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Free guide

12 Questions to Ask Any 3PL Before You Sign

An honest 2-page guide covering pricing transparency, lock-in clauses, stock accuracy, returns, customs, and the questions most merchants forget to ask until after they've signed.

  • What the monthly fee actually includes — and what it doesn't
  • The exit clause question every 3PL hopes you won't ask
  • Who pays when a picking error costs you a customer
  • How to tell if the "integration" is real or a spreadsheet in disguise

One email. The guide. No newsletter unless you ask for one.

12 Questions to Ask Any 3PL Before You Sign

1What does 3PL fulfilment actually cost — in full?

Ask for a full written rate card before you commit. You need: the monthly service fee and what it buys, the per-pallet storage rate, the per-order pick and pack rate, the per-item rate for multi-line orders, intake fees on receiving new stock, and how courier charges are billed. If the provider cannot give you a written rate card within 24 hours, that is your answer.

2Is there a lock-in contract, and what does the exit look like?

Ask for the minimum term, the notice period to terminate, and what happens to your stock if you leave. Month-to-month with 30 days' notice is the standard for e-commerce 3PLs. Watch for auto-renewing annual contracts, termination fees, and stock release fees charged on exit.

3How are pricing changes notified and applied?

Rates change. Ask: how much notice will you receive before a rate increase, and can you exit if you disagree with the new rate? A provider that can change prices with 7 days' notice and no exit right is a pricing risk to your margin structure.

4What is your stock accuracy rate, and who pays when you get it wrong?

Industry standard for picking accuracy is above 99%. Ask what theirs is and how they measure it. Then ask who covers the cost of a wrong pick: the replacement unit, the reshipping cost, and any customer refund. A 3PL that fixes mistakes at their own cost is taking the standard seriously.

5How do you handle returns?

Ask for the full returns flow: how does a return arrive, who receives and inspects it, on what criteria is it restocked vs quarantined vs disposed of, and how quickly does it appear as available stock again? Ask whether returns handling is included in the pick and pack rate or billed separately per return.

6Do you handle imported stock — and can you clear customs too?

Most fulfilment houses receive stock after it clears customs. A 3PL that is also a licensed clearing agent can clear the import and move goods directly to shelf under one job number. This removes a handoff, speeds stock availability, and gives you one point of contact from port to customer.

7Which couriers do you integrate with, and who owns the carrier account?

If the 3PL puts all your shipments through their own carrier account, you cannot see or negotiate rates directly, and switching 3PLs means losing the carrier relationship. Ask whether you can bring your own carrier accounts, and whether you have visibility of actual courier charges line by line.

8Which e-commerce platforms do you actually integrate with right now?

Ask for a live integration list — not a roadmap. Shopify and WooCommerce are table stakes. Takealot, Etsy, and Amazon integrations are more selective. Ask how the integration works (API sync or manual CSV?), who sets it up, and what error-handling looks like when an order fails to sync.

9What stock reporting do I get, and how often?

At minimum you need daily stock-on-hand, weekly order dispatch confirmation, and monthly billing reconciliation. Ask whether reporting is automated or manual, and whether you can query stock levels yourself at any time without raising a ticket.

10What insurance covers my stock while it is in your warehouse?

Your stock is the 3PL's responsibility while in their custody. Ask whether they hold goods-in-storage insurance, what the per-item and aggregate limits are, and whether you need to declare high-value SKUs separately. Ask what the claims process looks like and who initiates it.

11What does onboarding actually look like, and how long does it take?

A well-run 3PL can onboard a new merchant in 5-10 business days given complete stock and SKU data. Ask what you need to provide, who does the setup work, and what the go-live criteria are. If onboarding is described vaguely, expect delays and a rocky start.

12What happens to my stock if I need to leave?

Before you sign, understand the off-ramp. How much notice is required? Who pays the labour to pick and palletise your stock for collection? What is the timeline from notice to stock-out? A provider that makes exit difficult is using your stock as leverage.

JLog — E-commerce Fulfilment, Cape Town · [email protected] · jlog.co.za
© 2026 JetLog (Pty) Ltd.
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Instant cost estimate

Based on published VAT-inclusive rates. Your exact rate confirmed on enquiry.

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✉ [email protected]
☎ 021 300 6099 WhatsApp Track Shipment Client Portal

Ship from Cape Town to Pretoria

JLog moves high-value and fragile freight between Cape Town and Pretoria as a white-glove specialist 3PL. Domestic SA road and air freight, blanket-wrap and crated handling, two-person collection at origin, and named-consignee delivery at destination. We use our own vehicles on the Cape Town to Pretoria corridor for time-sensitive moves, Bob Go’s 11-carrier multi-courier network for rate-comparison parcel and pallet movements, and MDS Collivery as the alternative direct courier where the piece warrants it. Quote in 24 hours.

What we move on the Cape Town to Pretoria corridor

Cape Town to Pretoria is a roughly 1400 km road corridor. The standard freight route is the N1 inland through Beaufort West, Bloemfontein, Kroonstad, and Johannesburg, with onward road north to Pretoria. The full corridor runs roughly 1,400 km from Cape Town Woodstock to central Pretoria. JLog handles fine art, designer furniture, ceramics, sculpture, luxury goods, and high-value commercial freight on this lane out of our Woodstock warehouse. Domestic SA movements do not require a SARS SAD500 customs entry; we issue a JLog domestic waybill that carries the piece description, declared value, origin and destination details, and the chain-of-custody record.

Service tiers — road and domestic air

  • JLog dedicated road — two-person crew, blanket-wrap or crated, climate-stable van, direct door-to-door. Best for fine art, designer furniture, and high-value crated freight where the piece needs custodial handling. We do not sort-belt or transfer via depot. Cartrack GPS-tracked vehicles per the JLog fleet.
  • Standard road freight (Bob Go partners) — 11 SA couriers compared on every booking. Rate-comparison default for parcel and pallet movements where the piece is not finish-sensitive.
  • MDS Collivery direct — South African direct courier with single-driver chain of custody. Used where Bob Go’s partner network does not match the piece profile.
  • Domestic air freight — Cape Town International (CPT) to Pretoria’s nearest airport with onward road delivery. Used for time-critical small-format pieces and urgent commercial freight.

Pack and handling on the Cape Town to Pretoria corridor

Crating decisions match the piece: blanket-wrap for solid case goods, foam-in-place corner-blocked cartons for ceramics and small fragile items, custom plywood crates for art and designer furniture. The two-person dedicated road crew handles the piece end-to-end: collection in Cape Town, secured loading in the climate-stable van, drive to Pretoria, delivery and placement at the consignee address, signed condition-report return to the despatcher.

Where we deliver

Anywhere in Pretoria metro and the surrounding Gauteng northern strip — Pretoria Central, Brooklyn, Hatfield, Menlyn, Lynnwood, Centurion, Midrand. For consignments to Tshwane peri-urban areas we extend the dedicated-road run accordingly. For consignments to surrounding regional areas we extend the dedicated-road run accordingly.

Insurance and claims on domestic moves

Declared-value transit insurance applies to every consignment, matched to the commercial invoice. Bob Go partner deadlines run 3 to 7 days from delivery depending on the underlying courier; MDS Collivery requires 48 hours for apparent damage and 7 days for concealed damage; JLog dedicated road carries our own policy with a 14-day claims window. Proof of delivery (POD) and proof of collection (POC) are documented with the receiving and despatching parties on every consignment.

Pricing — what we need to quote

To quote a Cape Town to Pretoria consignment we need: piece description and dimensions, declared weight, declared value, origin address in Cape Town, destination address in Pretoria, required service tier, and delivery date. We return a quote within 24 hours. For repeat shippers we hold standing rate sheets.

Related JLog services

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to ship from Cape Town to Pretoria?

JLog dedicated road runs on the direct corridor with delivery the next working day for most consignments collected before 10:00 SAST. Standard multi-carrier road via Bob Go is 2 to 4 working days. Domestic air freight via Cape Town International is 1 to 2 working days.

Do I need customs paperwork to move freight from Cape Town to Pretoria?

No. SARS SAD500 customs entry applies only to international export. Domestic SA movements use a JLog domestic waybill carrying piece description, declared value, origin and destination, and the chain-of-custody record.

What is the JLog dedicated road service?

A two-person crew in a climate-stable Cartrack GPS-tracked vehicle running the piece direct from Cape Town origin to the destination consignee with no sort-belt and no depot transfer. Best for fine art, designer furniture, and high-value crated freight where custodial handling matters.

Can you do same-day collection in Cape Town for next-day delivery in Pretoria?

Yes for dedicated road on consignments booked before 10:00 SAST and for domestic air freight on parcel-class pieces. The driving distance and next-flight-out lift are the limiting factors.

What is the claims window for damage on a Cape Town to Pretoria consignment?

Bob Go partner deadlines 3 to 7 days; MDS Collivery 48 hours apparent and 7 days concealed; JLog dedicated road 14 days under our own policy. Declared-value transit insurance applies to every consignment matched to the commercial invoice.

Where in Pretoria do you deliver?

Anywhere in Pretoria metro and the surrounding Gauteng northern strip — Pretoria Central, Brooklyn, Hatfield, Menlyn, Lynnwood, Centurion, Midrand. For consignments to Tshwane peri-urban areas we extend the dedicated-road run accordingly.

Do you use Bob Go and MDS Collivery on this lane?

Yes. Bob Go’s 11-carrier multi-courier network is the rate-comparison default for parcel and pallet movements. MDS Collivery is used where the piece needs single-driver chain of custody and Bob Go’s partner network does not match the profile.

Licensed Clearing Agent