/
Setting up ShipStation (Rates and Labels)

Setting up ShipStation (Rates and Labels)

Introduction

ShipStation is a multi-carrier platform which provides an API interface allowing UltraCart to provide your customers with shipping rates from the carrier of your choice.

UltraCart has three different engines with connections to ShipStation: Channel Partners, Shipping, and Distribution Center fulfillment.

If you need information on configuring ShipStation to provide shipping ratings and print labels, you are reading the right document.

If you need information configuring UltraCart to send orders to ShipStation fulfillment and receive tracking numbers in return, please see Configuring ShipStation (Distribution Center Transport Mechanism).

If you need information on configuring ShipStation as a Channel Partner, please see ShipStation Channel Partner Integration .

All three areas (ratings, distribution centers, and channel partners) use separate credentials to allow for different ShipStation stores.

Creating your ShipStation API Key

First things first, you’ll need a ShipStation Version 2 API Key. Here are their instructions:

  1. Within your ShipStation account, navigate to Settings Page (gear icon at top right) → Account –> API Settings.

  2. Select “V2 API” for the API version and follow the instructions.

  3. Copy your Production Key off somewhere secure. This key is visible later on if needed.

 

Main Settings

The main ShipStation settings are found within the “Shipper Specific” settings. These are shipping settings specific to each carrier.

Navigate to the Shipper Specific Options (Tab)

Home → Configuration → Shipping → Shipper Specific Options [tab] → ShipStation

Click the ShipStation checkbox on the main screen. This will activate the Shipper Specific panel for ShipStation. The click on the ShipStation link in the Carriers list so view that screen.

image-20250724-071824.png

 

Field

Description

Field

Description

V2 API Key

Your ShipStation Version 2 API Key

Rate Type

“account” or “list” for whether you wish to show the customer account rates or list rates

Label Type

ZPL or PDF

Label Size

4x6” or Letter sized labels

Phone Number

Your company’s shipping department phone number. This is required by ShipStation, even for simple ratings.

Carriers

After saving your API Key, a list of all your ShipStation carriers will appear allowing you to select which carriers are requested when shopping rates. The more carriers you select, and the more shipping methods you select, the longer your customer’s checkout experience will be. So only select the carriers you intend to ship with.

 

image-20250724-072608.png

 

 

Enabling ShipStation Shipping Methods

Home → Configuration → Shipping → Methods [tab]

  1. Navigate to the Shipping Methods screen via the above route.

  2. Click the New Method button.

  3. Within the “All Shipping methods for” drop down box, select ShipStation.

  4. Click the Continue button.

  5. Once you have the list of ShipStation methods, disable all methods you do not need. Keep your list as small as possible to keep your customer’s checkout as fast as possible. The shipping ratings duration scales linearly with the number of shipping methods you have enabled.

Item Settings

The Customs information is located on the item editor screens within the Shipping tab (vertical) and the Customs Information tab (horizontal). You must provide customs values and HTS Commodity Codes for all your items if you intended to ship internationally. International ratings will fail without this information.

Field

Description

Field

Description

Country of Origin

 

Customs Form Description

Maximum length depends on which carrier you are using.

Customs Value

 

HTS Commodity Code

See Harmonized Tariff Schedule for code reference