A US fulfillment center stores your inventory and handles order picking, packing, and dispatch from a warehouse based in the United States. Alongside the core fulfilment work, a US-based 3PL typically manages FDA compliance, state tax requirements, and domestic customs for imported goods, so you're not handling that separately.

US fulfillment centers cluster around major population hubs and transport corridors, commonly the East Coast, Midwest, and West Coast, to keep delivery times short across the country. Warehouse location directly affects how fast orders reach your customers, so it's worth checking a provider's actual footprint rather than assuming nationwide coverage.

Costs are built from storage, pick and pack, and shipping fees rather than one flat rate, and vary by order volume, product size, and how many warehouses you need. A tailored quote based on your actual volumes gives a far more accurate picture than any general figure.

Many US 3PLs handle FDA-regulated categories like supplements, food, and cosmetics, but the depth of experience varies significantly between providers. It's worth confirming directly how a provider manages compliance for your specific product category before committing.

The best fit depends on your order volume, product type, and which regions your customers are in, not just which 3PL has the biggest name. Share those details with fulfilment.com and we'll match you with US 3PL partners suited to your specific requirements, rather than a generic shortlist.

Delivery times depend heavily on how many warehouses a provider operates and where they're located relative to your customers. A 3PL with regional coverage can typically offer 2-day or next-day delivery to most of the country, while a single-warehouse setup means much longer transit times for customers on the opposite coast.

Many US 3PLs offer FBA prep services alongside their own fulfilment, handling labeling, packaging, and inspection before stock goes into Amazon's network. This is worth asking about directly if you sell across multiple channels, since not every provider treats Amazon prep as a core service rather than an add-on.

A well-managed switch involves transferring or rebalancing stock across the new provider's warehouses without a gap in order fulfilment, though timing depends on your order volume and how many regions you're shipping into. Providers experienced with switches will usually plan a transition period rather than a hard handover date.