Airlift

What Airlift does

Airlift is a US-based ecommerce fulfillment platform founded in 2018 by Sheehan Khan and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The company connects online sellers to a distributed network of vetted warehouse partners across New York, Virginia, California, and Atlanta, enabling sellers to store inventory close to end customers and outsource pick-pack-ship operations. Its technology layer is a cloud-based platform with native integrations into eight major ecommerce channels — Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Walmart — that auto-sync orders, manage real-time inventory, and surface fulfillment controls through a seller dashboard. Warehouse partners onboard via a self-serve Typeform application and operate through either the Airlift Warehouse Central web portal or direct integration with their own warehouse management system (WMS) via the Airlift API.

Airlift monetizes through a fully transaction-based revenue model: per-order packing fees that scale down across three volume tiers ($3.00 Pilot, $2.50 Captain, $1.90 Admiral), per-cubic-foot monthly storage at $0.70 with a $25 minimum, and add-on services including serial-number tracking, product barcoding, scheduled local inventory pickup, and returns processing. Shipping is fulfilled at discounted rates via preferred-carrier partnerships with UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL. The go-to-market motion is product-led and self-serve — no credit card is required to start — supplemented by a demo-scheduling option for larger mid-market sellers and a separate application funnel for warehouse partners.

The customer base is a horizontal, long-tail of SMB to mid-market ecommerce businesses seeking to escape in-house fulfillment without committing to enterprise 3PL contracts. The company is privately held (Airlift, LLC), bootstrapped with no disclosed funding rounds, and operates with a core team of 1–10 employees, consistent with an asset-light platform model where physical labor and warehousing sit with partner facilities rather than on Airlift's own balance sheet.

Name

Airlift

Legal name

Airlift, LLC

Website

https://shipairlift.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Airlift is a US-based ecommerce fulfillment platform that connects online sellers to a distributed network of vetted warehouse partners across New York, Virginia, California, and Atlanta, enabling SMB ecommerce brands to outsource storage, pick-pack-ship, and multi-channel order fulfillment via a self-serve cloud platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ecommerce Fulfillment / Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (49211), Couriers and Express Delivery Services (492110)

SIC

Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Bulky & Oversized E-commerce Fulfillment (Large Parcel/Two-Person Delivery Prep) (TLAIADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Marketplace-Managed Parcel Delivery (In-House Seller Fulfillment) (TLAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Ecommerce fulfillment
• Third-party logistics
• Warehousing services
• Order fulfillment
• Ecommerce shipping

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Order Fulfillment (Packing Fees): Per-order packing fees charged based on tiered volume. Pilot tier: $3.00 per order; Captain tier: $2.50 per order; Admiral tier: $1.90 per order. Additional items within an order are charged at $0.25 (Pilot), $0.20 (Captain), $0.15 (Admiral) per additional item.
2. Storage Fees: Monthly storage charged at $0.70 per cubic foot per month with a $25 monthly minimum. Inbound receiving is always free.
3. Inventory Pickup: Local inbound pickup service for seller inventory at $10 per pickup (select zip codes only).
4. Serial Number Tracking: Per-item serial number tracking charged at $0.50 (Pilot), $0.40 (Captain), $0.30 (Admiral).
5. Product Barcoding: Per-item product barcoding service at $0.15 per item.
6. Returns Processing: Returns processed at the same rate as outbound orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Airlift provides outsourced ecommerce fulfillment and warehousing services through a distributed network of vetted US warehouses. Online sellers connect their storefronts, send inventory to Airlift's warehouses, and Airlift stores, picks, packs, and ships customer orders using discounted rates from UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL. The company supplements its physical fulfillment with a tech platform offering real-time inventory visibility, storefront integrations, and warehouse partner software (Warehouse Central and WMS API).

Product overview

Airlift is a modern ecommerce fulfillment platform that enables online sellers to store, manage, and fulfill their inventory through a distributed warehouse network. The core offering is the Airlift Fulfillment Platform, which connects sellers to the Airlift Warehouse Network—vetted fulfillment centers located in major cities (East and West Coast, including New York, California, Atlanta, and Virginia). Sellers integrate their storefronts (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart) to automatically sync orders, which Airlift fulfills by picking up bulk inventory, storing it in nearby warehouses, and shipping individual orders via third-party carriers (UPS, USPS, FedEx, DHL) at discounted rates. For warehouse partners, Airlift offers Airlift Warehouse Central (a web interface for managing shipments) and Direct WMS Integration (API-based connection to existing warehouse management systems). The platform provides real-time inventory visibility, order tracking, and scales across three pricing tiers (Pilot, Captain, Admiral) based on monthly order volume.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airlift Fulfillment Platform A modern ecommerce fulfillment platform that enables online sellers to store and ship their inventory through a network of vetted warehouses. Sellers connect their online stores, request inventory pickups, and Airlift handles storage, packaging, and shipping through third-party carriers at volume-tiered pricing.
• Airlift Warehouse Central Warehouse management interface that allows Airlift's fulfillment partners to accept inbound shipments from sellers, manage inventory, and process order fulfillment. Warehouses can accept available inbound shipments based on their capacity and fulfill orders for multiple sellers through a single Airlift account.
• Airlift Warehouse Network Network of vetted warehouses located across the United States (New York, California, Atlanta, and Virginia) that store seller inventory and fulfill orders close to customers for fast, affordable shipping.
• Direct WMS Integration Integration option allowing warehouses to connect directly into their existing warehouse management system (WMS) or build custom integrations using Airlift's API, enabling seamless fulfillment operations within existing warehouse workflows.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationNative integration with Shopify enabling automatic order syncing and inventory management from Shopify stores directly into Airlift's fulfillment network.
• WooCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with WooCommerce (WordPress) for order fulfillment and inventory management for WooCommerce-based online stores.
• BigCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with BigCommerce platform enabling ecommerce sellers on BigCommerce to use Airlift's fulfillment services.
• SquarespacecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Squarespace for order syncing and fulfillment for Squarespace commerce stores.
• AmazoncoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Amazon marketplace enabling Amazon sellers to fulfill orders through Airlift's warehouse network.
• eBaycoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with eBay marketplace for order fulfillment through Airlift's network.
• EtsycoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Etsy for Etsy sellers to manage fulfillment through Airlift.
• WalmartcoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Walmart's marketplace for sellers to fulfill orders through Airlift.
• UPScoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred shipping carrier partner offering discounted shipping rates to Airlift's ecommerce sellers.
• USPScoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred shipping carrier partner offering discounted shipping rates to Airlift's ecommerce sellers.
• FedExcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred shipping carrier partner offering discounted shipping rates to Airlift's ecommerce sellers.
• DHLcoreTechnology or IntegrationPreferred shipping carrier partner offering discounted shipping rates to Airlift's ecommerce sellers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ShipBob: ShipBob is a venture-backed 3PL providing ecommerce warehousing, fulfillment, and shipping for SMB and mid-market online sellers with a distributed US warehouse network and integrations to the same ecommerce platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce). It is the most direct head-to-head competitor to Airlift in the SMB ecommerce fulfillment category.
• ShipMonk: ShipMonk is a tech-enabled 3PL serving SMB and mid-market ecommerce sellers with multi-channel fulfillment, WMS technology, and integrations to major ecommerce platforms. It directly competes with Airlift for the same seller segment with similar technology-led positioning.
• Fulfyld: Fulfyld is a tech-forward ecommerce 3PL offering fulfillment, storage, and shipping for online brands with integrations to Shopify, Amazon, and other platforms. It directly competes with Airlift in the SMB ecommerce fulfillment segment with similar technology-led value propositions.
• Red Stag Fulfillment: Red Stag Fulfillment is an ecommerce 3PL operating fulfillment centers in the US, serving online retailers with pick/pack/ship, storage, and returns services. It overlaps with Airlift on SMB and mid-market ecommerce fulfillment, though it differentiates on heavy/bulky handling.
• Deliverr: Deliverr was a fast-growing ecommerce fulfillment 3PL focused on fast, affordable shipping for marketplace sellers (Walmart, Amazon, eBay) before being acquired by Shopify in 2022. It directly overlaps Airlift's marketplace-fulfillment and SMB seller positioning and now competes as part of Shopify's broader logistics stack.
• Rakuten Super Logistics: Rakuten Super Logistics (formerly Webgistix) is a US ecommerce fulfillment provider operating a network of distributed warehouses and serving merchants across major ecommerce platforms. It is a direct peer of Airlift in distributed ecommerce fulfillment.

Broad incumbents

• FedEx Fulfillment: FedEx Fulfillment is FedEx's ecommerce warehousing and fulfillment service offered alongside its parcel delivery network. It competes with Airlift as a broad incumbent 3PL, leveraging FedEx's scale and carrier discounts.
• Shopify Fulfillment Network: Shopify's Fulfillment Network is a distributed fulfillment service built for Shopify merchants using assets acquired from Deliverr. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Airlift specifically for Shopify sellers — Airlift's largest integration — by offering bundled logistics within the Shopify platform.
• UPS eFulfillment: UPS eFulfillment is UPS's ecommerce fulfillment and warehousing service offering storage, pick/pack, and shipping integrated with UPS's parcel network. It is a broad incumbent competitor to Airlift leveraging UPS's scale and discounted shipping rates.
• Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon): Fulfillment by Amazon is Amazon's in-house fulfillment service for marketplace sellers, offering storage, packing, shipping, and customer service. It is the dominant incumbent that Airlift explicitly positions against as a cheaper, more flexible alternative for sellers not wanting to be locked into Amazon's ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ShipAirlift
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShipAirlift
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/airlift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airlift