The Fit Framework

Fit Is Multiplicative, Not Additive

Every 3PL evaluation ultimately comes down to a simple truth:

FIT = Capabilities × Cost × Team × Trust

If any one of these is a zero, the entire partnership collapses—no matter how strong the other areas are.

That’s why fit can’t be judged on price alone.
And it’s why operational strength isn’t enough.
A relationship only works when all four dimensions align at the same time.

Slotted helps brands and providers measure each dimension clearly, so misfit becomes visible long before it becomes costly.

The Four Dimensions of Fit

1. Capabilities

Does the provider have the operational capacity, systems, geography, workflows, and category experience to actually serve the brand?

Capabilities include:
• SKU complexity support
• Pick/pack workflows
• Storage, kitting, bundling
• Carrier mix & outbound profiles
• SLAs & exceptions process
• Inventory & receiving workflows
• Technical compatibility and integrations

If the capabilities aren’t there, even if everything else looks good, fit fails.
This becomes a zero.

2. Cost

Do the economics make sense for both sides?

Cost isn’t simply “cheap vs expensive.” It’s about the commercial alignment that prevents friction, from day one and long into the relationship.

Cost alignment includes:
• Order economics
• Minimums and scale expectations
• Packaging and VAS structure
• Shipping and returns assumptions
• Forecast discipline and variability
• Promotional cadence
• Margin expectations

If the economics don’t work, expectations never stabilize.
This becomes a zero.

3. Team

Do the people involved actually work well together?

Team fit is about the day-to-day interaction between the brand and the 3PL’s sales, onboarding, and operations teams.

Team fit includes:
• Communication cadence
• Responsiveness
• Problem-solving style
• Escalation protocol
• Decision velocity
• Operational empathy
• Willingness to collaborate

If the teams can’t operate in sync, even strong operations break under stress.
This becomes a zero.

4. Trust

Do both sides believe the other will deliver what they promise?

Trust is built on transparency, honesty, follow-through, and alignment around expectations early in the relationship.

Trust signals include:
• Transparency in capabilities
• Clarity around limits and edge cases
• Truthful cost structures
• Willingness to share risks
• Balanced expectations
• Predictable communication

If trust breaks, nothing else matters.
This becomes a zero.

Why Misfits Happen

Most misfits come from missing information, not bad intentions.

Misalignment typically comes from:
• Brands not knowing what providers truly need to evaluate them
• Providers receiving incomplete or inconsistent data
• Proposals built on different assumptions
• Commercial terms that were never explained deeply enough
• Communication expectations that were never made explicit
• Teams that don’t work the same way

Slotted prevents these gaps by structuring the entire exchange.

How Slotted Measures the Fit Equation

Fit should be obvious, not intuitive.

Slotted captures cleaned, structured data from brands and evaluates it against the 3PL’s defined ICP. The result is a clear understanding of:

• Where capabilities match
• Whether economics align
• How workflows and teams should collaborate
• Where expectations may diverge
• Whether trust signals appear or break down

The goal isn’t to oversimplify fit.
It’s to make it visible.

The Fit Score

A practical way to understand capabilities and cost, not a substitute for real conversations.

The Fit Score gives you a clear view of how well a provider aligns with the capabilities and cost sides of the fit equation. It highlights operational strengths, commercial alignment, and potential friction points so you can focus your time on the partners who deserve a deeper look.

But the Fit Score isn’t the full story.

Team and trust can’t be quantified in a spreadsheet.
They’re earned through conversations, transparency, and how both sides show up when challenges arise. The Fit Score helps you narrow the field, so those conversations happen with the providers who already make sense on paper.

Think of it as a head start, not the final answer.
Slotted helps you get 70% of the way there by making capabilities and cost clear.
The remaining 30% comes from human judgment, chemistry, and shared expectations.

The Fit Score helps you prioritize.
You decide who you want to build a relationship with.

What the Fit Framework Enables

When fit is defined and measurable, both sides benefit:

• 3PLs qualify leads faster
• Brands evaluate providers more clearly
• Sales cycles shorten
• Proposals become more accurate
• Onboarding friction declines
• Long-term partnerships strengthen
• Churn goes down
• Decisions feel cleaner and more defensible

Fit reduces friction across the entire lifecycle, not just the RFP.