What is ShipStation, Sign up Process for a Pricing Plan and How it Works

You might be wondering what ShipStation is and how to sign up for a pricing plan that suits your business. It refers to an eCommerce shipping solution that helps businesses of all sizes, import, process, and ship orders online.

In this article, we’ll be covering what is ShipStation, how to sign up, and its pricing or cost plan. Including how the software works to help your eCommerce shipping business.  

ShipStation (ShipStatn for short) is a leading web-based shipping software that provides solutions to eCommerce businesses. Our article on the subject topic also covers platform integration, and how it allows online sellers to streamline their shipping.

To put things nicely down, let’s start by defining terms you need to know.   

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

SaaS is a software distribution model in which a cloud provider hosts applications and makes them accessible to end users over the Internet. Allowing an independent software vendor (ISV) to contract a third-party cloud provider to host the application.

What is ShipStation?

This is a web-based shipping platform that helps businesses manage their small package shipping and eCommerce fulfillment. Focusing on how you can get products and purchases to your customers. You can’t use it to manage your inbound inventory if you’re shipping at freight levels.

This is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution, you won’t need specific installations or hardware to use it. To use this tool, you’ll have to pay a monthly fee based on shipment volume and other factors.

Many small businesses in the U.S. use this platform as a growing tool to scale up their operations. Small businesses in the U.K., Canada, and Australia also use this tool. So, we’ll take a quick look at the tool’s features, discuss how it might be right for you, and uncover customers’ express concerns.

Judging by emarketer.com, “U.S. digital commerce platform will process $375.57 billion of their own payments, helping them to capture more revenue, build merchant relationships, and bundle payment with non-payment products”.

“US digital commerce platforms’ gross payment value growth will grow by 12.0% in the next two years, as eCommerce sales growth slows at industry heavyweight Shopify”

“Worldwide eCommerce sales will increase by 8.4% this year – a low figure by the standards of the previous decade, but representative of the new normal for many countries. That increase will translate to nearly $500 billion in new spending”.

Looking at statistics, one reason why customers abandon their shopping carts is shipping-related issues. ShipStation now offers up to 88% USPS for retail prices, 83% for UPS daily rates, 90% for FedEx standard list rates, and 81% for DHL Express Worldwide.

This is why online stores must balance their business budget and customers’ shipping preferences. Even when an online store is able to hit the mark with affordable delivery service. It’s significant to have a helping hand to manage its shipments, print labels, handle returns, and address reviews.

The Platform Features

This platform is designed to work with existing e-commerce businesses and some software to easily manage and ship your orders. To make those actions easier and better for your business, the service offers five critical areas of features and tools.

1.    Order Management

According to ShipStatn, it integrates with over 70 sales channels to help companies manage orders in an omnichannel way. With a single dashboard, you can create a single picture of your company, which allows you to review and adjust.

You can set up this to automate a variety of actions in general and specific to different channels. Precisely on order details and inventory threshold. The unique feature here is its ability to split orders across multiple warehouses, helping you to fill them faster.

2.    Shipping

Once you have an order and are ready to ship, ShipStatn helps you control the process. The tool gives you access to multiple carriers and rates, select shipping discounts, and print labels for you.

Also, enabling shipping documents to be automatically generated and attached to the order within your system. If you want to contact a customer, the platform links their information to each order.

The platform also has order verification, enabling your team to scan items as they’re added to orders, picked, and packed. A process that ensures accuracy and also improves customer service. To ensure high accuracy, Red Stag Fulfilment uses multiple scanning and verification tools. 

3.    Branding

One thing that ensures an eCommerce success is branding. Branding is key for eCommerce brands to stand out. This platform including similar services typically provides some branding elements to help you create a unique look and feel.

ShipStatn focuses on creating tracking pages and returns portals branded for your company to always have your logo available. You can use this to send branded emails for customer interactions, print logo, details on shipping labels, and packing slips.

4.    Inventory Management

It’s worth noting that several eCommerce platforms are designed to help you control inventory. Allowing you to reduce the number of tools you need to use each day. ShipStatn is one that provides a computer and smartphone platform to help you track inventory amounts.

The platform tools include the ability to view your stock levels, reserve inventory for specific orders, and set inventory alerts. Ensuring you get a notice before you run low.

Additionally, you can train this platform on your warehouse layout so that pick orders and packaging slips contain inventory locations. Enabling orderly movement of people through a warehouse and picking faster.

5.    Integration

This is significant – a key requirement for eCommerce tools – and all the tools you need to run your business. These tools should have the ability to integrate and work with multiple programs or partners.

ShipStation counts some of the biggest brands in US eCommerce, allowing you to still use your preferred systems.

Integrations on this platform include marketplaces, shopping cart tools, and seller locations. Including stores, carriers, and many third-party plugins or design services.

How to Use ShipStation

This platform is more than a mere shipping platform. It’s a comprehensive eCommerce solution that seamlessly manages small parcels and eCommerce fulfilments.

Allowing you to integrate different selling channels like WooCommerce, Shopify, or eBay and connect with courier services. Precisely courier services such as DHL, UPS, Royal Mail, and many others.

Getting Started with ShipStatn

Navigating the initial steps on your journey typically involves a few steps, which are as follows.

·         Visit https://www.shipstation.com/ and explore the platform’s offerings. Understand its capabilities in managing shipping, order management, and more.

·         Understand the pricing by navigating to the pricing section, and explore the different plans. Allowing you to select a plan that suits your business needs and budget.

·         Create an account by clicking on “Try it Free” and fill out the form. Once you’re done, follow the below steps in the table.

ShipStation Pricing or Cost

The platform’s shipping plans are designed to suit your business. To sign up for any of the shipping plans, navigate to shipstation.com/pricing. The table below will guide you through the benefits of each plan and what to expect.

ShipStation Sign up

The sign-up process requires essentially four steps to start shipping your orders with ShipStatn. You can implement these steps by navigating the Onboard/Home screen, which you’ll see when you first log in.

In like manner, you can also execute these actions in your account settings. To sign up, do the following.

Sign Up Steps

1.    Connect a Store

To connect your store which allows you to import orders, do the following.

·         Click the “connect” button on the tile of the store account use.

·         If not listed, click “View More”, then “Add a Store”.

·         Select the store platform you intend to connect from the list.

·         Type the store platform in the search field to filter which options you use.

·         Click to select “Store”.

·         Follow the on-screen instructions to connect your store.

·         To add more stores, go to Settings, Selling Channels, and then, Store Setup.

·         Once you’re done, import orders by clicking the import icon top right toolbar.

·         Choose either “Update All Stores”, to update all stores at once. Or click the import icon next to the specific store you wish to import orders from. ShipStatn will display a pop-up message to let you know when the import is complete.

2.    Set Ship From Location

Add a “Ship From Location” which enables you to successfully calculate rates and print labels. To add, do the following.

·         Choose “set Ship From Location”

·         Enter a Location Name in the drop-down menus.

·         Fill in the fields for the Pickup Address.

·         If your “Return Address” is different than the “Pickup Address”. Uncheck “use Pickup Address as Return address, and enter the return address.

·         Click the “Save” when you finish.

3.    Activate ShipStation Carriers

You’ll automatically get discounted rates on selected carriers, so it’s needless to add your own account. Activate these carriers by entering your preferred payment method.

·         To activate “ShipStation Carriers”, choose the “Enable Carriers” button.

·         Follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll be prompted to enter a label payment method, agree to terms and conditions, and add funds to your balance.

·         Connect your own carrier accounts by choosing “Add Your Carrier Accounts”. Or choose the “Add a Fulfilment Provider” if you have a fulfillment provider like Amazon (FBA). 

·          Select the carrier or provider you want to connect. That is, a shipping provider.

·         Follow the on-screen instructions. The specific steps required to connect will vary from carrier to carrier. You can also add more carriers via Settings, shipping, Carriers, and then “Your Carrier Accounts”.

4.    Select a Label Layout

All labels created on this platform are 4” x 6” labels (similar to 100mm x 150mm or A5). Suitable for thermal label printers.

·         Choose the “Select a Label Layout” button.

·         Select the format that matches the type of printer you use. Choose whether to print only the labels or labels and packing slips together.

·         Click the “Save Changes” button.

·         You can change your label layout at any time. To change it, go to Settings, Printing, Printing Setup, and then, “Label Document Options”.

ShipStation Integration

It’s worth noting that ShipStatn integrates with how you do business. Significantly by moving fulfillment onto a single platform that scales with your shipping needs.

This feature allows you to execute specific tasks with ease once carefully integrated. There are platforms to integrate with ShipStatn such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, or eBay. Allowing you to also connect with courier services such as DHL, UPS, Royal Mail, and many others.

In this article, we’ll show you how to integrate Shopify and WooCommerce in ShipStatn. Let’s start with Shopify.

First, the details of Shopify integration requirements are as follows.

Connect a Shopify to ShipStation

To connect your Shopify store to your ShipStatn account, do the following.

·         Navigate to the “Account Settings” button.

·         Select the “Selling Channels” from the sidebar, then choose the “Store Setup”.

·         Click the “Connect a Store or Marketplace” button.

·         Select the “Shopify” button.

·         Enter your Shopify Domain, then click “Connect”.

·         After you click the “connect” button. You’ll be redirected to Shopify, and the ShipStatn application will be added to your Shopify account. No other action is needed if you’re already logged in to Shopify.

ShipStation WooCommerce

This is an open-source eCommerce platform for WordPress, allowing you to automate your shipping orders with ShipStatn, and save carriers. With the WooCommerce plugin, you can easily create shipping labels and automate order management.

The following features will help you fulfill your WooCommerce shipping.

ShipStation WooCommerce Setup

To thoroughly set up WooCommerce and ShipStation integration, do the following.

·         Sign up for a no-risk, free ShipStatn trial.

·         Install the extension and connect your store.

·         After connecting, enable discounted carrier rates or connect your own accounts.

·         Synchronise orders from WooCommerce and other channels, and automate your order management.

·         Batch print labels with just a few clicks.

·         Update your customers with customized emails and tracking.

·         Delight your customers and clean and repeat when they buy again.

ShipStation API

The ShipStatn API is a tech that allows developers to build applications that interface with the subject platform. You can use the API to handle several tasks, including the following.

·         Manage Orders

·         Create Shipping Labels

·         Manage Shipments

·         Retrieve Shipping Rates, and more.

To use ShipStatn’s API, you’ll need to generate an API key, precisely for V1, an API secret as well. The API key and API secret are used to authenticate the API calls. Enabling ShipStatn to update the information within your specific account.

Steps to get your API key and secret in ShipStatn.

·         Navigate to the “Account Settings” button.

·         Select “Account” from the side navigation, then choose the “API Settings” button.

·         Click the “Generate New API Keys” button, if no key and secret are listed yet.

·         Copy your key and secret.

Once successful, you can then provide them to the account you wish to access the ShipStatn API or API developers.

What does ShipStation do?

It’s a web-based shipping platform that helps businesses of all sizes manage their small parcel shipping and e-commerce fulfillment. Allowing the integration of online stores and carriers at discounted rates.

Conclusion

Online retailers need to balance their business budget and customer’s shipping preferences. This is because order fulfillment is significant.

Suppose you’ve successfully launched your online store. One thing is to hit the mark with an affordable delivery service. Bear in mind that you need a helping hand to manage your shipments, print labels, handle returns, and address reviews.

This is why you need to choose software like ShipStation that checks every single box of your shipping needs. The platform allows the integration of your shopping cart, eCommerce brands, and carriers at reduced rates.

ShipStation FAQs

What exactly does ShipStation do?

It is a cloud-based shipping and eCommerce platform that helps online retailers streamline their order fulfillment processes.

Is PayPal a ShipStation?

PayPal is a payment platform that allows users to send and receive payments. ShipStatn is an online eCommerce solution that helps businesses of all sizes import, process, and ship orders online.

Is ShipStation cheaper than USPS?

Yes, ShipStatn is often cheaper than USPS because ShipStatn offers discounted rates. Also, ShipStatn’s high volume of shipments pave the way to negotiate better rates with USPS.

Who ships with ShipStation?

Reputable carriers like UPS, USPS, DHL Express, FedEx, and more ship with ShipStatn.