Start by asking what the service includes
Third-party logistics companies have different service scopes. When speaking with a provider, confirm separately whether receiving, storage, inventory management, picking and packing, and dispatch are included. Describe any special products or additional processes separately.
Provide sample B2C and B2B orders and ask what information each requires. If Shopify or HKTVmall is involved, confirm which tasks the provider can support rather than relying on whether the platform is mentioned in a service overview.
Use an exception to test communication
Give each warehousing provider the same scenario: only part of a product's stock remains, an order is already being processed, and the customer asks to change the address. Who makes the next decision, and how will the change be communicated? A useful answer should explain responsibilities and information flow, not simply promise that the provider will handle it.
You can also ask what happens when an inbound delivery is short, packaging materials run out or a parcel cannot be handed to the carrier. These examples show how much coordination the partnership may require and can reveal responsibilities that have not yet been defined.
Check whether the information will be useful
Inventory and order visibility are about more than whether a provider has a system. Ask what data you can access, when it is updated, how discrepancies are reconciled and how records will be returned if the partnership ends. If the provider needs to work with your online store, ask about the available methods and limitations. Do not assume that data synchronises in real time.
Compare quotations using the same assumptions
Give every potential fulfilment partner the same stock levels, order volumes, average items per order and packing information. Confirm charges for receiving, storage, picking, packaging materials and transport. Minimum charges, additional tasks and conditions for changing the service should also be documented.
Ask about standard working hours, how exceptions are reported, peak-season coordination and exit procedures. If a provider gives you a processing timeframe, confirm the conditions and exceptions that apply. A number without context is not enough.
How Kube can help
Kube provides warehousing, inventory management, B2C and B2B order fulfilment, pick and pack, and dispatch arrangements. Bring your questions and sample orders to an enquiry to confirm the actual service scope and working arrangement.
Record the answers in a comparable format
A verbal statement that a provider can accommodate a request is not enough. Record each important requirement in a consistent format: who supplies the information, when the task is handled, how it is confirmed, the billing unit and any exceptions. Ask every provider to respond using the same format. This reduces misunderstandings after meetings and helps management compare meaningful differences.
For urgent orders, last-minute B2B replenishment or campaign orders, ask under what conditions the provider can confirm capacity rather than expecting an unconditional guarantee. Volume, cut-off time, stock status, packing requirements and delivery arrangements all affect feasibility. Clear conditions are more useful than a blanket promise.
Check exit and data-return arrangements
Exit arrangements are easy to overlook when a partnership is going well. Find out how much notice is required, how inventory will be counted, how goods can be collected, how open orders are handled and how records will be returned. A provider may perform daily operations, but product, order and inventory data remain business assets and must stay verifiable and transferable.
