3PL invoice audit · Shopify brands, $1M to $20M a year
Find out if your 3PL is overbilling you.
Send one month of invoices and your contract. Within 48 hours you get back every line that doesn't match what you signed, what it should have been, and the math.
Or email audit@constructlabs.io
Findings
made-up numbers
| Pick fee, first unit | Billed | Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Units charged at first-unit rate | 1,020 | |
| Units charged at additional rate | 0 | 160 |
| First-unit rate | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Additional-unit rate | 0.60 | |
| Amount | 2,901.00 | |
| Overbilled on this line | 344.00 | |
The problem
A 3PL invoice is built from dozens of fee codes. Receiving, picks, packaging, storage, special projects, surcharges, minimums. Each one is priced from a rate card that was negotiated once and then filed away.
When the invoice arrives, nobody has the contract open next to it. The total looks about right, each line is small, and it gets paid. Rates drift after an amendment. Fees show up that were never agreed. The same mistake repeats every month because nothing is set up to catch it.
Checking it properly means rebuilding every line from your order data and your rate card. It's slow, tedious work, so it rarely gets done. It's also exactly the kind of work we automate.
What we check
Nine checks, run on every line of every invoice.
- 01
Billed rates vs contract rates
Every fee code priced against your signed rate card and any amendments, using the rate that was in effect on the date of service.
- 02
First-unit rate on every unit
Pick fees where the first-unit rate was charged for every unit in an order, instead of once per order with the additional-unit rate for the rest.
- 03
Cartons billed as each picks
Full cartons or cases that shipped as they arrived, billed as if every unit inside was picked one at a time.
- 04
B2B at DTC rates
Wholesale and retail orders billed at your direct-to-consumer pick and pack rates instead of the B2B rates in your contract.
- 05
Storage vs actual inventory
Pallet, bin and shelf charges compared with the inventory you actually had in the building during the billing period.
- 06
Duplicate lines
The same order, shipment, receipt or service billed twice, on one invoice or across two.
- 07
DIM weight math
Dimensional weight worked out again from the box size and the divisor in your contract, then compared with the weight you were billed for.
- 08
Fees not in the contract
Charges with no matching term in your contract or any signed amendment.
- 09
Misapplied minimums
Monthly minimums charged when your volume already cleared them, or added on top of your usage instead of acting as a floor.
How it works
Start with one free month. Pay for the full audit only if it finds real money.
Rate cardUSD
-
Step 1
Free check
$0One month of invoices · results in 48 hours
Send one month of 3PL invoices, your contract with the rate card, and an order export for the same month from Shopify or your 3PL's portal. Within 48 hours of getting the files you get a list of every line that doesn't match, what it should have been, and the difference in dollars. No card, nothing to sign.
-
Step 2
Full 12-month audit
$2,000The last 12 months of invoices
The same checks across a full year. You get a findings file grouped by fee type, with the invoice line, the contract term and the math for each item, written so you can send it to your 3PL as a dispute.
We only bill the $2,000 if we find at least $4,000, twice the fee. If we find less, you owe nothing. -
Step 3
Monitoring
$500 /monthEvery new invoice
Each new invoice checked the same way when it arrives, so a new mistake gets caught in the month it happens instead of a year later.
Your data
Invoices and contracts are sensitive. We treat them that way.
Encrypted
Your files are encrypted in transit and at rest.
Isolated per client
Each client's data is kept separate and used only for that client's audit.
Deleted after 90 days
Raw files are deleted 90 days after we deliver the findings. Ask and we'll do it sooner.
NDA on request
Want one in place before you send anything? Ask, and we'll sign it first.
Details are in our privacy policy.
FAQ
What do I need to send?
Your 3PL invoices (PDF or CSV), your contract with the rate card and any amendments, and an order export for the same period from Shopify or your 3PL's portal. If something is missing, send what you have and we'll tell you which checks it covers.
Which 3PLs do you work with?
Any 3PL that sends itemized invoices. We check against your contract, not a generic rate sheet, so it doesn't matter which warehouse you use.
Do you need logins to Shopify or our 3PL portal?
No. Exports are enough. We don't ask for access to any of your accounts.
Do you contact my 3PL?
No. The findings go to you, and what you do with them is up to you. The full audit is written so you can forward it to your 3PL as it is.
What counts as a finding?
A charge we can tie to a specific invoice line and show is wrong against your contract or your own order data, with the math written out. "This looks high" doesn't count.
What if the full audit finds less than $4,000?
Then you don't pay for it. The $2,000 fee only applies when we find at least twice that.
Is the free check really free?
Yes. No card and no contract. You get the results either way.
We're under $1M or over $20M a year. Can we still send invoices?
Yes. The service is built around brands in that range, but the checks work the same way. Email us and we'll tell you straight whether it's worth doing.
Send one month. See what comes back.
Invoices, your contract, and an order export for the same month. Results within 48 hours.