Minneapolis and Minnesota 3PL, Shipped From Chicago and Colorado
Minnesota brands ship Amazon, Shopify and retail orders from AMZ Prep in Chicago, with Colorado for the West. FBA prep, DTC and retail run from one inventory pool, and the starting rates are published.
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Key Takeaways
Updated November 2026
- AMZ Prep has no warehouse in Minnesota. Minnesota brands ship from AMZ Prep centers in Chicago and Colorado.
- Chicago is the closest center to Minnesota; the Twin Cities sit in zone 4 (estimate 2 business days).
- One inventory pool covers Amazon FBA prep, FBM, Shopify, Walmart, TikTok Shop and B2B orders.
- Published rates: DTC from $1.00 per order, FBA prep from $0.40 per item, postage at carrier price with no markup.
- No setup fees, month-to-month terms, and onboarding in 6 days.
Does AMZ Prep Have a Warehouse in Minnesota?
No. AMZ Prep does not run a fulfillment center in Minnesota. Minnesota brands ship from AMZ Prep in Chicago, with Colorado for the West, and most of them never need a warehouse inside the state to reach their customers on time.
There is no AMZ Prep center in Minnesota. The closest is Chicago, about 355 miles from Minneapolis, which is zone 4. Brands with most customers outside Minnesota often come out ahead; brands selling mainly in-state may be better served locally.
AMZ Prep is best for brands that sell on Amazon plus Shopify, retail or other marketplaces and want every channel shipped from one inventory pool.
- Chicago for Minnesota, the Midwest and the East
- Colorado for Plains and Mountain orders
- Toronto for Canadian buyers
- Published starting rates
The AMZ Prep Centers That Serve Minnesota Brands
Your inventory sits in the center that best fits where your customers are. Stock can be split across more than one center once volume justifies it.
| AMZ Prep center | Role for a Minnesota brand |
|---|---|
| Chicago | Minnesota, Midwest and East orders, FBA prep and Amazon replenishment |
| Colorado | Plains, Mountain and West orders |
| Toronto | Canadian orders and Amazon.ca, if you sell into Canada |
AMZ Prep runs 50+ centers in 6 countries: the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and the UAE. US locations include California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, New York and New Jersey.
How Fast Orders Reach Minnesota Customers
Minnesota is a few hundred miles from the nearest AMZ Prep center, so we are upfront about transit. The case for AMZ Prep is national reach and total cost, not in-state speed.
| Customers in | Ships from | Estimated transit |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Chicago | 2 business days |
| Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois | Chicago | 1–2 business days |
| Northeast | Chicago or New Jersey | 2–3 business days |
| Mountain West | Colorado | 1–2 business days |
| West Coast | Colorado / California (split) | 2–3 / 1–2 business days |
Compare Total Cost Per Order, Not Just Warehouse Location
When Minnesota brands compare 3PLs, the list of fees matters as much as the address. Here is the full list worth asking every provider for, and where AMZ Prep stands on each.
- Receiving: quoted per carton or pallet
- Storage: quoted to your SKU mix
- Pick and pack: from $1.00 per DTC order
- FBA prep: from $0.40 per item; case forwarding from $1.50 per box
- Minimums and setup: 300 orders a month, no setup fees
A Minnesota 3PL vs AMZ Prep: What Actually Differs
An in-state warehouse is the obvious choice, and for some brands it is the right one. Here is an honest side-by-side.
| Factor | Typical in-state Minnesota 3PL | AMZ Prep from Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Distance to your office | Short drive for site visits | Out of state. Live inventory in Navigate, video walk-throughs on request |
| Parcel cost to Minnesota customers | Lowest zone for in-state orders | Zone 4 from Chicago for the Twin Cities; an in-state 3PL is faster here |
| Parcel cost to the rest of the US | Higher zones from one location | Stock can be split across 50+ centers, with zone skipping cutting parcel cost 25 to 32% where volume allows |
| Amazon FBA prep | Varies by provider | In-house, sent to Amazon on Middle Mile |
| Shopify, Walmart, TikTok Shop and B2B | Varies by provider | One inventory pool across 50+ platforms |
| Published rates | Usually quote only | Yes, in the rate table below |
| Contract | Varies | Month-to-month, no setup fees |
What Minnesota Brands Should Ask Any 3PL
Minnesota sellers comparing 3PLs ask for receiving, storage, pick-and-pack, FBA prep, returns, minimums and carrier rates. These are the answers that matter most.
| Question to ask | AMZ Prep's answer |
|---|---|
| Can Amazon and Shopify run from one inventory pool? | Yes. FBA, FBM, Shopify, Walmart, TikTok Shop and B2B orders all draw from the same stock. |
| When is the same-day cutoff? | Orders received by 3 PM local time at the fulfilling center ship the same day. |
| Who answers when something goes wrong? | A named account manager during working hours, by phone and email. |
| Can I see the software and proof from Amazon plus Shopify brands? | Ask for a Navigate demo during your quote. Published case studies are linked further down this page. |
| Do you mark up shipping? | No. Postage is billed at the carrier price with no markup. |
What AMZ Prep Handles for Minnesota Brands
Six services that usually sit with different providers, run from one account.
FBA prep
FNSKU labels, poly bagging, bundling and case prep in 1 to 3 days. FBA prep services
Middle Mile to Amazon
Stock checked in at Amazon in 2 to 4 days with $0 placement fees. Middle Mile
DTC fulfillment
Branded packaging and inserts, same-day dispatch for orders received by 3 PM local time, 99.8% order accuracy.
Shopify and marketplaces
Shopify Plus certified with our own app, Prep Parcel. Shopify fulfillment
B2B and retail
EDI, routing guides and pallet builds for retailers. B2B fulfillment
Kitting and returns
Kits, multipacks and returns inspection on one rate card. Kitting
What Fulfillment Costs for a Minnesota Brand
Starting rates are published. Storage is quoted to your SKU mix, and your quote arrives within one business day.
| What you pay for | AMZ Prep rate |
|---|---|
| DTC fulfillment (pick, pack and ship one order) | From $1.00 per order |
| FBA prep (FNSKU labels, poly bags, bundles) | From $0.40 per item |
| Case forwarding to Amazon | From $1.50 per box |
| Postage | Carrier price with no markup, rate-shopped across 35+ carriers |
| Setup fees and contract | No setup fees, month-to-month |
| Minimum volume | 300 orders a month (online and retail arbitrage sellers: 2,500 units) |
| Volume discounts | From 10,000+ units a month |
Brands That Moved Their Fulfillment to AMZ Prep
Results from published AMZ Prep case studies.
ANS Performance
Reached a 98% in-stock rate on Amazon and saved 25% on fulfillment after moving to AMZ Prep.
Renew Actives
Chose AMZ Prep over 12 other 3PLs and moved 8,000 units through Amazon prep in Q2.
Silverts
Cut shipping costs by 41% and brought delivery times down from 14 days to 3.
How a Minnesota Brand Gets Started
Four steps from first call to first shipped order.
Request a quote
Share your channels, SKU count and monthly orders. Your quote arrives within one business day.
Set up the account
Account setup takes 1 to 2 days, including store and marketplace connections.
Send inventory
Ship from your Minnesota location or straight from your supplier to Chicago. Full onboarding takes 6 days.
Go live
Orders flow in from every channel and ship from the center closest to each customer.
Questions Minnesota Brands Ask About AMZ Prep
Because the address is only one line. Receiving, storage, pick and pack, FBA prep and postage all add up. AMZ Prep publishes its starting rates, so you can compare whole orders, not locations.
Stock is safe inside a temperature-controlled center, but parcels still travel through the cold. Use faster services for freeze-sensitive products in deep winter, and ask about temperature-controlled storage.
About 355 miles. Chicago is the closest AMZ Prep hub to Minneapolis, which puts Twin Cities orders in zone 4.
Get a Fulfillment Quote for Your Minnesota Brand
Tell us your channels, SKU count and monthly orders. You'll get rates and the right center within one business day.
