ShipBob Standard Benchmark Rates
While volume merchants negotiate custom pricing, ShipBob publishes standard baseline schedules. Use these baseline numbers as a sanity check against uncontracted rate creep:
| Service Category | Standard Rate | Audit Watchpoint |
|---|---|---|
| Base Pick (First 4 Units) | $2.40 | Check for split orders billing base rate twice. |
| Additional Unit Pick | $0.40 / unit | Ensure bundled SKU packs are counted as single pick. |
| Pallet Storage | $45.00 / month | Verify pallets billed against receiving WRO quantities. |
| Receiving Labor | $40.00 / hour | Check for excessive unloading hours beyond standard 2h. |
Top 5 ShipBob Billing Discrepancies
1. Duplicate Charges on Split & Reshipment Orders
When an order is split across two fulfillment centers (e.g., Chicago and Moreno Valley), the ERP occasionally generates two fulfillment records sharing the same primary merchant order ID. If the inventory was available in a single location, the secondary pick and freight surcharge represent an erroneous expense.
2. Carrier Dimensional Weight Inflation & Divisor Mismatches
ShipBob bills parcel shipping through carrier accounts (FedEx, UPS, USPS). When converting box dimensions to billable weight, automated systems occasionally:
- Apply the higher retail divisor (166) instead of commercial (139).
- Round up dimensional measurements prior to computing cubic volume.
- Neglect carrier ceiling rounding, billing fractional weights with erroneous excess pound surcharges.
3. Pallet & Shelf Storage Density Creep
Monthly storage fees are calculated based on average daily pallet/shelf count. A frequent issue occurs when pallets marked as unloaded or consolidated remain active in the billing registry, causing merchants to pay $45/pallet for "phantom storage" weeks after inventory was depleted.
4. Warehouse Receiving Order (WRO) Unloading Overcharges
ShipBob assesses receiving fees for incoming container/pallet shipments. If a WRO is flagged as "non-compliant" (e.g. missing box labels), manual labor fees at $40–$50/hour are added. Often, these charges are assessed even when shipments adhered to packaging guidelines.
5. Off-Season Peak Surcharges
As detailed in our Peak Surcharges Guide, demand fees applied between February and September are strictly refundable.
Instant ShipBob CSV Invoice Audit
Download your billing CSV from the ShipBob portal and upload it to Audit3PL. Our algorithm scans every line against rate ceilings, duplicate order IDs, and DIM weight formulas in 30 seconds.
Scan ShipBob Invoice (Free Preview) →How to Dispute ShipBob Invoices
- Export Raw Billing CSV: In the ShipBob dashboard, navigate to Billing → Invoices → Download Details.
- Audit with Audit3PL: Run the invoice through Audit3PL to generate an itemized overcharge spreadsheet with native recalculation formulas (
=E5-F5). - Submit via Merchant Support: Open a ticket with subject "Billing Reconciliation — Dispute Memo for Invoice #[Number]" and attach the generated dispute spreadsheet.
- Request Credit Memo: Invoices are settled weekly or bi-weekly; request that approved credits be applied immediately to the subsequent billing cycle.