Compare quotes apples to apples by putting every line of each quote in the same table, priced at your actual order mix, and treating a missing line as a question to answer rather than a saving. A quote that leaves lines out is not a cheaper quote — it is an incomplete one.
What lines should a 3PL quote contain?
Most fulfillment quotes price the same handful of activities, but not every quote shows every activity, and some fold two into one rate. Use the table below as your checklist: copy it, fill in Quote A and Quote B for each line, and use the last column when a quote leaves a line out.
| Line | Quote A | Quote B | What to ask when the line is missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving (per pallet, per carton, or per unit) | Which unit receiving is billed in, and whether the first pallet or carton carries a different rate | ||
| Storage, and how it is measured (pallet, bin, cubic foot, or SKU) | Which measure storage uses, how month-end counts work, and whether overflow space is billed separately | ||
| Pick and pack (per order, per unit, or both) | Whether the rate covers the first item only, and what each additional item adds | ||
| Packaging (boxes, void fill, tape, who supplies them) | Which materials are included, which are billed per use, and whether branded packaging changes the rate | ||
| Returns (receiving, inspection, restocking, disposition) | What each step of a return is billed as, and who decides the disposition | ||
| Account or technology fees (onboarding, platform, integrations) | Which are one-time, which recur monthly, and which appear only after go-live | ||
| Minimums (monthly, order, storage) | What each minimum is, what it covers, and what fills it if volume drops | ||
| Accessorials (address corrections, residential surcharges, reconsignment, special handling) | Which accessorials are covered in the quote and which surface only on invoices | ||
| Transportation, shown separately with its rate basis named | Whose carrier account the charges run on, and which document the billed rates come from |
How do I run both quotes against my order mix?
Run both quotes against your actual order mix, not a sample order. A sample order hides the lines that hit your profile hardest.
- Pull your last 90 days of orders: order count, average units per order, SKU count, package weights and dimensions.
- Apply each quote's rates to that data, line by line, using each quote's own measure for storage.
- Price the accessorials your history actually shows, at the frequency your history shows.
- Add recurring fees and minimums, and mark every line you had to estimate because the quote omitted it.
- Compare the two totals, then compare how much of each total rests on estimates.
What does a missing line tell me?
A missing line is information, not a saving. It means the activity is either bundled into another rate or it will arrive on invoices later, and the quote alone does not say which. That is why the table's last column is a question rather than an assumption: ask it, get the answer in writing, and put the resulting rate into the table before you compare totals. For what each of these activities typically costs, see How much does a 3PL cost.
What should the transportation line look like?
Transportation is a fulfillment cost with different mechanics: it is priced by weight, zone and accessorial rules, and it follows its own rates conversation. Require it as its own line with the rate basis named, not folded into a per-order fulfillment rate. When one quote buries shipping inside the pick rate and the other shows it separately, split the first apart before comparing — otherwise the two totals do not describe the same document.
When should I do this?
Before shortlisting turns into negotiation. The table is easy to fill when both quotes are on the desk and harder once a deadline is attached. new3PL works with brands on exactly this step — building the table, running the order mix through both quotes, and contracting parcel and freight transportation in the brand's own name — as one option among running the comparison yourself or using any advisor you trust.
FAQ
Is a cheaper 3PL quote the better one?
Not on its own. The cheaper quote is often the one showing fewer lines, and the lines it leaves out come back on invoices later. Compare totals built from complete tables.
What if a quote only gives one per-order rate?
Ask for the breakdown behind it — pick, pack, packaging and transportation each priced on its own line. A rate you cannot decompose is a rate you cannot compare.
Do I need this table if a 3PL already sent a polished quote?
Yes — polish describes the document, not its completeness. Run the same line check regardless of how the quote is formatted.