Amazon MCF vs 3PL: What Australian Sellers Need to Know

Amazon Australia's customer base grew by 1.1 million in the 12 months to June 2024, taking shoppers on the platform to 7.9 million Australians aged 14+, according to Roy Morgan Research. This growth means more multichannel sellers are weighing  Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfilment (MCF) or 3PL to work out which fulfilment model can keep pace as order volume climbs.

This guide compares Amazon MCF against a traditional third-party logistics (3PL) provider. It weighs cost and branding control against account risk, so you can decide which model works for your sales channels and holds up as your business scales.

   

        

   

     

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What's the Difference Between Amazon MCF and a 3PL?

For sellers comparing Amazon MCF vs 3PL, the main differences relate to inventory management, fulfilment flexibility, pricing, and operational independence.

• Inventory setup: Amazon MCF fulfils orders using inventory already stored in Amazon FBA warehouses, while a 3PL stores stock in its own warehouse.
• Packaging control: Amazon MCF uses standard unbranded packaging, whereas a 3PL can support branded boxes, inserts, promotional material, and custom packing requirements.
• Pricing structure: Amazon MCF charges fulfilment fees based on product size, weight, and storage, while 3PL providers typically charge separate fees for storage, pick and pack, and outbound freight.
• B2B capability: Amazon MCF is designed primarily for direct-to-consumer orders, while a traditional 3PL can also manage wholesale and palletised B2B shipments.
• Account risk: Amazon MCF depends on an active Amazon Seller account, while a 3PL operates independently of any marketplace.

Amazon MCF allows businesses to fulfil orders from other sales channels using inventory already stored in Amazon FBA warehouses. While a traditional 3PL offers better handling for businesses managing across marketplaces, wholesale orders, or customised customer experiences. 

Couriers & Freight offers Australian 3PL warehousing, pick and pack, and multi-carrier freight for sellers ready to move beyond Amazon MCF.

How Amazon MCF and 3PL Fulfilment Work

How Amazon MCF Works

Amazon charges MCF fulfilment fees according to product size, shipping weight, and delivery speed. Based on Amazon Australia's 2025 Multi-Channel Fulfilment fee schedule:

Per-unit fulfilment fees (standard delivery)

• Small envelope (up to 75g): $7.06
• Standard parcel (1,001g - 1,500g): $14.70
• Large oversize parcel (15,001g - 20,000g): $61.34
• Regional surcharges apply for deliveries to Tasmania and the Northern Territory

Storage fees (standard-size products, per cubic metre)

• January to September: $37.00
• October to December: $51.80
• Aged inventory surcharges apply after 271 days in storage

The higher fourth-quarter storage rate adds cost to carrying slow-moving stock through the peak retail period.

For example, a Shopify retailer already using Amazon FBA may choose MCF to fulfil website orders without moving inventory into another warehouse. This reduces setup work during the early stages of multichannel selling, although fulfilment costs and limited branding options may become more noticeable as order volumes increase. 

How a Traditional 3PL Works

A traditional third-party logistics (3PL) provider stores inventory in its own warehouse and fulfils orders from a single stockholding. This allows businesses to fulfil orders from Shopify, eBay, and wholesale customers, and their own websites without relying on one platform's fulfilment network. 

Unlike Amazon MCF, a traditional 3PL typically charges separate fees for storage, order fulfilment, and freight:

Typical 3PL cost structure

• Storage: Billed per pallet, shelf, or cubic metre depending on the warehouse
• Pick and pack: Charged per order, plus an additional fee for each extra item picked
• Outbound freight: Charged separately, varying by parcel size, destination, and carrier

Minimum order volumes or minimum spend requirements may apply, more common among providers focused on medium and high-volume merchants

Pricing differs between providers and generally becomes more competitive as order volumes increase. Smaller businesses should confirm whether minimum charges apply before comparing costs, since low monthly order volumes can push up the effective cost per order.

Australia's general warehousing and cold storage industry generated an estimated $9.3 billion in revenue in 2025, reflecting continued demand for outsourced warehousing and fulfilment services.

A traditional 3PL gives businesses more control over packaging, inventory, wholesale fulfilment and carrier selection. Businesses can use custom packaging, branded inserts, and retailer-specific labelling requirements. 

Many providers support both direct-to-consumer and wholesale fulfilment from the same inventory, allowing businesses to manage consumer parcels, carton orders, and pallet shipments through one warehouse.

This flexibility makes a 3PL the right option for businesses selling across multiple channels while maintaining consistent fulfilment processes and brand presentation.

For example, a business selling through Shopify, retail partners, and wholesale customers can run all three from the same stock, keeping labelling and packaging consistent regardless of the channel.

Rather than separating stock between different fulfilment networks, a 3PL provides a single operational workflow that becomes easier to scale as the business grows. 

Which Model Is Right for Your Business?

Choose Amazon MCF if your business:

1. Already uses Amazon FBA and wants to add other sales channels without setting up a separate fulfilment operation
2. Has modest order volume outside Amazon
3. Doesn't need branded packaging or custom presentation
4. Would rather keep using existing Amazon inventory than open a second stock pool
5. Wants a fast way into multichannel selling without negotiating warehouse agreements

Amazon MCF works well for businesses that want to keep operations simple while sales are still concentrated on Amazon.

Choose a traditional 3PL if your business:

1. Needs branded packaging, custom inserts, or retailer-specific labelling
2. Ships wholesale or B2B orders alongside consumer orders
3. Sells across several channels, such as Shopify, eBay, retail partners, and direct sales, from a single inventory pool
4. Wants to operate independently of Amazon Seller account risk
5. Needs flexibility over carrier selection as order volumes grow

As fulfilment volumes increase, the ability to consolidate inventory, customise packaging, and manage multiple channels from one warehouse often outweighs the convenience of staying solely within Amazon's fulfilment network.

How Couriers & Freight Supports Australian 3PL Fulfilment

Choosing between Amazon MCF and a 3PL comes down to how much control you need over packaging, wholesale orders, and independence from Amazon's account risk. Amazon MCF works when off-Amazon orders stay occasional and unbranded packaging isn't a problem.

A 3PL earns its cost once branding, B2B orders, or marketplace risk start to outweigh the convenience of staying inside Amazon's network.

Couriers & Freight arranges Australian warehousing, pick and pack, and outbound freight for sellers who have decided a 3PL is the next step. Storage, order fulfilment, and carrier bookings are coordinated together, so you don't need separate contracts for each part of the process. For a look at what outsourced 3PL warehousing involves day-to-day, the Warehouse & Fulfilment page breaks down the operational scope. 

Get a quote for 3PL warehousing and fulfilment through Couriers & Freight.

   

        

   

     

Get a 3PL Warehousing Quote

     

Book Australian warehousing, pick and pack, and outbound freight through Couriers & Freight.

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