FAQ
Questions we get asked
Thirty-nine of them, answered plainly, including the ones where the answer is no. Each links through to the page that covers it properly.
If you are evaluating us, the fastest route is the four questions that disqualify a warehouse: we are ambient only with no refrigerated or frozen storage, we do not handle alcohol, we hold no GFSI-benchmarked certification such as SQF or BRCGS, and we are not the importer of record. If any of those is a hard requirement, we are the wrong building and would rather say so now.
Getting started
What order volume do you work with?
Most of what moves through the building is brands shipping hundreds to thousands of orders a day, which is where the economics work best for both sides. Peak capability has been demonstrated at 50,000 orders in a single day on a special project. More on how pricing works.
Do you have an order minimum?
No hard minimum. We will take on a brand at 10 to 20 orders a day when it is clearly on the way up, which most national networks will not do. More on what minimums really mean.
What do you need from me to produce a quote?
One real month of order data: orders, lines per order, your SKU list, ship-to ZIP codes, packed weights and package dimensions. We price every line against that rather than quoting you an industry average. More on request a quote.
How do I switch from my current 3PL?
Check the notice window in your existing contract first, because an auto-renewal deadline is a date rather than a decision. Then get a dated inventory release, send us SKU data and an advance ship notice for the transfer, and plan an overlap rather than a hard cutover. More on 18 questions to ask before you sign.
Do you require a long-term contract?
No. No multi-year term and no exit penalty. More on how pricing works.
Is there a peak-season volume commitment?
No. You are not asked to commit to a Q4 number in order to get a rate. More on how pricing works.
What it costs
How much does 3PL fulfillment cost?
Published 2026 benchmarks put all-in cost between roughly $9 and $15 per order, falling as volume rises. Carrier postage is normally 50% to 65% of that, so product size, weight and customer geography move the number far more than a pick fee negotiation will. More on a worked example.
Do you publish a rate card?
There is a rate card and we do not publish it, because unit prices are meaningless without an order profile. We quote against your own month of data and walk you through every line. More on how pricing works.
Do you charge for receiving?
Palletized receiving is free. Floor-loaded freight carries an hourly rate to palletize it for movement and storage. More on how pricing works.
Do you mark up postage?
We ship on our own FedEx national account, which gets most brands materially better rates than they would get alone, and we walk through exactly how postage and freight are billed during quoting. More on how pricing works.
Is there a cheaper option if I do not need same-day shipping?
Yes. There is a discounted three-day processing program for brands whose customers do not notice same-day. More on e-commerce fulfillment.
How orders actually flow
What is your same-day shipping cutoff?
9:00am Pacific. Rush handling and adjustments are possible beyond it, so ask rather than assume. More on e-commerce fulfillment.
Which platforms do you integrate with?
Orders flow through ShipStation, which connects to Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Walmart, TikTok Shop, Etsy, eBay and most other carts and marketplaces. More on e-commerce fulfillment.
Will I have to learn a proprietary portal?
No. ShipStation is the hub rather than software we built, so there is nothing bespoke to learn and nothing to migrate away from if you ever leave. More on about Minimus.
How accurate is your picking?
Our reported order error rate runs under 1%, and we will show you how the number is calculated rather than just quoting it at you. More on what error rate to expect.
Do you ship internationally?
Yes, through an international consolidator alongside FedEx, USPS and LTL freight. Roughly 20 to 30% of what we ship goes outside the United States. More on international brands.
Do you handle returns?
Yes. Returns are received, inspected and dispositioned to your rules, and for electronics we do basic functional testing rather than simply restocking. More on e-commerce fulfillment.
Do you offer customer service?
Yes, answered under your brand from inside the warehouse rather than from a separate call center, so the person replying can see both the order and the shelf. More on customer service.
What we can and cannot handle
Which product categories do you ship?
Food and beverage, supplements, beauty and personal care, apparel and accessories, electronics, toys and collectibles, and general merchandise. More on industries we handle.
Do you handle hazmat?
Limited hazmat that qualifies as ORM-D, including aerosols, and lithium batteries domestically and internationally. Tell us the classification early rather than at the dock. More on electronics and battery fulfillment.
Can you ship lithium batteries?
Yes, domestically and internationally. What applies depends on the UN number, the watt-hour rating, whether the battery ships installed or loose, the carrier and the destination. More on electronics and battery fulfillment.
Do you have refrigerated or frozen storage?
No. Thousand Oaks is ambient only. For cold chain we refer the work to a partner set up for it rather than improvising. More on the Thousand Oaks facility.
Do you handle alcohol?
No. We are not a licensed alcohol handler. More on compliance and registrations.
Can you do kitting, subscription boxes and retail displays?
Yes, assembled by hand where that is what the job needs, including custom shippers, retail cartons, displays and inserts. More on packaging and kitting.
Do you do Amazon prep?
Yes. FNSKU labeling, polybagging, case configuration and expiration date marking to Amazon’s required format. More on Amazon prep.
Compliance and registrations
Are you FDA-registered?
Yes. Minimus LLC holds its own FDA food facility registration. Worth knowing that registration is a filing rather than an inspection passed, and there is no such thing as an FDA-approved warehouse. More on how to verify an FDA registration.
Are you registered in California for food warehousing?
Yes, with the California Department of Public Health. Unlike the federal registration, this one you can verify yourself through the CDPH licensing portal. More on California food warehouse licensing.
Are you organic certified?
Not currently. We are not registered as an organic handler today and will register for a client program that requires it. For product that arrives and leaves in sealed retail packaging, a warehouse is often outside the requirement anyway. More on does your 3PL need organic certification.
Are you GFSI, SQF or BRC certified?
No. If a retailer’s routing guide names a GFSI-benchmarked scheme, we are not the right warehouse and will refer you to one that holds it. More on compliance and registrations.
Do you capture lot numbers and expiration dates?
Expiration-date handling and date-aware stock rotation are part of normal food and supplement work. Lot-number capture on outbound shipments is an optional paid add-on rather than a default, so raise it at quote time. More on compliance and registrations.
How much is my inventory insured for?
Standard inventory coverage is $2,500 per pallet, with higher limits available for a fee. As with any warehouse that is not full replacement value, so most brands carry an all-risk cargo policy of their own. More on compliance and registrations.
Are you the importer of record?
No. We receive imported freight but we are not the importer of record on it. More on international brands.
B2B and retail
Do you support EDI?
Yes, including the 850 purchase order, 855 acknowledgment, 856 advance ship notice and 810 invoice, with GS1-128 carton labels carrying a serial shipping container code. More on B2B and retail fulfillment.
Can DTC and wholesale ship from the same inventory?
Yes. About half of what leaves the building is B2B or retail rather than direct to consumer, out of one stock pool. More on B2B and retail fulfillment.
Who pays if a retailer issues a chargeback?
The retailer deducts it from you, so you are out of pocket first. Where the defect is ours — a label that would not scan, a late advance ship notice, a pallet built wrong — we will say so, show the evidence and work the dispute with you. More on retail chargebacks.
The building
Where are you?
2610 Conejo Spectrum Street, Thousand Oaks, California, about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles and roughly an hour from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. More on the Thousand Oaks facility.
How big is the facility?
38,000 square feet, ambient, plus additional space at our affiliated packaging company nearby. More on the Thousand Oaks facility.
Do you have a second warehouse?
Our operation is centered on Thousand Oaks. For most brands one well-run building beats a split, and we would rather model that with you than sell you a second location you do not need. More on when splitting inventory pays.
Can I visit?
Yes, and we would rather you did. We will walk you through the building in person or on a video call before you commit to anything. More on request a quote.
Not answered here?
Ask us directly. We would rather tell you plainly, including when the answer is that we are not the right fit.