Red Stag Fulfillment and Spreetail offer dramatically different approaches to ecommerce logistics. While both companies help online sellers reach customers, their business models serve fundamentally different needs.
Red Stag Fulfillment operates as a pure third-party logistics (3PL) provider—storing your inventory, picking and packing orders, and shipping them to customers while you maintain full control of your brand, pricing, and sales channels.
We specialize in handling big, heavy, and bulky products that require careful handling and precise fulfillment.
Spreetail takes a completely different approach. Rather than just handling logistics, they purchase your products at wholesale prices and become your retail partner. They then manage the entire selling process—listing your products across major marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart, controlling pricing, and handling fulfillment.
This model helps expand your retail presence but means giving up direct control over how your products are sold.
Let’s examine how these contrasting approaches affect your business and which might better serve your ecommerce needs.
The major differences between Red Stag Fulfillment and Spreetail
| Company | Focus | Control & Business Model | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Stag Fulfillment | High-quality fulfillment services for heavy, large, or bulky items, including fragile products | Standard 3PL model – provides warehousing and fulfillment without taking product ownership | Companies wanting full control over pricing and branding while needing reliable fulfillment for large items |
| Spreetail | Brand expansion through retail partnerships (Home Depot, Walmart) with additional marketing support | Takes ownership of inventory at wholesale prices and controls pricing/selling | Brands seeking marketing support and retail expansion, willing to relinquish pricing control |
A feature both Red Stag and Spreetail have in common is Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) for large, heavy, or bulky items, enabling Prime-eligible shipping on Amazon. This shared capability helps brands reach Amazon’s extensive customer base quickly and efficiently.
Key features of Spreetail
What do you get out of partnering with Spreetail? Working with this 3PL provider means gaining access to features that may help boost retail growth—if that’s your overall goal.
Strong marketplace integration
Selling through major retail marketplaces can increase brand visibility and drive sales. Spreetail partners with over a dozen significant marketplaces, such as:
Amazon
Target
Walmart
Home Depot
Wayfair
However, this expansion into the marketplace comes with trade-offs, as Spreetail’s wholesale purchasing model means you’re not entering these stores in the traditional sense. Instead, Spreetail manages the selling process, which can boost exposure but may limit your control over pricing and brand management.
End-to-end retail operations support
Retail operations often require time-consuming tasks that can distract business owners from focusing on growth. Spreetail offers full-service retail operations support, including purchasing inventory, multi-channel fulfillment, listings management, and advertising.
These end-to-end services are beneficial for startups and growing ecommerce businesses, allowing small business owners to concentrate on other areas while Spreetail handles retail operations.
Efficient returns and reverse logistics
Effective returns management is essential for customer satisfaction and repeat business. A seamless returns process can improve customer loyalty, while reverse logistics efficiently reintroduces products into the supply chain.
Spreetail manages return logistics directly through marketplaces, resulting in a smooth customer experience. However, this may limit flexibility for custom return policies or accommodations, as retail marketplaces often have standardized procedures that don’t allow for adjustments.
Key features of Red Stag Fulfillment
Red Stag’s focus on fulfillment operations and warehousing allows us to excel at what we do. Our main concern is fulfilling your orders accurately and efficiently, so you can focus on growing your brand through marketing and marketplace expansion.
Expertise in bulky, customized, and high-value products
Shipping bulky or large items, like furniture or gym equipment, presents unique challenges—these high-value items are often expensive, and improper handling can lead to significant losses.
Choosing a fulfillment provider that specializes in large items helps protect your margins and reduces the risk of costly damage. Red Stag specializes in handling such items with expert care and precision, minimizing worries for your brand.
We also handle other specialized products, such as fragile items and lightweight products with limited SKUs. Our custom packaging process secures items throughout shipping, so they arrive in perfect condition.
Red Stag also offers kitting and assembly services for ecommerce businesses selling bundled items or subscription boxes, including:
Parts assembly before shipping
Custom numbers or lettering
Tags and labels
Combining items into kits with new SKUs
Our warehouse facilities are built to accommodate large products, which helps reduce delays in receiving, picking, and other order fulfillment steps. With two fulfillment centers located strategically on each coast (Salt Lake City and Tennessee) we provide efficient order processing, multiple shipping options, and reduced shipping rates, so your orders are fulfilled accurately and on time.
Custom workflows and tailored packaging
Automating processes helps online stores streamline order fulfillment. Red Stag offers custom workflows that add automation and flexibility, creating a smoother fulfillment process. With faster shipping, orders arrive sooner, enhancing overall customer satisfaction.
Red Stag also offers custom packaging options for every item. Our system analyzes the items and packaging materials that go in the box, allowing our technology to produce custom boxes in the exact sizes needed. This reduces packing material costs and helps products arrive without damage.
Other benefits include:
Same-day fulfillment with prompt packing and shipping for fast, on-time deliveries
Accuracy guarantees for picking and packing fulfillment—if we make an error, we pay you $50
State-of-the-art picking and packing equipment
Industry-leading accuracy and zero-shrinkage guarantees
Few companies can claim near-perfect order accuracy—but Red Stag can. With an order accuracy rate of 99.999%, we set the standard as an industry leader. This high level of precision reduces the risk of customers receiving incorrect products, which can lead to returns and harm customer loyalty.
Our zero-shrinkage guarantee is especially valuable for large or fragile items requiring specialized handling. These high-value products are costly, and any loss or damage can impact your bottom line. Our guarantee covers the wholesale cost of lost or damaged items, providing peace of mind for your business.
To accomplish zero shrinkage and exceptional order accuracy, we use multiple scans and blind cycle counts. These counts verify that each item in every shipment matches what should be present.
How to make the right 3PL fulfillment services choice for your business
With U.S. ecommerce sales growing to approximately $1.119 trillion in 2023, demand for efficient, specialized fulfillment is higher than ever. Selecting the right 3PL provider requires a careful evaluation of your business needs and a clear understanding of each provider’s unique offerings. To help you decide between Red Stag and Spreetail for ecommerce fulfillment services, consider these factors:
Order volume. Do you have high-volume orders that demand significant time and resources for handling end-to-end retail operations?
Growth strategy. Is retail marketplace expansion a central part of your growth strategy?
Product type. Are you selling bulky, high-value items that need specialized handling, or are your products smaller but still require care?
If you need custom workflows, high-value or bulkier product fulfillment, and dedicated customer support, Red Stag provides reliable, specialized solutions. For fulfillment-only services, Red Stag’s expertise in packing and shipping large or heavy items ensures precision and cost-efficiency.
On the other hand, Spreetail offers more than fulfillment—it’s geared toward brands looking for retail marketplace expansion and multi-channel growth. However, this model involves accepting Spreetail’s special terms, as they will buy your products at wholesale prices, control the selling process, and manage your brand’s retail presence. If you’re comfortable with this setup, this provider could be a valuable partner for rapid retail expansion.
See if Red Stag Fulfillment could be the right choice for your ecommerce needs
After evaluating the strengths of both Red Stag Fulfillment and Spreetail, you’re now equipped to make an informed choice. The right 3PL partner can streamline your operations and support ongoing growth for your ecommerce business.
With Red Stag, you gain scalable fulfillment services, high-quality customer support, and reduced shipping costs. Our order management solutions include fast shipping, transparent pricing, and dedicated account management.
Choosing Red Stag means partnering with a team exclusively focused on fulfillment excellence. Unlike providers who juggle multiple services, we concentrate solely on precision-driven logistics, making us true experts in handling your unique ecommerce needs.
If you’re looking for cost-effective fulfillment solutions and warehousing, Red Stag may be the right fit. Contact us to get started.
