ShipBob helps brands, including those with recurring order volumes or fast-selling product drops, minimise fulfilment delays during unexpected events through several capabilities.

• Scalable fulfilment: ShipBob’s system is built to handle surges in demand, such as seasonal spikes or viral product drops, ensuring orders are fulfilled quickly and accurately. ShipBob aims to be a scalable partner as brands grow.
• Data-driven forecasting: ShipBob provides real-time insights into inventory, order status, and transit times, using data-driven forecasting to prepare inventory across their network and maintain smooth operations. This includes replenishment recommendations to reduce stockouts.
• Proactive notification: Brands should notify ShipBob at least 3 business days in advance of anticipated significant increases in B2C order volume (e.g., sales promotions, new product launches, holiday sales) to allow for proper capacity planning and maintenance of Service Level Agreements (SLAs). Note that, for B2B orders, 10 business days’ notice is required for volume increases and large order requests.

ShipBob utilises a comprehensive full-stack fulfilment platform and network to maintain its operations.

• Proprietary software: Their operations are powered by proprietary software that includes a Warehouse Management System (WMS), Inventory Management System (IMS), Order Management System (OMS), and Transportation Management System (TMS). The MiniBob App, a mobile version of their WMS, enhances efficiency and reduces errors in warehouse tasks like receiving, picking, and sorting.
• Distributed network and logistics: ShipBob operates a global network of dozens of fulfilment centres across the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia, allowing for strategic inventory distribution to reduce shipping costs and transit times. In the US, they employ a hub-and-spoke network and a middle-mile network, enabling efficient inventory routing and zone skipping to speed up deliveries and consolidate packages.
• Automated decision-making: ShipBob’s proprietary Decision Engine automates complex fulfilment decisions by continuously evaluating hundreds of data points, leading to smarter inventory distribution, optimal courier selection, and faster picking and packing. They also use a box selection algorithm to choose appropriate packaging, helping protect items.

A business continuity plan is a strategic framework that ensures essential operations (like order fulfilment, inventory visibility, and communication) continue during and after a disruption. It focuses on maintaining service levels and minimising downtime across the business.

In contrast:

• Disaster recovery is more narrowly focused on restoring systems and data after a catastrophic event (e.g., server outage, cyberattack). It’s IT-centric and reactive.
• Incident response refers to the immediate actions taken to detect, contain, and mitigate a specific event, such as a security breach or natural disaster.

In short:

• IR = Deal with the disruption in real time (tactical, immediate)
• BCP = Keep things running (business-wide, proactive)
• DR = Get systems back online (technical, reactive)

Ecommerce brands depend on uninterrupted logistics and customer trust. A Business Continuity Plan ensures your operations remain resilient in the face of:

• Courier outages
• Warehouse closures
• Supply chain delays
• Natural disasters
• Cyberattacks or platform failures

Without a solid BCP, brands risk:

• Delayed shipments and lost revenue
• Damaged customer relationships
• Stockouts due to inventory misalignment
• Costly operational scrambling during crises

Partnering with a fulfilment provider that has a proven BCP (like ShipBob) helps brands avoid guesswork and maintain reliability when it matters most.

A robust ecommerce BCP should account for a range of disruption types across physical, digital, and operational domains.

The most relevant standards for business continuity in ecommerce and logistics include.

• ISO 22301: The global standard for business continuity management. It outlines how to identify risks, implement controls, and maintain operations during disruptions. ISO 22301 certification signals mature, tested continuity planning.
• SOC 2 Type II: While focused on data security, it also assesses a provider’s ability to maintain system availability (an indirect but important indicator of operational resilience).
• NIST SP 800‑34: A U.S. government framework for IT disaster recovery and incident response planning, often used to structure technical elements of a BCP.

When evaluating fulfilment partners, look for alignment with these standards (or certification where applicable) to ensure they’re prepared for real-world disruptions, not just theoretical risks.