Why Use a 3PL for FBA Prep and FBM (And How It Fits Your Whole Fulfillment Strategy)

For many Amazon sellers, managing fulfillment is more than just choosing between FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) and FBM (Fulfillment by Merchant). It’s about building a strategy that supports Amazon, DTC, and retail/B2B channels—without sinking time and money into storage, prep, or shipping.

A 3PL (third-party logistics provider) bridges these worlds. At Handled, we help brands store inventory, prep products for Amazon, ship FBM orders, and fulfill DTC and wholesale—all from a single, unified network.

Why Amazon Sellers Use a 3PL for FBA Prep

Amazon’s fulfillment centers are great for speed and reach—but their requirements are strict and mistakes are expensive. A 3PL can handle FBA prep to ensure:

• Correct labeling and packaging (including polybagging, bubble wrap, and barcodes)
• QA checks to avoid rework fees at Amazon
• Batch prep so only what you need is sent to Amazon (saving you on Amazon’s high storage fees)

Instead of sending all your stock to Amazon and paying inflated storage costs, you can store your full inventory with a 3PL and ship smaller, just-in-time replenishment batches to Amazon as needed.

FBM as a Cost-Saving Option

FBA isn’t always the cheapest or most strategic choice for every order. With FBM, you can:

• Ship directly from a 3PL (like Handled) at competitive parcel rates
• Avoid long-term storage fees at Amazon
• Retain more control over packaging and branding
• Stay flexible if Amazon restricts inbound shipments

Handled offers same-day FBM fulfillment, ensuring you meet Amazon’s strict shipping SLAs without lifting a finger.

FBA vs. FBM: Which Should You Use?

In reality, many successful sellers use both:

• FBA gives you better reach and higher-priority listings (Prime badge, Buy Box)
• FBM can be cheaper for certain SKUs or oversized items
• A 3PL helps you blend these strategies, storing all inventory in one place and routing products to either FBA or FBM based on your needs

Why a 3PL Is Key to a Multi-Channel Strategy

Amazon may be your biggest channel today—but what about tomorrow? Storing all your inventory at Amazon locks you in and limits flexibility. With a 3PL, you can:

• Store inventory once and ship anywhere: DTC, B2B, retail, or FBA replenishments
• Support other marketplaces (Shopify, Walmart, TikTok Shop, and more) from the same stock
• Avoid overcommitting to Amazon’s expensive long-term storage
• Keep control of your packaging, inserts, and branding for non-Amazon orders

Where Handled Fits Into the Picture

We built Handled to give brands more than just Amazon support:

• FBA Prep: We handle labeling, packaging, and compliance with Amazon’s strict rules.
• FBM Fulfillment: Same-day shipping, every day—keeping your Amazon metrics strong.
• DTC Fulfillment: Custom workflows for Shopify, including branded packaging and inserts.
• Retail & B2B: Palletized orders, EDI compliance, and wholesale shipments—all from the same inventory.

We help you create a unified fulfillment strategy so your inventory serves every sales channel—Amazon included.

Final Word

Using a 3PL for Amazon isn’t just about outsourcing tasks like FBA prep or FBM—it’s about building flexibility and efficiency across all your sales channels. You’ll save on storage, cut down on manual work, and be ready to scale into Amazon, DTC, and retail without having to reinvent your operations.

Looking for a fulfillment partner who gets Amazon and beyond?
👉 Talk to us. We’ll show you how Handled fits into your multi-channel strategy.

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