Third-Party Logistics (3PL) x Virto Commerce
B2B enterprises that use third-party logistics providers to store, pick, pack, and ship orders need those fulfillment operations to stay synchronized with the commerce experience. When a buyer places an order in Virto, the 3PL needs it immediately. When the 3PL ships it, buyers need to know. Virto Commerce connects to 3PL platforms through APIs, keeping the storefront and fulfillment operations in sync without manual handoffs.
About Third-Party Logistics Providers
A third-party logistics provider handles warehousing, fulfillment, and often shipping on behalf of a business, letting that business outsource the physical logistics operation rather than running its own warehouse. 3PLs range from single-warehouse regional providers to global networks with fulfillment centers across multiple countries, and typically expose APIs or integration platforms that connect to ecommerce and order management systems. For B2B enterprises, 3PLs are particularly valuable for scaling fulfillment capacity without capital investment in warehouse infrastructure, and for reaching buyers in new markets through existing fulfillment networks.
How Virto Integrates with 3PL Providers
Virto Commerce sends confirmed order data to the 3PL’s system at the point of order confirmation, triggering the 3PL’s fulfillment workflow. The 3PL processes the order through its warehouse operations, then returns fulfillment confirmations, tracking information, and inventory updates to Virto.
The integration approach generally covers:
- Order data sent from Virto to the 3PL at the point of order confirmation
- Inventory level updates from the 3PL’s warehouse system to Virto’s fulfillment center inventory, keeping storefront availability current
- Fulfillment confirmations, tracking information, and shipping updates returned from the 3PL to Virto for buyer-facing display
- Returns and cancellation coordination between Virto’s order record and the 3PL’s operational workflows
- Multi-location inventory coordination where the 3PL operates multiple fulfillment centers
Note: Integration approach varies by 3PL provider depending on the platform and APIs they expose. Some 3PLs provide direct API integration, others use middleware or EDI. Speak with a solution partner to scope the right approach for your specific 3PL.
Implementation Approach
Virto Commerce integrates with enterprise systems through a combination of APIs, middleware, and integration accelerators — designed to reduce implementation effort while preserving the flexibility that enterprise-specific workflows require.
Key considerations: what integration surface the 3PL exposes — API, EDI, or middleware, how inventory data from the 3PL maps to Virto’s fulfillment center model, whether the 3PL operates multiple fulfillment locations that need to be represented separately in Virto, and how frequently inventory updates need to sync to keep storefront availability accurate.
Use Cases
Sending confirmed orders to the 3PL without manual handoffs
When a buyer confirms an order in Virto, the 3PL needs that order immediately to begin picking and packing. An API-based integration sends order data from Virto to the 3PL at confirmation, eliminating the manual export or file transfer that delays fulfillment initiation.
The 3PL receives orders automatically as they are confirmed in Virto, reducing the time between purchase and fulfillment start.
Keeping storefront availability accurate from 3PL inventory
Buyers making purchasing decisions in Virto need to see stock levels that reflect what the 3PL’s warehouse actually holds. When the 3PL sends inventory updates to Virto’s fulfillment center inventory on a regular basis, storefront availability stays current without manual stock reconciliation.
Buyers see accurate availability based on real 3PL warehouse data, reducing the risk of confirming orders the 3PL cannot fulfill.
Expanding into new markets through existing 3PL fulfillment networks
B2B enterprises entering new regions can use a 3PL’s existing fulfillment center network rather than building their own warehouse infrastructure. When Virto connects to the 3PL covering those markets, orders from new regions flow to the right fulfillment location automatically.
New markets are served through the 3PL’s existing network without Virto needing a separate fulfillment setup per region.