Gartner defines the IT asset disposition (ITAD) market with three service categories: core disposition services, secondary hardware services and ancillary life cycle services. Core disposition services are essential to ITAD processes and evaluated on a make-or-buy scale. Secondary hardware services involve acquiring used equipment from ITAD providers. Ancillary life cycle services, such as software harvesting and redeployment, are offered by full-service ITAD providers. ITAD is crucial for IT sustainability, mitigating Scope 3 emissions and supporting the circular economy.
Gartner defines a third-party logistics (3PL) provider as a company that moves, stores and manages the flow and distribution of products, materials and goods on behalf of its customers for a fee and without taking ownership. 3PL is an outsourcing arrangement where a company employs a third-party services provider to manage logistics on its behalf for a fee. The 3PL will typically provide and manage integrated operations of warehousing, transportation and value-added services that can be scaled and customized to the shipper´s needs.