Cold email for 3PLs and contract warehouses
By Travis Heurtelou · 6 min read · October 10, 2026
The short version
- Email the person who owns the warehouse decision: VP or director of supply chain, logistics or operations.
- Shippers move 3PLs when something changes: a new region, a new channel, a growth spurt, or a bad peak season.
- Lead with where your buildings are and what you handle. That's the first filter every shipper applies.
- Time the campaign for when contracts get reviewed, which is months before peak, not during it.
Who decides
At a mid-size manufacturer or brand, the 3PL decision sits with the VP or director of supply chain, logistics or operations. At smaller ecommerce brands it's often the founder or head of operations. Procurement may run the RFP, but they don't start it.
When shippers switch
- They're opening a new region and need a building closer to customers.
- They're adding a channel, like wholesale to big-box retail on top of direct to consumer, and their current 3PL can't do retail compliance.
- Volume has grown past what their current warehouse or in-house space can hold.
- Their last peak season went badly: missed ship dates, chargebacks, lost inventory.
- They're hiring a warehouse manager, which can mean they're considering bringing it in-house. That's a conversation worth having before they sign a lease.
What the first email says
Shippers sort 3PLs by location and capability before anything else. Put both in the first two lines.
Subject: east coast space
Hi [[FirstName]], noticed [[Company]] is now in [[Retailer]] stores, which usually means retail routing guides and chargebacks on top of DTC.
We run [[SquareFeet]] sq ft in [[City]], food-grade and EDI-connected to the major retailers, with space open this quarter.
Worth comparing against what you pay now?
Timing
Moving a warehouse takes months. Shippers don't switch in October for a November peak. Run the campaign when contracts are being reviewed, usually in the first half of the year for a consumer brand, and use the follow-up to ask when their current agreement is up.
Where the list comes from
Shippers in the lanes your buildings serve, sized to your minimums. Import records show who brings product into your nearest ports. Retail announcements show who just landed a new chain. Job posts show who's hiring logistics staff. Pick one signal per campaign so the first line can name it.
Supply chain or operations leader. Open on the change at their company. Location and capability in the first two lines. Run it months before peak.
Questions
Should I put rates in the cold email?
No. Rates depend on their volume and handling, and a number with no context gets compared to the cheapest quote they've seen.
How big a shipper should I target?
One that fits your minimums with room to grow. Too small and they won't meet the minimum. Too big and they'll want multiple buildings you don't have.
Do brands reply to cold email from 3PLs?
They get a lot of it, so generic emails get ignored. One that names a real change at their company and a building in the right place stands out.
Related
Rather we just run it?
We work one market at a time and hand you the introductions worth having. If your market does not fit, we will tell you before you spend a dollar.
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