Fulfilment controls

A fulfilment operation is only as good as the system behind it.

Most 3PLs pick, pack and ship. We do that, but we also run structured workflows for batch tracking, serial capture, order holds, returns and multi-channel orders, supported by ShipHero.

Book a fulfilment review See what we control

3PL fulfilment control dashboard showing live orders, order holds, stock visibility, operational alerts and activity feed

Orders / live247 active

#10847

2x Vit-D 1000IU - LOT-A4

Shipped

#10848

Address review - CS hold

Held

#10849

Serial #SN-44219 packed

Shipped

#10850

Pre-order release 11/05

Queued

#10851

Bundle SKU-K12 - 4 components

Shipped

Batch & expirySerial captureOrder holdsMulti-channelReturns workflowsInventory visibilityOperational records

01 The problem

When fulfilment breaks, it is usually a control problem.

Most fulfilment issues are not caused by one person making one mistake. They come from missing controls.

No clear batch process. No reliable order hold workflow. No way to identify which exact unit shipped. Returns piling up without inspection. Manual instructions sitting outside the warehouse system. No audit trail when something goes wrong.

A warehouse can look busy and still be badly run. The difference between a 3PL that scales with you and one you outgrow in 18 months is whether the operation has real controls behind it, or whether everything depends on someone remembering.

02 The controls

Twelve controls behind every order.

Open any tile to see what is involved, who it suits, and what it changes day-to-day.

Jump to control

For products with batch numbers, lot codes or expiry dates, fulfilment needs to be more controlled than standard SKU-level picking.

ShipHero's lot and expiration tracking is built to follow specific batches from receipt to delivery, support recalls, and prevent expired stock reaching customers. We combine that with defined inbound, storage and pick processes so the data captured at goods-in stays useful all the way through to dispatch.

What this supports

Lot or batch capture at goods-in
Expiry date visibility across stock
FIFO / FEFO stock rotation
Batch-aware storage and picking
Order-level batch traceability
Recall investigation support

Good fit for: Supplements, cosmetics, health products, medical consumables, pet wellness and food-adjacent products

For some products, knowing one item was picked isn't enough. You need to know which item.

ShipHero supports serial number workflows where products can be flagged as needing serial numbers, and serials are scanned or entered during packing. The serial number report tracks what shipped, in which order, and on which date - which is what makes warranty support, dispute resolution and return matching actually possible.

What this supports

Serial capture during pack
Order-level serial record
Warranty and dispute support
Return matching by serial
Fraud investigation
Accountability for individual units

When the exact unit matters, fulfilment can't stop at one item picked.

Good fit for: Electronics, medical devices, tools, equipment, luxury and refurbished goods, warranty-led brands

Not every order should ship immediately. Some need holding for payment checks, fraud review, address corrections, pre-order release dates, customer service queries or special handling.

ShipHero order holds prevent an order from being picked, packed or shipped until the hold is removed - manually or automatically. Operator holds are particularly useful for special processes, delayed dispatch or anything that needs human review before release.

What this supports

Payment and fraud review holds
Customer service review
Pre-order and delayed dispatch
Address issue holds
Manual operator holds for special handling
Controlled release back into the flow

A good fulfilment process doesn't just ship quickly. It knows when not to ship yet.

Good fit for: High-value orders, pre-orders, regulated products and customer service-heavy brands

Customers make mistakes. Addresses change. Customer service teams need a window to act before the warehouse ships.

We use structured holds and clear cut-off rules so amendments happen at the right point - before the order is picked, not after the parcel is on a van. Once an order reaches the picking bench, options narrow quickly. The best control happens earlier.

What this supports

Address correction workflows
Customer service review windows
Shipping method changes where available
Order cancellation before release
Item amendments where operationally possible
Clear cut-off rules

Good fit for: Shopify brands, customer service-led brands and high-value products

The customer experience doesn't end at checkout. If you've promised a gift note, an insert, a sample, or a specific packing approach, the warehouse needs a reliable way to see it and act on it.

We pass these instructions through the system rather than relying on emails or verbal handovers, so the right detail reaches the packing bench when the order does.

What this supports

Gift notes
Branded inserts and samples
VIP customer handling
Product-specific packing notes
Packaging rules by SKU or order type
Reduced missed instructions

Good fit for: Beauty, gifts, premium products, subscription brands and DTC brands

Bundles are great for AOV, campaigns and customer offers - but they get messy quickly if the system and warehouse process aren't aligned.

We support kitting, virtual bundles and rework workflows so physical stock, virtual products and pick instructions stay joined up. A bundle may look like one product online, but the warehouse needs to know exactly what to pick, pack and record against it.

What this supports

Pre-built kits and gift sets
Virtual bundles
Multi-SKU picking
Campaign and launch packs
Subscription boxes
Barcode and SKU conversion
Rework and relabelling
Component-level stock control

Good fit for: Supplements, beauty, TikTok Shop brands, subscription boxes and launch campaigns

Growing brands rarely sell through one channel forever. The fulfilment operation has to keep orders joined up without splitting your stock or creating disconnected processes.

ShipHero's WMS is built for DTC brands and 3PLs handling multiple sales channels, with native integrations for Shopify, Amazon, eBay and TikTok Shop. We process all of it from one stock pool with channel-specific shipping rules where the brand needs them.

What this supports

Shopify, Amazon, eBay and TikTok Shop fulfilment
Manual and wholesale orders
Marketplace order flows
Tracking pushed back to sales channels
Centralised warehouse processing
Channel-specific shipping rules

Multi-channel growth shouldn't mean multi-channel chaos.

Good fit for: Multi-channel ecommerce, marketplace sellers and Shopify brands adding marketplaces

Returns aren't just parcels coming back. Every return needs a decision: restock, inspect, quarantine, rebag, relabel, dispose, repair, rework or escalate.

We run structured returns workflows so returned stock doesn't disappear into a grey area. Where applicable, that includes serial checking, batch-aware handling and proper records back to the brand - so you actually know what's been resold, what's been written off, and what's sitting in quarantine.

What this supports

Return receipt and inspection
Grading and restocking decisions
Quarantine for damaged or held stock
Rebagging and relabelling
Serial and batch-aware return handling
Reporting back to the brand

The goal isn't to receive returns. The goal is to get stock back under control.

Good fit for: Fashion, beauty, electronics, supplements and high return-rate brands

Inventory visibility is one of the biggest reasons brands outgrow basic fulfilment setups.

You need to know what's available, what's inbound, what's allocated, what's held, what's damaged and what's not yet ready to sell - at SKU and location level, with batch and expiry detail where relevant.

What this supports

Stock visibility by SKU and location
Batch and expiry visibility where enabled
Damaged, held and quarantined stock
Inbound stock visibility
Allocation and availability data

Fast dispatch means very little if the stock position can't be trusted.

Good fit for: Scaling brands, multi-SKU brands and brands with seasonal stock

Once an order leaves the warehouse, tracking visibility becomes part of the customer experience. We push tracking information back through the appropriate sales channel so customer service teams, marketplaces and customers all see the same status.

What this supports

Carrier tracking references
Dispatch confirmation
Tracking back to sales channels
Customer service visibility
Marketplace fulfilment confirmation

Good fit for: DTC brands, marketplace sellers and customer service-heavy brands

Not everyone needs the same access. Some users need to view stock. Some need to place orders. Some need reporting. Some need admin rights.

ShipHero supports users and roles with predefined permissions, including specific role controls for lot tracking visibility. We use that structure so client teams get the right view of their operation without the wrong level of access.

What this supports

Client user access by role
Internal admin and operational permissions
Stock visibility without edit rights
Separation between viewing, editing and managing

Good fit for: Brands with multiple team members, customer service teams and finance teams

When a brand is scaling, fulfilment needs to produce useful records - not drown everyone in reports, but have the right information available when decisions need making, issues need investigating, or processes need improving.

If something goes wrong, the answer shouldn't depend on memory, screenshots, or a spreadsheet someone forgot to update.

What this supports

Order and shipment history
Batch and serial records where enabled
Return and inbound records
Dispatch and tracking data
Exception investigation
Performance review and operational improvement

Good fit for: Scaling brands, compliance-sensitive products and brands changing 3PL

03 Comparison

Basic fulfilment vs. controlled fulfilment.

Basic fulfilmentControlled fulfilment

Receives stockReceives stock with checks, exceptions and records

Picks by SKUPicks by SKU, batch, expiry or serial as required

Ships orders as they arriveUses holds and release rules where needed

Handles returns as parcelsHandles returns as stock decisions

Limited visibilityOperational visibility and useful records

Manual messages and verbal instructionsStructured workflows and system-led rules

Reacts when things go wrongBuilds controls to prevent issues

04 Credibility

The system matters. The process matters more.

ShipHero gives us the tools to run a more controlled fulfilment operation, but software alone does not fix a poor process.

The value comes from how the workflow is designed. How stock is received. How exceptions are handled. How orders are released. How packing instructions are followed. How the team uses the system day to day.

That is where Rapid Pack adds the operational layer. We help brands define the rules, set up the workflows, train the process, monitor exceptions and keep fulfilment aligned with how the business actually sells.

Better systemsBetter processesBetter reportingBetter controlBetter outcomes

05 Honest note

Not everything is automatic.

Some controls are standard workflows. Others depend on your sales channels, products, SKU structure, carriers, data quality and how your store is configured.

Before we promise anything, we look at:

Your product types and SKU structure
Your sales channels
Batch, expiry or serial requirements
Order amendment patterns
Packaging and packing rules
Returns process
Reporting requirements
Current operational pain points

Then we tell you what is standard, what needs setup, and where a semi-manual process makes more sense than forcing automation.

Good fulfilment is not about pretending everything is one-click. It is about building a process that works reliably in the real world.

06 Industries

Brands this is especially useful for.

Health, wellness & supplements

Batch tracking, expiry control, FEFO rotation, recall support.

Medical consumables

Traceability, inbound control, operational records.

Electronics & high-value goods

Serial capture, warranty support, dispute resolution.

Beauty & cosmetics

Batch control, gift notes, inserts, returns handling.

Subscription & bundle brands

Kits, gift sets, rework, campaign packing.

Multi-channel ecommerce

Shopify, Amazon, eBay and TikTok Shop from one stock pool.

07 Questions

Frequently asked.

Can you support batch and expiry tracking?

Yes, where the product and data setup are suitable. We use ShipHero-supported lot and expiration tracking combined with defined inbound, storage, pick and dispatch processes.

Can you track serial numbers?

Yes, for suitable products and agreed workflows. Serials can be captured during packing and recorded against outbound orders, supporting warranty, return matching and dispute investigation.

Can orders be held before dispatch?

Yes. Order holds prevent specific orders from entering the normal pick, pack and dispatch flow until they're reviewed or released.

Can you support Shopify, Amazon, eBay and TikTok Shop?

Yes. We work with multi-channel brands and support fulfilment across all major sales channels, subject to integration and setup requirements.

Can customers change addresses before dispatch?

In many cases, yes - but it depends on timing. Once an order has entered the picking or packing flow, changes become more limited. The best process is clear holds and cut-off rules.

Can you handle gift notes and packing instructions?

Yes, where the data is passed through clearly and the process is agreed. This includes gift notes, inserts, samples, VIP handling and SKU-specific packing rules.

Can you support returns workflows?

Yes. Returns can be handled through structured workflows including inspection, grading, restocking, quarantine, rebagging, relabelling and escalation where needed.

Is everything automatic?

No - and it would be dishonest to say it is. Some workflows are system-led, some are process-led, some need client-specific setup. We review the requirement first and confirm how it should work operationally.

Need more control over your fulfilment?

If your current setup is too basic, too manual, or too dependent on people remembering, we will help you build something more controlled around your products, orders and customers.

Book a fulfilment review Tell us what you need to control

30 minutes - No pitch deck - We will tell you what is worth changing

Real peoplereal answers

No sales fluffjust clarity

Built aroundyour business

Scalable asyou grow