I’m a brand new start-up exploring fulfilment options

First off – congratulations. You’ve had the guts to start something new. That’s more than most people ever do. Now, let’s talk fulfilment – because if you’re serious about building a brand, how you get your products out the door matters. Big time.

What are your options?

Do it yourself

Yep, we’ve all seen it. Stock piled in the spare room. Boxes stacked to the ceiling. You doing midnight packing sessions with a roll of tape stuck to your arm. It works… until it doesn’t. You’ll save a few quid at the start, sure – but it’s not scalable. And trust me, once orders start picking up, you’ll be drowning.

Hybrid

This is where you keep some control (maybe packing your favourite line or local orders yourself) but outsource the bits you don’t want to touch. It’s a halfway house. It can work for a while – but honestly, it’s a faff. Two systems, two sets of headaches. And when you’re small, time is your most valuable resource.

Full outsourcing

This is where you let go of the tape gun and hand it to the experts. We store your stuff. We pick, pack and ship it. We deal with returns. And you get to focus on building your business – not battling bubble wrap. The best bit? It’s scalable. So whether you’re sending 10 parcels a week or 10,000, we’ve got you.

What you should be looking for

Flexibility.

You don’t know what your order volumes will look like in six months – so don’t tie yourself into some ridiculous contract with minimums.

Tech that works.

Your fulfilment needs to plug into your Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon (wherever you sell) – and it needs to actually work. No fiddly spreadsheets.

Transparent pricing.

No hidden extras for tape, labels or “admin fees”. You should know exactly what you’re paying.

Returns handled properly.

Because they’re inevitable. The question is – will your partner handle them like a pro, or throw them in a corner and forget?

People who give a damn.

It’s not just boxes. It’s your brand, your customers, your reputation. You need a team that actually cares.

How Diamond helps start-ups like you

Here’s what we bring to the table at Diamond Logistics:

Startup-friendly.No scary minimums. You don’t need to be Amazon-sized to work with us.
UK-wide reach.With a national network, we can get your parcels to your customers quickly – and at rates you’d never get packing at home.
Proper visibility. Our tech gives you a live view of stock, orders and returns – so no nasty surprises.
Support. We’ll hold your hand through setup, integrations, test orders – all the boring but essential stuff.
Scalability. Whether you’re shipping a few dozen or a few thousand, we flex with you. No growing pains.

A few truths from someone who’s been there

Start lean. Don’t tie up all your cash in stock.
Run test orders – order your own product and see what your customer experiences.
Packaging matters. Even if you outsource, make sure it still feels “you”.
Watch your margins. Don’t fall into the trap of selling loads and making nothing (seen it too many times).
Don’t be scared to negotiate. If your volumes grow, ask for better rates. Simple.

So – is outsourcing too expensive for a start-up?

Not if you work with the right partner. Factor in your time, the stress, the postage costs, and the mistakes – suddenly, outsourcing looks like a bargain. I always say, what’s your time worth? If you’re spending ten hours a week packing boxes, that’s ten hours you’re not selling, marketing, or building your brand.