Switching 3PLs Without Missing a Ship Day.
Missed SLAs, surprise fees, and a 3PL that goes quiet before peak are reasons enough to move. The hard part is moving without breaking your orders. G&B Fulfillment plans the switch with you, step by step, so your customers never notice the change.
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Signs Your Current 3PL Is Failing You
Every warehouse has an off day. These are the signs the problem is the partner, not the day.
Missed Ship Windows, and You Hear It Last
What it looks like: Orders leave late, and your customers tell you before your 3PL does.
How GBF handles it: A dedicated account team that calls you first, and an on-time ship rate in your monthly performance report.
Invoices You Cannot Explain
What it looks like: Surcharges and line items that were never in the quote, or a bill that changes after you sign.
How GBF handles it: Transparent pricing with every fee explained before you sign. No line item should ever surprise you.
Inventory That Does Not Match
What it looks like: Counts drift, and items the system shows in stock turn out to be gone when orders come in.
How GBF handles it: Real time, SKU level inventory dashboards. A recent count of over 20,000 pallets came in under 0.25% variance.
Chargebacks That Keep Coming
What it looks like: The same retailer violations show up month after month with no fix.
How GBF handles it: Routing guide rules are built into our outbound process, and we flag a packing change before it becomes a chargeback.
Returns Stuck in Boxes
What it looks like: Returns sit for weeks, so sellable stock never makes it back on the shelf.
How GBF handles it: Returns received, inspected, and dispositioned within 48 hours at our Woodland warehouse.
No Plan for Peak
What it looks like: Nobody talks about Q4 until it is already here, or your 3PL goes quiet the week before peak.
How GBF handles it: Monthly reviews and a real peak season plan, with capacity mapped out before Q4.
If two or more of these sound familiar, it is time to talk.
How a Switch to GBF Works
The same three step onboarding every GBF client gets, built around a clean cutover from your current warehouse.
Discovery and Transition Plan
We learn your SKU mix, channel volume, peak patterns, and retail compliance needs, along with the notice period in your current contract. Then we build a written transition plan with dates, so there are no surprises.
Systems and Inventory Move
Integrations are connected and tested before your first pallet arrives. Inventory is received, counted, and placed across Woodland and Victorville, and pick paths and SOPs are set for your accuracy and speed targets.
Go Live and Keep Improving
Orders cut over once your stock is live and counted. After that, monthly reviews, ad hoc reporting, and a real Q4 capacity plan keep the model getting better.
What Moves, and How We Move It
A switch is more than trucks and pallets. Here is what changes hands, and what we do with each piece.
- ✓Inventory. We coordinate the inbound freight, receive and count every SKU, and reconcile against your records before orders go live.
- ✓Order flow. Shopify, Amazon, NetSuite, BigCommerce, and SPS Commerce connect to our WMS and OMS, so orders route without spreadsheets.
- ✓Retail EDI. Your retailer connections and routing guide requirements are set up and tested before your first retail PO ships from GBF.
- ✓SOPs. Packaging rules, inserts, kitting builds, and special handling are written down and checked on day one.
- ✓Returns. Your returns rules move with you, and returns are processed within 48 hours at our Woodland warehouse.
The Best Time to Switch Is After Peak
Moving inventory in October puts your holiday sales at risk. Most brands plan a switch for the first half of the year, once Q4 is shipped and counted, so the new warehouse is dialed in long before the next peak.
That means the time to start the conversation is now. A discovery call this fall gives you a plan, a quote, and a cutover date before January.
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A Partner You Will Not Have to Replace Again
Many brands switch 3PLs more than once. The fix is picking a partner with staying power. GBF has the people and the track record to stay with you as you grow.
- ✓Since 1967. Our sister company Grant & Bowman has handled toy distribution since 1967.
- ✓Room to grow. We have two California warehouses, 790,000 square feet in Woodland and Victorville, so you will not outgrow us and have to move again.
- ✓Counted and accurate. A recent physical count of over 20,000 pallets came in under 0.25% variance.
- ✓A team that picks up the phone. A dedicated account team, not a ticket queue.
- ✓Pricing you can read. No hidden fees, and no monthly minimum for smaller brands that do not need equipment bought for them.
More on Switching 3PLs
Plain answers to the questions brands ask before they move.
What to Know Before Switching
The questions to settle with your current and next 3PL before you sign anything.
Why Switching Early Pays Off
How starting the move early keeps a transition from turning into a disruption.
How GBF Pricing Works
The parts that make up a 3PL quote, what moves each one, and how to get a real number.
Common Questions About Switching 3PLs
FAQ
How long does it take to switch 3PLs to G&B Fulfillment?
Standard onboarding runs about 30 days for DTC brands, from signed agreement to first shipped order. Retail channel setup for retailers like Walmart and Target adds 2 to 4 weeks for EDI testing and compliance certification. Your exact timeline is set in the transition plan we build with you.
When is the best time to switch 3PLs?
After your peak season. Most brands plan a move for the first half of the year so the new warehouse is fully dialed in before Q4. Start the conversation a few months ahead so the plan, the quote, and the notice period in your current contract all line up.
Will my orders stop shipping during the switch?
They should not. We plan the cutover so your current warehouse keeps shipping until your inventory is received, counted, and live at GBF. Integrations are tested before go live, and we agree on the cutover date with you in advance.
What information do you need to plan a switch?
Your SKU list, monthly order volume by channel, peak season patterns, any retailer routing guides, and your special handling rules such as kitting or inserts. A recent invoice from your current 3PL helps us show you a clear cost comparison.
Does G&B Fulfillment charge a monthly minimum?
Not for smaller brands or accounts that do not need equipment bought specifically for them. A minimum only applies when we buy new equipment for your account, and we tell you before you sign.
Can we move only our returns to GBF first?
Yes. GBF can process your returns while another warehouse ships your orders. It is a low risk way to see how we work before you move everything.
Which systems does G&B Fulfillment integrate with?
Shopify, Amazon, NetSuite, BigCommerce, SPS Commerce, and the EDI partners your retailers require. Orders flow into our WMS and OMS without manual data entry.
Brands That Chose GBF
“GBF truly stepped up when we needed it most. Vin and his team treated us like family from day one. Now we have full visibility, faster merch drops, smoother returns, and no more operational breakdowns.”
Robbie McPhail
VP Operations, Top Drawer Merch
“GBF gives us a team that handles big swings in business without impacting the service levels our customers expect. From onboarding to special projects, they've been a partner to help us grow.”
Andrew Hamilton
President, ORXID
“It's nice that I know them on a personal level and have assurance that we are working toward the same goal.”
Mark Miller
Owner, Fashion Angels
Looking for a 3PL partner on the West Coast?
Tell us about your fulfillment. We'll tell you how we'd run it.
A 30 minute call with someone who actually runs warehouses. No deck, no scripted demo. We look at your SKUs, your channels, and your peak season, then tell you whether GBF is a fit.
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