What to Look for in a 3PL as a Hair Care Brand

Running a haircare brand means living in two worlds at once: Creative innovation on one side, strict product safety and customer expectations on the other. And somewhere in between? Fulfillment.

It’s the part no one sees, yet the part that can make or break your customer experience.

Liquids can leak, aerosols need hazmat compliance, products can go viral overnight, and that beautiful packaging you invested in has to arrive looking, well… beautiful. The wrong 3PL can turn these needs into daily fires, while the right one turns them into smooth sailing.

We created this guide to break down exactly what haircare brands should look for in a fulfillment partner, covering:

• What makes haircare fulfillment so complex

• What to look for, and what to avoid, in a 3PL partner

• How to evaluate pricing, service quality, and scalability

• The key questions to ask before you commit

Hair care products present a unique set of logistical challenges when it comes to fulfillment.  

Between delicate packaging, hazmat regulations, and sensitive formulas, fulfilling products like hairsprays, styling products, and shampoos looks a lot different than what’s expected from shipping off a t-shirt or protein powder. Understanding the differences matter.

Before evaluating 3PL options, it’s important to take time to define what “best” truly means for your haircare brand.

A salon-quality hair care brand will have different needs compared to an experimental hair styling company.

Ask yourself:

• What do your customers value most? Presentation, speed and reliability?

• Which services are non-negotiable? Consider aspects like lot tracking, custom packaging or bundling, and B2B fulfillment.

• What are your long-term fulfillment goals? Think beyond the next few months: will you need room for new product lines, seasonal spikes, or retail expansion?

If you don’t clearly define your fulfillment priorities for yourself, even the best 3PL won’t be able to deliver the experience you or your customers expect. Knowing your needs upfront ensures you choose a partner who can meet them, not guess at them.

As your hair care brand grows, fulfillment must do more than keep up. It has to help you scale.

The best 3PL partners evolve with you, adapting to higher order volumes, expanding product lines, and shifting sales channels. A fulfillment partner built for scale creates consistency during times of change and prepares your operations for what’s next, not just what’s now.

As you vet 3PLs, ask yourself:

• Can they handle your current order volume and your goal forecast?

• Are they built for SKU diversity (like a full product line for every hair type) or just standard inventory?

• Do they offer scalable pricing, services, and warehouse space flexibility?

Choose a fulfillment partner who approaches scale strategically, one who can forecast demand, adapt quickly to changing volumes, and proactively strengthen your logistics before challenges appear.

A lot of 3PLs approach fulfillment as a one-size-fits-all, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Hair care brands shouldn’t be forced to fit the same service offerings as an apparel brand, and vice versa. When evaluating partners, prioritize those who understand the complexities of both your product care and brand presentation.

At the bare minimum, your 3PL should offer the following services:

• Lot and Expiration Tracking: Even if your products don’t “expire” quickly, accurate lot tracking supports quality assurance and compliance. If you realize an issue after products have shipped out, lot tracking allows for full traceability to issue recalls.

• FIFO Batch Rotation: Ensures your oldest stock moves first, instead of expiring in the back of a shelf.

• Real-Time Inventory Visibility: Helps you monitor SKU stock, batch data, and order flow 24/7.

• Custom Kitting & Bundling: Hair care thrives on bundles: shampoo + conditioner sets, treatment kits, and seasonal boxes. Your fulfillment partner should have a dedicated team providing flexible kitting options on-site.

• Hazmat Certification: You’ll need a 3PL that’s DOT and IATA certificated to ship out products in aerosol cans or with hazardous formulas.

• Retail & Marketplace Integrations: If you sell your products wholesale to salons, in-store at retailers like Sephora, or through Amazon FBA, or your own Shopify store, integration across these sale channels is a must. A connected system keeps inventory synced and orders flowing smoothly.

• Returns Processing & Leakage Protocols: Returns in hair care often involve damaged, opened, or leaking bottles. Look for a 3PL that follows hygiene protocols, leak-containment procedures, and proper disposal or restocking methods.

Outside of the “must have” services, the best 3PL partners offer additional integrated and high-touch options that will help you turn fulfillment into a true growth engine.

Look for tools that offer smarter inventory planning, elevated unboxing experiences, and margin-protecting add-ons like:

• High-Touch Packaging: Custom boxes, lux tissue paper wrapping, handwritten notes, and sustainable material options can help reflect your brand’s aesthetic and values - creating an unboxing experience that customers remember.
• Subscription Support: Smart automations for recurring monthly or quarterly subscriptions helps ensure loyal customers get a timely restock before running out of their daily haircare serum or styling pomade.
• Influencer and PR Kits: Kitting teams with a keen eye for detail can create consistent, meticulously packed creator kits at scale that help strengthen brand perception and make heads turn on For You pages.
• Channel-Specific Fulfillment: Channel-centric SKUs, allocated storage, and compliant routing help ensure stock-out protection where you need it and provide a consistent experience wherever your customers shop.

A lot of big 3PLs tout having the most elite tech stack in the world. And while we agree smart tech goes a LONG way in improving efficiency and cutting down on shrinkage - it in and of itself isn’t the end-all-be-all.

Because without the right people behind the scenes, systems and processes will start failing you instead of serving you, fast.

The real magic happens when skilled teams use the power of smart tools to solve problems before they ever hit your customer’s doorstep.

Haircare brands sell everywhere, from online stores to marketplaces and retail shelves, and EVERY channel operates differently. Each platform has its own timelines and fulfillment rules; some products are only sold online, others you can only get in stores.

And don’t even get us started on manufacturing delays and product restocks.
 

That’s why, without connected systems and real-time visibility, a lag in inventory availability can lead to overselling, delays, and disappointed customers. Unified fulfillment keeps everything in sync and ensures a consistent brand experience across every channel.

To get a better understanding of how a 3PL tracks inventory, ask:

• Does the 3PL use scan-based movement throughout the warehouse or manual tracking?

• What level of inventory insight are clients given? Are updates in real-time or lagged?

• What is the 3PL’s inventory accuracy rate?

• Are sales-channels synced in real time?

• Can inventory be split and allocated by channel to prevent stockouts?

• How are DTC and B2B orders prioritized?

There’s nothing worse than sending a support ticket for an urgent order issue and getting silence. Many 3PLs (especially big ones) only provide dedicated support to large, VIP clients with mid-size and small brands serviced through generic help desks - or worst - AI bots.

This means when you have an issue, you’ll likely have to wait longer for responses, and be passed from person-to-person until the problem can be resolved.

If you see “support” as a line item on a pitch deck, dig into the specifics of what you’re brand actually qualifies for. Ask:

• What types of client support services do you offer? Is there a ticketing system, dedicated account management, call-in service?

• Are your support services tiered? If so, what level do I qualify for?

• What types of communication channels can I send questions or to? Email, chat, Slack, text/call services?

• Is there a limit to how many requests/tickets I submit a month?

• What is your average response time?

• Can I pay extra for dedicated support for my brand? If so, how much more would that add to my invoice per month?

• What is your escalation protocol if requests cannot be met?

• Does your support staff in-warehouse/have access to my inventory?

The good news is that there are many mid-size and smaller 3PLs that offer dedicated, on-site account managers for all clients as part of their general service offerings.

Fulfillment costs for hair care eCommerce brands can become more layered and convoluted than you'd expect.

Sure, you’ll still pay the usual standard 3PL fees; receiving, storage, pick and pack, shipping, but that’s just the baseline.

Haircare products bring their own set of needs that add a few more layers (and dollars) to the mix. First, there are the more logistical needs like:

• Certified hazmat handling for exposive containers (aerosols) and flammable formulas,

• Careful lot tracking for products with expiration dates.

• Proper storage and spill/leak protocols

Then there’s the packaging side.

Haircare brands pour everything into formulation and packaging, so it's natural to want your unboxing setup to match that same energy. Branded tissue, bundled kits, custom inserts, handwritten notes, influencer and media kits; they all add time, care, and a little extra cost.

Make sure each current and future need is given a line item in your pricing proforma so you understand the true impact of cost for services.

“You get what you pay for” can be especially true in fulfillment. A cheaper rate doesn’t always equal a better deal. The lowest per‑order price can easily mask higher costs in the form of errors, damaged goods, or punitive fees.

We suggest always looking at the total picture, not just the per‑order fee. Hidden charges, rework, and time lost to miscommunication can quietly eat into your margins. The best 3PLs will be transparent from the start, offering clear billing and walking you through how each charge ties to the services you actually need to get the job done right.

The brand you are today, is likely not the brand you’ll be in a year from now. Over time, your fulfillment needs will evolve as your brand expands from influencer kits to retail partnerships and global distribution. The goal shouldnt be to find the biggest or least expensive 3PL, but a fulfillment partner that can grow with your brand, treats your customers like their own and anticipates tomorrow’s needs and opportunities.

If you’re looking to start your 3PL search off with a company whose allergic to sale pitches (IYKYK) but enjoys talking shop with like-minded owners and operators, reach out to our team at Nice Commerce.

We pride ourselves on being the “Goldilocks” of 3PLs: Big enough to have all the bells and whistles growing brands need to scale, yet small enough to deliver tailored, dedicated service to everyone. We’re always down to chat pain points and brainstorm creative solutions. Drop us a note to get the conversation started!

Hair care products often come in liquid, gel, or aerosol form each with unique storage and shipping needs. A specialized 3PL understands how to handle these items safely, from leak-proof packing to hazmat compliance for sprays and texturizing mists. The right partner ensures your products stay intact, compliant, and presentation-ready every time they leave the warehouse.

Yes, as long as the 3PL is experienced with liquid-based and compliance-sensitive items. Both categories often require batch tracking, FIFO systems, and sometimes temperature stability. A hair-and-beauty-ready 3PL will have separate storage areas for aerosols and alcohol-based formulas and systems that ensure safety, freshness, and brand consistency across all product lines.

Look for experience with shampoo/conditioner sets, influencer kits, and subscription bundles, plus certifications for handling flammable products.

Accuracy and consistency matter most. Track:

• Order accuracy and on-time delivery

• Leak or damage rate (especially for liquid SKUs)

• Packaging consistency across DTC, Amazon, and salon orders

• Customer satisfaction or review mentions related to packaging and delivery

These metrics show how well your 3PL protects both your product and your brand reputation.

If managing inventory, returns, or damaged shipments is pulling focus from marketing and product development, it’s time to bring in a fulfillment partner. A specialized 3PL helps you scale efficiently while keeping fulfillment, compliance, and customer experience running smoothly in the background.

Avoid partners that lack hazmat certification, climate or humidity control, or experience handling liquids. Poor communication, vague pricing, or inconsistent packaging standards can quickly become costly. The right 3PL will be transparent, proactive, and as detail-oriented about your brand as you are.