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Viable Shipping, 140 Tom Sauk Court, Leadington, MO (2026)

04/22/2026

Warehouse Wednesday Blog is up:

The Hidden Cost of Running Your Own Fulfillment

Owning your own warehouse appears at first glance to be the cheapest option. You’re in control. You avoid outsourcing fees. Everything is under your roof. But here’s the reality:

Running your own warehouse is often far more expensive than most business owners realize. And those aren’t all the obvious expenses — they are more sneaky and quietly eat into your profit margins. That’s what those look like, let’s break it down.

1. Spaces to Rent, Utilities and Overhead Gather Together In A hurry. And renting a warehouse space is just the start. You’re also paying for:

Electricity (lighting, equipment, climate control). Internet and security systems. Maintenance and repairs. Property taxes (in some cases).

Thousands a month is the price of even a modest space before you ship out one order.

2. Labor Costs (and Turnover). Hiring a team to pick up, pack and ship orders appears relatively simple — but it means so much to organizations. You’ll need:

Warehouse staff. Training time. Payroll taxes. Workers’ compensation insurance.

But the kicker is this:

In warehouses, the turnover among workers is high: the labor force has to be hired and retrained constantly.

3. Packing Materials & Supplies. Boxes, tape, bubble wrap, inserts — that sounds like a lot, until it isn’t. These recurring costs include:

Shipping boxes (multiple sizes). Protective packaging. Labels and printers. Branded inserts (if applicable).

In the absence of bulk discounts, you’re frequently paying more per order than a 3PL would.

4. Higher Shipping Costs. Discount carrier rates are not accessible to most small-to-mid businesses. That means:

Increased costs for shipping per package. Less bargaining power with carriers. No regional optimization for faster delivery.

3PL usually ships in larger volumes, accessing greater rates that your own isn’t available.

5. Your Time (The largest hidden cost). It’s the one that many business owners don’t appreciate — the one most businesses underestimate. Time spent on:

Preparing orders or managing inventory. Processing returns; handling them. Fixing shipping errors.

…is time NOT spent on:

growing your business. Marketing. Customer experience.

Your time is precious — and fulfillment can consume it silently.

6. Inventory Mistakes & Losses. Without strong systems in place, inventory problems are prevalent:

Miscounts. Lost or misplaced products. Overstocking or stockouts. Expired or damaged goods.

These errors affect your revenue and customer satisfaction directly.

7. Returns & Reverse Logistics. Returns are, of course, part of doing business — but they’re often overlooked in cost planning. Handling returns requires:

Inspection. Restocking. Customer communication. Refund processing.

This leads to more labor, time and operational complexity.

8. Scaling Challenges. As your business becomes bigger, so too are your problems:

You outgrow your space. You need more staff. You need better systems.

Scaling a warehouse cannot easily be described as “more of the same” — it requires substantial investments.

9. Errors That Cost You Customers. Shipping errors occur more frequently than you realize:

Wrong items sent. Late deliveries. Damaged packages.

And every mistake can mean:

Refunds. Replacements. Lost customer trust.

So … Is Running Your Own Warehouse Worth It? It makes sense — at least early on — for some businesses. But as you start to grow, those hidden costs begin to stack up fast. What you might think is cheaper upfront can actually become:

More expensive, more stressful, and harder to manage long-term.

A Smarter Alternative. Collaborating with a 3PL such as Viable Shipping eliminates a lot of those hidden costs through:

Discounted shipping rates. Trained fulfillment staff. Scalable warehouse space. Streamlined systems and technology.

So that you are able to focus on what helps you grow your business.

Final Thoughts. Establishing a warehouse of your own not only requires space, but also time, money, and efficiency. Realizing the actual cost means that you get out and make a business more informed. And sometimes — I am not going to say it lightly — the best way to grow … is knowing when to let go.

04/10/2026

Warehouse Wednesday Blog, but a FRIDAY edition.

A Day in the Life of an Order: Pick, Pack, Ship!

The instant a customer clicks “place order,” they feel ready. But behind that, there’s an orchestrated process that dictates how fast, accurately and professionally that order reaches their door. At Viable Shipping, the fulfillment process is as much about protecting your brand, your margins and your customer experience as moving boxes. Let’s dig into what happens next after the sale.

Step 1: Order Comes In. It takes a few steps to do it, and when a customer places an order via your site, it is automatically dispatched to our fulfillment system.

What happens here: Things are recorded (items, quantities, shipping method). Shipping preferences are identified. The order is queued for processing.

Why it matters: Speed starts here. When you operate a seamless system, there will be no delays, no errors to make manually, and it should be quicker from the start.

Step 2: Picking the Order. It is here that your products are physically pulled from inventory.

Our team: This scanning takes place using barcode scanning functionality to find items. Utilizes optimized pick paths to save time. Checks quantities to confirm they are accurate.

Why it matters: A single picking mistake = incorrect order, return, refund, and unhappy customer. The point here is that precision protects your reputation.

Step 3: Packing the Order. Once the selected items are picked, they move to the packing station.

We: Choose the right box or mailer (not too big, not too small). When appropriate, add protective material. Make sure items are secured and presentation is neat.

Why it matters: Packaging is a part of your brand. It’s also where you minimize damaged products and unneeded shipping expenses.

Step 4: Labeling & Shipping The order is labeled and assigned a carrier after packing.

We: Compare the carrier rates (UPS, USPS, FedEx). Print accurate shipping labels. Sort packages for pickup.

Why it matters: The right carrier and service level affects delivery throughput and cost efficiency.

Step 5: Carrier Pickup & Transit. As packages move out of the warehouse and into the carrier network.

From here: It creates and forwards a tracking service to the customer. The package travels through regional hubs. Final delivery is completed.

Why it matters: This is the piece your customer sees — but it’s only a great success because everything in advance was executed correctly.

Step 6: Returns (The Hidden Step) Not every order is done — and that’s alright.

We handle: Return processing and inspection. Restocking sellable items. Reporting on return trends.

Why it matters: A fast return process fosters an atmosphere of trust and keeps customers coming back.

The Bigger Picture. Pick, pack and ship – Each step may appear, individually in itself, simple. But together, they form the backbone of your customer experience.

When fulfillment goes smoothly: Orders go out faster. Errors stay low. Customers stay happy. Your business scales without chaos.

Why this Matters in your Business: If fulfillment is slow, uneven or inconsistent fulfillment or error-prone, it doesn't just hurt the end results of the logistics. But it hurts your brand. At Viable Shipping, our main thing is: Accuracy you can trust. Speed that keeps up with growth. Systems that scale with your business. It’s not only operations: fulfillment is also your reputation in motion. If you’re starting to feel like your present operation’s not quite up to par, you need to take a look at what is happening behind the scenes instead.

04/02/2026

We didn't forget about the Warehouse Wednesday blog!!

Becoming an Entrepreneur

Becoming an entrepreneur is exhilarating, enabling—and sometimes more difficult than most of us think. That you could create something of your own, be financially independent and manage your schedule is tempting. But under that inspiration sits a world of uncertainty, risk and endless problem-solving.

If you’re starting (or thinking about starting) a business, here’s what to anticipate—and how partnering with a 3PL can smoothen the process and speed things up and scale from start to finish.

Why People Get into Entrepreneurship

This is why several people decide on entrepreneurship:

Freedom and flexibility.

Unlimited income potential.

The capacity to make some change.

But from the beginning, the majority of founders trade stability for opportunity—and swiftly understand just how much responsibility comes with that freedom.

The Biggest Challenges Entrepreneurs Face

1. Wearing Too Many Hats
In the beginning, you’re doing everything:

Marketing.

Sales.

Customer service.

Packing and shipping orders.

This is probably where many entrepreneurs face the first bottleneck—there are simply not enough hours of the day.

👉 Where a 3PL helps: A 3PL takes fulfillment off your plate (storage, packing and shipping) so you can concentrate on growing your business versus boxing orders at midnight.

2. Time Pressure and Burnout
Running a business means long working days and heavy mental loads. With more orders comes more pressure—and the more pressures they generate.

👉 Where a 3PL helps: You get to take back your time when you outsource fulfillment. Instead of responding to daily order volume, focus on your business—strategy, marketing, and customer service.

3. Scaling challenges
Growth sounds great—till you become overwhelmed with:

Inventory management.

Order accuracy issues.

Shipping delays.

And many businesses find it difficult to scale because their operations are unable to keep pace.

👉 Where a 3PL helps: A 3PL is built to scale. Whether you’re shipping 10 orders a day or 1,000, they have systems, space, and staff to scale up without all the craziness.

4. Rising Costs
Shipping supplies, storage space and labor all add up quickly. Many entrepreneurs underestimate how expensive fulfillment will get.

👉 Where a 3PL helps: 3PLs often provide:

Lower shipping rates (from volume discounts).

No warehouse leases required.

Reduced labor costs.

This can dramatically increase your margins.

5. Customer Expectations
Today’s customers expect:

Fast shipping.

Accurate orders.

Easy returns.

Not living up to these expectations can penalize your brand prematurely.

👉 Where a 3PL helps: A strong 3PL partner ensures:

Faster delivery times.

Professional fulfillment processes.

Streamlined returns.

The upshot is happier customers—and, finally, happy customers—repeat customers.

What New Entrepreneurs Should Know

You Don’t Need to Do Everything Yourself

One of the key changes in your mindset is learning that doing it all yourself can just slow your growth.

Partnering with the right providers (i.e., accounting, marketing and fulfillment providers) in the beginning can jumpstart the process of success.

Operations Can Be the Make or Break Factor for Your Business

Sales (which is important), but many entrepreneurs miss out on operations.

Poor fulfillment can lead to:

Late orders.

Negative reviews.

Lost customers.

👉 A 3PL is the right foundation for a foundation of operations right from the start.

Growth Requires Letting Go

At some time, you will need to step back from daily work to scale well.

In that process, outsourcing fulfillment is arguably the first and most profound step along the way.

How a Partnership with a 3PL Is Going To Help Your Business Grow

A 3PL isn’t only a shipping solution—it’s a growth companion. Here’s how:

Saves time → concentrate on sales, branding, and strategy.

Decreases stress → no more running around in a panic to ship items.

Great customer experience → it makes delivery speed up, improves reliability, makes deliveries better.

Fits for scaling → a growing infrastructure that scales with you.

Cuts cost → lower shipping rates and lower costs → decreased shipping costs and overhead.

The Emotional Aspects of Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of a ride. You’ll face:

Self-doubt.

Stress.

Uncertainty.

But you’ll also experience:

Pride in creating something of your own.

Thrills when orders trickle in.

Momentum as your business grows.

Having the right partners in place—a reputable 3PL, for example—can help ease a lot of that pressure, and give confidence as you add new responsibilities and grow with it.

Final Thoughts

Starting a business will challenge you—but it also gives you the opportunity to build something that is meaningful and lasting.

It’s not just working harder—it’s working smarter.

You don’t need to do it all by yourself. Early on, your business has to put into place the right systems and partnerships so you don’t run into the same traps, stress yourself out and set it up for long-term prosperity.

And when fulfillment begins taking up too much time, your energy and resources—usually that is when a 3PL partnership is not only useful or helpful, but necessary for you.

03/25/2026

Time for our Warehouse Wednesday Blog:

Struggling to Keep Up With Orders? Here's When It's Time to Switch to a 3PL.

Running a growing business is thrilling — until it isn’t. Every new order seems a victory at first. You meticulously load each box, double-check addresses, possibly even slip in a handwritten note. But when your business grows, that constant stream of orders can quickly escalate into a deluge. What used to feel manageable begins to feel overwhelming. Late nights become the norm. Mistakes creep in. And instead of concentrating on growth, you’re left scrambling to keep up. If you hear this already, you are not the only one — and more significantly, it’s time to transition to a third-party logistics provider (3PL).

The Breaking Point: When Growth Becomes a Struggle

Every product-based business comes to a point of no return in performing fulfillment in-house. And, of course, it doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. It appears, instead, in small but revealing ways:

Orders stack up faster than you are able to pack them. Your living room, garage, or warehouse is filled with inventory. Shipping errors or delays begin to get worse. More frequent complaints from customers are concerned about delivery times. You're packing boxes more than managing your business.

At this point, growth becomes burdensome rather than successful. You’re putting more effort into it than ever, but it feels unsustainable.

The Hidden Cost of Doing Everything Yourself

A lot of business owners are unwilling to outsource fulfillment: They prioritize the cost. Packing your own orders seems cheaper — though that may not always be the whole story.

Consider what you’re actually spending:

Time: Hours spent picking, packing, and shipping.

Labor: Recruiting (and/or overburdening) staff.

Space: Renting (or giving up) space for inventory.

Mistakes: Missed shipments, returns, and reshipments.

Opportunity cost: Time it would take to market, develop products, or even create partnerships.

With all the elements accounted for, in-house fulfillment usually is more expensive than you anticipate – especially with growing volume.

Signs that It’s Time to Switch to a 3PL

So what do you make of the timing for jumping in?

1. You’re perpetually behind on orders. If you’re constantly playing catch-up, that’s a huge red flag. Your customers count on speedy shipping, and delays will tarnish your reputation.
2. You’ve outgrown your space. Stacked boxes, messy workspaces, and inventory in every corner are indications you’re not set up to scale today.
3. Fulfillment is beginning to consume your existence. If your day is more about shipping than strategy, your business is running you and not the other way around.
4. Mistakes are increasing. Misalignment of goods, missed orders, or wrong addresses can ruin customer trust in short order.
5. Growth doesn’t feel exciting; it feels stressful. This may be the most telling of all. Growth should feel like progress—not pressure.

What a 3PL Actually Solves

3PLs carry on the operational aspect of fulfilling orders to enable growth. In such cases, most of this will include:

Inventory storage.

Order picking and packing.

Shipping and carrier management.

Tracking and returns handling.

But more than the logistics, the real value lies in what it returns to you — time, energy, and peace of mind.

Rather than fretting whether orders were sent out on time, you can concentrate on growing your brand and scaling it, polishing or improving your products, and building customer relationships.

It’s Not Giving Up Control — It’s Gaining Leverage

The big misunderstanding about using a 3PL would be to lose control. Really, you’re doing some system upgrading. The proper 3PL partner will allow you to stay on top of your inventory and orders and relieve the manual workload. You’re still running your business — just not so buried in the day-to-day of it.

Making the Transition

Moving to a 3PL may be daunting for some companies, but it doesn’t have to be.

Start by:

Reviewing your existing volume and growth trends.

Understanding your actual fulfillment costs.

Researching 3PL providers that match your size and demands.

If you’re cautious to go all in, start with part of your inventory.

The aim isn’t perfection: rather, it’s advancement.

Final Thoughts

Struggling to keep up with orders is not a sign that something’s wrong — and often it is not. Your business is growing. Demand is increasing. And you’ve reached the point where your current systems can’t continue supporting your success.

That’s not failure. That’s a turning point.

When a company switches to a 3PL isn’t something to lose — it’s about setting your business up for the next level. Because growth isn’t supposed to break you. It should build you.

03/11/2026

Checkout Viable Shipping's Warehouse Wednesday blog for this week:

Biggest Fulfillment Challenges (And How to Solve Them)

As eCommerce brands expand, fulfillment becomes trickier. What was successful by shipping a few orders every day can quickly become more challenging as orders grow. As the customer wants more and more things like managing inventory, shipping products on-demand and getting it all out when it is needed or shipping the goods are just harder. Identifying the key fulfillment challenges will allow businesses to get ready for growth and systems in place for long-term sustainable success. Here are some of the biggest fulfillment issues for growing brands in this space — and how to address them.

Running Out of Storage Space

Some brands begin with storing products in their homes or garages; others with a "small" storage unit. This works in practice but the model becomes unsustainable when sales go up. Depletion of facilities can result within the following: Disorganized inventory. Slower order processing. More chances for having lost or misplaced products.

How to solve it: Companies have a number of ways to expand their warehouse capacity, such as partnering with a fulfillment provider who has scalable storage solutions. Brands that can access professional warehousing have an avenue to carry inventory efficiently without compromising on growth.

Slower Order Processing

As order volume grows, manually taking orders means that business functions are slowed. Hitting dozens or hundreds of orders a day takes time and manpower and effort. Slow fulfillment can result in: Delayed shipments. Negative customer reviews. More inquiries from customer service.

How to solve it: Implementing streamlined fulfillment processes and warehouse management systems can enable that increase efficiency. A lot of early-stage brands rely on professional fulfillment outlets with a focus on quick pick-and-pack.

Rising Shipping Costs

Shipping costs frequently rise as businesses scale if orders need to reach the new market far away or are poorly packaged. High shipping costs can thin profit margins and make it harder for companies to provide competitive delivery alternatives.

How to solve it: Brands can save on shipping costs by:

-Optimizing packaging sizes.

-Negotiating better carrier rates.

-Distribution from central fulfillment centers.

-Strategically placed fulfillment sites can minimize the number of shipping zones and decrease overall delivery cost.

Inventory Management Issues

As product catalogs expand and order volumes increase, monitoring inventory becomes increasingly problematic. Typical issues involving inventory could include:

-Overselling products

-Stockouts

-Excess inventory

-Inaccurate inventory tracking

How to solve it: With modern systems for inventory management companies can monitor stocks in real time and keep accurate records. Automated systems also facilitate predicting demand and reordering items before inventory is depleted.

Managing Returns

Returns is a normal part of eCommerce, but for the growing brands it can be a pain in the butt from a logistics perspective. Returns can take time if there isn’t a consistent process in place and is hard to keep track of.

How to solve it: A neat returns procedure is helping to make the whole mess about it. Returns management is crucial for quickly inspecting, restocking, and processing returned items and for refunds.

Scaling Around Peak Seasons

Holiday seasons, promotions and product launches can lead to a spike in order volume. Businesses that are unprepared for these spikes could have to deal with sudden surges in order volume. This can lead to:

-Shipping delays

-Inventory shortages

-Overworked staff

How to solve it: It is essential to plan ahead for peak seasons. Businesses need to predict demand, ramp up inventory, and have the staff and systems needed to accommodate new order volumes. More brands have scalable operations to keep a check on peak season demand, and that is where fulfillment partners come in.

How a 3PL Can Help Growing Brands

Since fulfillment is getting more complex, a lot of companies are opting to sign with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider.

Faster order processing. Use discounted shipping rates. Modern inventory management systems. Scalable fulfillment operations. Logistics outsourcing empowers brands to concentrate on marketing, product development and customer experience and outsource to logistics experts to deal with the operational portion. Final Thoughts. Even though any growth is an exciting stage in the growth process, they lead to new problems in their work. The storage, shipping costs, inventory and peak load levels present challenges as brands expand. Identifying these complexities early and carrying out the proper fulfillment are ways a company can grow in a way that is not only economically viable, but a great customer service experience.

Contact us today to partner with our 3PL!

03/06/2026

Contact us today for more information and to make your business a part of our 3PL!📦📫

12/24/2025

Viable Shipping wishes everyone a Merry Christmas! We hope you all have a great holiday!

11/25/2025

With Thanksgiving coming up, what are you thankful for?

We are thankful for all of our clients and our great team we get to work with.

We are truly blessed!

11/12/2025

Little late post, but we are loving our new building! We now have offices, bathrooms, heat/AC, and are working in comfort!

08/16/2024

Viable has been very busy lately! Its a good thing there is a bigger building being built!

Viable Shipping

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