Trace each charge
Ask how receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging, shipping, returns, and minimum commitments are calculated. Identify conditional fees and work billed separately. Keep the provider’s assumptions with the estimate.
Resolve inconsistencies
If a sales explanation differs from the written terms, request clarification before relying on it. Record the current version of each document and the outstanding commercial questions. This checklist supports your review; it does not replace professional advice on an agreement.
Reconcile one example month
Choose a normal month and list the activities that should appear on an invoice. Include receiving, storage, picking, packing materials, shipping, returns, and project work where applicable. Ask how minimums interact with those charges. Keep the provider’s original fee names beside your own cost categories. This lets you check the arithmetic without losing the conditions attached to a line item.
Record what is established
Keep the date and scope of the evidence beside the conclusion. Identify whether an answer applies to your products, the proposed facility, and the activities you intend to buy. List exclusions and unresolved points with the same care as confirmed capabilities. The record should show the limits of the research rather than imply an audit that has not taken place.
Use this question in your next meeting:
Can another person trace the proposed total to quantities, rates, and written assumptions?
Go deeper: The documents to request before choosing a 3PL. The companion article includes an editable worksheet and links to provider profiles.
Further reading
Shopify: fulfilling orders. Background on fulfillment workflows and working with fulfillment services.