Switching your fulfillment partner can feel like a high-stakes decision, fraught with potential pitfalls. Will you face costly downtime? Will inventory get lost in transit? Will your customers notice a disruption? These are valid fears, but they don’t have to be your reality.
Migrating to a new 3PL is an opportunity to accelerate growth, improve efficiency, and build a partnership that truly supports your brand. With a clear plan, the right strategy, and an expert team to guide you, the transition can be stress-free. This guide breaks down three proven strategies for switching to ShipMonk, ensuring you find the perfect path for your business goals.
Ready to dive deep? For a comprehensive look at every step, download the complete guide.
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Which switching strategy is right for you?
Every business is unique, which is why a one-size-fits-all approach to migration doesn’t work. We’ve developed three distinct strategies to fit different inventory levels, timelines, and operational needs.
Strategy 1: The hard switch (The clean break)
Sometimes, the best move is a bold one. The Hard Switch is a straightforward, all-at-once migration. You move your entire inventory from your current provider to ShipMonk in one clean break. While it involves a brief, planned pause in fulfillment, it’s often the simplest and fastest way to get up and running with a new partner.
This strategy is best for:
- Brands with smaller SKU counts or manageable inventory levels.
- Businesses need to exit a problematic relationship with their current provider quickly.
- Companies where urgency is a top priority.
| Pros | Cons |
| Simplicity: The least complex strategy with no need to coordinate between two providers. | Temporary Downtime: Orders cannot be fulfilled while inventory is in transit and being processed. |
| Quick Start: Get integrated and benefit from ShipMonk’s solutions faster. | Packaging Dependency: Relies on your old provider packing inventory correctly to avoid delays. |
| Optimized Setup: We perform quality control on all inventory at once for maximum accuracy. | Short-Term Stress: Requires careful planning to manage the fulfillment pause. |
Real results: When Dr. Squatch was held back by unreliable fulfillment, they made the Hard Switch. The result? Inventory accuracy soared, delivery times were slashed, and fulfillment-related customer complaints vanished.
“ShipMonk made a lot of big promises, but much to our surprise, they delivered.” – Jason Welsh, Sr. Manager of Ecommerce and Wholesale Fulfillment at Dr. Squatch
Ready for a clean break and a quick start? Get a quote to plan your hard switch!
Strategy 2: The transition period (The gradual ramp-up)
If you can’t afford any downtime, the Transition Period is your ideal strategy. This approach involves sending a portion of your inventory to ShipMonk while your current provider continues to fulfill orders. Think of it as a “ramp-up and wind-down” path that ensures uninterrupted service for your customers.
This strategy is best for:
- Brands with multiple warehouse locations.
- Businesses with high inventory levels or complex catalogs.
- Companies with a few high-volume SKUs that drive the majority of orders.
| Pros | Cons |
| Minimized Downtime: Keeping your old provider active eliminates fulfillment gaps. | Coordination Complexity: Managing two providers at once requires tight oversight. |
| Flexibility: Allows you to adjust the plan based on inventory trends and order volumes. | Additional Costs: You may temporarily incur higher storage and operational fees. |
| Uninterrupted Service: Your customers won’t notice a thing, preserving brand reputation. | Potential for Gaps: Requires clear communication and order routing to prevent errors. |
Pro-tip: To make this work seamlessly, set up logic in your ecommerce platform to route orders to the correct fulfillment center based on SKU or region. This prevents confusion and keeps orders flowing.
If maintaining continuous service is your top priority, a gradual transition is the way to go.
Talk to a fulfillment expert about a phased migration!
Strategy 3: The fresh start (The cost-effective shift)
What if you could switch without moving any of your old inventory? The Fresh Start strategy is designed for maximum cost-efficiency. You simply sell through the inventory at your current provider while routing all new inventory from your suppliers directly to ShipMonk.
This strategy is best for:
- Brands that are already planning to restock from suppliers soon.
- Cost-conscious businesses looking to avoid inventory transfer fees.
- Companies with a low tolerance for downtime or operational disruption.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cost-Effective: Avoid the cost of pulling, shipping, and receiving old inventory. | Longer Timeline: The transition is tied to how quickly you sell through existing stock. |
| Zero Downtime: Your fulfillment operations continue without any interruption. | Dual Management: Requires managing two providers until the old stock is depleted. |
| Seamless Scaling: The migration fits naturally into your standard replenishment cycle. | Coordination Needed: Requires clear communication with suppliers and both 3PLs. |
Your seamless 4-step migration plan with ShipMonk
No matter which strategy you choose, our expert onboarding team will guide you through a proven 4-step process to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
- Sending inventory to ShipMonk: We start by getting your products into our system. You’ll create products in the ShipMonk app and set up a “Receiving” so our team knows what’s coming. By following our clear Receiving Guidelines, you’ll avoid delays and extra fees.
- Managing inventory locations: During the transition, we help you set up rules in your ecommerce platform to route orders to the correct fulfillment center, ensuring perfect logic and no missed orders.
- Managing orders: Our platform integration automatically pulls orders for ShipMonk to fulfill. We’ll ensure orders handled by your old provider are marked “fulfilled” to prevent any duplication.
- Exiting your current 3PL: The final step is a clean break. We help you review your old contract, plan the final inventory removal, and ensure all stock is accounted for, so you can close out the old relationship with confidence.
Ready to make your move?
Migrating to a new fulfillment partner is a major step toward scaling your business. With ShipMonk, you get more than a provider—you get a partner dedicated to your growth.
Choose your strategy, follow the plan, and let us handle the rest. Want all the details?
