Order fulfillment in the USA doesn’t have to be hard. While there are many top fulfillment companies out there that will fulfill orders for international sellers, not all are created equal. Read on to learn more about how order fulfillment in the USA works, important factors to consider when picking an ecommerce fulfillment partner, and a list of the 21 best fulfillment centers in the USA.

What is Order Fulfillment Process?

International companies looking to launch in the U.S. may wonder what is the difference between warehouse order fulfillment in the U.S. versus other countries. Depending on the country, that process may or may not be all that different. 

While the specifics of the order fulfillment in the USA can vary, here’s a basic breakdown of how it typically works:

• Ecommerce merchants create inventory or purchase it from their manufacturers.
• That inventory is sent to and stored in a fulfillment center or warehouse until an order is placed.
• A customer places an order via the internet.
• The fulfillment center or warehouse receives and processes the order which involves picking products from inventory and packaging them to ship.
• The order is then shipped out from the fulfillment center or warehouse with a label that allows for package tracking while in transit.
• The order arrives at the customer’s doorstep.
• If there are issues with the order, the customer may return it to the fulfillment center or warehouse at which point a returns process is initiated.

How to Pick an Order Fulfillment Center Location in the USA

More than 60% of the U.S. population lives East of the Mississippi River. That’s a lot of people! An important fact to consider when trying to decide where the best place for an ecommerce fulfillment center is in the USA.

Oftentimes, internet retailers think order fulfillment companies in the USA that are located on the coast are a good idea. However, over time, choosing a U.S. coastal fulfillment center may actually end up costing more money. Typically their storage fees are much higher due to expensive coastal real estate costs, and shipping can often be slow and expensive when trying to get from one coast to the other (i.e. shipping orders from California to Florida and vice versa).

On the other hand, utilizing a centrally located fulfillment center in the Midwest gives internet retailers an upper hand to reach more customers because of the ability to quickly ship products from coast to coast and everywhere in between. This allows merchants to be more efficient and effective when fulfilling internet orders. Also, a fulfillment center located in the Midwest typically has the ability to cut costs for merchants because they can offer lower storage rates due to cheaper real estate costs associated with being located away from coastlines and outside of urban areas.

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21 Best Fulfillment Centers in US

According to Eurostat Statistics Explained, in 2021 the United States was the largest partner for EU exports of goods … And we see that trend continuing. Finding the right order fulfillment partner in the USA is essential for international companies looking to break into the American market. Read on to learn more about the best fulfillment companies in the USA.

eFulfillment Service

For European, Canadian, and Australian companies launching in the USA, eFulfillment Service is the best option. eFulfillment Service has proven experience bringing successful order fulfillment operations to clients of all types—international, startups, crowdfunders, kickstarters, influencers, creators, small to medium-sized businesses, etc.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR EFULFILLMENT SERVICE:

• No setup fees, No integration fees & No hidden fees 
• No order minimums, No long-term storage fees, & No long-term contracts
• Shipping discounts / low shipping rates
• Custom packaging, kitting, pick & pack, FBA prep, etc.
• One of the highest accuracy rates in the industry
• 100% satisfaction service guarantee
• Dependable tech that integrates with more than 40 popular shopping carts and online marketplaces

Hundreds of companies headquartered overseas trust eFulfillment Service to pick, pack and ship online orders to their customers in the United States. 

Key factors making eFulfillment Service a top-choice for international ecommerce merchants include: 

1. Exceptional personal customer service; anticipating and resolving issues when international clients are sleeping, half the world away. 
2. Convenient Midwest location; from eFulfillment Service a typical retailer’s orders average 4.5 zones. From California, that same merchant would average 6.5 zones.
3. Economical DIM weight discount, making light and large items ship for less, as much as 50% off. 

Red Stag Fulfillment

Red Stag Fulfillment focuses on over-sized, heavy products, like appliances, exercise machines or furniture. They’re good at getting products to customers fast. On top of that they guarantee their clients no shrinkage and in the event there is damage that occurs in their warehouse they’ll take full responsibility.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR RED STAG:

• Focus on large, heavy items
• Same-day shipping & fulfillment
• Inventory & order monitoring
• 100% customer order accuracy
• Inconvenience fees
• Pallet delivery system
• 30-day risk-free trial

Fulfillment.com

For online merchants with large quantities of orders, Fulfillment.com might be a good fit. They are a large provider that have the ability to handle the needs of businesses that require high-volume shipping, and maintain an invoice minimum to encourage only retailers with established volumes to inquire. 

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR FULFILLMENT.COM:

• Cloud-based platform
• Fulfillment houses worldwide
• Dedicated account managers
• International shipping options
• Many integrations
• Claim to be less expensive than order fulfillment by Amazon

ShipNetwork (Rakuten Super Logistics)

Known for being one of the better options for enterprise-level companies, Rakuten Super Logistics has rebranded to ShipNetwork, after management purchase. ShipNetwork  offers a variety of specialty fulfillment solutions to their clients. They have a large network with 15 warehouse fulfillment centers in the U.S. However, they do have an order volume minimum of 250 orders/month—so, not the best choice for smaller companies.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHIPNETWORK (RAKUTEN):

• Refrigerated facilities
• Accepts a variety of products, including hazardous materials
• Many integrations
• 100% next-day ship rate
• Two-day ground shipping
• 100% order accuracy

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)

FBA is a great choice for fulfillment for Amazon sellers who sell high volumes of products with large margins. FBA sellers get access to Amazon’s extensive network of warehouse and fulfillment centers and get to pass a lot of the fulfillment responsibilities off to Amazon. On top of that, Amazon sellers using FBA become Prime eligible which means their products are available to Prime members with free two-day shipping.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR FULFILLMENT BY AMAZON:

• Access to millions of Amazon Prime Members
• Customer support 24/7
• Handles returns
• Fulfillment centers worldwide
• Prime products appear at the top of Amazon search results
• Can handle a variety of products

Note: When working with Fulfillment By Amazon, it is recommended to have an additional fulfillment partner to prepare inventory to be shipped to Amazon. Amazon limits inventory to only 90-days of sales volume. Overflow inventory will need to be stored somewhere else to avoid hefty penalty storage fees from Amazon. 

Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment (MCF)

Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment is different from FBA in that it’s designed for businesses that sell outside of the Amazon Marketplace. This service costs a bit more than FBA, but is known for reliable service and gives sellers access to a massive network of ecommerce fulfillment warehouses. However, beware, MCF has limitations on products and they don’t work with a lot of platforms (i.e. Walmart, eBay, etc.).

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR AMAZON MULTI-CHANNEL FULFILLMENT (MCF):

• Fast delivery
• Established 
• Lower short-term storage fees 
• Lower fulfillment fees

FedEx Fulfillment

FedEx fulfillment is a good option for U.S. sellers shipping internationally as FedEx frequently ships international orders. Offering storage and fulfillment and shipping services to their clients, FedEx Fulfillment is a known provider that can offer industry knowledge. Keep in mind they don’t integrate with Amazon and have limitations on the products they will handle.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR FEDEX FULFILLMENT:

• Easy international shipping for U.S. sellers
• Established/well-known company
• Variety of integrations
• Extensive delivery network
• Fast delivery
• Product/order tracking technology

Simpl Fulfillment

Based in Austin, Texas, Simpl Fulfillment has been around since 2014. While they ship a wide range of products, they are the best option for ecommerce merchants selling fragile or hazardous materials.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SIMPL FULFILLMENT:

• Flat-fee pricing includes shipping, pick & pack per order based on weight, lightest packages start at $6 each
• Climate-controlled warehouses
• Real-time management software
• Seamless returns

Ruby Has Fulfillment

Founded in 2011 by a New York based ecommerce entrepreneur, Ruby Has Fulfillment best serves medium to large operations. They have multiple ecommerce distribution centers located in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. However, if you are a startup or a business that needs reliable customer support, Ruby Has may not be the best fit, as it’s been reported that they lack quality customer service.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR RUBY HAS:

• Many integrations
• Pick & pack services
• Inventory management
• Easy returns
• 99.97% on-time shipping

Saltbox

Saltbox offers an interesting solution to ecommerce merchants looking to find the right combination of workspaces and fulfillment services to help grow their business. From warehouse and office suite rentals to fulfillment services, business owners can choose a custom set of warehousing and fulfillment services that work best for them.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SALTBOX:

• $500 per month minimum invoice
• While order minimums aren’t required, the smallest pricing packages are based on 100 orders per month, so the economics are suited to those levels. 
• Flexible services
• Logistics-centered warehouse suites/private offices
• No long-term contracts

Shipwire

Known for national and global fulfillment, Shipwire best serves companies looking to ship goods worldwide. However, ecommerce merchants need to beware, as there have been reports that Shipwire’s pricing is tricky and comes with hidden fees.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHIPWIRE:

• Many ecommerce integrations
• Over 120 warehouses
• Over 17 million sq ft fulfillment space
• Export to 164 different countries
• Omni-channel tech

Whitebox

Whitebox offers an end-to-end solution for businesses looking to sell and fulfill products using one partner, with its primary benefit of being an Amazon agency. Whitebox has partnered with Ware2Go, a UPS company. Since Whitebox has fees that can add up and they require monthly order minimums, their services are best suited for manufacturers that make products with big markups.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR WHITEBOX:

• 99.9% order accuracy
• 99.8% on-time shipping rate
• Two-day shipping
• Dropshipping fulfillment
• Expedited onboarding

UPS Supply Chain Solutions

UPS Supply Chain Solutions is a well-known company that provides comprehensive fulfillment and warehousing solutions. They offer many shipping and transportation options to their clients, but tend to be more expensive and there have been quite a few reports of deliveries gone wrong.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS UPS SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS:

• Sophisticated tracking
• Many shipping options
• Many transportation types
• Global shipping
• Fulfillment centers located worldwide

My FBA Prep

Founded by former Amazon employees, My FBA Prep is an ecommerce fulfillment company that knows the ins and outs of Amazon order fulfillment and how to navigate the strict requirements that come with using FBA. While they offer other services, they are best suited for Amazon sellers.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR MY FBA PREP:

• No hidden fees
• Rapid turnaround
• Dedicated account manager
• Cold storage & refrigerated fulfillment
• Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant
• Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime

Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN)

Another fulfillment center in the USA is Shopify. The Shopify Fulfillment Network may be a good option for ecommerce sellers who already have a Shopify store if looking to keep everything under one umbrella. Merchants only pay when inventory is sold and cost is based on the product’s weight.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHOPIFY FULFILLMENT NETWORK (SFN):

• No upfront fees for first six months
• Two-day shipping
• Inventory management
• Custom packing slips
• No storage fees for first six months

ShipHero Fulfillment

A partner of Shopify, ShipHero is known for software and reporting capabilities—but those come at an additional cost to their warehouse and fulfillment services. They offer seven warehouse locations and distribute merchant’s inventory among those warehouses based on the location of their customers.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHIPHERO FULFILLMENT:

• User-friendly software
• Flat rate pick, pack & ship pricing 
• Robust reporting
• Workflow automation
• No minimum orders
• International shipping

ShipBob

ShipBob is an ecommerce fulfillment company that was founded in 2014. They use a big fulfillment network, meaning that they contract with warehouses to fulfill orders for them. Challenge there is that the service of these 4th-party logistics (4PLs) companies varies and may be a key source of the service issues outlined in reviews and Better Business Bureau responses. They can ship orders within the U.S. and internationally. ShipBob works with DTC and B2B companies and is best suited for companies moving products quickly (due to high storage fees).

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHIPBOB:

• Easy onboarding
• Dropshipping
• 99.95% accuracy rate
• 99.96% of order ship on time
• International shipping services
• No order minimums

ShipMonk

ShipMonk is known for their focus on customer service. While there aren’t any monthly order minimums, ShipMonk does implement a $250 minimum pick & pack fee per month which is something to be aware of when comparing services.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR SHIPMONK:

• No minimum monthly orders
• Ecommerce platform integrations
• International shipping
• Dedicated customer support
• No setup fees

USPS Business Shipping

Offering a wide range of shipping services and postage options, USPS Business Shipping is able to offer clients great rates due to the fact that they have many branches and fulfillment centers across the country. Typically, they are best suited for businesses shipping lighter items or liquid items and aren’t very reliable when it comes to international shipping.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR USPS BUSINESS SHIPPING:

• Affordable rates
• Free pickups
• Liquid items charged by volume (instead of weight)
• Free tracking
• Regular Saturday deliveries

Deliverr

Deliverr hasn’t been around as long as a lot of the other fulfillment houses on this list, but they do offer a transparent pricing structure. Known for their strategically placed warehouses, Deliverr offers some ecommerce fulfillment services in the USA, but they don’t offer kitting for subscription boxes, don’t handle returns, and have been reported to have poor customer service.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR DELIVERR:

• Big network of warehouses
• 95% of U.S. buyers qualify for two-day delivery
• Many integrations
• Straightforward pricing
• Prime-like badging

Fulfillify

Fulfillify is best known for their software offering. They provide real-time reporting that helps ecommerce merchants keep track of their inventory, orders, shipment tracking, etc. However, it’s been reported they are lacking when it comes to integrations.

NOTABLE OFFERINGS FOR FULFILLIFY:

• Easy to cancel / month-to-month pricing
• Real-time dashboards
• One and two-day ground shipping
• 350,000+ sq ft of warehouse space
• Simple to use software

SPOTLIGHT ON FULFILLMENT NETWORKS

USA Fulfillment Companies: eFulfillment Service vs. Shopify

Several companies in the fulfillment space are using networks to broaden the number of warehouse locations they can promote. It’s a strategy that allows them to show off a lot of locations without buying or renting real estate, or a warehouse facility. Plus they don’t have to hire, train and manage local staff. Instead, they provide an existing warehouse, owned and operated by someone else, with their software. The network fulfillment company, like Shopify, trusts that warehouse to fulfill the online orders that are assigned to it. The warehouse is a fourth-party logistics warehouse (4PL). Shopify Fulfillment Network is an example of a company using a fulfillment network.

Challenges in using a network include: 

• Varying degrees of performance in getting orders picked, packed and shipped
• Slower customer service response times, especially with inventory inquiries, canceled orders or special requests
• Increased storage costs (i.e., bin costs at each facility)
• Added shipping costs moving inventory to network locations

The table below provides a quick breakdown of some of the pros and cons between eFulfillment Service and the Shopify Fulfillment Network. (You may need to scroll to see additional rows.)

Can Internet Retailers Use Custom Packaging for Order Fulfillment in the USA?

eFulfillment Service Custom Packaging:

International ecommerce fulfillment companies, kickstarters, crowdfunders, small businesses and more choose eFulfillment Service for their custom box needs for many reasons … Here are a few:

• We have proven experience fulfilling custom box online orders
• We offer easy order fulfillment
• We ship orders all over the world
• We do custom integrations
• We offer integrations with more than 35 sales platforms

To learn more about custom packaging or custom box fulfillment and how an ecommerce fulfillment warehouse in the USA can help, check out Fulfillment of a Custom Box for Packaging Online Orders.

Best Ecommerce Fulfillment Services in the USA—Special Needs to Consider …

From startups and entrepreneurs to creators looking for a custom brand experience to international companies looking to launch in the US, each requires special attention from their order fulfillment center to find success fulfilling customer orders. Read on to learn more about what to look for and what to watch out for in each of these unique scenarios.

Product Fulfillment Services for Small to Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs)

Startups, crowdfunders, kickstarters and entrepreneurs all have a few things in common: Their business fulfillment needs are specific and finding the right small business fulfillment center that can meet their business needs is extremely important.

Here are some things small companies should consider when implementing an order fulfillment ecommerce strategy with a 3PL:

• Scalable Services — Fulfillment services for startups need to be flexible. Look for a fulfillment house that can scale services to meet current business needs now and also in the future.
• Affordable Storage — Look for fulfillment centers for small businesses that offer low rates and no long-term storage fees. Startups and entrepreneurs need a place where they can store inventory until they start selling.
• Onboarding Process — Avoid do-it-yourself (DIY) onboarding. SMBs are typically new to the fulfillment game and will need help and quality service along the way. DIY onboarding is a sign that the fulfillment house offering it won’t be of much help.
• Third-Party Fulfillment Companies Pricing — Watch out for tricky pricing when partnering with a fulfillment company. Setup fees, order minimums, SKU maximums, and minimum invoice requirements can really add up to a big headache for online merchants.

Ecommerce Order Fulfillment for International Companies Launching in the U.S.

Oftentimes, companies outside of the U.S. are looking to break into the American market and need to do so fast. As an international merchant looking to launch in the United States it’s important to consider a variety of factors when selecting the right fulfillment partner:

• Experience — Look for the best fulfillment center in the USA with proven experience working with international companies. International merchants need to seek out the best fulfillment company with a positive track record they can trust.
• Discounts & Low Shipping Rates — Find a U.S. fulfillment partner who offers discounts and low shipping rates, it will save overseas businesses a lot of money in the long run.
• Support Availability — Seek out a fulfillment center in the U.S. that has a client support team that will meet with merchants on their time, when they’re awake. International sellers can’t afford to sit around and wait when they need help just because there are time zone differences. 
• Customs Knowledge — Look for a fulfillment house in the U.S. that knows the ins and outs of the customs process. It’s inevitable that international merchants will have to move goods through customs, having a qualified 3PL partner will minimize delays.

Custom Brand Experience Fulfillment Services for Ecommerce in the USA

Online retailers, influencers, creators, small businesses and even large corporations have all taken notice of the impacts custom packaging can have on a brand. When internet merchants use a custom box for packaging they set themselves apart from the competition by creating a full product experience for their customers—from the moment the package arrives to its anticipated product reveal, it’s a memorable experience people like to share with others.

That’s why it’s important to find a U.S. fulfillment center that understands the specific needs associated with creating a consistent custom brand experience. Look for a fulfillment center in the USA that offers:

• Attention to Detail — From folding tissue in a special way to tying the ribbon exactly how it needs to be, finding a partner that will meet specific needs is essential to creating the perfect brand experience.
• Easy Order Fulfillment — A fulfillment partner should simplify life and make order fulfillment in the USA a breeze, not make it harder.
• Straightforward Service & Pricing — There shouldn’t be any guesswork involved, look for a fulfillment center that is transparent about their services and costs.
• Successful Track Record — Look for an experienced top fulfillment company that holds an A+ rating with the U.S. Better Business Bureau (that’s a good sign they’re a reputable fulfillment business).
• International Shipping — Find a U.S. partner that can ship to consumers and businesses all over the globe to ensure all customers can be reached.