Building the Right Tech Stack for Seamless 3PL Integration: What You Need (and What You Don’t)
When your brand is just starting out, fulfilling orders might be as simple as packing boxes from your office or in your living room and printing labels from your (or your intern’s) laptop. But as you grow—especially when you start working with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider—technology becomes a make-or-break factor in how smoothly your operations run.
The challenge? There are too many tech solutions out there, all promising to revolutionize your fulfillment operations and customer experience (CX). Order Management Systems (OMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), shipping platforms, API integrations—the list goes on. Some tools are essential, while others sound great on paper but add unnecessary complexity (and costs) without real benefits.
The good news is you don’t need every piece of logistics tech under the sun—you just need the right tech stack that integrates seamlessly with your 3PL’s systems. That means:
✅ Orders flow from your sales channels (Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, etc.) straight to your 3PL without manual intervention.
✅ Inventory is updated in real-time so you don’t oversell or get stuck with dead stock.
✅ Shipping, tracking, and returns are all managed efficiently.
✅ You have clear visibility into performance, costs, and customer experience.
So, what tools do you actually need? And what’s just an overhyped buzzword? In this guide, we’ll break it all down, helping you build a fulfillment tech stack that works with your 3PL, not against it.
The Core Tech Stack – What You Absolutely Need
When it comes to fulfillment technology, the goal isn’t to have the most tools—it’s to have the right ones. A well-designed tech stack should eliminate manual work, reduce errors, and give you full visibility into your inventory and orders. The best part? If you have the right setup, your fulfillment will feel almost effortless.
Here are the must-have tools that will help your business scale while keeping fulfillment running smoothly with your 3PL.
1. Order Management System (OMS) – The Command Center for Your Orders
What it does:
An OMS acts as the central hub for all your sales channels, pulling in orders from Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, and other marketplaces into one place. It syncs inventory across channels, helps manage order processing, and ensures that every order gets to your 3PL correctly.
Why you need it:
Prevents overselling by keeping inventory updated across all platforms.
Automates order routing, so your 3PL knows exactly what to pick, pack, and ship.
Helps manage complex fulfillment needs like split shipments or pre-orders.
What to look for:
✅ Seamless integrations with your 3PL (via API or EDI).
✅ Multi-channel order syncing (Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, etc.).
✅ Real-time inventory updates and reporting.
Popular OMS platforms: Skubana, NetSuite, Linnworks, Orderhive.
2. Warehouse Management System (WMS) – How Your 3PL Stays Organized
What it does:
A WMS is what your 3PL uses to track inventory, manage warehouse space, and optimize picking and packing. While you don’t need to run your own WMS, you do need to ensure that your 3PL’s system integrates well with your OMS and sales channels.
Why you need to care about your 3PL’s WMS:
Ensures accurate inventory counts so you don’t oversell.
Improves picking and packing efficiency, reducing mis-shipments.
Provides real-time tracking for order status and stock levels.
What to ask your 3PL:
✅ Does their WMS integrate with your OMS or eCommerce platform?
✅ Do they provide real-time inventory visibility?
✅ How often do they sync stock levels with your system?
Pro tip: Even though your 3PL handles WMS, you need a way to access reporting and data—whether that’s through an API connection, an online portal, or automated reports.
3. Shipping & Carrier Management – Getting Orders to Customers, Fast and Cost-Effectively
What it does:
A good shipping platform helps manage carrier selection, rate shopping, and tracking. Some brands use their own shipping management system, while others rely on their 3PL to handle it.
Why you need it:
Helps you compare shipping costs and delivery times across multiple carriers.
Allows you to set shipping rules (e.g., cheapest vs. fastest shipping method).
Provides tracking and automated updates for customers.
What to consider:
✅ Does your 3PL handle all carrier selection, or do you need control?
✅ Will you be using a mix of carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL)?
✅ Do you need special services like freight, international shipping, or expedited delivery?
Popular shipping management tools: ShipStation, Shippo, EasyPost.
4. API & EDI Integrations – How Everything Connects
What it does:
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) and EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) enable different systems to communicate with each other. In simple terms, they make sure your sales channels, 3PL, and inventory systems stay in sync without manual data entry.
Why you need it:
Ensures that orders, tracking, and inventory updates flow automatically between systems.
Eliminates human error from manual data entry.
Allows for real-time insights into order status and stock levels.
What to ask your 3PL:
✅ Do they offer API or EDI connections to your OMS or eCommerce platform?
✅ How frequently do they sync order and inventory data?
✅ Do they have a customer portal where you can view order status and tracking?
Final Thoughts on the Core Tech Stack
If you have these four key systems in place—OMS, WMS (through your 3PL), shipping management, and strong integrations—your fulfillment process will be faster, more efficient, and less prone to costly mistakes.
But what about the shiny new logistics tech you keep hearing about? Let’s take a look at the tools that sound impressive but may not be worth the investment.
Overhyped or Situational Tech – What You Might Not Need
With so much buzz around logistics technology, it’s easy to feel like you need the latest and greatest tools to stay competitive. But not every flashy innovation delivers real value—at least not for most growing brands. Some tools are only necessary for massive enterprise-level retailers, while others sound promising but don’t live up to the hype.
Here’s a look at some fulfillment tech that you might not need—or at least need to think twice about before investing in.
1. Smart Warehouses with Fully Autonomous Systems – Cool but Unrealistic for Most Brands
🚀 The Hype: Fully automated warehouses, AI-powered sorting, and robotic pickers promise to revolutionize order fulfillment.
💡 The Reality: The cost and complexity of these systems make them impractical for most brands working with a 3PL.
Why It’s Overhyped:
Setting up a fully automated warehouse costs millions and is only feasible for enterprise-level brands like Amazon.
Most 3PLs already use automation where it makes sense (e.g., barcode scanning, conveyor systems).
A well-run 3PL with human workers and smart software often outperforms rigid robotic systems in terms of flexibility and accuracy.
When It Makes Sense:
If you’re fulfilling hundreds of thousands of orders per month and have an extremely standardized product catalog.
If you own and operate your own warehouse (rather than using a 3PL).
The Alternative:
💡 Instead of worrying about robotics, focus on choosing a 3PL with efficient processes and strong WMS technology—you’ll get nearly the same results without the massive price tag.
2. Proprietary Custom-Built Order Management Systems (OMS) – Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
🚀 The Hype: A fully customized OMS tailored to your brand’s unique needs sounds like the perfect solution.
💡 The Reality: Custom software development is expensive, time-consuming, and often unnecessary.
Why It’s Overhyped:
Building and maintaining a proprietary OMS can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Off-the-shelf solutions like NetSuite and Orderhive already offer the features most brands need.
Many 3PLs, including Rush Order, offer quite a few OMS features that may get you by without purchasing an OMS, or least help you by delaying the purchase of a standalone OMS.
A good 3PL will integrate with multiple existing OMS platforms—so why build your own?
When It Makes Sense:
If you have extremely complex fulfillment needs that no existing software can handle.
If your business model is fundamentally different from standard eCommerce (e.g., highly specialized B2B fulfillment or when every order is highly customized to each customer).
The Alternative:
💡 Instead of building your own system, choose an established OMS that integrates with your 3PL’s tech stack—you’ll save time and money. Or, find a 3PL that already gives you sufficient OMS functionality off the shelf.
Final Thoughts on Overhyped Tech
Some fulfillment tech sounds amazing on paper but doesn’t always deliver real-world benefits—at least not for most growing brands. Instead of chasing the latest trends, focus on a tech stack that simplifies operations, integrates well with your 3PL, and scales with your business.
Up next: How to put all of this together and design the right tech stack for your brand.
How to Build the Right Tech Stack for Your Business
By now, you know which fulfillment technologies are essential and which ones might be more hype than help. But how do you actually put together a tech stack that works for your brand—one that integrates seamlessly with your 3PL, keeps operations smooth, and helps you scale without unnecessary complexity?
Here’s how to approach it step by step.
1. Start with Your Business Needs, Not the Technology
Too many brands make the mistake of picking software first and then trying to fit their operations around it. Flip that approach. Start by identifying your specific fulfillment challenges and business goals, then select tech solutions that directly solve those issues.
Ask yourself:
✅ Do I sell on multiple platforms (Shopify, Amazon, Walmart, etc.) and need centralized order management?
✅ Is inventory accuracy a challenge, and do I need real-time stock updates?
✅ Do I need advanced reporting to track fulfillment speed, error rates, or shipping costs?
✅ Am I struggling with order routing or split shipments?
✅ Do I need better visibility into returns and exchanges?
Once you identify what you need, choosing the right tools becomes much easier.
2. Choose an OMS That Syncs Seamlessly with Your 3PL
Since your Order Management System (OMS) is the central hub of your fulfillment tech stack, choosing the right one is critical. The best OMS will:
✅ Pull orders from all your sales channels (Shopify, Amazon, etc.) and send them directly to your 3PL.
✅ Sync inventory in real time to prevent overselling.
✅ Provide tracking updates for customers automatically.
✅ Integrate with your accounting and ERP software to simplify financial reporting.
Key takeaway: Don’t pick an OMS that forces manual data transfers. Make sure your 3PL already integrates with it (or can easily do so via API or EDI).
3. Use Your 3PL’s WMS (But Make Sure You Have Access to the Data)
You probably won’t need your own Warehouse Management System (WMS) since your 3PL already has one. But you do need to ensure that their WMS provides:
✅ Real-time inventory visibility (so you can track stock levels and avoid surprises).
✅ Order status updates at each stage (received, packed, shipped).
✅ Detailed reporting (so you can track fulfillment performance, error rates, and stock turnover).
Pro tip: Ask your 3PL how often their WMS syncs with your OMS. Instant or hourly syncs are best—daily updates can cause inventory discrepancies.
4. Streamline Carrier Selection and Shipping
Some brands like to control their own carrier selection; others let their 3PL handle it. Either way, make sure your setup allows you to:
✅ Compare carrier rates (so you’re not overpaying).
✅ Track shipments in real time and provide updates to customers.
✅ Use automation rules (e.g., always choosing the cheapest carrier for standard orders).
If your 3PL handles all shipping, make sure their system gives you access to tracking and carrier performance reports—this helps you monitor shipping times and costs.
5. Avoid “Shiny Object Syndrome” – Stick to What Works
It’s easy to get distracted by the latest AI-powered, blockchain-backed, drone-enabled fulfillment technology. But in most cases, simpler is better.
When evaluating a new tech solution, ask:
✅ Does it solve a real problem in my fulfillment process?
✅ Does it integrate with my existing systems and my 3PL?
✅ Will it scale as my business grows?
✅ Is it worth the cost, or will a simpler solution work just as well?
If the answer to any of these is “no”, you probably don’t need it.
6. Test Before You Commit
The last thing you want is to invest in a new system, only to find out that it doesn’t integrate well with your 3PL or creates new headaches. Before fully committing to any tech solution:
✅ Start with a free trial (if available) or a short-term contract.
✅ Run a test order to see how data flows between systems.
✅ Ask your 3PL if they’ve worked with this software before—they may have insights on compatibility.
A small upfront test can save huge headaches down the road.
Final Thoughts on Building the Right Tech Stack
The best fulfillment tech stack isn’t about having the most tools—it’s about having the right tools that integrate seamlessly with your 3PL, eliminate manual work, and give you full visibility into your operations.
By focusing on must-have tech (like a solid OMS, real-time inventory syncing, and automated shipping tools) and avoiding overhyped distractions, you’ll create a system that helps your business scale smoothly—without unnecessary complexity.
What’s Next?
Ready to optimize your fulfillment setup? Reach out to your potential 3PL (or Rush Order!) to make sure your tech stack is capable of being fully integrated and running the way you expecdt. The smoother your systems work together, the faster and more cost-effectively you can get products into your customers’ hands. 🚀
