How 3PL Partnerships Can Transform Your Retail Supply Chain

or many retailers, especially those looking to scale or diversify sales channels, managing logistics internally has become challenging. Retailers face increasing pressure to offer seamless omnichannel experiences, provide fast delivery options, and control cost, all while staying agile in a competitive market. Partnering with a third-party logistics provider can transform supply chains, giving businesses the tools, expertise, and flexibility needed to meet rising customer expectations while streamlining operations. 

Here’s a look at some ways a 3PL partnership can drive transformation for retailers, making supply chains faster, more efficient, and more resilient. 

Retailers often struggle to handle surges in order volume around holidays or promotions. Peak season spikes, sales events, or new product launches can overwhelm in‑house operations. Third-party logistics providers offer scalable warehouse space, labor, and transportation resources to meet these changing needs. Whether you’re launching a new product line or preparing for increasing holiday demand, 3PLs enable quick adaptation and provide the infrastructure to scale up or down without long-term commitments. Third-party logistics providers are adopting flexible solutions in order to meet increasing customer demands.

While warehouse hiring conditions have improved slightly in 2025, staffing remains one of the biggest challenges facing logistics operators, according to a recent report from Instawork. To adapt, nearly half of warehouses now regularly use flexible workers. LVK has partnered with Instawork, whose app connects hourly professionals with local jobs. The 3PL is integrating its warehouse operations software with Instawork’s network of vetted hourly workers, creating the ability to scale its warehouse operations across North America.

Managing warehousing, deliveries, and inventory can be overwhelming. By outsourcing to an experienced 3PL, retailers gain access to logistics experts, robust systems, and advanced technologies like warehouse management systems, real-time tracking platforms, AI-based demand forecasting, and route optimization tools. 

These technologies can help retailers improve inventory accuracy, streamline order processing, and enhance visibility, without the need for costly internal development. Real-time visibility into inventory levels, order status, and delivery performance enhances collaboration and decision making. While route optimization tools create the most efficiency routes, optimizing resources and minimizing delivery delays. Data analytics dashboards allow retailers to track KPIs, identify inefficiencies, and continuously improve supply chain processes.

Over half of 3PLs stated that customers expect deliveries in two days or less and 26% of 3PLs highlighted three-day or less delivery expectations, according to a recent third-party logistics study released by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. To meet these demands, many 3PLs operate networks of strategically located warehouses and fulfillment centers, allowing retailers to offer faster delivery times without increasing overhead. Retailers can store their products closer to their customers, reducing delivery times and costs. 

Many 3PLs offer branded tracking portals and proactive notifications. This transparency minimizes “where’s my order?” inquiries, builds trust, and improves the customer experience. Returns are an inevitable part of retail, and a strong 3PL can handle them efficiently. Third-party logistics providers offer specialized reverse logistics solutions that streamline returns processing, inspection, and restocking, helping retailers minimize losses and improve the customer experience.

By partnering with the right third-party-logistics provider, retailers can unlock new levels of efficiency, speed, and customer satisfaction. Whether you’re a new company or an established brand, embracing 3PL collaboration can be a beneficial step toward building a more customer-centric, agile, and scalable business. 

For more information about how our delivery management solution can help you manage your delivery operations more efficiently, please contact info@bringoz.com.