Top 10 Shipping and Fulfillment Solutions for Ecommerce Businesses
Accurate shipping and fulfillment options are integral criteria in today’s ecommerce planet if you want to conserve heightened customer satisfaction and stay prosperous along the way. A platform that offers these services at its best can simplify your logistics, diminish costs, guarantee on-time delivery, and automate processes simultaneously.
That said, we aim to discuss the top 10 shipping and fulfillment platforms in our guide today. Each of these tools handles the needs of businesses in different sizes. They empower ecommerce companies to scale in a flash and sweeten their customer experiences.
1. ShipStation
ShipStation is a distinguished and potent shipping and fulfillment platform that works to simplify ecommerce operations. It consolidates shipments from over 100 selling channels—including marketplaces, ERPs, and CRMs—to help businesses automate shipping tasks, save money, and present a sweet customer experience.
One notable feature of ShipStation is its access to discounted shipping rates. It helps users save up to 90% on major carriers like UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL Express, and GlobalPost. The platform offers a rate comparison tool to assist you in discovering the lowest shipping cost for parcels of any size and destination, thereby saving time and resources.
ShipStation makes the shipping process as effortless as possible thanks to its complete package of tools such as scan-based workflows, bulk updates, and automated configurations. Labels can be printed separately or in batches. Plus, tracking information is updated automatically for both the customer and the selling channel immediately after the shipment.
Considering ShipStation’s broad set of carrier and channel integrations, it can certainly make ecommerce fulfillment faster, more affordable, and more efficient. This way, it helps businesses scale, and at the same time, conserve their top services.
2. ShipBob
ShipBob is an end-to-end fulfillment platform that enables ecommerce businesses to optimize their logistics and provide an unprecedented customer experience. Thousands of brands trust this platform because it delivers a versatile combination of services such as:
- Warehousing
- Order packing
- 2-day shipping
- Returns management
- Inventory tracking
The platform comes with a comprehensive fulfillment network that strategically stores inventory across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia. It minimizes shipping costs and expedites the delivery process. Even with just one fulfillment center, businesses can enjoy 100% two-day shipping coverage across the US.
ShipBob can work with a plethora of major ecommerce platforms like Shopify, Amazon, TikTok, and over 100 others, thereby presenting omnichannel fulfillment. It allows users to effortlessly manage their inventory, automate their workflows, and track real-time stock levels to prevent stockouts/overselling.
The platform also supports B2B and wholesale operations. It complies with retailer standards regarding packing slips and dropshipping. ShipBob’s customization features help the user enjoy custom packaging, include marketing inserts, and add branded labels, hence their sweetened branding. Plus, its proprietary warehouse management system (WMS) lets businesses with their own warehouse access the platform’s mighty tools.
3. Easyship
Easyship is like an all-in-one ecommerce shipping platform. It simplifies logistics, minimizes costs, and sweetens the customer experience. The complete set of its tools enables businesses of any size to save on labels, automate workflows, and integrate with over 60 ecommerce platforms.
One of Easyship’s notable benefits is its access to exclusive discounts—up to 91%—on shipping rates from more than 550 domestic and international couriers, including USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Its automated comparison feature assists you in discovering the cheapest and fastest courier for any shipment.
In the case of global shipping, Easyship shines as it delivers tools to calculate taxes and duties automatically, streamline customs clearance, and offer highly affordable international shipping options. This helps the user ship locally and simply expand into new markets.
What’s more, Easyship maximizes customer satisfaction as it comes with branded experiences—including customized packing slips, notification emails, and personalized tracking pages. Its intuitive dashboard lets the user manage anything like generating labels, scheduling pickups, and monitoring shipping expenses.
4. Shippo
Shippo is a potent shipping platform that can simplify/scale logistics for any business. Its tools can genuinely blend into your workflow so you can save time, diminish costs, and present tremendous customer experiences.
The platform helps you access discounted rates from over 40 global carriers—including USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL Express. Whether you’re a small business or an enterprise operation, Shippo’s multi-carrier platform helps you find the best rates and delivery options.
On the platform, some features that expedite all processes include bulk label printing, shipping automation, and pre-filled customs forms. For ecommerce businesses, Shippo can merge with almost all major platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and Etsy. It automatically syncs orders so you can manage shipments from multiple stores all in one dashboard.
Furthermore, Shippo’s international shipping capabilities provide you with tools for generating customs forms and pre-filling required documentation, which makes global expansion effortless. It also enhances the customer experience with branded tracking pages and easy returns.
What’s more, Shippo’s modern tools such as real-time ETA updates and comprehensive tracking details let customers know about all steps. Both small businesses and high-volume ones will enjoy using the platform’s scalable solutions and powerful analytics.
5. ShipHero
ShipHero is a rich shipping and warehouse management platform. It’s been meticulously designed to boost efficiency and accuracy for ecommerce stores. Thanks to its modern tools and unquestionable integrations, ShipHero strengthens you to enhance your warehouse operations, lessen costs, and handle customer demands in a flash.
The powerful WMS system of ShipHero delivers exceptional results, including over 99% shipping accuracy rate, 30% faster shipping times, and a 35% reduction in operational costs. It comes with mobile pick-and-pack technology that boosts picking efficiency threefold as it guides pickers with optimized routes and barcode scanning.
Comprehensive integrations with platforms like Shopify and Amazon in ShipHero simplify order management. Also, real-time carrier rate shopping helps you always find the most affordable shipping options. Plus, the platform supports automation rules such as:
- Smart warehouse routing
- Address validation
- Shipping method mapping
- Automatic order notes
- Automatic partial shipping
- Setting prioritized customers
Furthermore, inventory management is another notable feature of the platform. It enables real-time communication with sales channels, multi-warehouse allocation, replenishment alerts, and cycle counting. Also, built-in reporting tools help you dig into sales, inventory, and picker/packer efficiency.
6. Ordoro
Ordoro is a comprehensive shipping and fulfillment software. It can strongly streamline operations, diminish costs, and eliminate errors for ecommerce businesses. Deep discounts of up to 89% on USPS and 82% on UPS on Ordoro are what help you access the best shipping rates.
It is needless to say how critical accuracy is in ecommerce. That’s why Ordoro handles widespread shipping mishaps with features like barcode scanning, order verification, and optimized pick-and-pack workflows. These tools guarantee that the right products are shipped to the right customers for every shipment.
Ordoro’s automation features enable bulk label printing, automated tagging, and customizable shipping presets. It simplifies managing fulfillment by merging all your carriers, sales channels, and ship-from locations. Plus, it supports unlimited users, hence a wonderful platform for scaling businesses.
Ordoro’s intuitive design helps you learn it with no sweat. Businesses can get up and run immediately without much training. Also, the platform’s support team consists of real people instead of AI bots, which is critical for the majority of customers.
7. AfterShip
AfterShip is a strong multi-carrier shipping software. It can streamline fulfillment, cut costs, and simplify shipment management for thriving ecommerce businesses. AfterShip makes it effortless to expand into new markets because of its neat integration with over 119 carriers and platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce.
The platform’s Order Management Portal consolidates all ecommerce orders and eases fulfillment from multiple sales channels. Its automation features help businesses pre-fill shipping details, choose optimal shipping options, and manage growing shipment volumes in a breeze.
AfterShip simplifies label generation. It delivers certified carrier labels and instant order placement across its broad network, which spans more than 87 counties. In the case of international shipping, AfterShip simplifies complex customs and regulations as it automatically generates invoices and populates instructed information.
The real-time rate calculation feature of the platform compares rates and delivery times. Also, state-of-the-art features such as Shipping API and Address Validation API boost accuracy, enhance delivery rates, and minimize shipping errors.
Some other notable features of the platform are:
- Discounts of up to 90% with USPS
- Support for multiple carrier accounts
- Shipment visibility dashboard
- Exchange for other items
- High protection at cart or checkout
8. Stamps.com
Stamps.com is widely recognized as a mighty ecommerce shipping software. It can integrate with premier platforms such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and PayPal to simplify the fulfillment process. The platform mainly works best for small businesses and online sellers as it enables users to import orders, print USPS shipping labels, and manage shipments with no sweat.
Automatic order import in Stamps.com retrieves data directly from well-known marketplaces and payment processors so you don’t have to enter them manually. It supports data imports in various formats like XML, CSV, and SQL to make sure it fits diverse systems. Its Postal Analyzer feature helps sellers save time and minimize errors as it detects inconsistencies in order and shipping data.
Thanks to Stamps’ simple label printing, users can batch-print multiple labels or print selectively based on product type, package size, or sales channel. When an order is processed, the software automatically updates tracking information on platforms like Amazon and eBay, hence the sweetened customer satisfaction. What’s more, Stamps offers exclusive USPS discounts that are unavailable at post offices.
9. Endicia
Endicia is a wonderful shipping platform for businesses that depend on USPS for fulfillment. It integrates discounted USPS rates and advanced shipping features to ease both domestic and international logistics for ecommerce sellers.
Automation capabilities are among Endicia’s top features. They minimize human error and save time as they set up custom shipping rules. These features of the platform allow it to automatically:
- Pick the best rates
- Cleanse addresses
- Generate USPS-compliant labels
- Update tracking information
- Offer multi-warehouse visibility
Endicia can smoothly merge with warehouse, transportation, and ERP management systems. It supports XML import/export, ODBC connectivity, and web-service APIs. This helps the platform easily connect with multi-carrier shipping and warehouse management solutions.
For global shipping, Endicia’s Global Advantage Program simplifies all complexities of international shipping. The program comes with effortless customs handling, free service upgrades, reduced returns, and covering up to $200 at no additional fees.
10. ShippingEasy
As its name suggests, ShippingEasy delivers a straightforward and efficient shipping platform for ecommerce businesses. It handles all steps from small-scale operations to multi-location fulfillment. This way, the platform centralizes order management and eases the shipping process.
The intuitive interface of ShippingEasy lets sellers import orders automatically from platforms like marketplaces, websites, or multiple sales channels. The platform provides access to some of the lowest USPS and UPS rates available. Plus, it offers discounts on international shipping through GlobalPost.
ShippingEasy automates workflows through routing pick lists, packing slips, and shipping labels to appropriate printers. Its rule-based automation makes sure optimal fulfillment locations are picked based on inventory levels, proximity to the destination, and processing capacity.
The platform’s user-friendly interface eases the shipping process with no need for technical expertise. Sellers can benefit from comprehensive support as shipping experts are available during setup and after that.
Key Features Summary
To summarize the key features of these platforms, take a look at the table below. Just note that the availability of some features may hinge on your subscription plans and regional services.
Feature | Ship Station | Ship Bob | Easyship | Shippo | Ship Hero | Ordoro | After Ship | Stamps .com | Endicia | Shipping Easy |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Warehousing | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Order Packing | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
Shipping Discounts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Returns Management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Inventory Tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Multi-Channel Integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Automation Features | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
International Shipping | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Customizable Branding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Customer Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Final Words
A shipping and fulfillment platform, if chosen correctly, can revamp your ecommerce business and boost your customer satisfaction. Each of these platforms we talked about today come with one-of-a-kind features such as cost-effective shipping rates, comprehensive automation, global logistics capabilities, and more.
Even if you’re running a small business, investing in a dependable platform helps you handle your operations smoothly. Just try to carefully assess your business needs and explore these options to pick one that fits your demands and places your business on the summit of success.
About the Author
Robert Koch – experienced SaaS application designer and business optimization through automation consultant. An avid home brewer and cheesemaker in his spare time.