As noted by the Cerasis white paper, “variable logistics operations will become standard.” Keeping up with changing consumer tastes is the priority, and that means maintaining the flexibility to change orders, change delivery addresses and adjust delivery timeframes according to demand. The Cerasis white paperbacks up Greathouse’s assessment.

“As demand for 3PLs grows, supply chain and logistics professionals will face greater pressure to improve shipper-3PL relationships. Instead of treating logistics providers as unavoidable, shippers, in their closer look at top logistics trends, will look at logistics providers as a strategic partner in ensuring adherence to customer expectations and delivering on such expectation.

” Furthermore, the white paper argues that in order to stay competitive, 3PLs may also need to offer “unique” services, “such as invoice auditing, automated freight classification, better rates on dimensional pricing, and a host of last-mile services, which Amazon has already taken great strides in with the creation of Amazon Key..