Warehousing & 3PL Overview

Two paths to fulfillment: (1) post an RFQ on our marketplace and let 3PLs bid for your business in hours, not weeks — or (2) bring an existing 3PL relationship and connect via API. We standardize the operational layer: inventory, allocation, pick tickets, manifests, labels, POD, shipment tracking.

• Either a need to find a 3PL (RFQ marketplace path) or an existing 3PL contract you want to integrate.
• Volume estimate (orders/month) to scope correctly — under 1K is "DIY/Amazon MCF" territory, 1-10K is "ShipBob/ShipMonk" tier, 10K+ is "Flexport/ShipHero/multi-warehouse".
• Product category — apparel, food, hazmat, oversized require specific 3PL capabilities.

1. 1
   Text us "I need a 3PL for X orders/month, in Y region" — our rfq_agent drafts a formal RFQ.
2. 2
   RFQ posted to matched 3PLs based on capability/region/capacity. Bids arrive in hours.
3. 3
   You compare ranked bids (Cost × Speed × Reputation). Pick one and sign via DocuSign with Stripe escrow.
4. 4
   Operational integration auto-connects: inventory, orders, manifests, POD — all flowing through our adapter.

• Inventory
  3PL → CI inventory levels (real-time webhook or 15-min poll)
• Allocation
  CI → 3PL: which orders to fulfill from which warehouse
• Pick tickets
  CI → 3PL: per-order pick instructions with priority/expedite flags
• Manifests
  3PL → CI: daily manifests with ASN data
• Labels
  CI ↔ carrier: rate-shop across UPS/FedEx/USPS/DHL via existing fulfillment/carrier_service.py
• POD (Proof of Delivery)
  3PL → CI: delivery confirmation with signature/photo
• Shipment tracking
  Carrier events flow 3PL → CI → consumer via existing wismo_service.py