Marco, Kim, Tom & Sara
· Receiving, Pick & Pack, FBA Prep, Account Management
Last reviewed by our team on May 10, 2026 against current AllianceTexas + CBRE DFW + Texas Comptroller data.
Most brands shopping for a 3PL in Dallas think the value is "central US location near a busy airport." That misses the actual story. Dallas wins for ecommerce in 2026 because it is the only inland market in the US officially classified as a port by the Texas Comptroller, with AllianceTexas pulling ocean cargo from LA, Long Beach, and Houston inland by BNSF rail into the largest rail intermodal facility in North America (~1 million lifts per year).
Layer on FTZ #39 (the second-largest FTZ in Texas, $16B+ in merchandise received in 2023, 91 buildings / 21M SF of pre-designated warehouse space) and South Dallas value-corridor rents that sit materially below LA Inland Empire, and Dallas is a different value proposition from a port-adjacent 3PL. We operate from the Dallas-Fort Worth area as part of our 20+ warehouse US and Canadian network.
This page covers what we ship from where, what we charge, where we win, and where we send you to a competitor.
Key takeaways
1
Dallas wins on the one-warehouse thesis. From a DFW footprint, 2-day FedEx Ground reaches roughly 95% of the US population, the best single-node setup for cost + national reach.
2
The real Dallas inbound advantage is BNSF rail, not air. AllianceTexas is the only inland market officially classified as a port by the Texas Comptroller, with ~1 million annual rail intermodal lifts and $834.6M in trade in 2024 (+550% since 2016).
3
DFW industrial Q1 2026: 12.4M SF of positive absorption, 9.2 percent vacancy, record metro rent. South Dallas value corridors (Hutchins, Wilmer, Lancaster) trade materially below the metro average, and well below Inland Empire LA. A good Dallas 3PL holds capacity in those value corridors at the regional rate, not the new-build flight-to-quality premium.
4
We fit brands shipping 500+ DTC orders per month who want a single national-reach node, or import volume from Asia routing through LA / Long Beach / Houston and clearing inland via BNSF Alliance intermodal. Below 200 orders per month, smaller DFW operators (Chronos Prep Center, TCB Global, Velociraptor 3PL) beat us on cost, and we say so on the discovery call.
Why Dallas
Why Dallas is the only US inland city officially classified as a port
AllianceTexas inland port. ~1M annual rail intermodal lifts, designated primary inland port for the Southwest US.
The Texas Comptroller officially designates AllianceTexas as the primary inland port for the southwestern United States, making Dallas the only inland market in the US recognized as a port. AllianceTexas handled $834.6 million in trade in 2024, a 550.7 percent increase since 2016.
The BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility runs ~1 million lifts per year and is believed to be the largest rail intermodal facility in North America: 500 acres, 24/7/365 operations, two 7,000-foot tracks handling roughly 150 cars each. Containers move from LA, Long Beach, and Houston inland by double-stack rail and trans-load to trucks at the Alliance complex.
Hillwood is investing $262 million in smart-port infrastructure plus a $20 million private heavy-haul bridge over FM-156 directly linking 15M SF of warehouses to BNSF Alliance.
DFW Airport processed 717,757 metric tonnes of cargo in 2025, ranking #8 among US freight airports and ahead of Houston IAH (562,809 MT). FTZ #39 received $16+ billion in merchandise in 2023, the second-largest FTZ in Texas, with 91 buildings and 21 million SF of pre-designated warehouse space spread across a 2,400-acre on-airport zone plus 644 off-airport acres at Railhead Industrial Park in Fort Worth.
Named FTZ #39 operators include DHL Global Forwarding, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, CEVA International, Schenker, Samsung Electronics, Mouser Electronics, and Airbus Helicopters. Under the 2025 tariff regime, importers bring goods into FTZ #39 duty-free, hold them indefinitely, and pay tariffs only on the cheaper of inputs versus finished product.
In April 2026, DFW filed to expand the FTZ #39 service area into Parker, Palo Pinto, and Jack counties, meaning more warehouses qualify for activation under the Alternative Site Framework every quarter.
DFW industrial Q1 2026 reports 12.4 million SF of positive absorption, with vacancy below 10 percent for the first time since Q4 2023 (9.2 percent market-wide). DFW industrial inventory now exceeds 1.0 billion SF, the second-largest US industrial market by inventory.
Q4 2025 average asking rent hit a record level, but South Dallas value corridors (Hutchins, Wilmer, Lancaster, Ferris, inside the 7,500-acre International Inland Port of Dallas served by Union Pacific Dallas Intermodal Terminal) trade materially below the metro average and well below Inland Empire LA. Texas forklift operators earn meaningfully less than the national average.
The Mexico nearshoring story sits alongside this: US-Mexico trade hit $872.8 billion in 2025, Laredo handled $339.7 billion in 2024 (the highest-value land port in the Western Hemisphere), and Dallas sits at the I-35 consolidation endpoint roughly 440 miles north of Laredo.
What it unlocks
What a Dallas 3PL gets you that a Midwest 3PL can't
We operate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as part of our 20+ warehouse US and Canadian network, positioned for both BNSF Alliance rail intermodal access and DFW Airport cargo. Existing industrial stock below the metro-average rate, not at the post-2010 flight-to-quality premium.
01
AllianceTexas inland port
Dallas is the only inland market in the US officially classified as a port by the Texas Comptroller. BNSF Alliance runs ~1M annual lifts (largest rail intermodal in North America), pulling ocean cargo from LA, Long Beach, and Houston inland on double-stack rail.
02
Skip the LA premium
DFW Q1 2026 saw 12.4M SF positive absorption at record metro asking rents, yet South Dallas value corridors (Hutchins, Wilmer, Lancaster) trade materially below the metro average and well below Inland Empire LA.
03
Direct lane to Texas FBA
We route direct to Amazon DFW6, DFW7, FTW1, and DAL3. BNSF Alliance-fed inventory moves to FBA the same week without a cross-country leg first. We also run an AWD-alternative play at higher volume tiers for brands sidestepping placement fees.
04
95% of the US in 2-day ground
2-day FedEx Ground reaches ~95% of US households from a DFW footprint. Dallas-Fort Worth is widely considered the best single-node setup for cost and national reach.
For Shopify brands
Should Shopify store owners have a 3PL in Dallas?
A Dallas 3PL is the right call for a Shopify brand when single-node national reach, BNSF Alliance inland-port speed, or Mexico nearshoring matters most. DFW is the best one-warehouse setup for cost + national reach (2-day FedEx Ground hits ~95% of US households from a single DFW node). Below 200 monthly orders, a Dallas 3PL almost never pencils out and we will point you to a smaller DFW boutique.
Yes if
You want a single-node US setup. Dallas-Fort Worth is the best balance of cost and national reach for one-warehouse brands. 2-day FedEx Ground reaches ~95% of US households from a DFW footprint.
You import via LA, Long Beach, or Houston and want to clear inland by BNSF rail. AllianceTexas is the only inland market officially classified as a port by the Texas Comptroller, with ~1M annual rail intermodal lifts (largest in North America).
You sell into TX, OK, LA, AR retail accounts or run Mexico-bound DDP. Dallas keeps you in zone 1 to those states and sits at the I-35 endpoint 440 miles north of Laredo ($339.7B in US-Mexico trade in 2024).
You ship 500+ DTC orders per month. Below that, smaller DFW operators (Chronos Prep Center, TCB Global, Velociraptor 3PL) and match-services (Fulfill.com, Third Person, WareMatch) beat us on price.
No if
You need cold-chain fulfillment (frozen or refrigerated). Our Dallas facility runs ambient-only. We refer cold-chain brands to GMP-certified DFW operators.
You need FTZ #39 zone activation. We are not a designated FTZ ourselves. For brands where the tariff math justifies FTZ overhead, we point you to FTZ #39 zone operators (DHL, UPS, CEVA, Schenker, Samsung).
Sub-200 orders per month. DFW value-corridor rents are favorable, but the per-order cost at our volume floor is higher than what a boutique operator like Chronos Prep Center charges at small-brand tier.
Texas-only brand needing direct Port Houston container clearance. We refer those to Houston 3PL operators inside the Port Houston / FTZ #84 footprint instead.
If "yes" lands on you, the next question is which Shopify-side workflow tests separate ops-grade Dallas 3PLs from ones that look good on a sales call. Six questions to ask any operator below.
Workflow
What should happen
What usually breaks
Question to ask
New order arrives
In the pick queue near real time
Polling intervals over 5 minutes; orders missed during peak
How often does your sync run, and what is the worst-case lag?
Inventory level changes
Pushes back to Shopify in real time
Daily batch updates → oversells during peak hours
Is inventory sync push or pull, and at what frequency?
Tracking number written
Posts to Shopify the moment carrier scans
Manual upload at end of day; customer emails arrive late
When exactly does tracking hit Shopify?
Pre-order / backorder
Order holds, ships when stock arrives
Order silently fails or ships partial without notice
How does your WMS handle backorders without losing the customer relationship?
Returns refund trigger
Refund triggers on return scan-in (or on inspection pass)
Returns sit unprocessed for days, customer service workload
What event triggers the refund: receipt, inspection, or restock?
Subscription orders
Routed separately, with subscription-specific packouts
Sub orders treated as one-time DTC, no recharge protection
How do you tag and prioritize Recharge / Skio subscription orders?
For Amazon FBA brands
Should Amazon FBA brands have a 3PL in Dallas?
A 3PL in Dallas alongside Amazon FBA gets specific value when you import through LA / Long Beach / Houston and want inland prep at AllianceTexas before routing to Amazon's Texas fulfillment centers (DFW6, DFW7, FTW1, DAL3). Boutique Dallas prep centers also offer AWD-alternative programs, and most multi-channel Amazon sellers benefit from inland 3PL routing over going FBA-direct.
Yes if
You import through LA, Long Beach, or Houston. We receive containers via BNSF Alliance rail intermodal, polybag and FNSKU-label inside 24 hours, and route to DFW6 / DFW7 / FTW1 / DAL3 the same week.
You sell on Amazon AND Shopify (or DTC). FBA does not handle your DTC orders. We do both from one inventory pool.
You want to throttle FBA storage during slow seasons or sidestep AWD placement fees. We hold overflow and re-route to FBA when demand returns, avoiding FBA long-term storage fees.
You want to skip Amazon's prep markup. Our Dallas prep is quoted per unit against your real polybag, FNSKU, and bundle scope, and typically beats Amazon's prep service fees on the same SKU set.
No if
100% Amazon FBA, no other channel. If you do not run DTC or wholesale, going direct to FBA from your supplier (with Amazon Global Logistics or a freight forwarder) is usually cheaper than adding a 3PL leg.
Domestic suppliers in the Northeast or Midwest. If your inventory ships from a NJ or OH factory, the Dallas inland-port advantage does not apply. A regional 3PL closer to your supplier saves freight.
You do not import in container quantities. LCL or air-freight import volumes do not generate enough BNSF Alliance intermodal savings to justify the Dallas operating cost.
Most multi-channel Amazon sellers importing through the West Coast or Gulf benefit from a Dallas 3PL because BNSF Alliance shortens the inbound cycle to the Texas FBA cluster and gives you optionality on FBA versus DTC routing per SKU.
Scope
What a Dallas 3PL should and shouldn't handle
A common mistake brands make when scoping a Dallas 3PL is treating it as a generic warehouse. Warehouses store things. A 3PL is closer to an operations team that happens to live in a warehouse. Knowing the line between what we own and what stays with your team prevents the most common onboarding fights.
✓ The 3PL owns
Receiving containers via BNSF Alliance rail intermodal (from LA, Long Beach, Houston), DFW Airport air cargo, or LTL freight from your factory or freight forwarder
Storing inventory in racked, lot-tracked, FIFO-rotated locations
Picking, packing, and shipping DTC orders against a 5 PM CT same-day cutoff
FNSKU re-validation and FBA spec updates so Amazon does not reject your inbound
Cross-border to Mexico shipping (DDP / DDU) for Monterrey, Saltillo, and Mexico City customers via the I-35 / Laredo corridor
Returns receiving, inspection, restocking or disposition per your written rules
Cycle counts and quarterly physical inventory
EDI-compliant retail outbound (856 / 940 / 810) for Shopify B2B and Texas retail accounts
✗ The brand owns
Demand planning and reorder timing. You own this; we feed the data.
Customer service and chargebacks. We feed tracking and exception data; your CX team handles the conversation.
Marketing copy on packing slips and inserts. You supply the artwork; we apply it.
Carrier rate negotiation. You can use your own carrier accounts; we route to whichever rate card you supply.
Custom packaging design. Bring the spec; we execute the packout.
Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) activation inside FTZ #39. We are not a designated FTZ. For brands where the tariff math justifies FTZ overhead, we point you to specialist FTZ #39 zone operators (DHL, UPS, CEVA, Schenker).
Order flow
Inside a Dallas 3PL: 10 steps from AllianceTexas to porch
From the moment your container clears BNSF Alliance rail intermodal (arriving inland from LA, Long Beach, or Houston) to the moment your customer's parcel scans on their porch. For FTZ-eligible inbound, the secondary lane is air or surface freight into FTZ #39 at DFW Airport. Here is the exact path. Ten steps, mapped to who does what and where the typical 3PL drops the ball.
01
Inbound notice
Your supplier or freight forwarder sends an ASN (Advance Shipping Notice) or simple email with PO, expected SKUs, container count, and ETA. We pre-allocate a receiving dock window.
What is this?
An ASN is a structured file (EDI 856 or our standard CSV / spreadsheet) that lists every SKU, expected quantity, container or pallet ID, and ETA before the freight arrives. With an ASN, our receiving team pre-prints labels, pre-assigns rack locations, and starts unload the moment the truck or rail intermodal container checks in. Without an ASN, every container takes 2 to 4 extra hours because we have to reverse-engineer the shipment on the dock. We accept both EDI and a simple template if your supplier is small.
02
Rail or LTL arrival
Container arrives at our DFW-area facility via BNSF Alliance rail intermodal (from LA, Long Beach, or Houston) or domestic LTL pickup. Driver checks in, dock door is assigned, unload begins.
What is this?
Most Asia imports clear LA or Long Beach, ride BNSF double-stack rail inland, and unload at the BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility (~1 million lifts per year, the largest in North America), then trans-load to a truck for the final mile to our facility. For FTZ-eligible inbound, the secondary lane is air cargo or surface freight into FTZ #39 (DFW Airport, 21M SF of pre-designated zone space). Domestic restocks and Mexico-nearshoring inbound arrive via I-35 LTL from Laredo.
03
Receive + count
Cases are unloaded, scanned, counted against the ASN. Discrepancies (short / over / damaged) are flagged and photo-documented inside 24 hours.
What is this?
Every case gets a barcode scan against the ASN line item. If the count matches, the SKU moves to putaway. If it does not (short ship, over-ship, damaged outer), our team photo-documents the variance with timestamps and dock-door ID, then logs it in our exception queue. You get an email within 24 hours with the photos, the variance, and our recommended next step (claim with carrier, request supplier credit, accept and adjust on-hand).
04
Putaway
SKUs are binned to designated rack or floor locations using our WMS. Lot codes and expiry dates captured at this step for food / supplements / beauty SKUs.
What is this?
Putaway is the act of moving received cases from the dock to a permanent rack or floor location. Our WMS assigns the location based on velocity (fast-movers near the pack table, slow-movers in deep storage), pallet height, and lot rotation rules. For food, supplements, and beauty SKUs we capture lot code and expiry at putaway so FIFO (First-In-First-Out) picks always grab the earliest-expiring stock first.
05
Order sync
A good WMS pulls orders from Shopify, Amazon, BigCommerce, and your ERP near real time. New orders appear in the pick queue automatically. We run Datex Footprint for this.
What is this?
Order sync is the live link between your sales channels and our pick queue. A good WMS polls Shopify, Amazon Seller Central, BigCommerce, and ERP systems frequently so the order is in the pick queue shortly after checkout. We run Datex Footprint for this. Inventory levels push back to your store when the pick is confirmed, which prevents oversells during traffic spikes.
06
Wave release
Orders are batched into pick waves based on carrier cutoff time. DTC same-day orders run first, B2B and retail run second.
What is this?
A wave is a batch of orders released to the floor as a single pick task. We organize waves by carrier sweep time (UPS at 4 PM, FedEx at 5 PM, USPS at 5:30 PM CT) and by service level. DTC same-day orders run in the first wave because their cutoff is tightest. B2B and retail outbound run in later waves where the carrier sweep is later. This sequencing keeps small fast orders from waiting behind a large pallet pick.
07
Pick
Pickers scan each item against barcode and bin location. A good WMS rejects mispicks before they reach the pack table. That is how an operator holds pick accuracy in the high-nineties consistently.
What is this?
Picking is the moment a worker grabs the right SKU off the shelf for an order. A good WMS forces a barcode scan at every pick, comparing the scanned SKU against the order line. If they do not match, the system blocks the pick and routes the worker back to the correct bin. That double-check is what keeps a 3PL at high-nineties shipped-correct accuracy across high order volumes.
08
Pack + label
Packers select carton, add inserts, generate carrier label, weigh, and tape. Each pack table runs a triple-check process before the parcel leaves the station.
What is this?
At the pack station, the worker selects the right-size carton (we calculate dim weight to keep your shipping costs low), adds any inserts (thank-you cards, samples, marketing flyers you supply), prints the carrier label, weighs the parcel, and tapes. Three checks happen before the parcel leaves: SKU match, label match, and weight sanity check. If any fail, the parcel goes to a re-pack station before it ships.
09
Carrier handoff
Parcels stage by carrier (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, Canada Post). Carrier sweeps happen at fixed daily windows. Tracking pushes back to Shopify and Amazon automatically.
What is this?
Parcels stage in carrier-specific zones near the loading dock. UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL, and Canada Post each have their own daily sweep window with us. The moment a carrier scans a label at sweep, that scan event pushes back to your Shopify or Amazon order page so the customer sees a tracking number in real time. No manual tracking uploads, no end-of-day batch lag.
10
Returns
Inbound returns are received, inspected against your disposition rules (restock, refurbish, scrap), and the result writes back to inventory. You get a daily returns report.
What is this?
Returns come back to a dedicated returns dock. Our team inspects each item against your disposition rules (which you set during onboarding): restock if A-grade, refurbish if B-grade and re-label, scrap if damaged. The result writes back to your inventory in real time. Your refund logic can fire on any of three triggers (parcel scan-in, inspection pass, or restock complete) so you control whether the customer gets refunded fast or only after we confirm condition.
Pricing reality
What actually drives a Dallas 3PL bill
Most 3PL pricing comparisons get hung up on pick-and-pack rates, which are usually within a penny or two between providers. The real difference shows up in receiving, storage, and how exceptions are billed. Here is where to look:
Cost area
How it's charged
What raises the invoice
What you must define
Receiving
Per pallet or per container
Mixed SKUs per pallet, no ASN, damaged outers
ASN format, palletization standard, damage tolerance
Storage
Per pallet / per cubic foot / month
Long-tail SKUs, slow-movers, packaging that wastes airspace
Storage type (rack vs floor vs bin), long-term tier breakpoints
Pick & pack
Per order, per item, sometimes per SKU
Multi-item orders with kitting, gift wrap, custom inserts
Standard SKU vs kit, included vs add-on packout steps
Carrier costs
Pass-through, sometimes with markup
Use of 3PL's carrier account vs your own, dimensional weight pricing
Whose carrier account, who pays surcharges (residential, peak)
Rail intermodal
Per container
BNSF Alliance booking windows during peak; chassis availability at the Alliance ramp during Lunar New Year and BFCM
Whose drayage account at the Alliance ramp, container detention tolerance
FBA inbound prep
Per unit prepped
Polybagging, FNSKU labels, bundle requirements
Prep scope, who buys polybags, which FBA codes you ship to
Five Dallas 3PL failure modes (port, labor, drayage)
Five failure modes specific to LA-region fulfillment. Not generic 3PL problems. The ones that hit when port congestion stacks with peak-season demand and shared labor goes thin.
Failure mode
Why it happens
How Vertex handles it
Container stuck at Alliance ramp
BNSF Alliance booking gaps during peak (Lunar New Year imports, BFCM build-ups); chassis shortages at the Alliance destination ramp.
A good Dallas 3PL pre-books rail slots well ahead of peak, holds relationships with multiple drayage carriers at the Alliance ramp, and flags urgent containers (live shows, FBA peak) so they do not sit at the rail yard.
Inbound takes 5+ days to pickable
Receiving team buried under stale POs, no ASN discipline, rail container offload delays.
We enforce ASN format upfront, cap unannounced inbound, and stage rail containers with chassis-stay programs so we are not waiting at the ramp.
Same-day cutoff slipping
Pickers shared with retail B2B during peak; carrier sweep moved up without notice (UPS pickups during BFCM run earlier).
We staff a dedicated DTC labor pool and lock carrier sweep windows in writing during onboarding.
FBA inbound rejected
Polybag or FNSKU spec changed without notice; wrong FBA code routed (DFW6 versus FTW1 mix-up).
We subscribe to Amazon prep updates, re-validate FNSKUs on a recurring cadence, and route by ZIP rather than salesperson preference.
Storage tier surprise
Savills DFW Q1 2026 reports 12.4M SF positive absorption with vacancy under 10% for the first time since Q4 2023; rate pressure pushes some operators to reclassify slow-mover SKUs into higher tiers.
We send a monthly slow-mover report, flag any SKU approaching the tier breakpoint, and write a clear-out plan into onboarding.
When this isn't a fit
When Vertex isn't the right Dallas 3PL for you
We are not the right 3PL for everyone shipping from Dallas. Here is the honest list of cases where you should pick someone else.
You ship under 200 DTC orders per month. Smaller DFW boutique operators (Chronos Prep Center, TCB Global, Velociraptor 3PL, 3PL Fulfillment & Prep) and match-services (Fulfill.com, Third Person, WareMatch) will run cheaper at your volume. We work best at 500 orders per month and up, or B2B and retail programs that justify dedicated handling. Industry warning at small-brand volume: ShipBob Grapevine receives poor reviews from sub-500-order operators.
You need cold chain (frozen or refrigerated). Our Dallas facility runs ambient-only. We refer cold-chain brands to GMP-certified DFW operators.
You need FTZ #39 zone activation for direct duty deferral. We are not a designated FTZ. For brands where the tariff math justifies FTZ overhead, we point you to FTZ #39 zone operators (DHL Global Forwarding, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, CEVA International, Schenker, Samsung).
You need a Texas-only setup with direct Port Houston container clearance. We refer those brands to Houston 3PL operators inside the Port Houston / FTZ #84 footprint.
You need walk-in retail or B2C drop-off. We do not run customer-facing counters at our facilities.
You require unstable or undefined inbound (no ASNs, surprise containers, ad-hoc SKU labeling). We can onboard this, and we will quote with a higher cost-to-serve to match.
Reach from Dallas
What 1-day and 2-day delivery from a Dallas 3PL actually covers
From our Dallas footprint, your inventory reaches a defined 1-day and 2-day ground zone, plus cross-border to Canada through our Canadian network. No separate Canadian 3PL setup required.
Pre-revenue and growth-stage brands shipping under 500 orders/month who need Amazon FBA prep
AllianceTexas / Alliance-node 3PL
Inside the AllianceTexas Logistics District
Strength
Direct access to BNSF intermodal, autonomous-trucking corridor, and the Hillwood $262M smart-port build (DSV, DHL, Saddle Creek, GEODIS all operate here)
Constraint
Tenants are typically Fortune 500 / 1M+ SF DCs; pricing reflects enterprise-tier service
Best for
High-volume brands and enterprise tenants needing 1M+ SF dedicated space at AllianceTexas
National multi-node 3PL
DFW is one of 30-60 fulfillment centers
Strength
Dense FC network nationwide (e.g., ShipBob Grapevine, Saddle Creek, GEODIS, Symbia, Ryder); platform-style integrations
Constraint
Industry feedback warns small brands away from ShipBob at sub-500-order tier; DFW node is not a focus
Best for
Brands wanting national 2-day reach via inventory split, willing to pay national-network rates
FTZ #39 zone operator
Inside the 2,400-acre DFW Airport FTZ
Strength
Direct duty deferral, FTZ #39 activated status, named operators include DHL, UPS Supply Chain, CEVA, Schenker, Samsung, Mouser
Constraint
FTZ overhead only pencils for high-tariff inbound; specialist tier, not generalist 3PL
Best for
High-tariff importers (tech, beauty, pharma) where direct duty deferral justifies FTZ overhead
Vertex pricing
Pricing for Dallas fulfillment
Pick-and-pack starts at $1.05 per DTC order. Everything else — receiving, storage, FBA prep, kitting, returns — is scoped to your SKU mix, channel set, and packout spec. Show us your current 3PL invoice and we'll tell you where we beat it, line by line.
Pick & pack
Per DTC order, standard SKU
from $1.05/order
Everything else
Receiving, storage, FBA prep, kitting, returns, multi-channel routing — quoted on a call against your real order volume and SKU profile. We do not publish a per-pallet or per-cu-ft rate sheet because the honest answer depends on what you ship.
Bring your current invoice
Already at another 3PL? Send us your last three invoices. We will reply with a side-by-side and tell you whether we can beat it. If we cannot, we will say so.
What every brand gets
Inventory sync to Shopify, Amazon, BigCommerce
Multi-carrier rate shop on every parcel
4 PM PT same-day cutoff at our Vancouver HQ
Scan-confirmed picking, not visual
No annual contract, no setup fee, no software fee
A named account lead on your account (not a ticket queue)
Bring your current invoice. We will reply with a line-by-line comparison.
FAQs about Dallas fulfillment
Real Dallas 3PL questions, answered
01 Where exactly is your Dallas warehouse?
We operate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as part of our 20+ warehouse US and Canadian network. The footprint is positioned for both BNSF Alliance rail intermodal access and DFW Airport cargo, in existing industrial stock below the metro-average rate.
02 Why does AllianceTexas matter for a Dallas 3PL?
AllianceTexas is the only inland market in the US officially classified as a port by the Texas Comptroller. The BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility runs ~1 million lifts per year (largest rail intermodal in North America) and pulls ocean cargo from LA, Long Beach, and Houston inland. AllianceTexas handled $834.6M in trade in 2024, a 550% increase since 2016.
03 What's the cutoff time for same-day shipping in Dallas?
Orders placed before 5 PM CT ship the same business day. Orders after the cutoff ship the next business day. Saturday cutoffs are available on request for high-volume DTC programs.
04 Do you route inventory to Amazon FBA from Dallas?
Yes. We prep and route to DFW6, DFW7, FTW1, and DAL3 directly from our DFW-area facility. FBA labeling, polybagging, and inbound shipment plans are all included. We re-validate FNSKUs on a recurring cadence so Amazon spec changes do not cause inbound rejections. We also run an AWD-alternative play at higher volume tiers for brands looking to sidestep placement fees.
05 Can I ship cross-border from Dallas to Mexico and Canada?
Yes. Mexico DDP / DDU runs through the I-35 / Laredo corridor (440 miles south); Laredo handled $339.7B in US-Mexico trade in 2024 and 73.6% of all US-Mexico freight by value moves by truck. For Canada, cross-border is 2 to 3 business days from Dallas via our Canadian network (Toronto and Vancouver). We handle Section 321 entry and customs paperwork in one workflow.
06 Do you support BNSF Alliance rail intermodal inbound?
Yes. We arrange BNSF Alliance intermodal from LA, Long Beach, and Houston direct to our facility. Alliance is the largest rail intermodal in North America (~1 million lifts per year, 500 acres, 24/7/365 operations). For brands importing in container quantities, this beats truck drayage on cost and gives you inland-port duty optionality at FTZ #39.
07 Will rail capacity at BNSF Alliance be tight during peak?
Possibly, and we plan around it. The BNSF Alliance Intermodal Facility handles ~1 million lifts per year. During Lunar New Year imports and BFCM build-ups, slot booking windows extend from 2 to 5 days. Our mitigation: we pre-book 5 to 10 days out, hold relationships with multiple drayage carriers at the Alliance ramp, and quote with a 48-hour buffer during peak.
08 Do you operate inside FTZ #39?
No. We are not a designated FTZ ourselves. FTZ #39 received $16+ billion in merchandise in 2023 and has 91 buildings / 21M SF of pre-designated space at DFW Airport. Named FTZ #39 zone operators include DHL Global Forwarding, UPS Supply Chain Solutions, CEVA International, Schenker, Samsung Electronics, and Mouser Electronics. For brands where direct duty deferral inside an FTZ is the right answer (typically high-tariff inbound), we point you to those operators. For most brands, FTZ overhead does not pay back.
09 What is the minimum order volume to work with Vertex in Dallas?
We work best with brands shipping 500+ DTC orders per month or running B2B and retail replenishment programs. Below 200 orders per month, smaller DFW boutique operators (Chronos Prep Center, TCB Global, Velociraptor 3PL, 3PL Fulfillment & Prep) and 3PL match-services (Fulfill.com, Third Person, WareMatch) will beat us on cost. We say so on the discovery call.
10 How long does onboarding take?
Standard onboarding runs 1 to 2 weeks: discovery call, integration setup (Shopify, Amazon, your ERP), SOP design, and first inbound receiving. Brands with clean SKU data and a single sales channel can be live in under a week.
11 Do you require an annual contract?
No. We use service agreements, not contracts. You can pause, scale up or down, or move volume across our nodes (Dallas, LA, East Coast, US, Canada) without penalty. Termination is 60 days written notice.
12 What WMS do you use?
Datex Footprint paired with TechDynamics. The combination gives us near-real-time inventory sync to Shopify and Amazon, barcode scanning at every pick, and EDI-compliant retail outbound for B2B programs.
13 How do you handle returns from Dallas customers?
Returns are received and inspected against your written disposition rules (restock, refurbish, scrap). The result writes back to your inventory in real time. You get a daily returns report. Refunds can trigger on receipt, on inspection, or on restock. You pick during onboarding.
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Get a custom quote in 24 hours, based on your SKU mix, order volume, and Central US delivery needs. 5 PM CT cutoff. 24-hour receipt-to-pickable. No annual contract.