ShipBob vs. Shipfusion: A Complete Comparison

ShipBob and Shipfusion are both popular third-party logistics (3PL) providers among ecommerce businesses—but they offer different features and price points, so deciding which to use isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision.

As you’re looking for a 3PL provider for your ecommerce businesses, this guide will help you hammer out the details of these two popular options. We’ll cover the pros, cons, features, and cost-effectiveness of each one, and present you with another viable option for alternative shipping needs.

ALERT: While ShipBob and Shipfusion excel at fulfilling small items, they’re not equipped for larger products.

Their automated warehouses can’t accommodate larger items efficiently, and if your products are more than 20 lbs or have bulky dimensions, you’ll be paying more than you should.

If you sell large products, you need a 3PL that specializes in big, heavy, and bulky fulfillment.

Red Stag Fulfillment is an industry leader in big, heavy, and bulky fulfillment. Our warehouses and processes are designed for the big stuff, and we’ve negotiated deep discounts with national carriers for shipping big items that most 3PLs can’t match.

If you sell small stuff, keep reading. ShipBob or Shipfusion may be a great match.

If you sell large stuff, reach out today to learn how we can streamline your fulfillment.

Main differences between ShipBob and Shipfusion 

Order accuracy rates and the percentage of on-time orders are close to 100% for both ShipBob and Shipfusion. The main differences between them lie in the number of fulfillment centers they have, their shipping partner options, and their ideal use cases. 

ShipBob may be a better fit for larger brands that want to start selling internationally. But startups or established brands that have complex inventory fulfillment needs or require a wider range of shipping solutions may find ShipFusion more beneficial. 

Pros and cons of ShipBob 

PROS:

Warehouse management system (WMS) that makes it easy for businesses to centralize different processes across all sales channels and marketplaces

International scalability with multiple international order fulfillment centers

Dedicated account manager for prompt, high-quality assistance 

Integrations with all major ecommerce platforms for streamlined fulfillment

2-day express shipping option to get products to customers faster 

 

CONS:

WMS limited to businesses with a U.S.-based warehouse

WMS may not be suitable for smaller brands that fulfill orders at home

WMS is unavailable for products containing hazardous materials

Higher costs for certain services

NOTE: Fulfillment pricing is highly complex. Obtaining a quote allows you to see if ShipBob costs are actually more expensive for your business.

Pros and cons of Shipfusion 

PROS:

Fulfillment solutions for many types of inventory/product categories, such as subscription boxes, cosmetics, and sporting goods 

Dedicated account manager for quality customer support 

Integrations with all major platforms for streamlined processes

User-friendly inventory management software

CONS:

Limited number of fulfillment centers 

NOTE: More fulfillment centers may mean more complexity in dividing inventory across centers and higher costs for upfront inventory, transportation to centers, and 3PL services overall.)

Choosing the right 3PL provider for your ecommerce fulfillment needs 

Partnering with a fulfillment company that offers the best fit for your business can lead to better efficiency, higher cost savings, scalability, and other benefits. Ask yourself the following key questions to make the right 3PL decision for your ecommerce business.

• Are faster shipping speed options and tech integrations your top priority?
  If so, ShipBob may be a better fit. ShipBob’s two-day express shipping services allow you to get products delivered faster for greater customer satisfaction, and their WMS simplifies inventory, shipment, and returns management for offline and online sales channels. 
• Do you need customized or personalized touches for complex products?
  If so, Shipfusion might be better for your business. Shipfusion can fulfill a variety of products, from supplements and food/beverages to books and toys. 
• What is your international order volume?
  If you ship internationally—especially in large volumes—ShipBob may better meet your needs. Shipfusion isn’t currently designed to handle high-volume international fulfillment. 
• What are your business’s scalability needs?
  If you have plans to expand your business to international markets, ShipBob may be the better option. But if you plan to expand the kinds of products you offer, Shipfusion’s product fulfillment versatility may be more helpful. 
• Do you need to ship big, heavy, or bulky items?
  If so, consider an alternative like Red Stag Fulfillment. We specialize in fulfilling large products, whereas ShipBob and ShipFusion both cater to smaller items. 

How Red Stag Fulfillment fits into the equation

At Red Stag, we’re committed to exceptional service, and we’re a great alternative for ecommerce businesses with unique fulfillment needs that providers like ShipBob and Shipfusion can’t accommodate. Here’s what you can expect from our 3PL fulfillment services:

Accuracy and specialized handling 

Order accuracy is essential for ecommerce businesses. While ShipBob and Shipfusion do have high accuracy rates, Red Stag has an industry-leading 99.999% order accuracy rate, thanks to our commitment to excellence and our zero-shrinkage guarantee. 

We don’t believe shrinkage should be a cost of doing business with us—if your items are damaged or lost, we cover the wholesale price. If we make a mistake, we’ll make it right on our dime.

We also offer tailored workflows and custom packaging solutions to make sure heavy or large products reach customers without damage or delays.  

Scalability for brands with unique needs 

Our ability to scale operations seamlessly is ideal for ecommerce businesses that experience seasonal surges or growth. This scalability helps ensure that they always have the right amount of inventory available when they need it. 

While there are plenty of viable 3PL providers out there that cater to high volumes of small products, we specialize in handling large, bulky items—an invaluable service for brands that need the right support for this type of inventory. 

Supporting FBM sellers with high-touch service 

At Red Stag, we’re proud to offer high-touch customer service with a personalized approach. This helps ensure consistent fulfillment performance, even as businesses expand. 

Maintaining control over branding and managing logistics are common challenges for Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM) sellers. At Red Stag Fulfillment, we help sellers tackle both of these issues, so they can manage logistics with the same precision as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). 

Red Stag’s solutions also include Seller Fulfilled Prime for large products, allowing FBM sellers to benefit from Prime branding and boost sales potential. 

Making the right 3PL choice for ecommerce growth 

Choosing a 3PL provider who suits your specific needs is an important part of achieving growth—and continued success. If your ecommerce brand sells a lot of smaller items with simple shipping requirements, ShipBob or Shipfusion may be the right choice. 

But for specialized handling of bulky or large items, Red Stag may be a better fulfillment partner. We’re committed to providing industry-leading accuracy, support, and satisfaction, and we’ll get your complex or large shipments where they need to be—safely and efficiently.

Contact us today to see if our fulfillment services are the right fit for your ecommerce needs.