Your first wholesale order: shipping pallets from a Shopify store to a retailer
A first wholesale order is the moment a store that has only ever shipped boxes has to ship a pallet, and the pallet is cheaper than the boxes it replaces: one LTL pallet on Warp averages $582 all inclusive across 2,255 rated lanes (as of September 14, 2026), quoted in 10 seconds from the retailer's ZIP, your ZIP, pallet count, and weight. This is the walkthrough from the purchase order to the signed delivery: read the terms, decide cases or pallets, build the pallet from your store's orders, quote and book with the appointment, and get paid without a chargeback.
By Troy Lester, Co-Founder & CRO
Rate data updated September 14, 2026 · Basis: 1 pallet, 500 lb, class 70, all inclusive · Methodology at wearewarp.com/research/ltl-rate-benchmarks
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The moment: a store that ships boxes gets an order that needs a pallet
Until the first wholesale order, every shipment left your store as a parcel label. The purchase order changes the unit from a box to a pallet, and the pallet has its own rules, documents, and price.
The order arrives from a boutique, a regional chain, a distributor, or a wholesale marketplace. Your store records it as a draft or B2B order, the marketplace's label tool covers boxes, and neither one books a pallet. From here the freight is yours to arrange: the retailer's dock expects a truck with an appointment, a bill of lading with the PO number, and cartons labeled the way the purchase order says. None of that is hard. All of it is different from parcel, and the differences are where first orders lose money.
The good news is the price. A wholesale order in the 150 to 2,000 lb range costs less as one pallet than as a stack of boxes, arrives with fewer touches, and gives the retailer one delivery to receive. On Warp the pallet is quoted all inclusive, so the rate you see already carries the appointment, the liftgate if the store has no dock, and the fuel.
Step 1: Read the purchase order like a freight document
Five lines on the PO decide the freight. Most first-time brands read the SKUs and the price and skip all five.
| PO line | What it means | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| Ship-to and deliver-by | The destination and the window the retailer will accept the freight | The lane you quote and how early you must book |
| FOB point or freight allowance | Who pays the freight, and where ownership passes | Whether the rate is your cost or the retailer's, and who files a claim |
| Appointment required | The receiving dock only unloads scheduled trucks | Book the appointment at booking, not after pickup |
| Packing and labeling rules | Case labels, pallet labels, packing slip, sometimes an ASN | A chargeback if missed; a clean receipt if followed |
| Payment terms | Net 30 or net 60 from receipt, usually | The signed POD is the document that starts the clock |
The FOB point is the line to read twice. FOB origin means the retailer owns the goods once the driver signs and usually pays or arranges the freight; FOB destination means you own them until the receiver signs and the freight is your cost. A freight allowance is the retailer paying you a fixed amount toward freight you arrange, so the difference between the allowance and the all inclusive rate is your margin or your loss. If the retailer is a big box chain, the routing guide adds appointment windows, must-arrive-by dates, and labeling rules; the Walmart, Target, and Costco compliance guide covers that layer.
Step 2: Cases or pallets
A few cases under 150 lb can still ship as parcel. Above that, or above a handful of boxes, the order is a pallet, and most first wholesale orders are exactly one.
The crossover is 70 to 300 lb. A twelve case order at 20 lb a case is 240 lb, which is eight to twelve parcel labels at zone pricing or one pallet at one rate. The retailer also prefers the pallet: one appointment, one signature, one receiving line. If the order is small enough to stay parcel, ship it parcel and skip the rest of this page; the moment it is not, the pallet wins on cost, on damage, and on how the retailer experiences you.
A 48 by 40 inch pallet stacked to about four feet carries roughly 20 to 30 cases of a typical consumer product. Past a single pallet the order is still less than truckload up to about ten pallets; past that it becomes a truckload conversation, which is a good problem and a different page.
Step 3: Build the pallet from your store orders
Pick the order to cases, label every case, stack square, wrap to the deck, label two sides. The pallet is the retailer's first physical impression of your brand.
Pick the wholesale order into shipping cases and label each case with the SKU, the count, and the PO number, because the receiver checks cases against the PO before the pallet leaves the dock. Stack the cases on a 48 by 40 inch pallet, heaviest on the bottom, columns aligned, nothing hanging past the edge. Shrink wrap from the top down to the deck boards so the load and the pallet move as one piece. Put a pallet label on two adjacent sides: retailer name, ship-to address, PO number, pallet 1 of 1. Tape the packing slip to the top in a clear pouch. If the PO asks for a specific label format or an advance ship notice, follow it exactly; that is the line item chargebacks are written against.
If a 3PL or a fulfillment center holds your inventory, this step is a pallet order to them, which is why the fulfillment decision should have asked whether pallet orders are handled on the same account. The first 3PL or in-house guide has the question list.
Step 4: Quote and book the lane, with the appointment
Your ZIP, the retailer ZIP, pallet count, weight. One pallet on Warp averages $582 all inclusive, and the delivery appointment is on the tariff as charge waived.
Quote the lane as soon as the PO is accepted, not the day before the delivery window, because the window and the transit time together set your pickup date. Compare all inclusive rates: a legacy LTL base rate adds fuel, the appointment fee, liftgate, and limited access after the fact, and a retailer's dock is where those fees live. On the Warp LTL tariff the delivery appointment, liftgate, and limited access delivery are listed as charge waived, and the tariff is public.
At booking, enter the PO number so it prints on the bill of lading, set the delivery appointment if the PO requires one, and flag a store with no dock as a liftgate delivery. Then send the carrier name, pickup date, and tracking to the retailer's receiving contact, because a buyer who can see the truck coming does not call you. Price the lane for one pallet at 500 lb and change the numbers to the order.
Step 5: Ship it, keep the proof, get paid
The signed proof of delivery with the PO number on it is the document that starts the payment clock and defends a short-ship or damage claim.
The driver signs the bill of lading at pickup; from that signature the carrier has custody, and on Warp the shipment carries a tracking status you can forward to the buyer. At the retailer the receiver counts cases against the PO and signs the proof of delivery. Keep the signed POD with the invoice: net terms run from receipt, and a retailer disputing a short shipment or a damaged case will ask for it first. If the freight arrived damaged, the exceptions the receiver wrote on the POD are your claim; on a Warp shipment the carrier carries up to $100K per shipment under contract, and the freight protection page has the procedure.
Then write down what the order actually cost to ship against what the PO allowed. That number, freight per case on a wholesale order, is the one you will negotiate the second order on.
What the first wholesale order costs to ship
Published numbers only. The rate line is a live average; the rest is the LTL tariff.
| Line | Number | Source |
|---|---|---|
| One LTL pallet, all inclusive | $582 average, $504 median, $369 to $703 middle half | Rate benchmarks, September 14, 2026 |
| Delivery appointment | Charge waived | LTL Tariff 1.2 |
| Liftgate at a store with no dock | Charge waived | LTL Tariff 1.2 |
| Limited access delivery | Charge waived | LTL Tariff 1.2 |
| Driver detention, business hours | 30 free minutes, then $1/min | LTL Tariff 1.2 |
When the wholesale channel repeats
The second order is the same five steps. The tenth is a lane, and a lane gets a system.
Once the same retailer or distributor reorders, the lane repeats and the work moves from doing to tracking: which POs are open, which pallets are booked, which PODs are signed, what freight cost against what allowance. That is the point to move from a spreadsheet to a TMS. Warp TMS is free, with no seat limits and no load caps, and puts inbound supplier freight, FBA replenishment, and wholesale pallets on one board. If the store also keeps shipping parcels, freight and parcel in one flow is the product answer to running both.
Frequently asked questions
How do I ship my first wholesale order from my Shopify store?
Read the purchase order for the ship-to address, delivery window, FOB point or freight allowance, appointment requirement, and packing rules.
Pick the order to labeled cases, stack them on a 48 by 40 inch pallet, wrap to the deck, and label two sides with the retailer name and PO number.
Quote the lane from your ZIP, the retailer ZIP, pallet count, and weight; one LTL pallet on Warp averages $582 all inclusive (as of September 14, 2026).
Book with the delivery appointment and the PO number on the bill of lading, then keep the signed proof of delivery for the invoice.
Should a wholesale order ship as boxes or as a pallet?
As a pallet once the order passes about 150 lb or a handful of cases.
The crossover is 70 to 300 lb: a 240 lb order is eight to twelve parcel labels at zone pricing or one pallet at one all inclusive rate, and the retailer prefers one delivery with one signature.
Under that, parcel is fine. Most first wholesale orders are exactly one pallet.
Who pays the freight on a wholesale order?
The purchase order says. FOB origin usually means the retailer arranges or pays the freight and owns the goods once the driver signs.
FOB destination means you pay and own the goods until the receiver signs.
A freight allowance is a fixed amount the retailer contributes toward freight you arrange, so the gap between the allowance and the all inclusive rate is your margin or your loss.
How much does it cost to ship one pallet to a retailer?
On Warp, one LTL pallet averages $582 all inclusive for 1 pallet at 500 lb class 70 across 2,255 rated lanes (as of September 14, 2026), with a middle half of $369 to $703.
Delivery appointment, liftgate, and limited access delivery are charge waived on the Warp LTL tariff; legacy carriers add each one after the fact, and a retailer's dock is where those fees show up.
Does a wholesale marketplace like Faire ship my pallet?
Marketplace label tools cover boxes. When an order outgrows parcel, the pallet is yours to book: quote the lane, generate the bill of lading with the PO number, and set the delivery appointment.
The marketplace order record stays the order of record; the freight runs beside it.
What is a delivery appointment and do I need one?
A scheduled unload time at the receiving dock. Most retailers and distributors require one and refuse unscheduled trucks, which then bill you for the wasted trip.
Book the appointment at booking, not after pickup. On the Warp LTL tariff the delivery appointment is listed as charge waived.
What documents does a wholesale freight shipment need?
A bill of lading with the PO number, which the driver signs at pickup; case labels and a packing slip on the pallet; a pallet label on two sides; sometimes an advance ship notice if the retailer requires it; and the proof of delivery the receiver signs, which is the document that starts your payment terms and defends a claim.
What if the retailer has no loading dock?
Book liftgate delivery and, if it is a storefront in a mall or a downtown block, limited access delivery.
The driver lowers the pallet on the truck's liftgate and moves it to the door on a pallet jack. Both are charge waived on the Warp LTL tariff; legacy carriers bill each as a separate accessorial.
About the Warp freight network
More about the Warp freight network
Warp is a technology-driven freight network that combines cargo van, box truck, LTL, and FTL capacity under one operating system. Shippers get instant rates, real-time tracking, and access to 70+ cross-dock facilities and 14,000+ cargo vans and box trucks — with 80%+ US LTL zip-to-zip coverage and nationwide FTL, box truck, and cargo van.
The network is supported by 24,000+ vetted FTL carriers.
Unlike traditional brokers, Warp uses AI to match the right vehicle to every load based on weight, dimensions, urgency, and cost targets. Cross-dock operations reduce transit time by eliminating unnecessary terminal transfers.
Pool distribution and zone-skipping programs help enterprise shippers lower per-unit delivery costs while maintaining tight appointment windows.
Self-serve shippers can quote, compare, and book freight online in under two minutes. Enterprise accounts get dedicated capacity planning, committed rate programs, and a named operations team. Every shipment includes scan-level visibility from pickup through final delivery.
Warp operates across the contiguous United States with regional density in the Southeast, Texas, Midwest, and Northeast corridors.
Cross-dock facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Savannah, Orlando, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Columbus, Denver, New Orleans, and Milwaukee support faster transfers and fewer touches on recurring lanes.
Freight modes and vehicle types
| Mode | Max payload | Max cube | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | 3,500 lbs | 400 cu ft | Time-sensitive, last-mile, light pallets |
| Box truck | 10,000 lbs | 1,500 cu ft | Regional distribution, no dock required |
| LTL | Per-pallet | Shared trailer | Lower per-pallet cost via cross-dock routing |
| Dry van / FTL | 42,000+ lbs | Full 53-ft trailer | High-volume lanes, recurring programs |
Cargo vans handle loads up to 3,500 pounds and 400 cubic feet, ideal for time-sensitive deliveries, last-mile retail replenishment, and lightweight palletized freight.
Box trucks carry up to 10,000 pounds and 1,500 cubic feet, fitting most regional distribution and store delivery needs without requiring a loading dock.
Dry vans and full truckloads move 42,000+ pounds for high-volume lanes and recurring programs. LTL shipments share trailer space on optimized routes through Warp cross-docks, reducing per-pallet cost by consolidating multiple shippers on the same vehicle.
Warp does not default every shipment to a 53-foot trailer. The AI engine evaluates load weight, cube, delivery window, and cost to recommend the right vehicle. Shippers see all available mode options with live pricing in one comparison screen before booking.
Cross-dock operations
Cross-docking at Warp facilities keeps freight moving instead of storing it: inbound freight is sorted and transferred directly to outbound vehicles, typically within hours. When inventory does need to sit, Warp's fulfillment centers in Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago and New Jersey hold it inside the same network, with same day delivery within 30 miles of each.
This reduces dwell time, lowers damage risk, and compresses delivery windows. Warp cross-docks support pallet-in, pallet-out operations with scan-level tracking at every handoff point.
- Atlanta — Southeast retail flow
- Chicago — Midwest manufacturing and replenishment
- Houston — Texas industrial distribution
- New York — dense Northeast delivery
Facility locations are selected for corridor density: Atlanta handles Southeast retail flow, Chicago serves Midwest manufacturing and replenishment, Houston covers Texas industrial distribution, and New York supports dense Northeast delivery. Each facility operates on appointment-based scheduling to prevent congestion and maintain throughput consistency.
Enterprise freight programs
Enterprise shippers get committed rate programs, dedicated account management, and custom SLA design. Warp builds lane-by-lane rate structures that account for volume commitments, seasonal variation, and mode flexibility. Operations teams monitor shipment execution daily and intervene proactively when exceptions occur.
Self-serve freight quoting
Shippers enter origin and destination, load details, and delivery requirements to see live rates across all available modes. Quotes include estimated transit time, vehicle type, and total cost.
Booking takes one click. After booking, shippers track every shipment with real-time GPS location, milestone updates, and proof of delivery documentation.
Industries and use cases
Retail shippers use Warp for store replenishment programs that deliver to hundreds of locations per week on tight appointment windows. Apparel brands use zone skipping to bypass regional parcel sortation and reduce per-unit delivery cost.
Food and beverage companies rely on time-definite delivery for perishable goods. Manufacturing operations use Warp for inbound vendor consolidation, combining multiple supplier shipments into fewer, fuller loads through cross-dock facilities.
Distribution companies use pool distribution to serve multiple delivery points from a single origin, splitting full truckloads at cross-docks into smaller last-mile vehicles.
Urgent freight recovery covers emergency capacity needs when primary carriers fail or demand spikes unexpectedly. Middle-mile optimization reduces cost and transit time on the longest segment of multi-leg shipments.
One pallet, one appointment, one signed POD.
Quote the retailer lane in 10 seconds with the appointment already inside the rate, print the bill of lading with the PO number, and get paid on the signature.
Rate data updated September 14, 2026 · Basis: 1 pallet, 500 lb, class 70, all inclusive · Methodology at wearewarp.com/research/ltl-rate-benchmarks
Performance figures are computed from Warp network data. See our methodology.
By Troy Lester