Does your eCommerce business operate in Europe? Suppose it does, and youโre considering outsourcing order fulfillment, product storage, and shipping. In that case, finding a reputable and reliable order fulfillment company is imperative.
So, I'm shining a light on a few such companies to help you kickstart your search for the best fulfillment companies in Europe.
Weโll give you the lowdown on what they offer, their features, pros and cons, pricing, and who the service is best for.
That's a lot to cover, so let's explore some of the best options available.
In this article:
Best Fulfillment Companies in Europe for 2024
- ShipBob
- ShipMonk
- Huboo
- Amazon FBA
- Byrd
1. ShipBob
Having been around since 2014, ShipBob's an old hand at order fulfillment.
ShipBob operates across 220+ countries and boasts 110+ integrations, including a choice of popular eCommerce platforms and online marketplaces like Shopify, Amazon, BigCommerce, eBay, Squarespace, and Wix.
It has 30+ fulfillment centers across Europe, the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia. The European centers are located in Poland and the Netherlands, with a further three in the UK.
To get started:
- Integrate your store with ShipBob.
- Send ShipBob your products across your chosen fulfillment centers.
- Then, when a customer places an order on your store, itโs automatically sent to ShipBob, who picks, packs, and ships to the customer.
ShipBob Features
- ShipBob partners with reputable carriers like Spring Global, GLS, Royal Mail, Evri, Deutsche Post, DPD, and UPS.
- From ShipBobโs dashboard, you can view order updates, inventory status, storage and shipping costs, and more.
- A trackable returns management service is available.
- Custom-branded or plain packaging is free to use.
- Real-time order management tools (oversee orders from start to finish and automatically push tracking details to customers).
- Inventory management tools (easily view inventory status and quantity across fulfillment locations, identify slow-moving stock with high storage costs, get insights into product performance over time by channel, and more).
- Reporting and analytics tools
Pricing
The pricing tab on ShipBobโs website takes us to two pricing pages:
- Warehouse management service
- Outsourced fulfillment
In both cases, you have to contact ShipBobโs sales team for costs. But, the ShipBob resource center states that pick fees start at $0.20 per pick.
Pros
- ShipBob offers a good selection of integrations across various categories, including eCommerce and marketplaces, inventory management, return management, freight and shipping, and more.
- ShipBob offers 2-3 day shipping to 90% of the EU and UK and 2-day express shipping to 100% of the US.
- ShipBob has 40+ fulfillment centers, including two in Europe and three in the UK.
Cons
- Pricing information is sparse.
- Some users complain about inventory mix-ups at ShipBob warehouses.
- Some users arenโt satisfied with ShipBobโs customer support.
Who is it Best For?
As ShipBob offers 2-3 day shipping to most of Europe and the UK, ShipBob is best for companies looking to provide these kinds of shipping times. ShipBob also integrates with many eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, making it a viable option for most online sellers.
Further Reading
ShipBob Review (2023) โ The Ultimate Order Fulfillment Solution?
ShipBob vs Deliverr (2023): Choosing the Best Ecommerce Shipping Option
ShipBob vs ShipMonk (2023): A Complete Comparison
ShipBob vs. Shopify Fulfillment Network: Which is Better? (2023)
ShipBob vs Red Stag Fulfillment: A Comparison of Top 3rd-party Logistics (3PL) Providers
5 Best ShipBob Competitors and Alternatives for 2023
ShipBob vs. Shipstation: Which Is The Best Ecommerce Order Fulfillment Solution?
ShipBob vs. Amazon FBA: Which is Best for Fulfilment?
3. ShipMonk
ShipMonk is a third-party logistics platform for DTC eCommerce brands of varying sizes. Youโll get access to advanced order, inventory, shipping, and warehouse management software and benefit from a worldwide network of fulfillment centers. Eight are located in the US, then thereโs one piece in Canada, Mexico, the UK, and the Czech Republic, enabling ShipMonk to ship to 180+ countries.
Where European merchants are concerned, using ShipMonkโs warehouse in the Czech Republic enables you to achieve an average delivery time of two to five days.
ShipMonk also boasts 75+ plug-and-play integrations, including popular eCommerce shopping carts, online marketplaces, and inventory and warehouse management solutions. Notable names include Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, Wix, and Bigcommerce – to name a few!
Itโs also worth noting that ShipMonk advertises a 99.9% picking accuracy, which is pretty impressive!
Hereโs how ShipMonk works:
- You or your supplier ship products to one (or more) of ShipMonkโs fulfillment centers. If you split your inventory, ShipMonk automatically selects the warehouse that provides the quickest delivery time at the best price for your customer.
- Integrate your sales channels with ShipMonk to sync orders, inventory, returns, and more automatically.
- Upon receiving your wares, ShipMonk logs your inventory onto its system. This involves taking photos and measuring SKUs to ensure quality control and optimized shipping.
- When a customer orders, ShipMonk picks, packs, and ships the items directly to them. ShipMonk sends automated shipping confirmation emails with tracking details to your customers. Plus, you can even brand your tracking pages.
- Should a failed delivery occur (or something else goes wrong), you and your customers can utilize MonkProtect, an automated claims portal for filing, tracking, and resolving issues directly with ShipMonk.
Features
- Access to reputable carriers and discounted shipping rates from providers like USPS, FedEx, DHL, UPS, and more.
- Access to a โHappiness Engineerโ who can help coordinate and manage your freight (should this be a service you require). Your โHappiness Engineerโ can also help with any other questions.
- Returns management – You can easily create return shipping labels and receive alerts when returns arrive at ShipMonkโs warehouses.
- From your dashboard, you can view a breakdown of costs, orders, inventory unit numbers, and where youโre shipping most frequently.
- You can add new users to your ShipMonk account for free and edit user permissions.
- You can use custom packaging – I.e., promotional inserts, branded stickers, custom boxes, dunnage, etc.
โฆand more.
Pricing
ShipMonkโs pricing varies depending on which ShipMonk service you want (for the purposes of this review, weโre quoting ShipMonkโs eCommerce Fulfillment service).
To get a quote, you need to use ShipMonkโs pricing calculator to calculate pick fees for the monthly orders you wish to process (the more orders you process, the lower the costs).
For example, for 0-500 monthly orders, expect to pay:
- A $3.00 first-item pick fee (per order) and $0.75 for additional items
- $0.20 for promotional Inserts
- $2.00 + .50/additional item for returns processing
Next, you need to factor in your storage requirements. Each product SKU needs storage. Storage fees are as follows:
- A small bin: $1 a month
- A medium bin: $2 a month
- A large bin: $3 a month
- An X-large bin: $4 a month
- A Pallet $25 a month
There are also one-off costs to consider; however, I wonโt list them all due to space restrictions. You can find more pricing info on ShipMonkโs pricing page, from which you can also contact ShipMonk directly to receive a custom quote.
Pros
- Users praise ShipMonkโs helpful customer support agents and efficient onboarding process.
- ShipMonk is more transparent about its pricing than the majority of its competitors.
- Several Trustpilot users speak to ShipMonkโs reliability
- Some users mention that theyโve managed to make savings after using ShipMonk
Cons
- A few users have complained about miscounted and lost inventory
- Other users have grumbled about delayed shipments
Who is it Best For?
ShipMonk is a suitable 3PL for European eCommerce businesses of all sizes. Itโs certainly worth a second glance if branding is your priority. Not least because you can use branded packaging and customize your tracking pages.
Further Reading
ShipMonk Review (2023): An Order Fulfillment platform
ShipBob vs ShipMonk (2023): A Complete Comparison
3. Huboo
Huboo focuses on providing order fulfillment for the European and UK eCommerce markets. It has five order fulfillment centers in the UK and one a piece in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain.
Huboo has fulfilled 15,000,000+ products for 1,200+ clients in the last month and promises a 99.9% picking accuracy rate. It also integrates with 26 eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, including Shopify, WooCommerce, and eBay, and a further 18 tools covering CRM and marketing, tax, finance, inventory, order, and channel management.
When you sign up:
- Link your store to Huboo.
- Upload your products to the Huboo portal.
- You or your manufacturer send Huboo your products (you can send stock to multiple warehouses).
- When a customer places an order, Huboo picks, packs, and ships it via one of its many shipping partners, including DPD, DHL, Hermes, and domestic postal carriers.
Shipping times depend on the country youโre shipping to and from and the carrier you use. For example, in Germany and Spain, shipping tends to be between one to three days, whereas in the UK, itโs between one to two days. However, times arenโt shown for the Netherlands.
Features
- Huboo provides fulfillment solutions for those sending between one and 5,000+ packages a month
- Access to a network of European and UK fulfillment centers
- Free storage for two months
- 44 integrations are available, including popular eCommerce platforms
- You can track the daily costs of inbound goods and monitor stock levels and sales in real-time via Hubooโs dashboard
- A complete order fulfillment service, including pick, pack, and ship
Pricing
Hubbo stands out because its website actually lists its prices- mostly in one place! Costs depend on which region youโre in, and in each instance, youโll see a cost breakdown comprising of:
- Fulfillment and shipping per item
- Additional charges for added items
- Return handling costs
- Storage costs per item
EU and UK customers can sign up for one of four subscription plans in EUR or GBP. Plans include:
- Free storage for two months
- Product picking and sending when orders come in
- Access to Hubooโs dashboard
The plans are based on the number of monthly orders dispatched:
- Silver: limit of 300
- Gold: limit of 1,500
- Enterprise: limit of 5,000
- Corporate: 5,000+
Thereโs also a minimum monthly invoice value of โฌ375 or ยฃ375.
Pros
- Pricing is available and includes free storage for two months
- Huboo marketplace integrations, such as Wish, Etsy, and Wayfair.
- It has a high review rating of 4.7 out of five on Trustpilot
- It partners with several reputable domestic and international carriers
- Several users praise Hubooโs customer support and onboarding process
Cons
- The minimum invoice fee might not be affordable for really small businesses.
- If youโre looking for worldwide fulfillment center access, youโll have to look elsewhere.
- Some users complain that it takes a while to process new stock.
Who is it Best For?
Huboo is best for online marketplace sellers and eCommerce store owners in the UK; here, shipping takes one to two days. Itโs similarly viable for Germa and/or Spanish businesses; here, shipping tends to be between one to three days. Itโs also worth noting that this solution suits companies of all sizes, including tiny operations selling between one and 100 units a month.
4. Amazon FBA
Amazon FBA (fulfilled by Amazon) allows businesses to list their products on Amazon (and elsewhere) and store them in its fulfillment centers. Then, when an order comes through, Amazon picks, packs, and ships it. It also provides customer support and returns management for those products.
Recent statistics show there are 76 fulfillment centers in Europe, mainly in Germany and the UK, and The Amazon FBA site specifically refers to storing products in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, and Spain.
Eligible orders carry the Prime badge, guaranteeing free two-day shipping for Amazon Prime customers.
Hereโs how it works:
- When you sign up, you decide which products you wish to sell on Amazon using FBA.
- Amazon helps with this via its FBA opportunities tool within the Amazon Seller Central portal. This analyzes your catalog and suggests products to sell via Amazon FBA.
- Once ready, send your products to Amazonโs fulfillment centers- you can enable product storage in at least two of the countries mentioned above.
- Once received, your products are available for customers to buy on Amazon.
- When a customer buys one of your FBA products, Amazon picks, packs, and ships it.
Features
- Fast two-day shipping is available for eligible orders.
- Amazon FBA can facilitate worldwide deliveries and includes an extensive fulfillment network in Europe.
- Returns and customer service are handled for you.
- Amazon FBA offers a one-stop storage, pick, pack, and shipping service.
- Auto tracking of inventory
- Access to an โInventory Performance Dashboardโ – Here, you can access your Inventory Performance Index (IPI) score, monitor storage fees, benefit from personalized restock recommendations, track your inventory and supplier orders to meet product demand, and more.
Pricing
You can access all fees via the Amazon FBA website, including selling plans, fulfillment fees, and a pricing overview. However, in a nutshell, there are two core Amazon FBA fees:
- Fulfillment: These are per-unit fees for picking, packing, and shipping to customers and vary depending on the productโs size, weight, and category.
- Monthly inventory storage: This fee varies depending on the average volume of space your inventory occupies, product size, and the time of year
Amazon FBA has an FBA Revenue Calculator you can use to work out your anticipated costs.
Pros
- You can display the Prime badge on qualifying goods you sell on Amazon, which is great for building credibility and boosting your ranking.
- Access to the worldโs largest fulfillment network
- Fast delivery
- Fast pick and pack service
- Worldwide shipping is available.
Cons
- Amazon FBA costs can mount up.
- Some users report a surge of returns after using Amazon FBA – partly because of Amazonโs open return policy.
- Your external packaging is covered in Amazonโs branding, making it harder to establish your own brand identity.
Who is it Best For?
Amazon FBA is best for any Amazon seller wanting to outsource order fulfillment and quickly ship to customers in multiple locations.
Further Reading
What is Amazon FBA? What does Amazon FBA mean?
ShipBob vs. Amazon FBA: Which is Best for Fulfilment?
5. Byrd
Byrd describes itself as a cloud-based, โtech-driven third-party logistics and fulfillment company.โ I.e., It offers an order fulfillment service that includes warehousing, pick and pack, shipping, and returns.
Byrdโs website tells us that 99.42% of shipments are sent on time, and it has a fulfillment center network spanning 25+ locations across Europe and the UK.
More specifically, its centers are in:
- Austria
- France
- Germany
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Italy
- The UK
Byrd integrates with ten eCommerce and marketplace platforms, including Amazon FBM, WooCommerce, Shopify, and Prestashop.
Hereโs how it works:
- Integrate your sales channel with Byrd
- Send your products to Byrdโs warehouses- you can split your inventory across as many warehouses as you need.
- When your stock arrives, Byrd books it in.
- Then, when your customer orders come in, Byrdโs order fulfillment process (including shipping) starts the same day.
Byrd partners with 20 reputable carriers, including DPD, FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
Byrd Features
- Automated inventory updates
- Automatic shipment tracking is available.
- Byrd can fulfill orders to 120+ countries.
- You can offer customers a self-service returns portal for more efficient returns management.
- Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) – If youโre an Amazon seller, you can get Byrd to deliver your products with the โPrime badgeโ directly to your Amazon Prime customers from a Byrd warehouse.
- Same-day shipping on a national level
- Real-time inventory management from your Byrd dashboard
- Organic certification is possible thanks to best-before date and LOT tracking, as well as first-in, first-out product picking to help you move old stock.
- Byrd offers tailor-made packaging solutions, including tissue paper, ribbons, and marketing inserts.
Pricing
Although no prices are shown on Byrdโs website, I managed to find a few details about what its prices include:
- Acceptance of goods
- Storage
- Commissioning
- Packaging
- Dispatch
The following aspects of order fulfillment are also included free of charge:
- Access to a warehouse network of 25+ fulfillment centers throughout Europe
- Access to flexible shipping options (youโre not tied to a specific shipping service, allowing you to benefit from the cheapest and quickest shipping options)
- You can integrate Byrd with your online store with just a few clicks.
- Access to Byrdโs app
- Detailed shipment reports, including a breakdown of costs
- Access to real-time inventory levels
- Customer support
Pros
- Access to 25+ fulfillment centers located throughout Europe and the UK
- Byrds offers an end-to-end order fulfillment and returns service
- Its website goes into lots of detail about each stage of the fulfillment process
- The self-service returns portal makes it easy for customers to kickstart the returns process.
Cons
- No pricing is visible on its website
- Some users grumble about the quality of the packaging used.
- Some users complain about poor customer service and delays in order dispatches.
Who is it Best For?
Byrd is a good choice for businesses looking for same-day fulfillment with a company with sustainability in mind.
Further Reading
The Best Fulfillment Companies in Europe: My Final Thoughts
So, there you have it – weโve reached the end of my best fulfillment companies in Europe round-up. As you can see, there are plenty to choose from, each offering something slightly different. So, hopefully, this review helps you narrow down your options.
One final word of advice before we part- be sure to take advantage of any free demos and fulfillment software trials. Itโs also wise to drop their customer service team a message to clarify order processing and shipping times and total costs before making any final decisions.
Thatโs all from me – let us know which (if any) of these best fulfillment companies in Europe you opt for in the comments below!
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