It’s Never Too Late to Switch 3PLs

It’s no secret: Consumers are anxious heading into the holidays this year. US consumer sentiment fell to near-record lows in early November amid a long government shutdown and continued market volatility. And that anxiety is leading many shoppers to more carefully assess their holiday spending with different brands in the coming weeks.  

For many brands, the Q4 holiday shopping period represents the busiest time of year as consumers clamor for new products across categories. But 2025 may bring a different style of shopping season, and some retailers may not be prepared to meet customer expectations. 

Per Radial’s research this year, shoppers anchor on product quality as the primary reason they buy from a brand. Thirty-two percent of consumers claim quality is the top reason they purchase from a retailer, and 29% are motivated by access to unique products they can’t find elsewhere. Sixty-two percent of consumers say that declining product quality will cause them to lose trust in a brand.  

With tariffs driving price increases, consumers may refocus on quality to maximize value long-term, buying fewer items that are built to last, rather than many products of lower quality.

Consumers don’t only crave product quality when they shop. They expect great fulfillment experiences as well. Radial’s research shows that operational consistency, from reliable shipping to simple return processes, is essential to building brand trust and customer loyalty. Seventy-two percent of shoppers say shipping speed and reliability are the most important factors in deciding whether to buy from modern brands. Product availability (66%) and easy/free returns (63%) rank even higher than values like brand identity or personalization.

If great fulfillment drives positive customer experiences, and long-term loyalty, poor fulfillment can lose retailers’ customers. This is especially true for younger shoppers. They are the most likely to ditch a brand over poor fulfillment. Gen Z (35%) and Millennials (33%) report the highest frustration with delays and lack of communication, reflecting expectations shaped by Amazon-era convenience. Boomers, on the other hand, are more sensitive to price-related friction, with 33% abandoning carts due to high shipping costs.  

If modern brands seek to grow this holiday season, poor fulfillment can be a dealbreaker. Nearly 40% of consumers quit buying from brands they liked because the retailer couldn’t keep up with demand. Delayed or canceled orders (29%), unexpected shipping costs (30%), and difficult returns (24%) create the kind of poor customer experience that causes shoppers to bail—and spend their holiday funds elsewhere.

Modern brands can experience successful peak seasons, but only if they are operationally prepared to provide the kinds of quality customers expect. And there’s a catch for many retailers: They may not have the right logistics operations to succeed.  

Per a Radial retailer survey, the majority of modern brands rely on in-house fulfillment solutions with either multiple (70%) or single (59%) facilities for at least some of their fulfillment needs. Only about 40% or less rely on outsourcing to manage some or all of their fulfillment needs.  

While in-house fulfillment often works for emerging brands, it creates challenges as brands grow and operations become more complex. It is resource intensive, needs capital to scale, and can distract brands from focusing on core competencies like operational strategy and product development. Worse, it also causes modern brands to lose customers when they can’t deliver the fulfillment experience consumers expect. This is especially true when brands experience sharp seasonal demand spikes.

There’s good news for brands, however. Outsourced eCommerce fulfillment via a trusted logistics partner allows brands to focus on developing products and scaling core competencies, while their logistics partners manage warehousing and distribution, order processing, inventory management, and shipping. Modern brands can face today’s challenges and differentiate themselves by focusing on both quality products and quality fulfillment. They don’t need to do it alone. 

And if a retailer needs to expand partnerships or find a new 3PL, they don’t necessarily have to wait until the dust clears post-peak.  For example, Radial Fast Track provides stable, scalable, and cost-effective fulfillment for modern brands. And it does so without upfront costs or long-term contracts.  

Retailers can launch in as little as a week with the knowledge that they are working with a logistics partner with 40+ years of operational expertise. That’s why modern brands across industries plan to partner with Radial this holiday season and beyond.

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