In this article, I'm looking at two fulfillment providers, ShipBob and ShipHero. Here, we'll explore how they work, their pros and cons, and answer some FAQs so that, hopefully, by the end of this comparison, you’ll better understand whether ShipBob or ShipHero are for you.
But first, for anyone who just wants the headlines for now, here are some of my key findings:
- ShipBob and ShipHero both offer a warehousing and order fulfillment service for businesses keen to provide customers with fast shipping and order fulfillment.
- ShipBob focuses more on small and mid-sized businesses, whereas ShipHero is more aimed toward larger operations.
- Both platforms offer a good number of integrations with eCommerce platforms, online marketplaces, shipping carriers, and more.
- Both boast impressive accuracy rates, with ShipBob at 99.95% and ShipHero at 99%.
- ShipBob has fulfillment centers in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, and Australia, whereas ShipHero’s are in the US and Canada.
That's enough preamble; let's dive into the nitty-gritty of this ShipBob vs ShipHero review:
ShipBob: The Verdict
ShipBob’s website says it’s designed to support startups and mid-sized businesses. Overall, enterprises operating to and from the US may be best served by ShipBob, given that most of its fulfillment centers are located here, and that’s where its fastest shipping option is available.
That said, ShipBob has centers in previously mentioned locations, so it’s still a viable option for European, UK, and Australian companies.
It’s also worth reiterating that its customization suite and warehouse management service are particularly attractive to businesses looking to promote their brand and streamline their order fulfillment and shipping processes.
ShipHero: The Verdict
Overall, ShipBob seems to offer a fulsome fulfillment service. However, although you can ship internationally, I think it’s best suited to larger US-based businesses because all its fulfilemnt centers (bar two) are based here.
It would also be a better fit for companies with access to iOS devices, as, at the time of writing, it doesn’t seem to offer an app for Android users.
I also like that many aspects of its website are transparent, such as shipping times, and there’s plenty of detail about warehouse management and fulfillment offerings.
Your Guide to ShipBob
ShipBob has been around since 2014 and is aimed at small to medium-sized businesses.
Its website tells us it has a 99.95% order fulfillment accuracy rate for the 7,000+ businesses it partners with.
ShipBob operates globally across its 40+ fulfillment centers, most based in the US (35). However, it also has fulfillment centers in Australia (2), the UK (3), Canada (1), and Europe (2). It partners with domestic and international shipping carriers, including FedEx, Evri, DHL, Australia Post, Royal Mail, USPS, and UPS.
ShipBob offers fast shipping. For example, across 100% of the US, it provides 2-day express shipping, and for 90% of European and UK consumers, 2-3-day shipping is available.
Suppose you sell via Facebook, Google, Instagram, Shopify, or Walmart, and you opt to offer 2-day express shipping. In that case, you can display ShipBob’s 2-day shipping badge to highlight to prospective customers that they’ll receive their products quickly.
ShipBob also offers its:
- Customization Suite: You can showcase your brand with custom packaging, marketing inserts, stickers, barcodes, gift notes, and more. It’s worth noting that ShipBob doesn’t charge extra for marketing inserts, shipping labels with your brand name, standard plain packaging, or custom-branded boxes. However, it does charge $0.50 per printed gift note, and there are fees for barcodes, labels, and stickers.
- Reporting and analytics tools: These provide details on stock levels, average order delivery times, order fulfillment numbers, and more.
It’s also worth noting that ShipBob has 110 integrations, including eCommerce platforms and marketplaces such as BigCommerce, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and eBay. You’ll also find integrations in the following categories:
- Accounting, tax, and financing
- Branding, marketing, and web development agencies
- Ecommerce marketing, CRM, and customer support
- Ecommerce custom packaging and design solutions
- Freight and shipping solutions
- Inventory and order management
- Returns management platforms
With all that said, here’s how ShipBob works (in a nutshell):
- Connect your store with ShipBob
- Send ShipBob your products
- ShipBob stores the products in its fulfillment centers
- When a customer places an order, ShipBob picks, packs, and sends the order to its end destination
The Pros and Cons of Using ShipBob Fulfillment
Pros 👍
- It has an impressive 99.95% order fulfillment accuracy rate.
- It offers 2-day express shipping to 100% of the US and 2-3-day shipping for 90% of the EU and UK.
- Fulfillment centers are located worldwide.
- Its warehouse management service (WMS) is a comprehensive out-of-the-box solution offering inventory, order, transportation, and warehouse management, a pick and pack service, analytics and reporting tools, and dedicated support (available Monday to Friday during business hours).
- Shipping is available to 220+ countries and territories.
Cons 👎
- Although you can find information on storage fees and pricing for additional services, such as labor costs per country, ShipBob doesn’t provide many pricing details on its website. Instead, you have to contact its sales team for a quote. I think users could benefit from a pricing calculator and/or better visibility of their shipping partners' prices.
- ShipBob doesn’t offer native integrations for Etsy, Wish, or Groupon.
Your Guide to ShipHero
ShipHero has been around since 2013 and offers a complete order fulfillment and shipping service to large D2C and Fortune 500 eCommerce businesses. Its website states it has a 99% order fulfillment accuracy, offers 30% faster shipping, and a 35% reduction in warehouse costs.
ShipHero has shipped over 100 million orders with an average shipping time of 3.5 days from the warehouses they fully own and operate. There are nine warehouses in total, located in Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida (2), Nevada, Utah, California, and Canada (2).
It splits its core offering into two:
- Its warehouse management system: This is for users with their own warehouses to manage and includes order and return management, inventory management, an iOS mobile app for those picking and packing products, real-time shipping prices, and reporting and analytics tools.
- Fully outsourced order fulfillment: As you may have guessed, this service is best for those looking to outsource order fulfillment. This includes access to PostHero, the platform’s shipment tracking feature, custom packaging, white glove account management (I.e., a personalized service), and ParcelView, where images are taken of packages ready to be shipped before leaving the warehouse.
As for shipping, there are three options. In each instance, prices are based on package weight and desired delivery speed:
- Standard shipping: Three to seven days – Orders received before 12 p.m. (ET) will be shipped the same business day (Monday-Friday).
- 2-day expedited shipping: Available for the lower 48 US states only – Orders received before 1 p.m. (ET) are shipped the same business day.
- Overnight expedited shipping: Again, this is only available for the lower 48 US states – Orders of a 20lb maximum weight received before 1 p.m. (ET) will be shipped the same day, Monday-Friday.
For all the above, there’s extended pricing for US territories, including Hawaii, Alaska, and others, plus extra for shipping on Saturdays and Sundays during peak seasons.
ShipHero partners with a wide range of domestic and international carriers, including Australia Post, Canada Post, FedEx, DPD, DHL, and many more.
ShipHero also offers a good range of one-click integrations (68), including popular eCommerce platforms and marketplaces like BigCommerce, Magento2, MyStoreNo, Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Google Shopping, and Walmart.
Aside from the integrations mentioned above, there are others organized into the following categories:
- Returns management
- Shipping carriers
- Integration partners
- Other (such as Klaviyo and Inventory Planner)
To get going with ShipHero, contact their sales team first for a more accurate quote and help with account setup.
However, we do know the following about ShipHero’s pricing:
- Flat rate fees include one pick per shipment and an additional charge of $0.33 per pick per shipment.
- Flat rate fees also include packing, the box, and postage.
- Labor costs are under $1.50 per package.
The Pros and Cons of Using ShipHero Fulfillment
Pros 👍
- ShipHero offers a good list of integrations, including well-known online marketplaces and eCommerce platforms.
- It offers three clear options for shipping, including how long each option takes, and the opportunity for overnight shipping is impressive.
- A solid range (41) of local and international carriers is available.
- Its inventory management software looks robust. It includes a dashboard from which you can overlook inventory counts, reorder and replenish inventory levels, manage multi-warehouse inventory allocation, oversee kitting, order tracking, and more.
- You can view built-in reports from your dashboard, including inventory levels, shipment reports, sales numbers, and more. In addition, ShipHero offers a customization option where customers can create super-detailed custom reports, such as a location usage report that shows where your current items are and what storage space might be available. However, this comes at an extra charge of $200/month for the first report and $15-$30 per additional report.
Cons 👎
- There are no warehouse fulfillment centers outside the US, making it less suitable for global operations.
- Understandably, each business has its own needs that likely require a tailored fulfillment solution. Still, like ShipBob, it’s frustrating that there isn’t greater price transparency. You have to wade through different FAQs on each feature page and via the help center to find a breakdown of costs. We eventually found some pricing info in the FAQs for warehouse management and 3PL software. Still, there’s no pricing tab on the homepage to simplify this.
- Some reviewers complain about slow shipping, poor customer service, high fees, and other issues, including slow service during peak season.
ShipBob vs ShipHero: FAQ
Do both ShipBob and ShipHero offer international shipping?
Yes, both offer this as an option, given they both partner with international couriers such as DHL.
Do they outsource their warehouses?
ShipHero owns all its warehouses and manages its entire operation with its own employees.
Similarly, ShipBob originally owned all its warehouses. However, as they expanded, they now only own ten of its centers (which ones are unspecified).
What types of customers use ShipBob and ShipHero?
It’s a real mix.
ShipBob and ShipHero’s websites provide examples of successful case studies.
For example, some of ShipBob’s most noteworthy customers include herbal supplement brands Peak and Valley, Hero cosmetics, and gaming company 100 Thieves.
ShipHero includes retail company Canada Tire, men’s skincare business Black Wolf Nation, and Primitive Skateboarding.
ShipBob vs ShipHero: My Final Verdict
Phew! We’re finally at the end of this ShipBob vs ShipHero review. Hopefully, you now have enough information to better understand what these services offer and which might be best for you.
Overall, I think ShipBob is aimed more toward small and mid-sized businesses in the US and internationally.
In contrast, ShipHero only has US and Canada-based warehouses and seems to gear itself more towards larger businesses, including those with their own warehouses to manage.
Ultimately, it’s up to you which you partner with. However, I would advise contacting both sales teams to better understand their prices, as neither makes it easy to research those yourself.
Are you ready to try ShipBob or ShipHero? Let us know in the comments box below.
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