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Integration Manager

All the integrations you need to easily automate and streamline your online orders from a single platform. 

Get Started for Free
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Welcome to the 6th annual Third-Party Logistics Warehouse Benchmark Report.

In August 2025, Extensiv conducted an online survey targeting logistics professionals who own or operate third-party logistics (3PL) warehouses, the aggregated responses from which form the basis of this report. As the first and only report exclusively focused on the 3PL warehouse industry, Extensiv’s Benchmark Report compiles data from over 200 third-party logistics warehouses and covers more than 30 industry-specific topics. This report builds on data collected from 2020 to 2024, highlighting year-over-year changes and developments where applicable. Download the complete report for insights into best practices, trends, current issues, and opportunities facing 3PL warehouses.

Read some of our key findings from each section of the report below.

The 3PL Landscape

According to the survey, 3PLs now serve an average of 3.6 industries, with retail, bulk goods, and apparel ranking as the most common sectors.

Nearly every category showed year-over-year growth from 2024 to 2025, with only cold storage and “other” reporting declines.

The strongest gains came in apparel, bottled goods, bulk goods, and cosmetics, each posting increases between 8.2% and 11.3%. 

   

Industries Served_2025

Warehouse Operations

This year’s data underscores a key theme: 3PLs that deepen relationships with existing customers — offering additional services and acting as trusted advisors rather than transactional vendors — are better positioned for growth.

Just over 70% of respondents reported order-volume growth, consistent with 2024, though both years reflect a slower pace than the post-pandemic boom of 2021–2022. Respondents who attributed growth primarily to new customer acquisition were 61% more likely to report low profitability (36%) than those who expanded into diversified fulfillment types (22%). 

  

Warehouse Order Volume Change Graph

Billing & Invoicing

   

 

Customer Billing

For 3PLs, billing remains a complex and often underestimated part of the business. The biggest challenges are largely consistent with previous years, but two areas are showing notable increases. There was a 7% uptick in respondents citing uncaptured charges and a 10% rise in those pointing to a lack of automation — two issues that are closely connected and directly tied to profitability.

Technology Adoption

As expected, the biggest mover in planned implementations was AI functionality, cited by 33.7% of respondents planning implementation in the coming year — up from 25% in 2024 and 16% in 2023.

Interestingly, respondents reporting little to no profitability growth were 16% more likely to plan AI implementation next year. Those with negative order-volume growth were 1.6 times more likely to plan AI adoption, suggesting some may view automation as a lever for recovery.

AI BGGEST IMPACT

 

Looking Ahead to 2026

With economic headwinds and continued uncertainty around tariffs and inflation, the outlook for 2026 feels as uncertain as ever. As 3PLs navigate these conditions and plan for the future, many appear cautious about making bold or high-risk moves. Still, moments like these often create the best openings for innovation and growth. One area is showing clear movement: the creation of 4PL networks. In 2025, 24% of respondents said they see developing a 4PL network as an opportunity in the year ahead — more than triple the share from 2021.

  

Top Opportunities

 

Previous Reports

We update our Third-Party Logistics Warehouse Benchmark Report with new data each year since starting the survey in 2020. Reports from previous years are available for you to read below.

2024 Report

In 2024, it was clear that rapid technological innovation, strategic expansion, and continuous adaptation to market volatility were the strongest driving forces reshaping the logistics landscape. While these seemed unrelated at first glance, they weren’t isolated trends, they were interlinked catalysts fueling the future of the 3PL industry.

Those forces pointed to the start of a transformation in logistics, driven by the need to cope with disruptions and fluctuations and actively forecast and shape market realities.

READ THE FULL REPORT

2023 Report

While 2023 still showed significant order volume and profitability growth, this was the first year some 3PLs started to see notable decreases in year over year performance. With a fluctuating economy, a freight recession, and lower than expected ecommerce growth, 3PLs are looking for options to diversify, partner, and better manage overall expenses and cashflow.

The best performing 3PLs demonstrate resiliency, a focus on metrics closest to the point of impact, and defined efforts to drive automation and improvement in their businesses. Leveraging these attributes, these 3PLs will be well positioned to compete for new customers and harness new opportunities in the coming year.

READ THE FULL REPORT

2022 Report

While 2022 brought positive returns for most 3PLs, many 3PLs are approaching 2023 with caution and a focus on managing costs, specialization, and integration. Heading into the new year, the industry will not only need to watch continued labor shortages and warehouse capacity constraints but also keep an eye on how inflation may impact overall operating expenses. Proactive management and automation efforts will drive efficiency in 2023.

Along with caution, there is still much room for optimism. Ecommerce order volumes continue to increase, brands are actively looking for new 3PL partners, and profitability gains made this year create a great foundation for profitable growth in 2023.

READ THE FULL REPORT

2021 Report

2021 marked a unique time for 3PL warehouses—both an exciting and challenging time. Exciting because 3PLs overwhelmingly grew order volumes, profits, and customers. Challenging because most 3PLs were operating at or above warehouse capacity and couldn’t find new space as a result of some of the lowest warehouse vacancy rates in history, unending supply chain backlogs, and a workforce shortage that left many with higher labor costs and fewer people to address the higher volumes.

Despite these challenging dynamics, 3PLs have thrived, innovated, and diversified to support growth and harness the market opportunity. From building out more robust training and talent management programs to optimizing warehouse space, building out 4PL networks, and implementing new technology, this industry has shown that it can and will evolve as new market dynamics arise.

READ THE FULL REPORT

2020 Report

With the expectation of a significantly record-breaking peak season in 2020, 3PLs will face volume demands that will test systems, processes, and teams like never before. To harness the expected continued growth, 3PLs will have to create well-defined workforce and warehouse space strategies to address these two key areas that threaten to limit growth potential.

Overall, the outlook for 3PL warehouses remains positive moving into 2021. By following the strategies implemented by the fastest-growing 3PLs outlined in the report, more 3PLs can expect to reap the benefits of increased demand throughout the supply chain.

READ THE FULL REPORT