The 3PL alternative built for brands your size.
Most 3PLs were built for pallets and big accounts. Middle Mile is the partner for small DTC brands that have outgrown packing at home but do not fit, or trust, a traditional 3PL.
Free, no commitment, about five minutes to fill in.
Packaging audit
SampleCeramic mug · 4-pack gift set
Current box
12 × 10 × 8
$6.20 / order
Recommended
9 × 7 × 5
$4.80 / order
Based on your dimensions and top ship-to regions. Yours even if you keep fulfilling in-house.
Built by operators from Grove Collaborative, Shippo, and UPS.
Why a 3PL never quite fits a brand your size.
It is not that 3PLs are bad. They are just built for a different customer than you.
Built for pallets, not parcels
Traditional 3PLs are built around big accounts shipping pallets. Brands your size are an afterthought.
Minimums and long contracts
Monthly minimums and year-long contracts lock you in before you know if it even works.
Hidden fees everywhere
Receiving, storage, pick, pack, account fees. The invoice needs a finance degree to read.
Slow, ticket-only support
When something breaks, you file a ticket and wait. Not great when your customer is emailing you.
Keep the reliability. Lose the minimums, lock-in, and runaround.
You get distributed locations close to your customers, one flat all-in price, and a team that actually answers. Nothing locking you in.
- No minimums and no lock-in
- Flat, all-in pricing you can actually read
- Your price drops automatically as you grow
- A partner who answers, not a ticket queue
- Distributed locations close to your customers
- If we ever stop earning it, you can fire us
Middle Mile vs a traditional 3PL
| Traditional 3PL | Middle Mile Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimums | ✕ Monthly order or spend minimums | None |
| Contract | ✕ Long-term lock-in | Month to month, cancel anytime |
| Pricing | ✕ Hidden fees, invoices you cannot read | Flat, all-in, and it drops as you grow |
| Support | ✕ Ticket queue | A partner who actually answers |
| Built for | ✕ Pallets and big accounts | Small DTC brands like yours |
| Delivery | ✕ One distant warehouse | Closer locations, shorter trips |
Curious what you would actually pay? Get a real per-order number.
Free. No card, no sales call required.
Switch without your store going dark.
The number one reason founders put this off is fear of downtime. Here is how we take that off the table.
We plan your move
We map your products, volume, and the right operator locations before anything ships.
You keep shipping
Your current setup stays live. We run in parallel, so there is no gap and no scramble.
We receive your inventory
You transfer stock into the network. We count it in and reconcile against your records.
We test, then you go live
We run real test orders end to end. You only cut over once they pass. Most brands are live in about four weeks.
Get your nights and weekends back.
Hand off the packing and the carrier headaches to a partner who treats your orders like their own, so you can get back to building the brand.
Frequently asked questions
Am I too small for a 3PL? +
That is exactly who we built this for. Traditional 3PLs are not great under about a hundred orders a day. We are. If you are shipping from home or a storage unit and it is becoming too much, you are our ideal fit.
Do you have minimums or lock-in? +
No minimums and no lock-in. We earn your business every month. If we stop doing a great job, you can leave.
How is pricing structured? +
Flat, all-in per-order pricing that covers packaging, shipping, storage, packing, and labels. As your volume grows, your price comes down automatically. You never have to ask.
How long does it take to switch? +
Most brands are live in about four weeks. We plan the move, connect your store, train operators on your standards, run test orders, then launch and watch closely.
Will I lose orders or inventory during the switch? +
No. Your current setup stays live while we get ready, so there is no gap. When your inventory arrives we count it in and reconcile against your records before a single live order ships from us.
Can you help me leave my current 3PL? +
Yes. We have moved brands off other providers before. We help you plan the inventory transfer, time it so nothing goes dark, and handle the test orders so you can cut over with confidence.
What about returns? +
Returns are in progress and not live yet. The plan is to receive them back into the network, inspect them against your rules, and restock or set aside as you direct. Ask us where it stands if returns are a deciding factor for you. You get visibility into what came back and why.
Is my inventory safe in a home-based location? +
Operators are vetted and background-checked, inventory is counted in and reconciled, and counts are audited over time. Stock is insured, and because the network is distributed there is no single point of failure.
What if it does not work out? +
There is no lock-in trapping you. We would rather earn your business by being good at it. If we are not, you should fire us.
Compare us against your current 3PL.
Run the free packaging audit to see your real per-order numbers, then decide. No pressure, no lock-in.
Free, about 2 minutes. No minimums, no lock-in, and you can fire us anytime.