters in E-Commerce Fulfillment
Whether you’re shipping subscription boxes or prepping bulk kits for retail, a streamlined kitting process offers several benefits:
✅ Faster Fulfillment Pre-assembled kits reduce time spent on order assembly and packing.
✅ Lower Labor and Shipping Costs Fewer touches = less time, fewer mistakes, and often smaller packaging.
✅ Improved Customer Experience Consistent, branded unboxing = better retention and more word-of-mouth.
✅ Better Inventory Management Kitted SKUs are easier to track and forecast than ad-hoc bundles.
✅ Scalable Operations As order volume grows, having kits pre-built prevents fulfillment bottlenecks.
When to Use Kitting in Your Business
You might be ready for kitting services if:
You regularly ship bundles, kits, or multi-item orders
You include branded packaging or inserts in your orders
You need to prep products for Amazon FBA, retail, or wholesale
You want to speed up order processing and reduce manual touches
You’re scaling and need more consistent customer experiences
How eHub Helps With Kitting and Fulfillment
At eHub, we connect e-commerce brands with 3PLs that do more than just pick and pack. Many of our fulfillment partners specialize in kitting services, from branded assembly to retail-ready prep.
We help you:
🤝 Find the right kitting provider for your industry and volume
📦 Support branded experiences, promo inserts, and packaging customization
🔄 Centralize inventory, shipping, and tracking on one platform
📈 Scale your fulfillment without scaling your headaches
Whether you’re prepping influencer kits or bundling for retail, we’ll help you get it built, packed, and shipped—your way.
Final Thoughts: Kitting Is How Brands Scale Smart
As you grow, the little details—assembly, inserts, bundles—start to add up. A reliable kitting process takes that complexity off your plate so you can focus on what matters most: your product, your customer, and your growth.
In the age of same-day and next-day delivery, customers don’t just want their orders fast—they expect it. But as a growing ecommerce brand, how do you compete with retail giants without blowing your shipping budget?
The answer for many brands is simple: a local warehouse for ecommerce fulfillment.
Whether you ship hundreds or thousands of orders each month, strategically storing inventory closer to your customers helps you speed up delivery, reduce costs, and improve the customer experience—all critical to scaling your brand successfully.
What Is a Local Warehouse for Ecommerce?
A local warehouse is a strategically placed storage and fulfillment center located near your primary customer base. These facilities can be:
Operated directly by your brand
Managed by a third-party logistics (3PL) provider specializing in fulfillment
The goal? Reduce last-mile delivery distances and costs while improving delivery speed. By having inventory stored closer to your customers, you can offer faster delivery without relying on expensive express shipping options.
Why Local Warehousing Matters More Than Ever
If you’re fulfilling orders from a single, centralized location, you’re likely running into high shipping costs and long delivery times—especially for customers on the opposite coast or in remote regions.
Local warehousing solves these challenges by:
Speeding Up Delivery: Meet 2-day or next-day delivery expectations with standard ground shipping.
Lowering Shipping Costs: Reduce long-distance zone surcharges and avoid costly air freight.
You want to stay competitive without relying on expensive expedited shipping
How to Choose the Right Local Fulfillment Partner
Selecting the right warehouse or 3PL is about more than just proximity—it’s about finding a fulfillment partner that can help you grow without adding complexity.
Look for:
📍 Strategic Locations: Are they close to your top customer markets?
🔗 Technology Integrations: Do they easily connect with your e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Amazon?
🚛 Carrier Partnerships: Can they offer reliable carrier pickups and competitive shipping rates?
📦 Value-Added Services: Do they support kitting, branded packaging, and returns processing?
📊 Transparent Pricing: Are storage, pick and pack, and shipping costs clearly outlined?
How eHub Helps You Find the Right Local Warehouse
At eHub, we specialize in helping brands simplify their fulfillment strategy with access to a vetted network of 3PL partners across the country. Whether you’re looking to reduce delivery times, lower costs, or prepare for growth, we make it easy to find the right local fulfillment solution.
Here’s How We Help:
Nationwide 3PL Network: Access strategically located warehouses to put your products closer to your customers.
Fulfillment Partner Matching: We help you find a provider who matches your product type, order volume, and growth goals.
Shipping Optimization: Access discounted shipping rates and automate carrier selection for faster, more affordable deliveries.
Scalable Solutions: As your business grows, eHub helps you expand your fulfillment footprint without the headaches.
You focus on growth—we’ll help you store, ship, and scale smarter.
Final Thoughts: Local Fulfillment Isn’t Just for the Big Brands
You don’t need a nationwide warehouse network to compete with big retailers—you just need the right fulfillment strategy. With a local warehouse, you can meet rising customer expectations, reduce costs, and build a stronger, more resilient ecommerce business.
If you’re spending more time packing boxes than building your brand, you’re not alone. Many growing ecommerce businesses hit a point where fulfillment becomes a bottleneck—slowing growth, increasing errors, and eating away at margins.
That’s where pick and pack services come in. By outsourcing this critical part of the fulfillment process, you can free up time, improve shipping speed, and deliver a better customer experience—all without the overhead of managing it yourself.
Here’s what pick and pack services include, when it makes sense to outsource, and how eHub helps you find the right fulfillment partner to keep your business moving forward.
What Are Pick and Pack Services?
Pick and pack services are the core functions of order fulfillment, typically handled by a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. These services cover everything from the time an order is placed to the moment it’s handed off to the carrier.
The Process Looks Like This:
Inventory Receiving and Storage Your products are shipped to and securely stored in the fulfillment center.
Order Picking When an order comes in, warehouse staff “pick” the correct SKUs from inventory.
Packing and Inserts Orders are packed using appropriate materials, with options for branded packaging or promotional inserts.
Labeling and Shipping Shipping labels are applied, and the order is handed off to the carrier.
Returns Handling (Optional) Some 3PLs also manage returns and reverse logistics for added convenience.
At its best, a pick-and-pack partner feels like a seamless extension of your brand, delivering fast, accurate orders that keep customers coming back.
When Should You Outsource Pick and Pack Fulfillment?
If fulfillment tasks are starting to dominate your day, or worse, create customer complaints, it might be time to hand it off to a professional.
Consider outsourcing if:
You’re running out of time or space to fulfill orders efficiently
Shipping errors and returns are cutting into profits
You want to offer faster delivery options without increasing costs
Your team is stretched thin, and fulfillment isn’t your core strength
What to Look for in a Pick and Pack Fulfillment Partner
Choosing the right partner isn’t just about warehouse space—it’s about finding a fulfillment team that can scale with you and protect your customer experience.
Here’s what to evaluate:
Speed & Accuracy: Look for SLAs on order processing times and pick accuracy.
Technology Integrations: Ensure seamless connections with your e-commerce platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce.
Branded Packaging & Kitting: Can they support custom packaging or bundled product kits?
Transparent Pricing: Understand exactly how you’re billed—per order, per SKU, or by storage space.
Strategic Warehouse Locations: Multiple fulfillment centers can help you reduce delivery times and shipping costs.
How eHub Helps You Simplify Pick and Pack Fulfillment
At eHub, we specialize in helping e-commerce brands take the guesswork out of fulfillment. Whether you’re looking to scale up quickly or regain control over fulfillment costs, we make it easier to find a partner that fits your business.
Simplify your shipping process with integrated carrier management, rate shopping, and label generation.
One Centralized Platform
Manage orders, shipments, and fulfillment operations from a single, easy-to-use dashboard.
Scalable Growth Support
As your business grows, we help you layer on additional fulfillment locations, optimize carrier selection, and control costs.
You bring the product—we’ll help you store, pack, and ship it smarter.
Final Thoughts: Fast Fulfillment Builds Better Brands
Great products get customers through the door, but great fulfillment keeps them coming back.
If you’re ready to free up your time, improve margins, and deliver faster, more accurate orders, it might be time to explore pick and pack services with the right fulfillment partner.
Today’s online shoppers expect their orders to arrive fast—and often for free. That puts growing brands in a bind: How do you keep shipping speeds high without burning through your margins?
One answer: a local warehouse for ecommerce.
Whether you’re shipping from your own garage or fulfilling orders from a distant 3PL, storing inventory closer to your customers can radically improve delivery times, reduce shipping costs, and set your brand up to scale.
Let’s take a look at what a local warehouse for ecommerce actually is, how it helps, and how to find the right one for your business.
What Is a Local Warehouse for Ecommerce?
A local warehouse is a strategically located storage and fulfillment center that holds your inventory closer to your customer base. These facilities can be:
Operated by your business (if you run your own logistics)
Managed by a third-party logistics (3PL) provider who handles fulfillment for you
In e-commerce, the goal of using a local warehouse is simple: get orders into your customers’ hands faster and cheaper.
Why Local Warehousing Matters More Than Ever
If you’re shipping orders from one central location across the country—or even internationally—you’re likely racking up high costs on long-distance deliveries. Worse, those shipments take longer to arrive, especially to customers on the coasts or in rural zones.
Local warehousing solves that problem by cutting down the last mile.
Key Benefits of Local Fulfillment:
Faster Delivery: Meet 2-day or next-day shipping expectations with ground service.
Lower Shipping Costs: Avoid long-zone surcharges and air shipping rates.
Higher Repeat Purchases: Fast shipping increases customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Omnichannel Readiness: Stock locally for B2C, B2B, or retail replenishment.
Whether you’re DTC, marketplace-driven, or selling across multiple channels, local fulfillment is a strategic lever you can’t afford to ignore.
Signs You’re Ready for a Local WarehouseforEcommerce
You might be ready to explore local warehousing if:
You’re constantly dealing with slow or expensive shipping for key regions.
You’re missing SLAs on same-day or 2-day delivery promises.
You’re growing fast and need to scale beyond a single location.
You’re exploring multi-warehouse order routing to optimize delivery speed.
How to Choose the Right Local Fulfillment Partner
Not all warehouses are created equal. When evaluating local options, look for:
Location Proximity: Does it serve your densest customer zones?
Carrier Access: Are they plugged into major carrier hubs for quick pickups?
Order Turnaround: Can they meet same-day or next-day fulfillment cutoffs?
Technology Stack: Do they integrate with your storefront and various software?
Scalability: Can they grow with your volume and expand to other regions?
Transparency: Are pricing, storage, and service levels clearly outlined?
How eHub Helps You Get Local, Fast
At eHub, we connect brands with a network of vetted 3PL warehouses—strategically located across the U.S.—to help you ship smarter, faster, and more profitably.
Here’s how we support local fulfillment strategies:
🌎 Location-Based 3PL Matching
We help you identify the best warehouse partners near your customers—so you can reduce transit time and cost.
🧠 Unified Fulfillment Management
Track orders, generate labels, and manage shipments from one platform, even if you’re using multiple warehouses or channels.
🔁 Multi-Carrier Rate Optimization
Access discounted rates across USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL—and route orders to the best option.
🧩 Plug-and-Play Integrations
Connect your Shopify, WooCommerce, or custom tech stack to your 3PLs and unlock smooth operational flow.
You focus on growth—we’ll help you fulfill it, one local warehouse at a time.
Final Thoughts: Fast Shipping Without the Guesswork
If you want to grow your brand without handing over control or racking up unsustainable shipping costs, local warehousing is a smart next step.
At eHub, we help you make the leap—with real support, transparent tools, and a fulfillment strategy built around your goals.
If you’re selling online, fulfillment is one of the most significant decisions you’ll make. It directly impacts your customer experience, margins, and brand. One question many ask as they start down the road is, “How do I decide between Amazon FBA vs. 3PL?”
Many ecommerce sellers start with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)—and for good reason. It’s fast, convenient, and gets your products in front of Prime shoppers. But as your business grows, you may hit some walls.
That’s when brands start comparing Amazon FBA vs 3PL—and asking: Which one actually sets us up for long-term success?
Let’s break down the differences and help you decide what’s right for your next chapter.
What Is Amazon FBA?
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) means you send your products to Amazon’s warehouses, and they take care of the rest—picking, packing, shipping, and even returns.
FBA is great for volume—but not always for control, flexibility, or brand experience.
What Is a 3PL?
A third-party logistics provider (3PL) is a fulfillment partner that stores your inventory and handles the pick, pack, and ship process for your orders—across all your sales channels.
Whether you’re selling on Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, or wholesale, a 3PL acts as your operational backbone.
3PL Pros:
Total control over packaging and inserts
More competitive pricing as you scale
Freedom to fulfill across channels
Support for bundles, kitting, and returns
3PL Cons:
More setup and coordination up front
Varies in speed and quality by provider
Not all 3PLs are created equal—but the right one can unlock brand growth far beyond what FBA allows.
When to Switch from Amazon FBA to a 3PL
Many brands use FBA to get started—but later hit key milestones that make switching worthwhile.
You might be ready to move to a 3PL if:
You’re building a brand, not just selling products
You want branded packaging, inserts, or gift options
You’re expanding to multiple channels beyond Amazon
Your margins are squeezed by FBA fees
You need more inventory storage or flexibility
You’re preparing for seasonal spikes and want greater control
How eHub Makes the Transition Easier
Switching from FBA doesn’t have to be overwhelming. At eHub, we make it easy to compare, select, and launch with a 3PL that fits your business.
Here’s how we help:
Personalized 3PL Matching
We help you find a 3PL that aligns with your product type, volume, growth goals, and fulfillment needs.
Order & Shipping Automation
Our software streamlines shipping, labeling, and tracking—so you don’t lose the simplicity you’re used to with FBA.
Better Cost Control
We give you access to competitive shipping options through major carriers—without long-term contracts or hidden fees.
Multi-Channel Ready
Sell on Amazon, Shopify, your own website, or wholesale—we help you fulfill it all from a unified platform.
You don’t need to choose between growth and control. With eHub, you can have both.
Final Thoughts: Which Is Right for You?
If you’re selling exclusively on Amazon and want hands-off fulfillment, FBA is hard to beat.
But if you’re building a brand, diversifying your channels, or looking to improve margins and control, a 3PL may be the smarter long-term play.
At eHub, we help ecommerce brands make that leap—without losing momentum.
Running a successful e-commerce business means more than just generating orders—you also need to get those orders out the door accurately, quickly, and at scale. That’s where pick and pack services come in.
Whether you’re a growing DTC brand or a seasoned seller juggling multiple channels, outsourcing fulfillment can help you stay focused on growth while ensuring your customers get the fast, consistent experience they expect.
In this post, we’ll break down what pick and pack services actually include, when it makes sense to outsource them, and how platforms like eHub help you find the right fulfillment partner—without the trial and error.
What Are Pick and Pack Services?
Pick and pack services are a core part of third-party logistics (3PL) operations. They cover the hands-on steps between order placement and shipment, including:
1. Inventory Storage
Your products are received and stored in a fulfillment center, organized for fast picking.
2. Order Picking
When a customer places an order, warehouse staff pick the correct SKUs from inventory.
3. Packing & Inserts
Items are packed into boxes or mailers, with padding, inserts, or branded touches as needed.
4. Labeling & Shipping
Shipping labels are generated, tracking numbers are assigned, and packages are handed off to the selected carrier.
5. Optional Returns Handling
Some 3PLs also manage reverse logistics, making returns and exchanges easier for customers and merchants.
At its best, pick and pack fulfillment feels invisible to your customer—and effortless for your brand.
When Does It Make Sense to Outsource Pick and Pack Services?
If you’re still packing boxes in your living room or managing a small warehouse team in-house, you may be wondering when it’s time to let go.
Here are a few signs it might be time to outsource:
You’re spending more time packing than growing the business
Your error rate is starting to rise
You’ve run out of storage space
Shipping costs are unpredictable
You’re preparing for a product launch, promotion, or seasonal surge
You need faster turnaround or tracking updates to meet customer expectations
What to Look for in a Pick and Pack Provider
Choosing the right fulfillment partner is a big decision. Here’s what to evaluate when comparing pick and pack providers:
Accuracy & Speed
Look for providers with service-level guarantees (SLAs) around order accuracy and ship times.
Integrations
Your 3PL should integrate with your e-commerce platform (Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, etc.) to automate order flow.
Flexible Packaging
Need branded inserts or kitting? Make sure they can support your customer experience needs.
Transparent Pricing
Understand how you’re billed: per pick, per order, per SKU, or per box. Watch for hidden storage or material fees.
Strategic Locations
Multi-warehouse providers can help you cut shipping times and costs by fulfilling closer to your customer base.
How eHub Helps You Find the Right Pick and Pack Partner
At eHub, we simplify the entire fulfillment process by connecting you with vetted 3PLs that specialize in fast, accurate, and scalable pick and pack services.
But we don’t stop there.
Fulfillment Matchmaking
We help you find a 3PL that fits your business model, product type, order volume, and growth goals.
Shipping Automation
Our platform integrates with your order sources and automates carrier selection, label creation, and tracking.
Optimized Shipping Costs
eHub helps you access shipping rates through top carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, and more), without forcing you into long-term contracts.
Stress-Free Scalability
As your volume grows, we make it easy to layer on additional warehouses, returns support, or carrier options—so you can grow without fulfillment becoming a bottleneck.
We make sure you’re not just getting orders out—we’re helping you get them out smarter.
Final Thoughts: Pick and Pack Is the Core of E-Commerce Fulfillment
If you’re scaling your ecommerce business, you can’t afford fulfillment delays, packing errors, or overpaying for shipping.
Outsourcing pick and pack services to the right 3PL can give you back time, reduce operational risk, and improve customer satisfaction—and eHub makes it easy to get started.
In ecommerce and logistics, a lot of terms sound similar—but that doesn’t mean they mean the same thing.
“Backorder” vs “backlog” are two terms that often get used interchangeably. But while they both relate to delays in fulfillment, they refer to very different supply chain problems—and solving them requires two very different approaches.
If you’re looking to streamline operations, improve delivery times, or just communicate more clearly with your customers, it’s worth understanding the difference.
What Is a Backorder?
A backorder occurs when a product is out of stock when an order is placed, but the order is still accepted, with the intention of being fulfilled later.
This is a customer-facing issue, and it usually stems from:
Example: A customer places an order for a product that’s currently sold out but is expected to restock in two weeks. The order is accepted, and the customer is notified that it’s on backorder.
Backorders are common in e-commerce, especially when managing limited inventory or pre-launch product drops. However, they can be managed with clear communication and accurate ETAs.
What Is a Backlog?
A backlog refers to a buildup of unfulfilled orders that could be shipped, but aren’t—usually due to internal processing delays.
This is an operational issue, and it’s often caused by:
Labor shortages in the warehouse
Technology bottlenecks
Seasonal volume spikes
Inefficient picking, packing, or label generation
Example: Your warehouse has inventory available, but it’s falling behind in order processing because your team can’t keep up with the daily volume.
Backlogs don’t always impact customers immediately—but if left unchecked, they can quickly snowball into missed delivery windows and support headaches.
Why the Difference Matters: Backorder vs Backlog
Understanding whether you’re facing a backorder vs backlog helps you:
Pinpoint where delays are happening
Improve internal processes or reorder cadence
Communicate more accurately with customers
Choose the right solution (tech, staffing, partners)
Both problems affect the customer experience—but solving them requires different strategies.
How eHub Helps Brands Reduce Backorders and Backlogs
At eHub, we help ecommerce brands and 3PLs simplify fulfillment from checkout to delivery—and that includes reducing both backorders and backlogs.
Here’s how we help:
Streamlined Fulfillment Partner Matching
If your current warehouse can’t keep up with volume, we help connect you to vetted 3PLs with the capacity and systems to scale—so backlogs don’t pile up.
Shipping Automation
eHub automates label generation, carrier selection, and tracking to eliminate manual steps that slow down order processing.
Fulfillment Visibility
By centralizing carrier and shipping activity, eHub gives your ops team better visibility into what’s moving—and what’s stuck—before problems escalate.
Support for Scalable Growth
When brands grow faster than their fulfillment can handle, both backorders and backlogs become more likely. We help ensure your backend is ready before it breaks.
Backorders are about inventory. Backlogs are about throughput. eHub helps you plan for both.
Final Thoughts: Fix the Right Problem, Not Just the Symptom
Backorders and backlogs may both slow down fulfillment—but they stem from entirely different causes. Knowing the difference helps you ask better questions, make smarter decisions, and keep your operations moving smoothly.
Whether you’re navigating a supply issue or struggling with fulfillment speed, eHub is here to help you simplify the process and find a better way forward.
