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28 September 2025Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Fulfilment Provider
OUR GOAL
To provide an A-to-Z e-commerce logistics solution that would complete Amazon fulfillment network in the European Union.
Picking the correct fulfillment partner for your growing e-commerce firm is like picking your teammate in a high-stakes game: if they fail, you fail. If they drop the ball, you lose the match — and your customer.
Outsourcing fulfilment is a smart move for brands looking to expand across Europe. It enables faster delivery, lower operating costs, and access to infrastructure that would otherwise take years to build. But let’s be honest: the wrong logistics partner can absolutely wreck your customer experience, your reputation, and your margin.
Before you sign anything or ship your first pallet, here are 10 essential questions to ask — and what to listen for in the answers.
Need a logistics partner who understands the importance of getting every detail right? Contact FLEX.
1. What markets do you cover, and where are your warehouses located?
This might sound obvious, but don’t underestimate it. If your provider only ships within Germany and your customers are in France, Italy, or Spain — you’ve already introduced delays and cost increases.
Look for a fulfilment network with warehouses strategically placed across Europe — ideally with hubs in Germany, France, Central Europe, and a scalable presence in secondary markets like the Nordics or Benelux. Proximity to customers means:
- Lower last-mile shipping costs
- Faster delivery times
- Better environmental footprint (shorter transport = fewer emissions)
Why does it matter: According to Flexport and Webretailer research, over 70% of abandoned carts in cross-border e-commerce are caused by unexpected shipping delays or fees. Your warehouse location is your first line of defense.
2. Do you integrate with my sales channels (Amazon, Shopify, etc.)?
Your fulfilment partner should plug into your tech stack like it was built for it. Integration means fewer errors, faster order processing, and complete automation.
Look for native or API integrations with:
- Amazon (including FBA and FBM setups)
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- eBay
- Kaufland, Zalando, Otto, Cdiscount
- Custom stores via REST APIs
Red flag: If they mention spreadsheets or manual CSV uploads, walk away.
3. What’s your average delivery time per country?
Fast shipping is now the bare minimum and no longer a competitive advantage. You need to know:
- Average delivery times in your key markets
- Whether same-day or next-day delivery is available in metro areas
- If shipping providers are tracked and ranked by performance
Bonus points if the provider shares a live dashboard with performance data or SLA tracking. Europe is diverse — a customer in Paris expects different delivery speeds than one in rural Poland. Your partner should adapt accordingly.
4. How do you handle returns — and who pays for them?
Returns are the hidden "monster" of European e-commerce. In some countries (like Germany), return rates can reach up to 50% in fashion categories.
You need a fulfilment partner who can:
- Provide local return addresses in each country
- Inspect and restock returned items
- Track return reasons and flag quality issues
- Sync return data with your CRM or support systems
Returns affect more than your margins — they impact loyalty, because a smooth and safe return builds mutual trust. A clunky one sends customers right to your competitors.
5. What’s included in your pricing — and what’s not?
Fulfilment pricing can be a maze of hidden fees, fine print, and unexpected charges. Always ask for:
- Full breakdown: receiving, putaway, storage (per m³ or pallet), pick & pack, shipping
- Surcharges: fuel, peak season, remote delivery
- Optional services: branded packaging, fragile handling, bundling/kitting
- Software access fees
Ask to see a sample invoice or request a price calculator. Providers who aren’t transparent on pricing today will be evasive when things go wrong later.
6. Can you handle peak volumes during Q4 and sales events?
Your fulfilment provider should scale with you — especially during:
- Black Friday / Cyber Monday
- Christmas peak (November–December)
- Sales campaigns (e.g. Singles’ Day, Prime Day)
Ask how they prepare for high-volume periods. Do they:
- Hire seasonal staff?
- Extend working hours?
- Prioritize high-SKU clients?
- Coordinate with carriers to avoid bottlenecks?
Important: Missed SLAs during peak season can get you suspended from marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, or Kaufland.
7. Are you Amazon-compliant (FBA prep, carton limits, labelling)?
Even if you’re not shipping to Amazon FBA yet, you probably will in the future. Your fulfilment partner should already know:
- FNSKU labelling
- Polybag requirements
- Carton dimensions and weight limits
- Shipment routing rules
- Appointment scheduling with Amazon FCs
Providers like FLEX specialize in FBA prep and are used by Amazon sellers looking to outsource this complex step. If your partner fumbles the FBA game, your inventory could be rejected or fined.
8. How do you handle customs and VAT across Europe?
Cross-border transportation in Europe is no longer as simple as it was. You need a partner who is knowledgeable on e-commerce tax and compliance because of Brexit, IOSS, and country-specific VAT thresholds.
Ask if they:
- Support IOSS for shipping to EU customers from outside the EU
- Help register for VAT in Germany, France, etc.
- Provide automated VAT reports
- Work with customs brokers or agents
- Manage EORI numbers and commodity codes
For US or UK brands selling into the EU, this could make or break your expansion.
9. What visibility do I get into inventory, orders, and returns?
Without visibility, you're flying blind. You should expect:
- A real-time dashboard
- Order status tracking (received, picked, shipped, returned)
- Inventory by SKU and location
- Automated alerts for low stock
- Return tracking by reason
Bonus features include AI-based forecasting, integration with marketing platforms, or order tagging by campaign or product line.
This kind of data not only makes you more efficient — it makes you more competitive.
10. What brands do you work with — and can I speak to one?
The best fulfilment providers can show you a proven track record. Ask for:
- Case studies (especially for similar industries or sales channels)
- Referrals or testimonials
- A conversation with a current client (if NDAs allow)
This isn’t just about reputation. It’s about fit. You want to know how they support brands of your size, your vertical, and your market footprint.
If they’re vague or dodgy about this, that’s your sign to dig deeper — or run.
Bonus question: What happens if I want to leave?
No one asks this — but they should. Fulfilment contracts can have exit traps, like:
- Long notice periods
- Data lock-in
- Unreasonable offboarding fees
- Limited inventory handover support
Ask upfront: “If I decide to leave, how do we part ways?” A good provider will respect your growth, even if it leads you elsewhere.
Fulfilment isn’t just logistics — it’s brand infrastructure
Think of fulfilment not as an operational necessity, but as a core part of your brand’s promise. Every box that leaves a warehouse is a physical extension of your online presence — and a reflection of what your customers expect from your brand. How fast an order arrives, how securely and attractively it’s packaged, how easy it is to track or return — all of this shapes perception and directly affects repeat purchase rates, reviews, and loyalty.
This is especially critical in competitive markets like Germany and France, where customer expectations are sky-high and negative experiences quickly turn into lost business. A fulfilment partner who treats your products like their own is not just a supplier — they become part of your customer journey.
Ultimately, great logistics isn’t about moving boxes. It’s about delivering trust at scale. Choose a fulfilment provider who understands that, and you’re not just outsourcing operations — you’re investing in infrastructure that amplifies your reputation, supports your growth, and scales your customer experience across borders.
The role of localisation in fulfilment: one size doesn’t fit all
One often-overlooked aspect of choosing a fulfilment provider is their ability to localise the experience — not just the shipping. European consumers don’t all behave the same, and your logistics partner should understand that.
For example, cash-on-delivery might still be expected in parts of Eastern Europe, while customers in France often prefer clear tracking with detailed local language updates. In Germany, consumers are highly sensitive to return procedures and product presentation. A fulfilment partner that can adapt to cultural expectations, language, payment preferences, and delivery habits is worth its weight in gold.
Ask if your provider can offer:
- Localised tracking pages and notifications
- Country-specific delivery options
- Branded unboxing experiences tailored to customer expectations
- Support for local carriers that dominate specific markets (e.g. Mondial Relay in France, Hermes in Germany, InPost in Poland)
In a saturated e-commerce landscape, localisation isn’t just a nice touch — it’s a conversion and retention lever. A fulfilment provider who gets that will help you build trust faster and sell smarter across the continent.
TL;DR — Ask these before you sign
- Where are your warehouses?
- Do you integrate with my tech stack?
- What’s your average delivery speed by country?
- Can you handle local returns?
- What’s included in your pricing?
- Can you scale during peak seasons?
- Are you FBA-compliant?
- Do you help with VAT, customs, and compliance?
- What kind of visibility and reporting do I get?
- Who else do you work with — and what do they say about you?
Final thoughts: Don’t just outsource. Partner strategically
A great fulfilment partner isn’t just a warehouse. They are:
- Your customer experience arm
- Your logistics strategy engine
- Your margin protector
- Your European expansion lever
In other words, they’re business-critical.
The best partnerships happen when both sides ask the right questions, share clear expectations, and treat each other as allies — not vendors.
