Guide · E-commerce logistics
E-commerce logistics: the complete guide to choosing, outsourcing and paying the right price
Storage, order picking, shipping, returns, carriers: e-commerce logistics drives customer satisfaction and a large share of your margins. This independent guide gives you the essentials, and Log Market helps you find the right solution among 55 vetted logistics warehouses across Europe and the UK.
55 vetted logistics warehouses
9 countries in Europe
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The key stages of e-commerce logistics
Receiving and storage
Goods-in checks, put-away, perpetual inventory: accurate stock is the foundation of everything, especially when you sell on several channels.
Picking and shipping
Picking, packing, labelling and hand-over to the carrier: this is where delivery times and error rates are won or lost.
Returns and customer service
Receiving returns, inspection, restocking and refunds: an often underestimated stage that weighs on customer experience and costs.
What is e-commerce logistics?
E-commerce logistics covers every physical operation that follows an online sale: receiving and storing products, preparing each order, shipping it to the customer and handling returns. It differs from traditional logistics through many small orders, very short lead times, strong seasonal swings and a permanent connection with the online store and marketplaces.
The key steps, from order to delivery
- Receiving: quantity and quality checks, booking into the warehouse management system (WMS).
- Storage: locations suited to the products, stock rotation, regular counts.
- Picking: collecting items, checking, suitable packaging and optional personalisation.
- Shipping: choice of carrier and service, labelling, tracking sent to the customer.
- Returns: receipt, inspection, restocking or handling of unsellable items.
In-house or outsourced logistics?
Running logistics in-house gives direct control but requires a warehouse, staff, systems and the capacity to absorb peaks. Outsourcing to an e-commerce 3PL turns these fixed costs into variable costs and gives access to negotiated carrier rates and capacity that grows with your sales. The right choice depends on your volumes, products and growth. Learn more: 3PL quotes and logistics tender.
How much does e-commerce logistics cost?
Costs break down into receiving (per pallet or carton), storage (per location or cubic metre), picking (per order and per line), packaging, shipping and returns handling. Shipping is often the largest item. Comparing quotes only makes sense on an identical basis: your real volumes, number of SKUs, parcel weights and dimensions, and destinations.
How to choose an e-commerce 3PL
- Fit with your products: size, fragility, value, expiry dates, regulations.
- Measured quality: dispatch times, error rate, stock accuracy, with tracked KPIs.
- Capacity to absorb your peaks: Black Friday, Christmas, sales, launches.
- Integrations with your store (Shopify, PrestaShop, Magento…) and marketplaces (Amazon, Zalando…).
- Carrier offer: available carriers, negotiated rates, UK and European coverage.
- The company's soundness and integrity, transparent pricing and exit terms.
This is exactly what the Log Market label checks during each warehouse visit. See also: 3PL integrated with Shopify, PrestaShop and Amazon.
Shipping: the biggest savings lever
Home or pick-up point delivery, pallet networks for B2B, cross-border parcels: shipping weighs heavily on cost per order and customer satisfaction. A well-chosen 3PL often brings negotiated rates, but comparing and negotiating your own contract is worthwhile once your volumes justify it: compare parcel shipping rates, pallet transport in Europe, freight tender.
Seasonality and peak periods
Black Friday, Christmas, January and summer sales: an online retailer's activity can double or triple within weeks. Plan stock ahead, reserve picking and carrier capacity, and agree cut-off times with your 3PL.
E-commerce logistics across the UK and Europe
To deliver faster and for less, keeping stock close to your customers matters. The Log Market network covers the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland, with several vetted warehouses in each country. You can start in one country and expand later with the same point of contact.
Log Market's role
Log Market is an independent advisor: we analyse your needs, consult the right vetted warehouses, compare offers on an identical basis and give you a reasoned recommendation. You sign directly with the chosen provider, and our support is free for you. Discover our e-commerce logistics solution.
Read also: e-commerce warehouse, switching 3PL provider, Amazon 3PL and FBA alternative, e-commerce logistics in Switzerland. Also: B2B and retail logistics, e-commerce logistics consultant, logistics cost calculator, logistics subcontracting, 3PL comparison, e-commerce fulfilment in Europe.
E-commerce logistics: frequently asked questions
What is e-commerce logistics?
It is all the operations that follow an online sale: receiving and storing products, picking and packing orders, shipping, delivery and returns, all connected to the online store and marketplaces.
When should you outsource e-commerce logistics?
When logistics takes up too much of your team's time, when errors or delays increase, when peaks become hard to absorb or when you want to sell in other countries. Outsourcing only part of it (a channel, a country, peaks) is also possible.
What is the difference between e-commerce logistics, 3PL and fulfilment?
E-commerce logistics is the activity. A 3PL is a third-party logistics provider that runs it for you. Fulfilment refers to the complete execution of the order, from stock to delivery, usually offered by these providers.
Is Log Market a 3PL?
No. Log Market is an independent advisor backed by a network of 55 vetted logistics warehouses. We help you choose the right provider, and you sign directly with them.
How much does Log Market's support cost?
Nothing: the assessment, the comparison of offers and the recommendation are free and without commitment.
Further reading
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