3PL vs Fulfilment Centre: What's the Difference?
Understanding the difference can help you choose a setup that works today, while allowing you to scale as order volume and operational complexity grow.
Businesses researching outsourced logistics often come across the terms fulfilment centre and 3PL (third-party logistics provider). While these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they usually describe different service models.
Fulfilment Centre
Fulfilment centres are typically focused on direct-to-consumer (B2C) order processing. They are designed to support online sellers shipping individual orders to customers.
- Pick, pack, and dispatch of customer orders
- E-commerce platform integrations
- Packaging, kitting, and inserts
- Returns handling
- Customer-facing delivery and tracking
3PL (Third-Party Logistics)
A 3PL generally provides broader logistics services, supporting businesses with larger stock volumes or multiple sales channels.
- Palletised storage and bulk handling
- Inbound goods receiving and stock control
- Wholesale or B2B dispatch
- Carrier and freight coordination
- Value-added services such as labelling or bundling
Why Many Businesses Use a Hybrid Model
In practice, most growing e-commerce businesses don't fit neatly into one category. Many start with B2C fulfilment and gradually add new SKUs, suppliers, inbound deliveries, or wholesale channels.
A hybrid fulfilment and logistics model allows businesses to combine day-to-day customer order fulfilment with 3PL-style capabilities as they scale — without needing to change providers.
Key Takeaway
Rather than focusing on labels, businesses benefit from understanding what they need operationally today and whether their fulfilment setup can grow with them over time.
Need a Flexible Fulfilment Partner?
Whether you need B2C fulfilment today or a scalable logistics solution for tomorrow, we'd love to discuss how Fulfilhub can support your business.
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