ShipBob Reviews: Should You Use This 3PL?

Written by

Darren DeMatas

Updated

[show_reviewed_by_link]

Written by

Darren DeMatas

Updated

Reviewed By Our team of writers and content creators are experts in ecommerce and we fact-check every claim in our work to ensure it’s accurate and up-to-date. (Learn about our editorial guidelines.).

In addition to receiving commissions generated through affiliate marketing, we are able to fund our independent research and reviews at no extra cost to our readers. Learn more.

If you’re starting an online business, your shipping process can make or break your success. Reading ShipBob reviews like this one can help you decide if it’s the best solution for your business.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Multiple Fulfillment Locations
Great UI
Superb Ecommerce Integration
Pricing may be difficult to understand
No Refrigeration
Not Geared for B2B
Value 5.0
Features 5.0
Customer Support3.0
Integrations 4.5
Ease of Use 4.5
4.5
Overall Score
User Rating
5.0
1 reviews

Whether you’re just starting out or growing and looking to scale your efforts, your fulfillment partner is a crucial part of business operations.

In this review, we’ll look at ShipBob features, pricing, integrations, ease of use and more.

What to Consider When Choosing a 3PL

Not all 3PL providers are created equal. The ideal 3PL helps with shipping and fulfillment and provides support, tools, and other services for your business. There are several factors to consider, including:

  • Pricing
  • Speed of delivery
  • Returns handling
  • Website integrations
  • Secured inventory
  • Time savings

Compared to ShipBob, here’s how other 3PL providers stack up:

What is ShipBob?

Shipbob Ecommerce Fulfillment Solutions For Online Brands

ShipBob is a cloud-based software you can access from any internet connection. Targeted at small business owners, it offers ecommerce businesses a:

  • Fulfillment solution
  • Inventory management solution
  • Warehouse management solution

Years ago, fast shipping was a competitive advantage. Now? It’s a requirement. Nearly half of shoppers have abandoned a shopping cart because of unsatisfactory delivery options. With ShipBob’s fulfillment services, you can offer two-day shipping, which is necessary to keep up with evolving customer and market demands.

ShipBob lets businesses use custom packaging. A branded unboxing experience helps make a strong first impression on customers.

How ShipBob Works

If you’re interested in using ShipBob, you’ll need to request information and wait for an expert to get back to you. They’ll take time to learn about your business and develop a custom quote suited to your needs.

After the consultation, you’ll be able to sign up for an account. The account contains demo data, which you can use to help you set everything up. Once you’ve added your product catalog and you’re ready to go, you can push everything live.

web.shipbob.com app merchant Screenshot 1

ShipBob’s Pricing

ShipBob uses a transparent pricing model based on total fulfillment cost for standard, direct-to-consumer (DTC) order fulfillment. They charge for receiving, storage and shipping. There’s even a price calculator in the dashboard.

web.shipbob.com app merchant Screenshot

ShipBob users can also take advantage of other services like:

  • B2B order fulfillment
  • Pickup orders
  • Package insurance
  • And more
Pricing
Deliverr
Falcon Fulfillment
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash
Simpl Fulfillment
Fulfyld
Badger Fulfillment
Phase V Fulfillment
ShipBob
eFulfillment Service
Red Stag Fulfillment
Rakuten Super Logistics
Amazon FBA
Set-Up Fees
Deliverr : $0
Falcon Fulfillment : $1,500
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash : Custom
Simpl Fulfillment : $0
Fulfyld : Custom
Badger Fulfillment : $0-$699
Phase V Fulfillment : $0
ShipBob : $0
eFulfillment Service : $0
Red Stag Fulfillment : $100
Rakuten Super Logistics : Custom
Amazon FBA : N/A
Receiving Fees
Deliverr : Per unit fulfilled
Falcon Fulfillment : $17.75 per line item
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash : Custom
Simpl Fulfillment : $0
Fulfyld : $35/man-hour
Badger Fulfillment : $5/pallet $7.50 mixed SKU
Phase V Fulfillment : $25
ShipBob : $35
eFulfillment Service : N/A
Red Stag Fulfillment : $13.25/pallet
Rakuten Super Logistics : Custom
Amazon FBA : Free, when guidelines are met
Monthly Storage Fees
Deliverr : Start at $0.75 per cubic foot per month
Falcon Fulfillment : $18/month/pallet
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash : $250 minimum
Simpl Fulfillment : Varies
Fulfyld : $1.25/bin $16/pallet
Badger Fulfillment : $1.25-$25
Phase V Fulfillment : Varies
ShipBob : Starts at $5
eFulfillment Service : N/A
Red Stag Fulfillment : $2/bin; $15/pallet
Rakuten Super Logistics : Custom
Amazon FBA : $0.75 – $2.40/cubic ft
Picking/Packing
Deliverr : N/A
Falcon Fulfillment : Variable
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash : Custom
Simpl Fulfillment : $0.25/ea after 3 items
Fulfyld : 25c/pick 30c/touch
Badger Fulfillment : 4 picks per order free
Phase V Fulfillment : Varies
ShipBob : $0.20/ order pick
eFulfillment Service : N/A
Red Stag Fulfillment : $0.30/ order pick
Rakuten Super Logistics : Custom
Amazon FBA : Price varies by size and weight

There are no hidden fees or surprise costs to worry about. There are no setup fees to get started, and no minimum monthly order threshold to hit.

It costs $25 for the first two hours spent unpacking shipments into the warehouse. If it takes longer than two hours to unload the shipment, you’ll be charged $40/working hour after the first two hours.

Storage rates are:

  • $40/pallet/month
  • $10/per shelf/month
  • $5/bin/month

Order fulfillment costs are free for the first four picks in an order. After that, it’s $0.20 per pick in the order.

Standard packaging is free – including plain boxes, mailers, tape, and the dunnage (bubble wrap, filler, etc.) required to pack items.

Shipping costs are specific to the packages you ship out, based on size, weight, etc.

Additional services are available for B2B orders, kitting, freight shipping, etc.

ShipBob Shipping Rates

ShipBob has contracts with many shipping carriers to secure the best possible shipping rates. Because of the high volume, their rates are better than what most small businesses can get.

Shipping rates vary from carrier to carrier. They also vary based on the size and weight of the package, the originating zone, the destination zone, and the delivery speed.

ShipBob will always use the best carrier for your specific packages, based on what shipping options you offer and what option your customers choose.

ShipBob Features

ShipBob offers nationwide fulfillment services with built-in inventory management software. With a large network of fulfillment centers across the country, merchants can get orders to customers quickly and affordably.

Inventory Management and Tracking

ShipBob’s software makes it easy to track and manage inventory in real-time. You’ll also get inventory alerts to avoid stock-outs. ShipBob integrates with many ecommerce platforms to make automation easy. With historical data, you’ll be able to make better inventory decisions based on customer demand and order trends.

2-Day Shipping

ShipBob’s 2-Day Express program allows merchants to offer customers fast shipping. Once a customer enters their shipping destination, ShipBob validates the zip code and checks inventory at the nearest fulfillment center in real-time.

The 2-Day Express program uses ground shipping only, saving merchants money compared to air-shipping. This allows for ecommerce shop owners to provide an Amazon Prime-like experience for their customers.

Global Warehouses

ShipBob has multiple warehouse locations across the globe, so you can keep inventory anywhere. The split inventory approach saves time and money.

Your customers receive inventory from the closest warehouse. You can track how much inventory is in each location from your dashboard.

With locations across the United States in major metro areas like New Jersey, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Chicago, ShipBob offers fast shipping to the vast majority of customers in the United States.

Additional USA locations include:

  • Woodridge, Illinois
  • Yorkville, Illinois
  • Louisville, Kentucky
  • Geneva, Wisconsin
  • Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
  • Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Chattanooga, Tennessee
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Ontario, California
  • Hillsboro, Oregon

International shipping is also available, with fulfillment centers in:

  • Melbourne, Australia
  • Ottawa, Canada
  • Kilkenny, Ireland
  • Feltham, UK
  • Heywood, UK

ShipBob’s receiving hours are Monday-Friday for all centers, except for certain U.S. federal holidays and international holidays. See our list of UK fullfillment centers.

Best in Class Technology

ShipBob owns their entire tech stack. As a merchant, you’ll have access to a dashboard where you can track inventory and orders in real-time.

ShipBob’s warehouses are managed with enhanced warehouse management software (WMS) to pick, pack, and ship orders more efficiently.

The WMS is linked to the merchant dashboard, so you have full visibility into the fulfillment process.

The cloud-based platform ensures you can access your customer portal to check stock levels from any device that has an internet connection.

Returns Processing

ShipBob helps merchants process customer returns simply so products are back on the shelf faster. As a merchant, you can choose how you want ShipBob to process the returns.

ShipBob will give customers a return link so they can generate their own return labels without needing to contact you. You’ll be able to track the returns process from start to finish.

If your company ever changes the return policy, you can adjust things in ShipBob to match.

ShipBob Integrations

ShipBob Integrations

ShipBob makes it easy to seamlessly integrate with major ecommerce platforms and marketplaces to automate the entire fulfillment process.

Ecommerce Integrations

No matter what ecommerce platform you use, ShipBob can work with you.

Ecommerce Platform Integrations
Deliverr
Falcon Fulfillment
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash
Simpl Fulfillment
Fulfyld
Badger Fulfillment
Phase V Fulfillment
ShipBob
eFulfillment Service
Red Stag Fulfillment
Rakuten Super Logistics
Amazon FBA
ShopifyEcommerce Integrations – Shopify
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
BigCommerceEcommerce Integrations – BigCommerce
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
WooCommerceEcommerce Integrations – WooCommerce
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
Adobe CommerceEcommerce Integrations – Adobe Commerce
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
WixEcommerce Integrations – Wix
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :

Shopify

All In One Commerce Solution Ecommerce Software And Point Of Sale Shopify

ShipBob will link to your Shopify or Shopify Plus store in a matter of minutes. Within a few clicks, you’ll link your store, then import products and orders.

When a customer places an order on your Shopify store, it’s automatically transferred to the ShipBob fulfillment center where the inventory is stored.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Fast Loading & Easy To Use
Excels With Multichannel Sales
1-Click Selling Apps Available
Weak at SEO/Content Marketing
Checkout Not Customizable
Apps Are Expensive
Value 4.0
Features 3.8
Performance 3.9
Ease of Use 4.9
Design & Themes 4.0
Integrations 4.6
4.2
Overall Score
User Rating
4.7
28 reviews

BigCommerce

BigCommerce

If your business uses BigCommerce, ShipBob makes it easy to automate the order fulfillment process. Link your store in a few minutes. Orders placed on your site will transfer to ShipBob for fulfillment.

Product
Summary
Ratings
BigCommerce
BigCommerce
Try For Free Review
Flexible and scalable.
Excels with multi-channel selling.
Strong SEO Performance.
Inconsistent loading speed.
High volume stores pay more.
No 1-Click Selling
Value 4.0
Features 3.9
Performance 4.5
Ease of Use 4.8
Design & Themes 3.8
Integrations 4.2
4.3
Overall Score
User Rating
4.7
27 reviews

WooCommerce

Woocommerce Sell Online With The Ecommerce Platform For WordPress

With the ShipBob WooCommerce integration, you can connect to your store so that as orders come in, they’re sent to ShipBob for fulfillment.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Woocommerce
Woocommerce
Try For Free Review
Best Platform For SEO
1-Click Selling Apps Available
Lots of Service Providers
Hosting Can Be Expensive
Difficult To Troubleshoot
Needs Lots of Extentions
Value 4.5
Features 3.9
Performance 3.1
Ease of Use 3.3
Design & Themes 4.3
Integrations 4.1
4.0
Overall Score
User Rating
4.8
3 reviews

Squarespace

Squarespace

ShipBob integrates with Squarespace to streamline the entire fulfillment process. Connect your store and send your inventory to ShipBob’s fulfillment centers. When customers place orders, they’ll automatically go to ShipBob for fulfillment.

Product
Summary
Ratings
SquareSpace
SquareSpace
Try For Free Review
Easy To Set Up
Great For Simple Stores
Stunning Template Designs
Limited Ecommerce Integrations
Limited Payment Gateways
No Phone Support
Value 3
Features 3.0
Performance 3.5
Ease of Use 3.8
Design & Themes 4.3
Integrations 2.5
3.4
Overall Score
User Rating
3.5
7 reviews

Multichannel Integrations

Selling from somewhere other than your online store? ShipBob centralizes all your orders to make management easier.

Amazon

If you’re selling on Amazon, you can use ShipBob to fulfill orders. However, ShipBob does not handle FBA or SFP fulfillment.

eBay

Selling items on eBay? Integrate ShipBob with your eBay store for fast and affordable fulfillment.

You’ll have more control over inventory management and customer communication. You’ll also get historical data and analytics to make better inventory decisions.

Backerkit

Considering a crowdfunding campaign and need an easy way to ship out rewards to your backers? ShipBob works with Backerkit. The direct integration automates reward fulfillment.

Shipping Integrations

Shipping Integrations
Deliverr
Falcon Fulfillment
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash
Simpl Fulfillment
Fulfyld
Badger Fulfillment
Phase V Fulfillment
ShipBob
eFulfillment Service
Red Stag Fulfillment
Rakuten Super Logistics
Amazon FBA
FedExShipping Integrations – FedEx
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
USPSShipping Integrations – USPS
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
UPSShipping Integrations – UPS
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
DHLShipping Integrations – DHL
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :

ShipStation

Shipstation

ShipStation is a web-based shipping software that helps online retailers streamline the order fulfillment process. If you use a platform ShipBob doesn’t integrate with, ShipStation can help. It serves as a bridge to connect ShipBob to your platform.

Open API

Your store not listed above? ShipBob has an open API that a developer can connect to your store.

Ease of Use

The ShipBob dashboard summarizes all your products and inventory that’s been distributed across all the warehouse locations.

You can easily set reorder notifications so that when your inventory reaches a certain point, you know it’s time to place another order with your supplier.

If you don’t set reorder notifications, ShipBob will still provide inventory alerts when it reaches a certain level at a fulfillment center.

Customer Support

ShipBob has a merchant care team available to help merchants with anything they need. Large volume customers have a dedicated account manager for fulfillment strategy support.

Customer Support
Deliverr
Falcon Fulfillment
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash
Simpl Fulfillment
Fulfyld
Badger Fulfillment
Phase V Fulfillment
ShipBob
eFulfillment Service
Red Stag Fulfillment
Rakuten Super Logistics
Amazon FBA
Dedicated AMCustomer Support – Dedicated AM
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
Phone SupportCustomer Support – Phone Support
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
Help CenterCustomer Support – Help Center
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
24/7 SupportCustomer Support – 24/7 Support
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :
Live ChatCustomer Support – Live Chat
Deliverr :
Falcon Fulfillment :
Ryder E-Commerce by Whiplash :
Simpl Fulfillment :
Fulfyld :
Badger Fulfillment :
Phase V Fulfillment :
ShipBob :
eFulfillment Service :
Red Stag Fulfillment :
Rakuten Super Logistics :
Amazon FBA :

The support team is available via phone and email. There’s a help center and a blog with resources to help you find answers, too.

The support team is also available to assist with onboarding customers.

ShipBob Alternatives

Compared to other 3PLs, ShipBob is the ideal fulfillment partner that delivers to a wide range of industries, small and large. They also provide the perfect formula that leads to fulfillment success by combining nationwide fulfillment centers with proprietary technology. However, there are a few alternatives to ShipBob.

Rakuten Super Logistics

Rakuten Super Logistics offers international fulfillment centers along with diverse shipping and warehousing options.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Rakuten Super Logistics
Rakuten Super Logistics
Try For Free Review
Leading Enterprise Solution
Specialty Fulfillment Services
Large U.S. Footprint
No Locations Outside Of U.S.
No Custom Packaging
Not For Startups
Value 3.5
Features 5.0
Customer Support3.0
Integrations 4.2
Ease of Use 4.0
4.0
Overall Score

Although they deliver a robust fulfillment service, they don’t specialize in working with independent ecommerce stores like ShipBob. If you’re running logistics for a large business (e.g., shipping 100,000 orders per month), Rakuten is probably your best bet.

Red Stag Fulfillment

Red Stag Fulfillment specializes in delivering packages greater than ten pounds and fulfilling high-value goods that require extra care.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Red Stag Fulfillment
Red Stag Fulfillment
Try For Free Review
Video Monitoring
Same-day Shipping
Experts with Bulky Products
Pricier
No Dedicated Account Manager
U.S. Based Locations
Value 4.0
Features 5.0
Customer Support3.0
Integrations 4.0
Ease of Use 4.5
4.1
Overall Score

They have only two warehouse locations, which may affect delivery timeframes. If you ship items over 50 pounds or over 48 inches long, Red Stag is your best option every time.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) gives Amazon sellers direct access to their fulfillment centers to store inventory, and Amazon ensures shipments meet Amazon Prime shipping standards.

Product
Summary
Ratings
Amazon FBA
Amazon FBA
Try For Free Review
Massive Global Footprint
Seller Tools and Reports
Top Choice For High Volume
Changing Amazon Rules
Limited Service Options
Limited Support Options
Value 5.0
Features 3.0
Customer Support2.0
Integrations 4.0
Ease of Use 4.5
3.7
Overall Score

Although this model can simplify the process for sellers, the downside is it can be costly and you’re not given as much control over your branding and customer interactions. FBA is your best option if you’re looking to ship Amazon Prime orders every time, but you can also split inventory, so FBA orders to stay through Amazon and have another 3PL provider like ShipBob handle website orders.

Is ShipBob Meant for Your Online Shop?

It’s no surprise that ShipBob delivers more than your traditional 3PL. They are the ideal partner that will help you efficiently fulfill orders as you scale your business. With ShipBob, you’ll be given the support, facilities, and technology you need so you can focus more time on being the owner rather than the operator.

That said, it’s not the right option for every online business. It’s best for small businesses that are shipping at least 100 products every month. If you’ve not hit that level yet, it may be more cost effective to handle your own shipping with USPS, FedEx, or UPS.

Larger businesses can also use ShipBob for order fulfillment, but may find other solutions more effective.

Leave Your ShipBob Reviews

If you currently use ShipBob, or have been a customer in the past, we’d love for you to leave a review. To provide value to our readers, we rely on ShipBob reviews from actual customers. Share your thoughts below.

ShipBob provides a tremendous amount of support to help you get started. If you’re interested in learning more about the leading, technology-enabled 3PL, visit www.shipbob.com.

About the author

Photo of author
Darren DeMatas
Darren has an MBA in Internet Marketing and 10+ years of experience marketing retail, manufacturing and Internet marketing corporations, 7-figure brands and startups online. Follow him on TwitterLinkedIn

User Reviews:

5/5 (1 votes)
Steve Staffan
June 2, 2021

They saved my business and have allowed me to grow quickly

I received my first round of inventory from my supplier, and 15,000 pairs of socks arrived at my apartment in downtown Chicago. That may have been the most stressful week of my life. One day after I received the inventory in my apartment, on November 23, the inventory was in ShipBob’s Chicago fulfillment center. By November 25, we were successfully shipping orders out to customers. Looking back, I’m still not sure how we pulled everything off, and I have no clue what I would have done without ShipBob. I probably would have recruited a ton of friends to pack boxes and bring hundreds of shipments to the post office at one time, which would be terrible. We went from zero units sold to 5,000 in the first month and have been growing ever since.

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