You’ve crafted the perfect crowdfunding campaign and built an enthusiastic community of backers. Now comes the critical challenge that can make or break your crowdfunding success: getting your products into your backers’ hands quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively.
Choosing the right crowdfunding fulfillment partner isn’t just about shipping products—it’s about delivering on the promises you made to your backers and setting your business up for long-term success.
Need a trusted crowdfunding fulfillment partner? Red Stag Fulfillment offers seamless integrations for Kickstarter fulfillment and Indiegogo fulfillment, making your transition from funded campaign to fulfilled orders smooth and hassle-free.
Our experience with both small-batch rewards and large-scale campaigns means we can scale with you as your project grows.
Get a custom fulfillment quote now.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ve researched the best fulfillment companies to help you make an informed decision.
While we’re proud of our own crowdfunding fulfillment services, we recognize that different campaigns have different needs. That’s why we’ve created this unbiased comparison of leading fulfillment partners, their specializations, and what to look for when making your choice.
Why crowdfunding campaigns need to plan for fulfillment
When you’re thinking about your crowdfunding campaign, fulfillment is probably the last item on your list. After all, you should be so lucky to be so successful that you need crowdfunding fulfillment services. Initially, your focus is probably on the elements of your campagn. Your first job is to create a campaign that attracts enough backers to succeed. If you’re using a platform like Kickstarter, for example, you won’t even need fulfillment unless you reach your funding goal.
You shouldn’t leave fulfillment out of your calculations, however. If your campaign does succeed, you’ll need to have a good fulfillment plan in place. Forgetting to factor in the cost of shipping could turn your fantastic crowdfunding campaign into a money-loser.
ALERT: If you don’t factor shipping costs into your campaign, you may not ask for enough funding to pay for your rewards. This could leave you short on cash as you try to jumpstart your new business or product.
You can use crowdfunding as a way to start a new business or to launch a new product in your existing business. In either case, planning is the key to success. You need to choose the best fulfillment companies for your campaign. You also need to think about how you will provide your rewards if your campaign is successful. That means lining up manufacturing capacity. It also means developing a fulfillment plan.
PRO TIP: Find a fulfillment provider and figure out shipping and fulfillment costs before your campaign goes live.
How to find the best crowdfunding fulfillment company for your business
The particulars of your crowdfunding campaign will help you determine your best crowdfunding fulfillment company. It’s important to consider the best crowdfunding fulfillment choice for your project early in your campaign planning. The best crowdfunding campaign can fall short of its goals if your logistics are a mess.
Professional fulfillment is important if you are using crowdfunding to start a new business. Today’s supporters can become tomorrow’s loyal customers — if they have a good experience. And your Kickstarter fulfillment services can become your ongoing fulfillment company.
The best crowdfunding fulfillment company for you is the one that has experience with products like yours. Some fulfillment companies handle a range of products, while others specialize in small, large, or fragile items. If your products need special handling, such as keeping cool during storage and shipping, check out the details ahead of time. Make sure you pick a crowdfunding fulfillment company that provides the services that are most important to you.
Here are some of the best crowdfunding fulfillment companies. Pick the ones that match your needs and talk to a few of them to find the right fit.
What to look for in Kickstarter fulfillment
In this post, we will give you basic information on some of the best crowdfunding fulfillment companies. This information will point you in the right direction to start your fulfillment research. The factors to consider include:
Types of products the fulfillment company typically works with (specialization)
Platform integration
Minimums
Add-on services available
This post has information on the services and requirements of these top crowdfunding fulfillment companies:
Red Stag Fulfillment
Fulfillrite
Floship
ShipMonk
eFulfillment Service
Amplifier
InterFulfillment
Fulfillment specialization
The best crowdfunding fulfillment company for you is one that specializes in shipping rewards like yours. That could be small and light or heavy or fragile.
Red Stag Fulfillment
We integrate with major crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo and have experience handling a wide range of products—from big, heavy, and bulky items to smaller, high-value goods. We understand the unique fulfillment challenges that come with crowdfunding, such as sudden inventory spikes, tight delivery timelines, and the importance of making a strong first impression on backers.
Our services include same-day shipping, warehouse coverage that reaches 96% of the U.S. within two days, and inventory management policies designed to minimize shrinkage. We help ensure your backers receive what they pledged for—on time and in great condition—so you can stay focused on your launch.
Fulfillrite
Fulfillrite specializes in smaller, lightweight items with low SKU counts. For crowdfunding fulfillment, Fulfillrite can work with other items if they ship as-is.
ShipMonk
ShipMonk also specializes in smaller and lighter products, under 5 pounds and 24 inches. It works with a range of products, including apparel and cosmetics. The company is equipped to handle fragile and hazmat shipping. ShipMonk doesn’t work with products that are heavily FDA-regulated or need temperature-controlled conditions.
Floship
Floship has expanded beyond crowdfunding rewards that are made in China, and now can deliver backer rewards worldwide. The company has established the entire supply chain ecosystem for some partner campaigns. Combining 12 warehouse locations, powerful integrations, and a suite of AI tools, the company supports a broad range of products and partners. It notes that the main categories it deals with include fashion and apparel, consumer electronics, personal care, and high-ticket items.
EFulfillment Service
EFulfillment Service works with a broad range of products. You can ship your crowdfunded rewards directly from the manufacturer to eFulfillment Service. The company can do quality control and inspect your items, as well as packing and shipping.
Amplifier
Amplifier provides crowdfunding fulfillment for a range of crowdfunding rewards. It has experience shipping small, light, heavy, and fragile rewards. Amplifier also offers print-on-demand and screen printing services.
InterFulfillment
InterFulfillment considers itself a specialist in shipping all product types. Flexible service offerings for crowdfunding fulfillment are InterFulfillment’s stock in trade.
Buske Logistics
Buske Logistics is a long-standing third-party logistics (3PL) provider offering a nationwide network of warehousing and distribution centers. With nearly a century of experience, it manages everything from small consumer goods to heavier industrial products. Its services include receiving, inventory management, and pick-and-pack fulfillment, with real-time tracking to ensure visibility and timely delivery.
Crowdfunding platform integration
Almost all the best crowdfunding fulfillment companies can integrate with any crowdfunding platform. Each fulfillment company integrates with one or more of the most popular crowdfunding platforms. You can use a CSV upload, custom API, or open API to load orders from any crowdfunding platform. So, all the best fulfillment companies can essentially work with all crowdfunding platforms.
Crowdfunding fulfillment minimums
If you use a platform with no minimum for funding, you could end up with a small number of orders to process. Indiegogo is an example of this kind of crowdfunding platform. If you have only a few backers, you could decide to pack and ship rewards yourself.
However, there are advantages to using a professional crowdfunding fulfillment company. A professional fulfillment warehouse will do a better job of packing and shipping your rewards. Experienced packers can make the package appealing and ensure that the reward arrives safely. If your crowdfunding campaign is part of the launch of an ongoing business, outsourced fulfillment is an excellent choice. That way, you have a relationship with a fulfillment company. That company can continue to handle your order fulfillment as your business grows.
NOTE: Several of the best crowdfunding fulfillment companies have no minimums for your rewards fulfillment. However, some fulfillment companies do have minimums for ongoing shipping. On the other hand, some have minimums for crowdfunding, but not for monthly orders. If you plan to continue to use the 3PL service after your crowdfunding campaign, check its minimums.
Additional fulfillment services
The best crowdfunding fulfillment companies offer add-on services as well, such as light assembly and kitting. These additional services allow you to offer more exciting rewards to your backers on a shoestring budget.
Fulfillrite can do labeling and kitting and insert marketing materials into your rewards. The company will also personally guide first-time creators through the fulfillment process, step by step.
Floship offers advanced inbound receiving, custom packaging, and labeling. It can also handle marketing inserts and communication with clients in more than 12 languages. The company boasts more than 100 one-click integrations to make campaign and future product management easier.
ShipMonk does kitting and special projects, and sources custom packing. Plus, it can ship domestically and internationally, and offers shipment tracking.
EFulfillment Service helps crowdfunders with packaging and kitting. In addition, labeling, pre-order, and international shipping are no problem.
Easyship offers free logistics consultation and quotes to all backers and can work directly with manufacturers. It also has more than 250 shipping options, and will handle taxes, duties, VAT, and customs for every country in the world.
Amplifier can actually produce rewards. Its in-house services include screen printing, laser engraving, sticker production, poster printing, mugs, and skins. In addition, it has a supplier network for embroidery, book printing, and more.
InterFulfillment offers custom packaging and kitting, among numerous other custom services.
Each of these companies may offer additional fulfillment services. Don’t be shy about asking for more help and support from your crowdfunding fulfillment company.
Special challenges for crowdfunding fulfillment
The best crowdfunding fulfillment companies have seen the problems that can arise in fulfillment for crowdfunding campaigns. So, we asked them to highlight the special challenges of crowdfunding fulfillment. If you’re aware of the pitfalls, you may be able to avoid them.
ALERT: If you forget to factor shipping costs in your rewards pledges, you could end up losing money. This is one of the biggest mistakes that crowdfunded make. By the time you discover it, however, you may be stuck paying for shipping out of your own pocket.
Fulfillment can be complex and confusing. This is especially true if it’s your first time running a crowdfunding campaign. Choose a fulfillment company that can help you with the process.
If you ship rewards across borders, you’ll need to deal with customs. Customs can be a challenge, particularly if you ship to multiple countries. Make sure your fulfillment center is prepared to help you with this challenge.
DIM weight pricing can trigger higher shipping fees. This is a factor if your products ship in boxes that are too large. Fortunately, you can work with your crowdfunding fulfillment company to package your orders as efficiently as possible.
Don’t value low-cost fulfillment over crowdfunding backer experience. At the end of the day, what seems like the cheapest solution might end up costing you more. Don’t discount the value of your fulfillment company to be your partner in your crowdfunding campaign.
If your campaign has a long lead time between completion and fulfillment, costs such as shipping could go up. This is a particular concern for products with a long development cycle.
7 tips for successful kickstarter fulfillment
The crowdfunding 3PL companies also shared some great tips for successful crowdfunding fulfillment.
Research your fulfillment company
01
Find out what kind of customer service and support you can expect from your fulfillment partner.
Find out shipping costs ahead of time
02
Get your crowdfunding fulfillment company to give you quotes for shipping and fulfillment costs. Make sure you understand any special shipping requirements for your rewards. Do a shipping cost analysis that includes international shipments before you set rates for your project.
Communicate target dates with your fulfillment company
03
Tell your crowdfunding 3PL service company when to expect your inventory. Communicate your target ship date as well.
Limit backer reward combinations
04
It can complicate your fulfillment if you have too many different orders going out. Shoot for a small number of possible combinations with at least 50 customers in each batch. Don’t include too many SKUs in one campaign.
Choose a fulfillment company with crowdfunding experience
05
The best crowdfunding fulfillment companies have trained and experienced staff. These crowdfunding pros can help you understand fulfillment and avoid costly mistakes.
Plan for transmitting order data
06
Make a plan for collecting and conveying order data to your fulfillment warehouse. Don’t wait until the last minute to figure out how to give the data to your crowdfunding fulfillment service. Try to transmit the orders as you receive survey results. Sending them in one giant batch can cause headaches.
Model your rewards shipping ahead of time
07
Spec out your packaging and shipping costs based on the weight and dimensions of each of your items. Your fulfillment company can be a great resource to help with this process.
PRO TIP: The right fulfillment partner doesn’t just ship your rewards—they become a strategic partner in your campaign success. Choose a company that can grow with you as your business expands beyond the launch phase.
