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Lorikeet News Desk
Jun 29, 2025
TL;DR
Many e-commerce brands focus on low-cost fulfillment, overlooking the impact poor delivery can have on customer service and retention.
Logistics expert Dave Gulas of EZDC 3PL discusses how current supply chain issues and tariffs are forcing companies to hold off on imports, risking product shortages.
Strong partnerships with fulfillment providers help businesses manage rising costs and navigate market disruptions.
You have to look at fulfillment holistically. It is a true extension of your business, because if your 3PL fails, it’s not their customer service that suffers—it's yours. That's the link that can make or break whether you retain a customer.
Dave Gulas
President and Co-founder | EZDC 3PL
The cheapest line item on a D2C spreadsheet is often the most expensive mistake. In a market squeezed by tariff uncertainty and compressing margins, many founders treat fulfillment as a necessary evil to be minimized, unknowingly sabotaging their brand one late shipment at a time. This race to the bottom on price is a trap—one that sacrifices brand reputation for illusory savings.
Dave Gulas, President and Co-founder of EZDC 3PL, brings nearly two decades of experience in the world of pharmaceutical distribution and warns that many leaders fundamentally misunderstand the role of their fulfillment partners.
"So many brands get fixated on finding the absolute lowest price, but they don't calculate the hidden costs of poor service," Gulas says. "You have to look at fulfillment holistically. It is a true extension of your business, because if your 3PL fails, it’s not their customer service that suffers—it's yours. That's the link that can make or break whether you retain a customer."
Product on the water: That market pressure isn't just theoretical. Gulas points to a supply chain in near-paralysis, where businesses dependent on Chinese manufacturing are holding off on imports. He describes companies "leaving product on the water" because they simply can't absorb the tariffs, a situation that he notes could lead to a "big freight slowdown" and shortages in key sectors.
The need for speed: He forged a strategic mindset in the chaos of the pharmaceutical market. "My time in pharma taught me that markets are always in flux, and the single most valuable skill was the ability to adapt and move quickly when you see an opportunity or a threat," he says. "That's the same lesson for today. With how fast things are changing, you have to be nimble to survive."
My time in pharma taught me that markets are always in flux, and the single most valuable skill was the ability to adapt and move quickly when you see an opportunity or a threat. That's the same lesson for today. With how fast things are changing, you have to be nimble to survive.
Dave Gulas
President and Co-founder | EZDC 3PL
The next chess move: For Gulas, that agility isn't just philosophical; it extends to embracing new technology. He sees AI as a powerful tool for navigating the current landscape, confirming that his own team is "actively testing" it. In a world of rising labor costs, being able to implement AI to become more efficient is no longer optional—it's a critical part of the new playbook.
The partnership playbook: Gulas argues the antidote to bad service isn't a better spreadsheet, but a peer-to-peer relationship built on shared struggle. That partnership model, however, only works with discipline. "The companies we work with—every single one of them is an entrepreneur running an e-commerce business," he explains. "They’re small business owners who understand the issues we're all facing, so you can have an honest conversation when costs rise or something unexpected comes up. They get it because they're dealing with it, too." His team regularly turns down business that isn't the right operational fit, focusing instead on a specific niche of high-volume, small, lightweight D2C products.
Bet on the consumer: Gulas’ core advice is to stay optimistic and play the long game, despite the short-term disruption. "Listen, we have the largest consumer economy in the world. People are forever going to consume," he states. "It's just a matter of getting through this, whatever your situation may be, and finding a way to position yourself to take advantage of the growth that's to come."
