The problem
Why 3PL billing is a trust problem
Brands outsource fulfillment to 3PLs — but often have no way to verify the shipping costs they're being billed. The result is a relationship built on invoices that can't be independently verified, creating friction and eroding trust over time.
Brands receive a total shipping bill from their 3PL but can't see the underlying carrier charges or surcharges.
3PLs use their own carrier accounts and rate cards, making it impossible for brands to independently verify costs.
Markup structures vary — some 3PLs pass through costs, others add margins, and brands often don't know which model they're on.
Disputes about shipping costs strain the brand-3PL relationship and waste time for both parties.
Without a shared system, both sides maintain separate records that rarely match, creating a reconciliation nightmare.
How it works
How shared visibility changes the relationship
Billing transparency isn't about catching mistakes — it's about creating a shared financial record that both brands and vendors can trust.
One shared record
Instead of brands and 3PLs maintaining separate spreadsheets, both parties see the same shipment-level cost data in a single system.
Carrier-level detail
Brands can see the carrier charges, surcharges, and adjustments that make up their 3PL shipping bill — without needing access to the carrier account.
Transparent markup
Whether the 3PL passes through costs or adds a margin, the structure is visible and agreed upon — eliminating ambiguity.
Automated reconciliation
Carrier invoices are matched to shipments and reconciled automatically, so both parties can verify the same data without manual work.
- Invoice-to-shipment matching
- Expected vs actual cost comparison
- Surcharge verification
- Discrepancy flagging
Faster dispute resolution
When discrepancies arise, both parties are looking at the same data — making resolution faster and less adversarial.
Stronger partnerships
Transparency builds trust. When billing is clear and verifiable, the brand-3PL relationship can focus on growth instead of invoice disputes.
How RateRunners helps
One shared source of truth for shipping costs
RateRunners gives brands and vendors a shared financial layer — so both sides see the same shipment costs, the same invoices, and the same reconciliation status.
Brands and 3PLs share the same shipment-level cost records
Carrier charges and surcharges are visible to both parties
Markup and billing structures are transparent and configurable
Invoices are reconciled against shipments automatically
Discrepancies are flagged for both parties simultaneously
Payment workflows are built on verified, shared data
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