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ShipStation App Review 2024: Does This Shipping Software Fulfill Orders Reliably?

Published on
December 3, 2024
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Updated on
December 3, 2024

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ShipStation - Stay on top of your ecommerce shipping and delivery experience

What is ShipStation?

Core Value Proposition

ShipStation is like your e-commerce operation's mission control. It's where all things shipping come together—from getting your products out the door to making sure they land in your customers' hands looking sharp with your brand shining bright. With ShipStation, you're not just shipping; you're giving your customers an experience that feels personal and professional.

Primary Purpose

At its heart, ShipStation serves one main purpose: to make shipping less of a headache and more of a strategic asset for your Shopify orders. It turns what used to be a complex web of tasks into a streamlined, almost set-it-and-forget-it process. You’ll have more time to focus on growing your business, confident that your shipping is humming along in the background.

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Who's it for? Who is it NOT for?

Target Audience

If you're running a Shopify store and have hit that sweet spot where orders are flying in thick and fast, ShipStation could be your new best friend. It's especially handy for those juggling sales across various platforms and looking for one spot to keep all their shipping ducks in a row. It’s a solid pick for merchants who are ready to put the pedal to the metal on streamlining their shipping operations and want to keep their brand front and center all the way to their customer's doorstep.

Who is it NOT for?

Now, if your store's order volume is more of a trickle than a flood, ShipStation's bells and whistles might be overkill. Your budget might be better spent elsewhere until you've grown enough to really take advantage of what ShipStation offers. Shops with a ton of different products might also hit a snag in terms of site speed, which can be a bit of a headache. And for those who like to have a lifeline to a real person on the phone for every little query, ShipStation's customer service approach might leave you a bit cold.

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Features

  • Multiple Shipping Integrations: Connect with carriers like UPS, Amazon, DHL Express, USPS, etc and get instant savings of up to 84%. Work seamlessly with marketplaces, carriers, ERP tools, Fulfilment & Logistics platforms, all from a single, unified hub
  • Branded Shipping: Incorporate your unique brand elements across shipping labels, tracking page, SMS notifications, packing slips, returns portal, and more. Provide an outstanding customer experience that lasts well beyond final delivery. 

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  • Automations: Save time by automating your shipping and order fulfillment workflows like:
  • Tag orders
  • Multi-package and split shipment support
  • Automated shipping
  • Scan-based workflows
  • Bulk print labels in batches of up to 500
  • Tracking: Stay on top of every aspect of your logistics and fulfillment. Keep a watchful eye on every shipment you send. Features include:
  • Track in-transit shipments
  • Manage products and inventory levels
  • View multi-channel shipping and product analytics
  • Create end-of-day forms and schedule carrier pickups
  • Mobile app that lets you stay connected from anywhere

Pricing

ShipStation offers a 7-tiered pricing. Get started on the Shopify app store: 

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  1. STARTER ($9.99/month)

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Leverage our Standard subscription plan to quickly and reliably launch subscriptions for your store.

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  • Up to 50 shipments per month
  • 1 user
  • Chat, email, & community forum support, 24/7
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Branded tracking, labels, and more

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  1. BRONZE ($29.99/month)

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  • 500 Shipments
  • All Selling Channels (unlimited stores)
  • 1 User
  • Branded Labels & Packing Slips
  • Live Chat, Email & Community Forum Support

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  1. SILVER ($59.99/month)

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  • 1,000 Shipments
  • All Selling Channels
  • 1 Users
  • Chat, email, & community forum support, 24/7
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Branded tracking, labels, and more
  • Customizable packing slips
  • Phone support, 8am-6pm M-F, CT

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  1. GOLD ($99.99/month)

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  • 2,000 Shipments
  • All Selling Channels
  • 3 Users
  • Customized Packing Slips & Branded Labels
  • Live Chat, Email & Community Forum Support
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Phone support, 8am-6pm M-F, CT
  • Product Bundles

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  1. PLATINUM ($149.99/month)

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  • 5000 Shipments
  • All Selling Channels
  • 5 Users
  • Customized Packing Slips & Branded Labels
  • Live Chat, Email & Community Forum Support
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Phone support, 8am-6pm M-F, CT
  • Product Bundles

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  1. ENTERPRISE ($229.99/month)

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  • 7500 Shipments
  • All Selling Channels
  • 10 Users
  • Customized Packing Slips & Branded Labels
  • Live Chat, Email & Community Forum Support
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Phone support, 8am-6pm M-F, CT
  • Product Bundles

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  1. HIGH-VOLUME (Contact Sales)

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  • Unlimited Shipments
  • All Selling Channels
  • 15 Users
  • Customized Packing Slips & Branded Labels
  • Live Chat, Email & Community Forum Support
  • Access to 300+ integrations
  • Phone support, 8am-6pm M-F, CT
  • Product Bundles
  • Shipping Strategies, Auto-Split, Cubiscan & ODBC

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Comes with a 30-day free trial. Different pricing for Europe, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Rating

3.7 / 5 

What do real users have to say about it?

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Pros & Cons

PRO

Comprehensive and super extensive integration library. Works with all your favourite tools and partners across the ecommerce order fulfilment value chain

Easily generate discounted shipping labels for all of your online orders. With just a few clicks, you can find the best rate, print a label, or batch orders for rapid multi-label creation

Efficient inventory management. View stock levels, set inventory alerts, create custom reports, or allocate stock all while picking, packing and fulfilling orders more efficiently

Hassle-free returns options, insurance, and customs clearance to elevate customer delivery satisfaction

CONS

Some customers reported billing issues (double billing and only partial refunds)

Does not work well for merchants with a large number of product variations, as page loading speed slows down

Templates look very basic and outdated design-wise

No Free Plan

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Our Review of ShipStation Shopify App

Installation and Setup

We kicked off our journey with ShipStation by weaving it into our Shopify store's fabric. The setup was a straightforward affair, with prompts that felt like a friendly nudge rather than a tech-heavy manual. Once we were up and running, it was clear the designers had put some serious thought into the dashboard. It's laid out in a way that feels like it’s working with you, not against you.

Automation

Diving into the heart of ShipStation’s promise—automation—we were keen to see if it lived up to the hype. It didn't just live up to it; it surpassed it. The rules and conditions we set up worked like a well-oiled machine, selecting carriers and printing labels without us having to lift a finger after the initial setup. It's a game-changer for businesses that are ready to scale and need their shipping to scale with them.

Branding

ShipStation’s branding options didn't disappoint. It wasn't just about slapping a logo on a package; it was about crafting a full-fledged brand experience from the moment a customer opened their delivery. Customizable emails, labels, and tracking pages meant our brand stayed with our customers every step of the way, which is priceless in today’s market where every touchpoint counts.

Inventory Management

ShipStation pulls its weight here, too. We kept our inventory in check with alerts that were more timely than an on-the-ball personal assistant. And when it came to reports, ShipStation delivered the goods, providing us with the kind of data that could help us make informed decisions about our inventory strategy.

Customer Support

If there's a chink in ShipStation's armor, it would be the support. The template support channels are there—chat, email, community forum—but sometimes you just want to hash out a problem over the phone, and that's where we felt the gap. For some, this won't be a deal-breaker, but for others, it could be a thorn in the side.

Handling High Product Varieties

Our tests showed that ShipStation can stumble a bit when you throw a lot of product variations its way. It's not the end of the world, but in the heat of a busy season, those extra seconds spent waiting for pages to load for automation rules to run can feel like hours.

Pricing

ShipStation's got a plan for just about every stage of business growth, which is great. But for the little guys just starting out, it might feel like you're paying for a gourmet meal when you're only hungry for a snack. It's a balancing act between your needs and what you're willing to fork out.

User Feedback

We didn't just rely on our own testing; we scoured the web for what others had to say. It seems many share our views—ShipStation makes shipping simpler and less stressful. That said, we also saw a few furrowed brows over billing issues and those pesky lag times with product-heavy stores.

Final Thoughts

After a thorough test drive of the ShipStation Shopify app for our ecommerce store, we're ready to dish out the final word. If your shop's growth is starting to pick up speed and you're on the lookout for a shipping solution that can keep pace, ShipStation has the potential to be your right-hand app. It's packed to the brim with features that streamline the shipping process and wrap your products in a branded experience that can really resonate with customers.

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However, it's not a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. If you're just stepping into the Shopify waters or you’re watching every penny, ShipStation's price tag and advanced functionalities might not align with your current stage. And for those with a complex array of products, be prepared for some potential slowdowns that could add a moment or two to your workflow.

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So, are we giving ShipStation the thumbs up? Absolutely, with a small side of caution. It's a robust app, and if the shoe fits—if the limitations we've mentioned don't cramp your style—then we'd say lace up and go for it. We believe you've now got the scoop you need to weigh whether ShipStation will be your shipping ally or if you should keep sailing for a different port.

FAQs

What are some of the ShipStation integrations?

Besides Shopify integrations, there are various other ways on how ShipStation integrates in real-time with your online store to ship orders through API or custom stores and other shipping carriers like eBay, Amazon, FedEx and others. They offer various shipping rates for various SKUs as well. You can use ShipStation account to get tracking information, even for international shipping for your e-commerce business. This will make your order management easy for new orders as well as others.

How can I integrate my Shopify store with ShipStation?

You can look at the guide here. Also, since Shopify is a hosted shopping cart system—meaning you don’t have to have your own server, it is perfect for any eCommerce seller.

Can I import Shopify order tags and fraud risk assessment?

Yes absolutely. Read more about it here

Julien Mamalian
CEO, Bloggle

After an exciting 5 years of designing and optimizing Shopify sites for well-known French startups, I launched Bloggle. Our mission? To assist merchants worldwide in crafting compelling articles that rank high in SEO and truly engage their audience. In just 3 years, over 2,000 clients have trusted us, publishing more than 55,000 articles through Bloggle. Thanks to them, I’ve learned the keys to success and the pitfalls to avoid.

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