Orders that keep moving when you grow.
A Shopify operations consultant is an ecommerce consultant focused on the back end of a store: apps, order flow, Shopify inventory management, and fulfillment. A 3PL consultant helps you pick, set up, or switch a fulfillment partner. Lockhold does both, and stays until orders run without you.
Shopify operations: what we take on
- Shopify back end: apps, order routing, customer data, and reporting set up cleanly.
- 3PL for a small business: deciding whether a 3PL makes sense at your stage, then choosing, setting up, or switching one without dropping orders.
- Shopify inventory management: stock tracking, planning, and reorder rules so you stop guessing.
- Customer follow-up: post-purchase and retention flows that run on their own.
How engagements work
- Set scope. In writing, before work starts.
- Fixed price. No open-ended hourly billing.
- Run until done. Finished when your team runs it without you.
Who's behind it
Lockhold is owned and run by Joe and Ro. Joe has been through two exits and helped take a company public. Read our story.
The AI & Operations Teardown
A paid, two-week look at how your business actually runs. We find where AI and better systems take work off your plate first. You get a written plan, plus a build scope and a fixed quote. If you go ahead with the build, the Teardown fee is credited toward it.
- About two weeks
- Written plan you keep
- Build scope and fixed quote
- Fee credited toward the build
Questions about Shopify and 3PL operations
What does a Shopify consultant do?
They set up and fix how a Shopify store runs behind the storefront: apps, orders, inventory, data, and reporting.
What does a 3PL consultant do?
They help you choose, set up, or switch a third-party logistics partner, and connect it to your store.
Do you design Shopify storefronts?
Storefront work can be part of a scope, but our focus is the operations behind it.
How does a 3PL work?
A 3PL (third-party logistics provider) stores your inventory in its warehouse and picks, packs, and ships orders as they come in. Your store sends orders to the 3PL automatically, and the 3PL sends tracking and stock levels back.
How much does a 3PL cost?
It depends on your order volume, product size, and the services you need. Most 3PLs charge separately for receiving, storage, picking and packing, packaging, and shipping, and some set monthly minimums. Compare quotes on the same order profile so the numbers line up.
When should I use a 3PL?
When packing and shipping takes time you or your team should spend elsewhere, when you've outgrown your space, or when you need faster delivery to more regions. If volume is still low and steady, shipping in-house may still cost less.
Is a 3PL worth it for a small business?
It can be, once order volume is steady enough to justify the fees and minimums. For a small business, the deciding factors are usually your time, your space, and whether shipping mistakes are costing you customers.
How do I manage inventory in Shopify?
Turn on inventory tracking for each product, keep stock counts right at each location, and keep them in sync with your warehouse or 3PL. Then set reorder points so you know when to buy, and review what's selling regularly so you're not guessing.
What is Shopify Flow, and what can it automate?
Shopify Flow is Shopify's own automation app: it runs a workflow when something happens in your store. Typical uses are tagging orders or customers, flagging risky orders, and alerting you when stock runs low. Work that spans tools outside Shopify may need more than Flow.
How do I choose a Shopify expert?
Decide first whether you need design, development, or operations, because those are different skills. Then ask what they've set up before, how they'll document it, and who owns the accounts and apps when they're done. Our focus is operations: the back end, fulfillment, and inventory.
What is inventory forecasting?
Inventory forecasting is estimating how much stock you'll need, and when, from past sales, seasonality, supplier lead times, and planned promotions. It's how you avoid both stockouts and cash tied up in stock that isn't moving.
What breaks when your orders double?
Tell us in a few lines. If it's a fit, we'll come back with a scope.
Scope your project