How Does the Order Process Work with a Drinks 3PL?

What happens when you outsource drinks order fulfillment to a third-party logistics provider (3PL)? The order process with a 3PL works slightly differently to how a brewery, winery or distillery may do it in-house.

Instead of handling logistics internally, your orders are processed through the 3PL’s software and systems, where they are then picked, packed and dispatched on your drinks brand's behalf.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how on-trade order placement generally works with a 3PL, from submitting orders to final venue delivery.

Before we jump into the generic 3PL drinks order processing, it's important to let you know how Tap'in 3PL's order process works, so that you can decide whether our service is right for your drinks business:

1. Orders submitted through email using a simple order form
2. Orders are checked and input into Clarus WMS by our Customer Service team for accuracy
3. Stock is picked by our warehouse team
4. Our Logistics team uses MaxOptra to efficiently route orders
5. Successful delivery- we send through a POD to confirm your order has been delivered
   

Click to read the full blog on our order process.

How Do You Place Orders With a 3PL?

1. Order Submission: Placing Drinks Orders with a 3PL

The first step in the process is submitting your drinks order to the 3PL. Depending on your setup, this can be done in few ways:

• ‍Through an online portal – Some 3PLs offer a dedicated portal where you can manually input or upload on-trade drinks orders
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• By email – Drinks businesses submit orders via email using different file types (typically PDF or CSV). These can be exported from your venue order portal or alternatively, you can manually input order information into your chosen 3PL's order form.
  

When placing orders with Tap'in, we keep it simple- send in your order form through email to our Customer Service team. To read more, see our blog on here.

Top Tip: to avoid delays, ensure all essential order details are included:

1. Product SKUs
2. Quantities
3. Delivery addresses
4. Contact information
5. Special instructions or requests

‍2. Checking Orders for Accuracy

Once the order has been received, the 3PL runs validation checks to ensure:

1. The ordered items are in stock: this is checked through a 3PL's chosen WMS (Warehouse Management System)
2. The order complies with regulations (especially important for alcohol shipments, which may require age verification and tax compliance).
3. The shipping address is complete and correctly formatted
   

If any issues arise (such as out-of-stock items), 3PLs like Tap'in will often provide a dedicated, full-time Customer Service team who will notify you about any issues promptly and help find a solution.

3. Picking Stock

After validation, the warehouse team gets to work picking product.

Warehouse staff locate the correct products based on the submitted order details. Efficient 3PLs use barcode scanning or automated systems to ensure accuracy.

Orders are then packed according to your specifications. This may include branded packaging, protective materials for fragile bottles or inserts, such as promotional flyers.

‍4. Routing Orders

While orders are being picked and prepared to be dispatched, the logistics team takes over. A 'manifest' is produced and cross-checked with the Customer Service team to ensure all orders have processed correctly.

Once everything is verified, the dedicated logistics team organises orders into routes, taking into consideration route efficiencies (such as consolidating deliveries) to ensure a smooth and speedy order turnaround time.

‍5. Dispatching Drinks Orders

The 3PL's logistics team selects the best shipping method based on the order type and quantities. For on-trade deliveries, this could include:

• ‍Standard on-trade deliveries: using the 3PL's own fleet to get orders delivered in accordance with their delivery timetable. Some 3PLs, such as Tap'in, offer delivery into London up to 4 times a week, keeping product stocked in even the busiest pubs and bars.‍

• Pallet Network: most trusted 3PLs are looking to save drinks producers time and money. One way a 3PL can do this is by choosing to send deliveries through the Pallet Network. This may come with a longer delivery period, but could save money depending on delivery quantities and required delivery dates. ‍

• Courier Services: some drinks 3PLs offer an ecommerce (DTC) drinks delivery service. For smaller on-trade orders, it may make sense to send them through your chosen 3PL's ecommerce couriers. This will depend on a few factors, including order quantities, so it's best to discuss this with any potential third-party logistics providers.
  

Shipping costs and delivery times vary based on destination, volume and carrier service levels.

To find out more about Tap'in's delivery pricing, check out our PDL (Price per Delivered Litre) tool. This tool compares your in-house drinks delivery costs against our dedicated fleet.

3PL vs. Wholesaler for Drinks Delivery

As well as third-party drinks logistics, using wholesalers is a distribution method that many drinks producers choose to invest in.

One reason a drinks producer may choose to partner with a 3PL and use their shipping methods is due to the strength of venue relationships.

Venues often prefer to interact with breweries directly rather than through a wholesaler as this enables a strong, working relationship.

To read more about the different between a 3PL vs. Wholesalers, check out our blog.

‍6. Order Tracking and Customer Updates

Once the order leaves the warehouse, tracking information and dispatch updates can be shared.

With a 3PL, you may be able to:

1. Provide customers with tracking details
2. Monitor order status via your 3PL’s portal or integrated system
3. Resolve any delivery issues (such as a delay) with their dedicated Customer Service team

7. Returns & Issue Resolution

There's no such thing as a perfect day and not all shipments go perfectly first time.

A trusted 3PL has a process in place for:

1. Returns Handling – Managing product returns for damaged or unwanted goods
2. Lost or Delayed Deliveries – Working with internal drivers and carriers to resolve delivery issues
3. Replacements & Refunds – for stock that may have been damaged during transit

‍Why Does a Smooth Drinks Order Process Matter?

Efficiency in order fulfillment isn’t just about speed—it’s about ensuring accurate, compliant and cost-effective shipping. A well-structured order placement process helps drinks producers:

✅ Reduce errors and minimise costs

✅ Maintain compliance with alcohol regulations

✅ Improve customer satisfaction with reliable delivery

✅ Scale efficiently without bottlenecks

By working with a 3PL that understands the drinks industry, you can focus on growing your brand while leaving the logistics to the full-time experts.

How do I place a drinks order with Tap'in?

Partnering with a 3PL should streamline your logistics, not complicate them.

At Tap'in, we’ve designed an efficient order placement process that reduces admin time for breweries, wineries and distilleries while ensuring accuracy and transparency.

Click to read how the drinks order process works with Tap'in 3PL.

‍Is Tap'in 3PL Right for My Drinks Business?

Choosing the right third-party logistics (3PL) provider for your drinks business is cruicial to your success.

At Tap'in, we believe in full transparency about who we can best serve.

Is Tap'in a good match for your drinks distribution needs? Here’s how to know:

1. ‍You’re a drinks producer – We specialise in working with breweries, wineries, distilleries, and low-and-no alcohol brands, ensuring tailored logistics solutions for the drinks sector.
2. ‍You ship at least 340 kegs or 3,500 litres per month – Our simple and scalable pricing model is designed for producers who meet these minimum order quantities. ‍
3. You produce in the UK and need London & South East distribution – Our logistics network is optimised for fast, next-day delivery in London, the South East and the Home Counties, with up to four London delivery days per week.
   

Tap'in offer a bespoke service based on our super-simple PDL rate- check out our PDL calculator to see how our prices compare to your in-house drinks-delivery fleet.

If Tap'in sounds like a good fit for your drinks brand, contact our expert team using the form below.

Alternatively, check out some of our latest blogs to learn more about third-party drinks logistics:

1. National Insurance Increase: How Can Drinks Brands Reduce Labour Costs?
2. How Can a Drinks 3PL Help You Deliver Across the UK?
3. 10 Signs it Might Be time to Use a Third-Party Logistics Provider for Your Drinks Business

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