Google the term “third-party logistics providers” and you’ll get way more than you bargained for – to the tune of thousands upon thousands of links. Estimates on the number of 3PLs – whose services include warehousing, fulfillment and supply chain management to suppliers and manufacturers -- ranges somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000 in North America. So trying to differentiate yourself in such a highly fragmented market is no easy task, to put it mildly.

The world is changing, and consumers’ ability to get information and buy products from their mobile devices anywhere, anytime, is having a trickle down effect on the supply chain—they want their items delivered quickly and at a competitive price. So retailers now have to re-examine how they are sourcing their products and where to get them cheaper in order to bring something more to the table.

Google the term “third-party logistics providers” and you’ll get way more than you bargained for – to the tune of thousands upon thousands of links. Estimates on the number of 3PLs – whose services include warehousing, fulfillment and supply chain management to suppliers and manufacturers -- ranges somewhere between 15,000 and 16,000 in North America. So trying to differentiate yourself in such a highly fragmented market is no easy task, to put it mildly.