ShipBob’s Implementation User Manual
Updated on November 16, 2023
This page includes everything that is covered throughout the Implementation process. You can refer back to it even after you go live with ShipBob to go over anything your Implementation Specialist has covered, or even as you add new users to your account.
Click on a link to jump directly to the topic:
What to Expect During Implementation
Throughout your onboarding journey, you can expect the following from your Implementation Specialist:
- Guidance on setting up your ShipBob account
- A series of training calls, covering how to:
- Integrate your ecommerce store(s).
- Configure products.
- Send inventory to our warehouse(s).
- Begin shipping orders.
- Weekly check-ins after you start shipping to ensure things are running smoothly
Note: The check-in calls are a great time to share feedback on the onboarding process!
Here’s a breakdown of the steps of the implementation process (click to enlarge the image):
How to Prepare for Implementation
Before you get started with the Implementation process, we recommend you have the following readily available:
- A ShipBob account created and your credentials to the sales channel(s) from which we will fulfill orders
- A list of your products and their quantities that you will be sending to ShipBob
- A list of accurate dimensions/weights for your products
- Your ideal packaging preferences (i.e., standard or custom packaging)
- A thorough understanding of your ShipBob pricing
Support & Resources
In addition to this page, you may wish to bookmark the following important resources:
- ShipBob dashboard: Where you will manage your account
- Help Center: ShipBob’s knowledge base filled with how-to’s, FAQs, and in-depth guides
- Office hours: Live working sessions offered Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Support team contact info: The various ways to reach out to the ShipBob Merchant Care team
- ShipBob SLAs: ShipBob’s turnaround times, policies, and SLAs
- Your pricing plan: How to calculate shipping rates and where to find your pricing plan
- A Step-by-Step Guide to Switching Fulfillment Partners: A downloadable PDF manual to help you make a graceful transition between fulfillment providers
The Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Having onboarded thousands of merchants, these are the top 5 things we want to make sure you absolutely avoid so that you have a seamless experience with ShipBob from the start:
1. Incorrect WROs
To send inventory to ShipBob, you must create a Warehouse Receiving Order (WRO), which lets our team know exactly what is being sent to our fulfillment center(s). Required information includes each item’s name and SKU, as well as the quantities of each item. Each WRO must be attached to the correct box and match the content inside the box and/or pallet.
If the content in the box does not match the affixed WRO, the inventory will be placed in On Hold Receiving, which will cause delays in receiving and stocking your inventory and charge you fees until it is resolved. Learn more here.
2. Incomplete product setup
Each SKU requires the proper information to be added in ShipBob to avoid possible fulfillment issues such as damages or incorrect fulfillment costs. For each product, we recommend that you double check that the following preferences are set:
- Mark the item as Active, Inactive, or Digital.
- Provide specific fulfillment information we need to know (e.g., if it’s a dangerous good, a lot product, case packed, and more).
- Add customs information if you’re shipping internationally.
- Add packaging requirements.
- Create bundles or merge duplicate products.
Learn more here (or update SKUs in bulk here).
3. Skipping integration sync steps
Be sure to follow all steps exactly as directed by your Implementation Specialist, or as instructed in one of our guides for each store integration you connect to ShipBob. Guides on each of our integrations can be found here.
Note: If you add any new products on your website, please be sure to re-sync the product with ShipBob.
4. Ship Options mapped incorrectly
Ship Option mapping allows us to match your ecommerce store’s shipping options to ShipBob’s shipping options. They must match verbatim. Learn more here.
5. Shipping orders before setup is complete
Your ‘start shipping date’ is the date in which ShipBob will begin to look for and import your orders to ship. When switching fulfillment providers or starting a new store, you may have old orders that you do not want us to ship, or others that have already shipped. Learn more here. Be sure to enable the ‘Automatic Processing Pause’ or keep ‘Auto-sync’ disabled until directed.
Note: If you need to cancel older orders, be sure to read this Help Center article.
Integrations
To integrate your online store with ShipBob, follow the documentation link for each platform below or learn more here. Note: Outside of store integrations, we have an app store and marketplace for other integrations, ranging from returns management to inventory management solutions.
- Shopify
- eBay
- ShipStation
- Amazon
- BigCommerce
- Squarespace
- WooCommerce
- Walmart
- Wix
- Magento
- Square
- NetSuite
- Developer API
Adding Products & SKUs
Each SKU requires the proper information to be added in ShipBob. For each product, we recommend you double check the following preferences are set:
- Mark the item as Active/Inactive.
- Add packaging requirements and mailer vs. box preferences from our standard packaging list to increase consistency and reduce shipping errors (or add information if you wish to use custom packaging).
- Create bundles or merge duplicate products.
Additionally, the following are recommended to include but not required:
- Add barcodes to your products.
- Add reorder point notifications to each SKU so you replenish your inventory in time.
- Provide specific fulfillment information we need to know (e.g., if it’s HAZMAT or a dangerous good, digital items, case packed, and more).
- Add customs information and tariff code if you’re shipping internationally.
Learn more here (and you can update SKUs in bulk here).
Note: Once we’ve received and checked in your inventory, it is necessary to verify the weights and dimensions one final time.
Sending Inventory & WROs
To send inventory to ShipBob, you must create a Warehouse Receiving Order (WRO), which lets our team know exactly what is being sent to our fulfillment center(s). Required information includes each item’s name and SKU, as well as the quantities of each item. Each WRO must be attached to the correct box and match the content inside the box and/or pallet.
We recommend that you CC your Implementation Specialist when your WRO is created and tracking numbers are in the system so they can also track your inventory.
If the content in the box does not match the affixed WRO, the inventory will be placed in On Hold Receiving, which will cause delays in receiving and stocking your inventory and charge you fees until it is resolved. Learn more here.
Ship Options
Ship Option mapping allows us to match your ecommerce store’s shipping options to ShipBob’s available shipping options. When mapping your services, the information from your store must match verbatim in the ShipBob dashboard. Learn more here.
We also offer a 2-Day Express ship option in the US! Hear from other ShipBob customers about it here, or view our Help Center article here.
Lastly, you can read more about the carriers we utilize and their transit times here. This information is helpful to include on your website’s shipping policy, FAQs, or support pages.
Orders
Here are the most common order actions you’ll encounter:
Please familiarize yourself with the following:
