ShipBob is a third-party logistics provider that stores inventory and handles picking, packing, and shipping for e-commerce sellers. For a social enterprise selling fair-trade or artisan products online, it removes the need to run a warehouse and ship orders in-house, at the cost of real, itemized fulfillment fees worth understanding before committing.
Key features
- Inventory storage across a fulfillment center network
- Pick, pack, and ship service for incoming e-commerce orders
- Integration with major e-commerce platforms for automatic order routing
- Returns processing
- Reporting on inventory levels and order status
Pricing
| Fee type | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bin storage | $5/mo for 0.77 cubic feet |
| Shelf storage | $10/mo for 7.1 cubic feet |
| Pallet storage | $40/mo for about 60 cubic feet |
| Pick and pack (per order, first 4 items included) | $3.50 to $4.00 at 5,000 orders/mo, down to $2.50 at 100,000+ orders/mo |
| Additional items beyond 4 | $0.20 to $0.25 per item |
| Returns processing | $3 per return |
ShipBob enforces a combined monthly minimum of about $275 for fulfillment and storage charges. Setup fees range $0 to $300 but are commonly waived for merchants under 400 orders a month. Prices change over time. Figures above are based on third-party pricing coverage, confirm current fees and the order-volume threshold directly with ShipBob before committing.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Removes the need to run in-house warehouse and shipping operations, letting a small team focus on product and mission work | The roughly $275/month minimum is a real hurdle for a very small or early-stage social enterprise |
| Per-order pricing drops meaningfully at higher volume, rewarding growth | Additional charges (receiving fees, returns, per-item overages) can make total cost harder to predict than the headline per-order rate suggests |
| Multi-location storage can shorten delivery times to customers across a wider area | Integration and onboarding still take real setup time before the first order ships through the system |
Who it’s best for
A social enterprise with a genuine e-commerce operation selling physical products at real volume, where in-house fulfillment has become a bottleneck rather than a manageable task.
Skip it if your order volume is low enough that the roughly $275/month minimum would exceed what in-house or a smaller local fulfillment partner would cost. that minimum applies regardless of actual order count.
How to get started
Get a quote based on your actual order volume and product dimensions, and compare the full itemized cost, storage, pick and pack, and any receiving fees, against your current in-house fulfillment cost before switching.
FAQ
Is there a minimum order volume to use ShipBob? There is no stated minimum order count, but a combined monthly minimum of roughly $275 in fulfillment and storage fees applies regardless.
Are setup fees always charged? No, setup fees are commonly waived for merchants under about 400 orders a month, confirm current terms when getting a quote.
Does ShipBob handle returns? Yes, returns processing is available at a per-return fee.
Disclosure: Impact DOTS may earn a commission if you sign up for ShipBob through the links in this article. This does not change what you pay, and it does not influence which tools we choose to cover.
