4 best 3PLs for appliance fulfillment [2025 comparison]

Full-size appliance fulfillment presents unique challenges that standard 3PLs aren’t equipped to handle.

Between heavy appliances weighing 200+ pounds, oversized items like refrigerators and washing machines requiring specialized handling, dimensional weight surcharges ratcheting up the cost of each shipment, and the need to protect high-value inventory from damage, you need a fulfillment partner who understands the appliance industry’s operational complexities.

The right appliance 3PL can save you thousands in carrier surcharges, protect high-value inventory from damage, and deliver the careful handling customers expect when purchasing premium appliances online.

Here are the top 3PL providers specializing in full-size appliance fulfillment.

3PL Provider Specialty Key Features Notes
Red Stag Fulfillment Heavy, bulky, oversized items (Parcel, LTL, & FTL); High-value products Zero shrinkage guarantee; Negotiated heavy-item carrier rates; 99.99% accuracy; Same-day shipping; Multiple delivery options Selective client acceptance
Buske Logistics Oversized products; Multi-channel distribution 37 warehouse locations; Climate-controlled storage; White-glove partnerships Family-owned operation since 1923
Speed Commerce Large, bulky products; Furniture & bedding Integrated contact center; White-glove delivery; Specialized returns processing Generalist across industries and sizes
ShipBots Multi-channel fulfillment; Heavy items Vision AI packing verification; LA port proximity; No long-term contracts Has worked with major brands like Sony and Wrangler

Red Stag Fulfillment

Red Stag Homepage

Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in heavy, bulky, and oversized products. They offer industry-leading accuracy guarantees backed by financial compensation and negotiated carrier discounts that reduce the handling surcharges that typically hurt full-size appliance shipping economics.

While big products are our specialty, we are also equipped to efficiently fulfill common appliance accessories like water filters, dryer vents, and other smaller products.

Strengths:

Zero shrinkage guarantee with full reimbursement. Unlike typical 3PLs with shrinkage allowances, Red Stag reimburses you for your costs for damaged or lost appliances. This eliminates the risk of absorbing total losses on high-value inventory that can’t be resold once dented, scratched, or mechanically damaged.

Negotiated carrier rates for heavy items. Because of our focus on big, heavy, and bulky items, we have secured industry-leading discounts on Additional Handling Surcharges, Large Package Surcharges, and dimensional weight charges—particularly important for appliances like refrigerators and ranges that routinely exceed 150 pounds and trigger maximum carrier surcharges.

Purpose-built facilities with appliance-specific infrastructure. Both of our warehouses feature high ceilings for stacked pallet storage, reinforced flooring that supports concentrated appliance weight, and wide aisles that accommodate appliance-sized freight during picking and packing. Staff receive training in proper handling techniques using pallet jacks and forklifts to prevent cosmetic damage to stainless steel finishes and control panel scratches.

99.99% pick accuracy with financial guarantees. We analyzed our 2025 accuracy and found only 9 errors per 100,000 items picked. We also pay clients $50 per order error plus cover shipping costs for corrections. This creates incentive alignment that protects customer satisfaction and brand reputation—critical when customers are making high-value kitchen and laundry room investments based on exact model numbers, colors, and feature specifications.

Same-day shipping with strategic warehouse positioning. Our clients have the option to ship same day from our facilities in Tennessee and Utah. These locations reach 96% of the U.S. population within two business days via ground shipping, matching the speed and reach of many-warehouse networks at lower costs—helping customers receive their appliances before kitchen renovation deadlines or when replacing failed units.

Flexible delivery options including white-glove service. We can handle a variety of delivery options including curbside, threshold, and white-glove delivery with installation and haul-away, allowing appliance brands to offer the customer experience that matches their brand positioning—from budget-friendly curbside delivery to premium installation with old appliance removal.

Key considerations:

Selective client acceptance process. Red Stag screens potential clients for mutual fit and works with less than 5% of businesses that initially inquire. This means you can’t assume automatic acceptance and should have alternative options during evaluation. However, appliance brands have a higher chance of being accepted than other types of products because they fit our big, heavy, bulky specialty.

Parcel, LTL, and FTL shipments are all supported. We can ship parcels and pallets to retailers, marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer.

Buske Logistics

Buske Logistics Homepage

Buske Logistics is a family-owned 3PL operating since 1923 with 37 warehouse locations across the U.S. and Canada. They specialize in oversized product fulfillment with climate-controlled storage facilities and white-glove delivery partnerships specifically designed for appliance companies.

Strengths:

Geographic distribution with 7.5+ million square feet. Their 37 strategically positioned facilities enable regional fulfillment strategies that reduce shipping costs and accelerate delivery timelines for appliances shipped nationwide—particularly valuable for reducing transit time when customers need urgent replacement of failed refrigerators, washers, or water heaters.

Specialized appliance handling infrastructure. This includes climate-controlled environments that protect electronic components from temperature extremes, expert packaging protocols that secure doors and prevent internal component shifting, and secure loading techniques designed specifically to prevent tipping, crushing of exterior panels, or damage to glass cooktop surfaces during storage and fulfillment.

White-glove delivery partnerships. These enable in-home delivery, installation, connection to utilities, and old appliance removal services, allowing appliance brands to offer premium customer experiences that include unpacking, leveling, water line connection for refrigerators, and gas line hookup for ranges—without managing complex final-mile logistics in-house.

Multi-channel fulfillment flexibility. Buske supports direct-to-consumer, retail store fulfillment, and wholesale distribution from the same facilities. This is ideal for appliance companies testing different sales channels or operating hybrid business models between online sales and showroom distribution to contractors and builders.

Made4Net warehouse management system. This system provides real-time inventory tracking across all 37 locations, automated storage and retrieval systems that optimize vertical space for palletized appliance storage, and GPS-enabled shipment tracking. It gives you visibility throughout the fulfillment process from warehouse to customer doorstep—essential when customers need delivery coordination with contractors, plumbers, and electricians for installation.

Key considerations:

May not be suited for countertop appliances that ship parcel. Buske specializes in freight and LTL shipments for full-size refrigerators, ranges, washers, and dryers. If you primarily ship smaller countertop appliances like microwaves or coffee makers via parcel, they may not be the best partner.

Speed Commerce

Speed Commerce homepage

Speed Commerce is a 40-year-old Las Vegas-based 3PL that combines fulfillment, warehousing, and integrated contact center services. They are adept in handling large, bulky products like full-size appliances, with specific expertise in furniture and bedding categories.

Strengths:

Specialized big and bulky handling. Speed Commerce operates climate-controlled facilities with 24/7 security specifically equipped for storing and handling oversized products. Their proven experience fulfilling furniture, bedding sets, and other large items translates directly to understanding appliance-specific packaging and storage requirements—including proper strapping to prevent tipping and protection against humidity that can cause rust or electronic component failure.

Integrated customer service operations. They run Premier U.S. call centers plus 24/7/365 contact center capabilities that coordinate directly with warehouse operations. This enables seamless resolution of delivery timing questions and return initiations common in appliance sales—particularly important when customers need to coordinate deliveries with kitchen installers or realize fit issues with cabinet dimensions and doorway clearances.

Carrier optimization for dimensional weight. Speed Commerce maintains negotiated shipping relationships with FedEx, UPS, USPS, and regional freight carriers that deliver discounts on standard rates. This is specifically valuable for full-size appliances where dimensional weight charges can significantly increase shipping costs—French door refrigerators often measure 36+ inches wide and 70+ inches tall, triggering maximum dimensional weight penalties without proper carrier negotiations.

White-glove delivery coordination. Speed Commerce offers specialized handling and delivery services beyond standard parcel shipping, accommodating premium appliance brands requiring in-home delivery, installation, utility connection, and old appliance removal services—allowing customers to schedule complete kitchen or laundry room upgrades without managing multiple service providers.

Key considerations:

Canadian and US warehouses. If you need a presence beyond the United States, Speed Commerce might be a good bet.

ShipBots

ShipBots is a California-based 3PL founded in 2012 that operates three U.S. fulfillment centers. They offer heavy and bulky package handling with pick-pack-ship services, powered by ShipHero warehouse management software and dedicated in-warehouse account managers.

Strengths:

Specialized heavy item infrastructure. ShipBots uses dedicated equipment for handling large and oversized packages, plus negotiated reductions on carrier accessorial charges for the additional handling surcharges that appliance shipments typically incur—particularly the oversized, additional handling, and lift-gate fees that apply to refrigerators, ranges, and washers exceeding standard freight dimensions and requiring specialized delivery equipment.

Vision AI packing verification. This system records the entire packing process for each order. Appliance brands can review video footage to determine whether damage occurred during warehouse handling or carrier transit—critical for resolving customer complaints about dents, scratches, broken glass panels, or non-functional units that could have occurred at any point in the supply chain.

No long-term contracts with Master Service Agreement structure. This gives emerging appliance brands the flexibility to scale up or down without penalty, particularly valuable during seasonal demand fluctuations when home renovation activity peaks in spring and summer or when testing new product lines like smart appliances or energy-efficient models.

Key considerations:

West Coast focus with LA port proximity. ShipBots’ California-based operations offer advantages for brands importing through West Coast ports, though this may require evaluation of coverage for other regions depending on your customer base.

Red Stag Fulfillment is a 3PL founded by ecommerce operators, and built for scaling businesses.

A team of fulfillment fanatics who care about our clients’ businesses like their own. We see things from our customers’ perspective, and have the guarantees to prove it.

Talk with us
3PL founded by ecommerce operators, and built for scaling businesses
RSF logo icon
RSF logo

You might also like…