Fulfilment for clothing is different from fulfilment for most other products. A single style can run to dozens of size and colour combinations, return rates are high, sales peak around seasons and promotions, and many brands sell to retailers as well as online. A 3PL that works well for a brand selling one product in one size can struggle with all of this. This guide covers what to look for when choosing a fulfilment partner for a clothing brand.
Stock control at size and colour level
Every size and colour of a style is its own stock line. A shirt in ten sizes and three colours is thirty separate lines, each of which needs counting and tracking. Ask how a provider scans stock at goods in, picking and packing, how quickly stock levels update in your online store, and how often counts are checked. Sending the wrong size almost always results in a return, so accuracy at this level matters more for clothing than for most products.
Returns
Returns are a normal part of selling clothing online, and how they are handled affects both your costs and your stock. Ask how quickly returns are checked and put back on sale, who decides whether an item is resellable and against what standard, and what happens to items that are damaged or worn. Ask too whether customers can send items back without you logging each return in advance, and what reporting you will receive.
Wholesale and retailer orders
Many clothing brands sell to stores and online retailers alongside their own website. If you do, check that the provider can fulfil wholesale orders from the same stock as your online orders, send pallet deliveries, meet retailers' labelling and booking requirements, and dispatch dropship orders on behalf of retailers. Running everything from one stock pool avoids splitting inventory between warehouses.
Stock preparation and reprocessing
Stock from factories does not always arrive ready to sell. It may lack barcodes, need relabelling or repacking, or need splitting into size ratios for retailers, which we cover in our guide to ratio packing. A provider that can do this work in-house saves you moving stock between suppliers.
Integrations and visibility
Your 3PL should connect directly to your online store and marketplaces so that orders arrive automatically and stock levels stay accurate. You should also be able to see your stock, orders and returns in an online portal at any time, rather than waiting for a weekly spreadsheet.
Peaks and new season launches
Sales events, Christmas and new season drops bring sharp increases in order volume. Ask how the provider plans for peaks, whether dispatch times change during busy periods, and how they will keep you informed if there are delays. It is better to agree this before your first peak than during it.
Questions to ask before you sign
Before choosing a provider, ask how they hold and count stock by size and colour, what their order accuracy is and how they measure it, how quickly returns are processed and what you will be told about them, and whether they can handle wholesale orders and stock preparation. Ask what each charge covers and which surcharges apply, how you will be supported day to day and how quickly queries are answered, and what notice period applies if you move. If you can, visit the warehouse and see how your stock would be handled.
How TDW Logistics works with fashion brands
We fulfil for fashion brands including Fynch-Hatton, Northern Threads and Beverly Hills Polo Club from our warehouse in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Stock is held at size and colour level and scanned through goods in, picking and packing. Returns come back to us without your customers needing to log them first, resellable items go back on sale, and anything damaged is set aside for you to review, with a weekly returns report.
We fulfil online and wholesale orders from the same stock, barcode and ratio pack in-house, and give each client a named account manager who responds on the same working day. For brands based outside the UK, we are an HMRC Approved Fulfilment Centre under the Fulfilment House Due Diligence Scheme (FHDDS). Get in touch to arrange a visit or a quote.