In 2013, we wrote about the strategic advantages of outsourcing order fulfillment. At the time, that was a relatively straightforward decision for brands:
Outsource fulfillment because it’s operationally complex, expensive to scale, and distracting from core growth activities.
That thinking wasn’t wrong. In fact, it all still holds water.
But the world is different today. The fulfillment decision-making matrix is more complex. Consumer behaviors and expectations have evolved. Technology has changed shopping habits. Considerations that matter now simply weren’t visible in 2013.
Here’s what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what brands should understand today that they couldn’t have known then.
What Mattered in 2013
A decade ago, outsourcing fulfillment was primarily about operational efficiency.
Brands turned to fulfillment partners to avoid the capital expense of warehouses, labor, and equipment; handle increasing order volume without breaking internal teams; reduce complexity as SKU counts grew; and focus leadership time on product, marketing and sales
The idea was simple: fulfillment was necessary but not core. If a specialized partner could do it better, faster or cheaper, outsourcing made sense.
Like we said, that logic still holds but it no longer tells the whole story.
What’s Actually Changed
Fulfillment Is Now Part of the Customer Experience
In 2013, fulfillment was largely invisible to customers unless something went wrong. Today, it’s front and center.
Delivery speed, order accuracy, packaging quality, tracking transparency, returns processing – these metrics all shape how customers perceive a brand. In that sense, fulfillment has become inseparable from customer experience and, by extension, customer retention.
Technology Has Shifted the Power Dynamic
In 2013, fulfillment tech was fragmented, expensive and often proprietary. Brands didn’t expect real-time visibility or data integrations into internal systems. Basic reporting with reasonable accuracy was good enough.
But today, that technology is foundational. Real-time inventory visibility is more than a nice-to-have. Brands expect automation that all but eliminates errors. And if a 3PL can’t pipe fulfillment data into a brand’s ecommerce platform, its ERP, its OMS, its EDI solution, that 3PL probably didn’t make it much further than 2013.
Ultimately, fulfillment providers are no longer judged just by warehouse capacity, but by the strength of their systems and how well those systems connect to the rest of a brand’s stack.
Scale Is No Longer Just About Volume
Back in the 20-teens, scale meant shipping more orders. Now, we’d argue that scale means handling complexity.
Brands today may need to fulfill any combination of direct-to-consumer orders, wholesale and retail replenishment, marketplaces, subscription programs, international shipments… you get the idea.
Outsourced fulfillment now means supporting multiple brand channels and service levels without losing visibility or control.
Geography Matters More Than Ever
In 2013, warehouse location was mostly a cost and transit-time calculation. Basic algebra.
Now it’s calculus. Yes, distributed inventory reduces shipping times and costs, but it also supports faster delivery promises and improves resilience when Mother Nature or a pandemic decides to throw a wrench into the system. There are simply more factors and more implications to consider.
What Hasn’t Changed
Despite all this evolution, several fundamentals remain true. (Our adherence to these fundamentals paired with our commitment to pushing towards the fulfillment frontier is a big part of why we’re still here.)
Outsourcing Fulfillment Still Frees Brands to Focus on What They Do Best
Even with better tools, fulfillment is operationally demanding. Brands still gain leverage by partnering with specialists with deep experience.
Expertise Still Matters
We have over 25 years of experience navigating labor markets, peak seasons, carrier relationships and compliance issues. For any brand that’s outsourcing fulfillment, that’s advantageous.
Scalability is Still a Primary Driver
When growth outpaces internal capabilities, outsourcing continues to be a practical and often necessary solution for brands. The right 3PL can handle whatever you throw at it.
What We’d Tell Brands Today That We Couldn’t in 2013
If it were 2013 and we were writing that article from 2025 our advice would sound different.
Treat Fulfillment as a Strategic Function
Brands: look beyond cost per order and instead treat fulfillment as a core operational capability that directly influences growth, loyalty and lifetime value.
Tech Should Be Evaluated as Carefully as Warehouse Space
Really kick the tires of your 3PL’s systems, data quality and integration capabilities. They matter just as much as – if not more so than – square footage or pick rates.
Flexibility Beats Perfection
Your rigid fulfillment strategy is going to crumble in the face of what’s to come. Wild economic policies, natural disasters and a pandemic are in store. Hybrid models, distributed inventory, and adaptable workflows will allow brands to respond to volatility and a fast-changing consumer.
The Bottom Line
In 2013, outsourcing order fulfillment was about removing friction from growth. In 2025, it’s about driving growth without compromising customer experience. Yes, the fundamentals still matter, but the stakes are higher. The systems are smarter and fulfillment now plays an extremely visible role in how brands compete.