ShippingCow15 questions to ask a 3PL before you ship 70–110 lb products
Ask about carton weight limits, two-person handling, carrier mix, damage and claims process, returns, receiving, and peak-season capacity. Get answers in writing, with the name of the person accountable. Then ask for a Cost Audit before you sign anything long.
Why 70–110 lb is its own category
A 70–110 lb box is not a heavy parcel problem you can solve with a bigger label. It is a handling problem. One person can drag it. One person cannot safely lift it onto a conveyor, into a truck, or onto a customer's porch.
That changes what you need from a 3PL:
**Labor.** Two people per lift, or a lift assist. Ask which one, and how many people are on the floor at 4 pm on a Tuesday.
**Equipment.** Pallet jacks, lift tables, scales rated for the box, and a dock that can take a 53-foot trailer.
**Carriers.** Not every carrier wants this freight. The mix matters more than the logo on the website.
If you are still deciding between parcel and freight at the top of this band, read heavy parcel vs LTL freight first. The rest of this guide assumes the box ships parcel.
The 15 questions
Ask these on the sales call. Write down the answers. If a 3PL cannot answer one, that is your answer.
**Weight and handling**
1. What is your maximum carton weight, and does it change by carrier? Ask for the number per carrier. A 3PL that handles 110 lb boxes for one carrier may cap at 70 lb for another.
2. How do you lift a 90 lb box (two people, a lift table, or both)? Ask to see the process on a video call.
3. Do you weigh and dimension every carton on inbound, or sample? DIM weight and carrier surcharges both start with the measurements, and a wrong measurement follows the box all the way to the invoice. See DIM weight explained.
4. What is your scale capacity, and when was it last calibrated? A scale that reads light can turn into a surcharge dispute.
**Carriers and cost**
5. Which carriers do you actually tender 70–110 lb parcels to, and what share goes to each? Ask for the carrier mix, not just the carrier logos.
6. Who owns the carrier account, you or me? This decides who eats a surcharge and who sees the invoice first.
7. How do you handle additional handling and large package surcharges? Ask them to walk through a real invoice line. Background: FedEx additional handling surcharge.
8. What is your all-in cost per box at 85 lb to a representative zone? One number, both sides, including handling. Compare it to your own quote.
**Damage and claims**
9. What is your damage rate on 70–110 lb parcels, and how do you record it? Ask how they track damage rate over time, and what they do with the data.
10. Who files the carrier claim, you or me, and who fronts the replacement? Ask for the sequence: who takes the photos, who files, who pays the customer while the claim is open.
11. What packaging do you require, and what do you refuse? If they will not name a refusal list, ask how they handle packaging disputes.
**Returns, receiving, and peak**
12. How do you receive a 110 lb return, and what does the customer pay? Heavy returns are a different process from a 2 lb return. See bulky returns cost.
13. What is your receiving turnaround in October through December? Ask how they measure peak receiving turnaround. Peak season is when capacity matters most.
14. How many heavy-parcel orders can you ship per day at peak, and what happens when you hit that number? Ask what the overflow plan is, including staffing and timing.
15. Who is my account contact, and what is their response time on a damaged shipment? Get a name and a channel for damaged shipments.
How to score the answers
| Answer quality | What it looks like | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | Specific number, dated, with a name attached | Move to the Cost Audit |
| Weak | Usually, it depends, we handle that | Ask again in writing |
| Red flag | No number, no owner, no process | Walk away |
Two red flags on weight and damage are worth weighing carefully.
What to do before you sign
Ask for a Cost Audit. Ask how they would reprice a sample of your real shipments, both sides, all-in. You will see the wins and the losses. The numbers can help you decide before you move your inventory.
Questions
How many 3PLs should I put through these questions? +
Three is a common starting point. More can mean more time on calls.
Do I need a 3PL that only does heavy parcels? +
No, but you need one that does heavy parcels every day. Ask what share of their volume is over 50 lb. If it is a small share, ask how they prioritize heavy parcels at peak.
What if the 3PL will not share their carrier mix? +
Ask for the share by carrier, not the rates. If they still refuse, ask how they handle claim disputes. You can also ask who owns the account, which usually gets an answer.
Should I ask these questions before or after I get a quote? +
Before. The answers change what the quote means. A low quote from a 3PL that cannot lift a 90 lb box may not be comparable.
How long should the sales call take? +
Thirty minutes if they have the numbers ready. If it runs long on generalities, ask for the answers in writing.
What is the one question I should not skip? +
Question 14, peak capacity. Peak season is when capacity matters most.
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The first step