The warehouse-lease thread from @speeze last week is worth the scroll for any operator near a building decision.
Our take from the floor side: the building you can fill is better than the building you could grow into. Empty square footage charges rent on your judgment every month.
The replies on that thread are operators talking to operators. Rare on here.
First-month onboarding looks bumpy from outside.
Question marks on receiving, box specs not settled yet. That's what month one looks like. The clean weeks come in month three.
It's on the 3PL to set that expectation up front. Brands that didn't get it are the ones we lose.
The warehouse-side of this.
A clean Friday means the SKU mapping is done and the POs are reconciled before Monday's pick wave starts. When that doesn't happen on Friday, Monday morning is chasing question marks instead of fulfilling orders.
Easiest day to invest discipline. Pays in everything downstream.
The metric I check every Monday morning isn't pick rate.
It's how much of Friday's receiving closed without questions. Inventory matched the PO. Nothing on hold.
That number predicts the week. Cleanest weeks always start with the cleanest Friday receiving.
Tuesday morning after a long weekend. The hour before the floor starts moving is the busiest quiet of the week.
Three days of orders queued, fresh team rolling in. We try to clear the highest-priority pulls before the actual day starts.
Kevin's right about the seams. The warehouse equivalent is handoff cost. Between receiving and putaway is usually where time disappears, not in the picking or shipping itself. We track that gap as its own number now. The work on either side stays the same, the seam is what we tighten.
The Fulfill.com threads from @speeze the past few weeks complement our brand work here. Canadian DTC founders are reading the operator-to-operator conversations in the replies and deciding from there.
Henry and Sons (henryandsons.ph) goes live with us today for North and South American fulfillment. Philippines' biggest coffee and coffee equipment distributor, now using Coquitlam as their Americas node. First day on the floor. @henryandsonsph
April is the month our brands usually start planning Q4. This year most are still fighting Q1. If cash is tight, like it is for a lot of Canadian businesses right now, the single most useful thing you can do is pull apart last year's carrier invoices line by line. You can't fix what you haven't read.
We ship for 16 brands out of a Coquitlam warehouse with a team of 3. Named Best 3PL in Canada 2025 and Best 3PL in Home Goods by Fulfill.com last year. I'm on the warehouse floor most days, tuned in to what our brands need. When a founder calls, I can walk over and talk to whoever packed their last order in about 30 seconds. That's the whole model. Staying small lets us keep that promise.
Whether you're a 3PL or a single brand, having multiple carrier accounts means:
- More flexibility during peak demand
- Competitive shipping rates
- Greater service coverage
- Reduced risk from delays & disruptions
Don't put all your parcels in one truck!
Weβre excited to share that weβve been named the Best 3PL in Canada and the Best 3PL in Home Goods! This honor belongs to our fantastic team and our trusted clients. Your commitment inspires us to raise the bar every single day.
Thank you to @FulfillDotCom for the recognition!
The largest 3PL in Mexico, XB Fulfillment, declared force majeure on all their contracts.
Not sure how this will effect all the product their customers already have in country, but itβs safe to say, their clients need to get their product out ASAP
Effective immediately, Mexico has announced a 35% tariff on textiles and apparel!
If you run an ecom clothing company that ships from Mexico into the US, life just got crazy.
Canada offers similar duty-free shipments. DM for more info.
Follow for more info as it comes out.
DIY shipping for your ecommerce store certainly has its charm, but the longer Iβm in this business the more often I see these whoopsies π¬. If you find yourself ticking a couple of these boxes it might be time to look into a 3PL, before you ship your sanity π€ͺ out with your shipments π¦. π§΅
Looking to expand your ecommerce brand into Canada?
The land where CPA's are still a fraction of what you'd pay in the good ol' USA.
Our 3PL can overnight ship to major cities across Canada, & can even push into the US for you.
There are even some crazy financial benefits to shipping to the USA from Canada that result in you getting some of the duties back.
I'm happy to connect you if interested.
Comment & I'll DM you.
Seeking seamless Canadian fulfillment for your ecommerce success? π¨π¦ Embrace "Think Global, Act Local" and discover the power of Canadian fulfillment for your Canadian customers. breakthrough.studio/Think-Glβ¦
As we wrap up the day, let's reflect: What's one thing you've done to improve your customers' journey from browsing to delivery? #CustomerExperience#EcommerceInsights
In the spirit of partnership, let's give a shout-out to our most valued business allies. Who's made a difference in your ecommerce journey and why? #EcommercePartnerships#BusinessGrowth