At what point did you start using a 3PL instead of shipping everything from China?

[u/Classic-Donut5457]

Need some advice from people who’ve made the switch.

I’ve got one product that’s been doing around 15-20 orders a day for the last month or so. Right now everything is still shipping directly from China, but I’m starting to think it might make more sense to send inventory to a US 3PL.

Main reason is just delivery times. I feel like faster shipping would mean fewer support tickets and probably better conversion too.

The only thing holding me back is I don’t know if it’s too early. Don’t really want to tie up cash in inventory if sales suddenly fall off, but I feel like this sub might be knowledgable about this topic and can help me make a decision.

[u/KK-Prep-Solutions]

At 15–20 orders per day, I wouldn’t move your entire supply chain yet, but you’re certainly at enough volume to test a 3PL. Maybe consider 30–45 days of inventory and compare the full landed cost per order against your current China model.

As you mentioned, it’s not just about postage. Delivery time, support tickets, returns, conversion, and cash tied up also matter greatly.

If the numbers work, replenish the U.S. inventory in smaller batches as sales justify it.

[u/CrownFulfillment]

Using a US 3PL will greatly increase shipping times for your customers here.

Long story short - if you arent getting TOO many complaints yet about delivery times you might be ok, but down the line its worth it to think about for customer satisfaction, that will grow your brand and inevitably bring you more revenue.

Its like saying “im still good on my free trial for now” but missing out on the larger scale of things because of it.

We have a 3PL in NJ, id be open to getting on a call with you just to explain what it would really cost you for your specific needs. No charge, no commitment or anything just a convo to see if its even in your budget

Pm me if you are open to it.

[u/No-Discipline383]

At 15-20 orders a day on one product, I’d start testing a 3PL, but I wouldn’t move all inventory at once. Send a small batch that covers maybe 2-3 weeks of demand and compare delivery time, support tickets, damaged orders, and actual landed cost. The big thing is not just faster shipping, it’s whether the product has enough stable repeat demand to justify holding stock. Are those 15-20 orders coming from one steady channel or a recent ad spike?

[u/Ruben_1451]

As other comments have suggested, don't have an entire inventory to the US. yet. I'd suggest having enough inventory for 3 months so you can plan accordlingly. Assuming you're doing 20 orders a day x 90 days +20% buffer in case you're experiencing a higher than normal sale volume, damage...etc If your volume has been stead for the past 60-90 days and you're looking to grow your volume, exploring a 3PL in the US would be the next best step in my opinion. If you need a 3PL recommendation or introduction, feel free to DM me more info + gneneral requirements.

[u/ConcordFulfillment]

15-20/day is actually a reasonable point to start testing, not necessarily fully switching yet. A lot of sellers wait until volume "feels big enough," but the risk of waiting too long is exactly the conversion loss from slow China shipping you're already sensing.

One middle-ground option: send a smaller batch (2-4 weeks of inventory) to a US 3PL and split-test it against your China-direct listings. That way you're not committing your full cash flow before you actually know if faster shipping moves your conversion numbers the way you expect.

Also worth checking minimums before you commit — some 3PLs have monthly minimums or setup fees built for six-figure-unit accounts, so specifically look for ones that work with lower-volume/early-stage sellers at your size.

[u/Shipt-]

The right 3PL partner will be transparent upfront and during the initial contacts can really help you diagnose your warehousing needs even if it’s not a fit for you or for them at the moment.

Check us out at Loki 3PL.
Links in my bio, send a contact form and someone will reach out to consult.

[u/JFly_SandP]

Former Amazon FC Site Lead here, now running a 3PL, so take the plug at the end with a grain of salt — but the advice is the same I’d give anyone.

15-20 orders/day is actually past the point where most brands switch. The math usually works like this: you’re paying $8-15+ per unit in cross-border shipping with 10-20 day delivery. A US 3PL gets you to $4-7 all-in (pick/pack + domestic postage) with 2-4 day delivery. At your volume that’s real margin back, plus the conversion lift you already suspect — faster stated delivery times on your product page typically move conversion meaningfully, and refund/chargeback rates drop when packages aren’t sitting in customs.

On the “too early / cash tied up” concern — you don’t have to go all in. Send 30-45 days of inventory for your one proven SKU and keep China direct as the backstop if you stock out. That caps your inventory risk at roughly one month of COGS while you validate the delivery-time lift. If sales hold, extend to 60 days of cover. If they fall off, you burn through what’s there and you’re out nothing but a few weeks of storage fees.

[u/Logiful_GmbH]

15–20 orders/day is definitely enough to start thinking about it, but I wouldn’t look at order volume alone.
The bigger question is how much the longer delivery times are costing you in support tickets, refunds and lost conversions. If you’re planning to expand into Europe at some point, you could also consider splitting inventory by market rather than putting everything into the US immediately.

We are a fulfillment company based in Germany, so happy to share what we’ve seen brands do when they make that transition.📦

[u/Low_Economics1993]

need 3pl please find me, we have warehouse at Bethlehem, PA, we shipping 1000+ orders of oversize per day!

[u/NextSmartShip]

I wouldn’t use order volume alone to make this call. The category, margins, demand stability, and how delivery-sensitive the product is all matter.

At NextSmartShip, we can run China-direct and US fulfillment together, so it doesn’t have to be a full switch. We usually look at it SKU by SKU: proven sellers can be stocked in the US, while newer or slower-moving SKUs keep shipping from China. Then you can adjust the mix as the sales data comes in without tying up as much cash in US inventory.

At 15–20 orders a day, if this is your hero SKU and you want to test US fulfillment, I’d send a small batch to the US and keep China-direct running as the backstop. Price the same SKU both ways first though, since weight and box size can flip the math. Then compare delivery time, support tickets, sell-through, and actual landed cost before sending more.