Contract logistics combines many logistics functions into a complex service package that is based on the customer’s individual wishes and needs. Suppliers of these services are called third-party logistics providers, or 3PL. They handle all of the jobs needed to get the mobile phone onto store shelves.
To provide this service, the contract-logistics provider must do a number of key tasks for the mobile-phone company – e.g., manage incoming orders, pack and address mobile phones that have been ordered, create special offers for retailers, regulate returns, payment and customs-related issues, and perform repairs.