This guide explores why brands are moving away from FBA, what alternatives exist, and how a 3PL can power your growth on and off Amazon in 2025.
Amazon has become the go-to destination for U.S. consumers, with many buyers searching the platform first for everything from home goods to groceries. In 2024, Amazon continued to dominate the ecommerce landscape, setting industry standards for pricing, shipping, and customer experience. For sellers, Amazon's influence is hard to ignore, especially when it comes to fulfillment.
The rise of Amazon Prime has made 2-day shipping the new normal. As a result, many ecommerce brands feel compelled to use Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA), trusting Amazon to handle logistics, storage, and shipping in exchange for access to the Prime badge. But FBA isn’t the only way to meet these expectations. For many brands, a third-party logistics provider (3PL) like Daguer Logistics offers a smarter, more flexible alternative.
This guide explores why brands are moving away from FBA, what alternatives exist, and how a 3PL can power your growth on and off Amazon in 2025.
Fulfilled by Amazon offers clear benefits:
· Prime badge eligibility
· Access to Amazon's nationwide fulfillment network
· Built-in returns processing
However, the trade-offs are significant:
FBA ships your products in Amazon-branded boxes. You lose the opportunity to create a memorable brand experience through packaging, inserts, and messaging.
FBA charges:
· Fulfillment fees (per order, based on size/weight)
· Storage fees (monthly, with Q4 surcharges)
· Long-term storage penalties
· Prep, labeling, and removal fees
These costs add up, especially for oversized, seasonal, or slow-moving inventory.
FBA restricts how much stock you can send and penalizes sellers with low inventory turnover. You also can’t move inventory quickly between sales channels or warehouses.
Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP)You fulfill orders directly, either in-house or via a 3PL, and still display the Prime badge. However, you must meet strict 2-day shipping requirements, often requiring costly air shipping and sophisticated logistics systems.
Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)You ship orders yourself or through a 3PL without the Prime badge. While this may slightly impact visibility, you gain more control, improved margins, and greater flexibility.
A 3PL like Daguer Logistics allows you to fulfill Amazon orders (as well as orders from other platforms) without the constraints of FBA. Here’s what you gain:
Manage inventory in real-time across multiple fulfillment centers. Know exactly what’s in stock, what’s selling, and when to restock—without relying on Amazon's inventory caps or reporting delays.
Ship your Amazon orders in branded boxes, not Amazon's. Include custom inserts, promotional materials, and packaging that enhances your customer experience.
Distribute your inventory across strategically located fulfillment centers (e.g., California and Ontario) to offer ground-based 2-day shipping to most of North America—without Prime.
Unlike FBA, many 3PLs offer flat or tiered pricing. At Daguer Logistics, we simplify billing by charging only for receiving, storage, and fulfillment—with no hidden peak-season surcharges.
Forget about long-term storage fees, prep charges, or removal costs. We don’t penalize you for growing at your own pace.
You control how returns are managed—whether items are restocked, repackaged, or donated. Daguer Logistics even supports branded return portals for a smoother customer experience.
Partnering with Daguer Logistics isn’t just about logistics, it’s about growth. Here's how we help Amazon sellers succeed:
· Store inventory across multiple regions
· Reduce reliance on air shipping
· Shorten delivery times and improve customer satisfaction
· Get full visibility across all sales channels
· Sync inventory with Shopify, Amazon, TikTok, and more
· Forecast demand and avoid stockouts
· API and plug-and-play ecommerce platform integrations
· Unified dashboard to track Amazon and DTC orders
· Automated shipping label creation and routing
Selling on Amazon, Shopify, and Walmart? A 3PL helps you:
· Centralize fulfillment
· Unify inventory data
· Streamline returns across platforms
We specialize in ecommerce fulfillment for high-growth brands. Whether you're based in the U.S., Canada, or abroad, we help you:
· Ship faster
· Reduce costs
· Enhance your brand experience
From Amazon to Shopify and beyond, our system syncs seamlessly to keep your fulfillment efficient and accurate.
3. We Offer Nationwide & Cross-Border Fulfillment
With fulfillment centers in California and Ontario, you can:
· Reach 98% of U.S. customers within 2 days
· Serve both U.S. and Canadian markets efficiently
· Lower shipping costs via regional distribution
Our bilingual, U.S.-based support team helps you solve problems fast and keep customers happy.
Amazon may dominate ecommerce, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up control of your brand, margins, or customer experience. With a 3PL like Daguer Logistics, you can:
· Cut costs
· Customize your packaging
· Manage your inventory
· Offer fast, reliable shipping
Whether you’re scaling your business, diversifying your fulfillment strategy, or simply ready for more control, we’re here to help.
Yes! With Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) or Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP), you can sell on Amazon without sending inventory to FBA.
Absolutely. We integrate with your Amazon store and ship orders directly from our fulfillment centers across North America.
No. In fact, with Daguer Logistics, you gain more visibility via real-time dashboards, reporting, and proactive alerts.
Our distributed network allows 2-day ground shipping to most U.S. and Canadian locations, often at lower costs than air.
Yes. We support Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, Etsy, and more, all from a single system.
