When you outsource your eCommerce fulfillment, getting products to your 3PL warehouses becomes a crucial link in your supply chain. This article covers the basics of how clients can ship products to Red Stag Fulfillment’s warehouse locations in Utah and Tennessee, as well as insights on getting products to a 3PL in general.
Which port should I ship to?
There are two factors to consider when you choose a port of entry in the U.S.
First, where are you shipping from? A container shipment from Shanghai can take almost twice as long to reach New York (28 days) as Los Angeles (15 days). However, shipping times from Chennai, India, are only three days longer to New York than LA, so you could ship goods from India to either or both coasts.
If speed is essential and you’re shipping from China, you can transload a container at a West Coast port onto a tractor trailer and truck it to the East Coast in three to four days. However, it’s probably more economical to ship to an East Coast port, particularly in Georgia or South Carolina, to get goods to Red Stag Fulfillment’s Tennessee warehouses.
The second consideration is your fulfillment warehouse locations. If your business is big enough to use more than one warehouse, it’s a good idea to have at least two fulfillment locations to provide fast shipping across the continental U.S. For example, from Red Stag Fulfillment’s warehouses in Salt Lake City, UT, and Knoxville and Sweetwater, TN, we can ship to 96% of U.S. addresses in two days or less.
If you import goods from China, West Coast ports, including Los Angeles, Oakland, and Tacoma, WA, may get your products on shelves faster. To save money on transport, book to Salt Lake City with your shipping company to get products to a 3PL in Salt Lake.
For East Coast fulfillment, Charleston, SC, and Savannah, GA, are close to our Tennessee locations. You can connect via the Appalachian Regional Port and use drayage to take the container to our warehouses in Knoxville or Sweetwater. Again, you’ll save if you book to ARP with your shipping company.
How do I get from the port to your facility?
As noted above, it’s a good idea to book beyond the port with your shipper for full container loads to save time and money. The shipping company will deliver the container via rail to a terminal near the warehouse and you can use drayage to quickly turn it around and return it to the rail hub, avoiding detention and demurrage charges.
Less-than-container load (LCL) shipments have more shipping options and more complexity. You’ll need to secure LTL space, most likely on a truck. You also have the option of air freight for time-sensitive shipments, though you’ll still need to arrange delivery from the airfield to the warehouse.
You may want to work with a freight forwarder to secure space and make connections for multimodal freight. A forwarder can find the best routes to get products to your 3PL, move your shipment more quickly, and use their relationships in the industry to secure space for your merchandise.
Do you help with customs?
Customs paperwork is highly specialized and changes frequently. Red Stag Fulfillment doesn’t help clients clear customs because we feel it’s crucial to leave that task to the experts. For customs help, it’s a good idea to work with a customs broker or a clearing and forwarding agent (CFA). A CFA can help you clear customs and handle freight forwarding for you.
Can you automatically shift inventory from one warehouse to another?
When you store inventory in multiple warehouses, inventory balancing is vital. Shifting stock to meet demand when one warehouse is overstocked and another understocked can reduce dead stock and keep your SKUs moving. Moving inventory between warehouses can also keep customer delivery windows short by ensuring that their orders ship from the closest warehouse.
Red Stag Fulfillment doesn’t automatically shift inventory from one warehouse to another. However, we work with each client to improve inventory planning, and we’re happy to help you implement systems to keep your inventory in balance and your customers happy. Plus, our outstanding inventory accuracy gives you real-time insights that let you make intelligent inventory management decisions.
How long does it take to get freight to a 3PL warehouse?
The answer to this question is: it depends. The factors that can influence freight time from port to warehouse include:
- Port of entry or U.S. factory location
- Warehouse location
- Freight mode (truck, rail, multimodal)
- Fleet capacity
- Weather events that slow truck or rail traffic
- Pricing sensitivity
- Whether your load is FTL or LTL
For example, freight time by truck from the Port of Los Angeles to Salt Lake City for an LTL shipment can take up to two days, while an FTL shipment by rail may arrive in a little more than one day.
Work with your freight company or freight forwarder to determine optimal freight modes and routes from your ports of entry to get your products to a 3PL warehouse.
Can Red Stag help with domestic freight to get products to a 3PL?
To ship FTL or LTL freight from a U.S. factory or distribution center to a Red Stag Fulfillment warehouse, trucking is your best option. We can help arrange domestic freight shipments for our clients.
What is the difference in time and cost of rail versus drayage to get products to a 3PL?
The decision between rail and drayage isn’t either/or. Drayage is short-haul trucking, often for intermodal transfers. You’ll need drayage to get your container to and from the rail yard.
Drayage is the best choice if you need to transport your goods a short distance. Rail or long-haul trucking are better choices for longer freight routes.
Trucking is usually faster than rail but rail may be more economical. Generally, rail shipping is less expensive than sending freight by truck. However, if you’re moving an LTL shipment, trucking may provide more flexible options for smaller loads.
Helping eCommerce companies succeed
Red Stag Fulfillment is committed to providing outstanding fulfillment services that help eCommerce companies grow and thrive. Our dedicated onboarding team will support you in setting up processes to get your merchandise to our warehouses.
In addition to our industry-leading accuracy, we offer fulfillment guarantees, so you never lose because of a mistake we make. If you’re ready for zero shrinkage, a two-day dock-to-stock guarantee for inbound shipments, and near-perfect pick and pack fulfillment, try the Red Stag difference.
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