E-Commerce Fulfillment Services: Buying Advice, Tips, and News

California labor regulators slap Amazon with a fine for having undisclosed quotas on warehouse work. Amazon says it's appealing the decision.

ShipBob was built by e-commerce entrepreneurs who didn't like what they found available to them when they were shopping for a fulfillment service. The result is a solid contender with a clear pricing structure and a good selection of warehouses.

An online shopping cart and catalog is only the first step in e-commerce retail success. Once the customer buys, you need to get them their wares quickly and efficiently. That's where fulfillment services come in and we take a close look at ten of the top players.

Rakuten Super Logistics is part of a larger retailing company and uses the resources of its parent to offer a competitive deal to midsized and large e-tailers with varied and even complex fulfillment needs. Small e-tailers with basic needs might want to keep shopping.

eFulfillment Service specializes mostly in small to midsized e-tailing operations that deal in small parcel shipments. Within that range it can handle a wide variety of products and has an excellent pricing reputation.

Aimed at large organizations with global retailing requirements, Ingram Micro Commerce and Lifecycle Services offers a large menu of logistics services that go far beyond e-commerce fulfillment.

Because Fulfillify is a division of a larger company, Complemar, this service can draw upon the large organization's resources to offer smaller customers more competitive pricing.

Red Stag Fulfillment's commitment to using modern technology to streamline its operations and ensuring full transparency as to the location and condition of inventory makes it a desirable service.

Most of Sprocket Express' customers sell consumer goods and perishable goods. Its software works with a wide range of marketplaces and shopping cart apps.

While Whiplash offers specialized services for clients in the music industry, its typical clients are e-commerce companies with a strong online presence. They include mostly startups, or small to midsize retailers that sell smaller items.

Ships-a-Lot could be an ideal e-commerce fulfillment service for a startup or small independent e-commerce concern, especially one that uses Shopify as its online store.

Shipfusion could be a good e-commerce fulfillment service for small to midsize online retail businesses that deal in smaller items, especially those that may need some hand holding along the way.