Shopify ShipBob Integration: 3PL Fulfillment Guide (2025)

ShipBob provides 3PL fulfillment for scaling Shopify brands. This guide covers setup, costs, and optimization for outsourced logistics.

Shopify

integrates with

ShipBob

Fulfillment

Why ShipBob?

Related: Shopify Printful Integration: Print-on-Demand Setup Guide (2025), Internal Link Finder.

Professional fulfillment network:

When to use 3PL:

• 100+ orders/month
• Limited warehouse space
• Need faster shipping
• Want to focus on marketing/product

ShipBob Pricing

Fee Structure

Example Costs

Note: Costs vary by product size, weight, and complexity

Getting Started

Step 1: Create ShipBob Account

1. Visit shipbob.com
2. Request quote
3. Complete onboarding call
4. Sign agreement

Step 2: Connect Shopify

1. Log into ShipBob dashboard
2. Go to Integrations
3. Click Connect Shopify
4. Authorize access
5. Configure settings

Step 3: Send Inventory

Prepare shipment:

1. Create inbound shipment
2. Label products correctly
3. Ship to ShipBob center
4. Track receiving

Step 4: Configure Settings

Settings:
├── Shipping methods
├── Packaging preferences
├── Custom inserts
├── Order tagging
└── Return handling

Integration Features

Order Sync

Automatic workflow:

• Orders sync in real-time
• Fulfillment starts immediately
• Tracking updates to Shopify
• Customer notified automatically

Inventory Sync

Multi-Location

Distribute inventory across:

• Multiple US centers
• International locations
• Optimal placement algorithm

Fulfillment Process

Order Flow

Order placed on Shopify
    ↓
Syncs to ShipBob (real-time)
    ↓
Order queued for picking
    ↓
Item picked from inventory
    ↓
Packed per specifications
    ↓
Shipped with carrier
    ↓
Tracking syncs to Shopify
    ↓
Customer receives tracking

Shipping Options

Carrier Options

ShipBob negotiates rates with:

• USPS
• UPS
• FedEx
• DHL
• Regional carriers

Inventory Management

Receiving

Process:

1. Create inbound shipment
2. Generate labels
3. Ship to ShipBob
4. Automatic receiving
5. Inventory available

Best practices:

• Use ShipBob labels
• Include packing list
• Proper product packaging
• Schedule appointments (pallets)

Storage

Options:

• Bins (small items)
• Shelves (medium items)
• Pallets (large/bulk)

Inventory Optimization

Multi-Warehouse Strategy

Benefits

Inventory Placement

ShipBob algorithm:

• Analyzes order history
• Recommends distribution
• Optimizes for speed/cost
• Reduces shipping distance

Example Setup

Packaging & Branding

Standard Packaging

Included options:

• ShipBob boxes
• Poly mailers
• Bubble mailers
• Kraft boxes

Custom Packaging

Options:

• Branded boxes
• Custom tissue paper
• Branded tape
• Thank you cards
• Product inserts

Kitting

Bundle products:

• Subscription boxes
• Gift sets
• Sample kits
• Multi-packs

Returns Management

Return Process

Customer initiates return
    ↓
Return label generated
    ↓
Customer ships item
    ↓
Received at ShipBob
    ↓
Quality inspection
    ↓
Restocked or disposed
    ↓
Refund processed

Returns Options

Analytics & Reporting

Dashboard Metrics

Reports

Available reports:

• Inventory aging
• Order accuracy
• Shipping performance
• Cost analysis

Insights

Track:

• Best sellers
• Slow movers
• Seasonal patterns
• Cost optimization

B2B Fulfillment

Wholesale Orders

ShipBob handles:

• Bulk orders
• Retailer requirements
• EDI compliance
• Routing guides

Features

International Fulfillment

Global Network

International Shipping

Options:

• Ship from US
• Local fulfillment
• Customs handling
• DDP/DDU

Integrations

Ecommerce

Returns

Other

Best Practices

Before Launch

Ongoing

Cost Optimization

• Use ShipBob’s carrier rates
• Optimize package sizes
• Distribute inventory smartly
• Monitor storage costs

Troubleshooting

Order Delays

Causes:

• Stock issues
• Integration sync
• Carrier delays

Solutions:

1. Check inventory levels
2. Verify integration status
3. Contact ShipBob support

Inventory Discrepancies

Causes:

• Receiving errors
• Damage
• Misplacement

Solutions:

1. Request inventory audit
2. Review receiving photos
3. Reconcile counts

ShipBob vs Alternatives

ROI Considerations

When ShipBob Makes Sense

Cost Comparison

Self-fulfillment costs:

• Warehouse lease
• Labor
• Supplies
• Shipping (higher rates)
• Equipment
• Insurance

ShipBob:

• All-inclusive pricing
• No fixed costs
• Scales with volume
• Negotiated rates

2025 Snapshot

Quick benchmarks for the ShipBob workflow. Use these as planning ranges, then validate against your own data.

Practical Implementation Notes

Data sync and ownership

Most Shopify integrations follow the same lifecycle: a one‑time historical import (customers, products, orders) followed by ongoing incremental updates via API/webhooks. In practice, the biggest failures come from identity and mapping—not from missing features. Before you activate anything customer‑facing, decide which system is the source of truth for customer identity (email vs phone), consent flags, segmentation, and lifecycle fields.

Treat the first week as a controlled rollout. Start with a small segment (internal addresses or a low‑risk cohort), validate that events fire exactly once, and then scale automation volume. This approach prevents silent double‑sending, broken attribution, and hard‑to‑debug “it looks connected but nothing happens” situations.

QA checklist (run once, then reuse)

Use a seed dataset (test customers, a few SKUs, a low‑value test order) to run an end‑to‑end path: signup → first purchase → fulfillment → refund. Confirm that reporting matches your store’s order IDs and timestamps.

Operational checks:

• App permissions/scopes match the features you actually use
• Timezone aligns across scheduled sends, reporting windows, and dashboards
• Edge cases are represented correctly (partial refunds, cancellations, multi‑location fulfillments)
• Baselines are captured so you can measure lift after go‑live

Shipping and fulfillment workflow notes

Shipping integrations work best when you standardize data first. Make sure product weights, dimensions, and HS codes (if applicable) are populated, then build shipping rules that match your real pick/pack process. Always validate tracking upload timing, because late tracking is a common driver of support tickets and marketplace penalties.

Practical checks:

• Define packaging presets and service mappings (standard vs expedited)
• Set inventory buffers to avoid oversells during peak traffic
• Audit address validation and label purchase permissions
• Run a “day in the life” simulation with 5–10 test orders

Next Steps

To start with ShipBob:

1. Get quote - Contact ShipBob sales
2. Plan inventory - Prepare first shipment
3. Connect Shopify - Install integration
4. Send inventory - Ship to center
5. Launch - Start fulfilling orders

# List the 5 most recent orders (GraphQL)
curl -X POST "https://your-store.myshopify.com/admin/api/2025-01/graphql.json" \
  -H "X-Shopify-Access-Token: $SHOPIFY_ADMIN_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d "{\"query\":\"{ orders(first: 5, sortKey: CREATED_AT, reverse: true) { edges { node { id name createdAt totalPriceSet { shopMoney { amount currencyCode } } customer { email } } } } }\"}"

Sources

• ShipBob on Shopify App Store
• Shopify: Fulfillment services guide
• Shopify: Shipping strategy guide

For shipping labels, see ShipStation integration. For tracking, check AfterShip integration.