Shipping
Print shipping labels from the order page
Compare carrier rates, buy the label, and print it without leaving the order. Crate connects to your Shippo or ShipStation account, so postage is billed to you at your rates and tracking reaches your customer on its own.
Connecting Shippo, then getting rates, buying and printing a USPS label from a wholesale order. 46 seconds.
How it works
One connection, then every order ships the same way. Most roasters are printing their first label within ten minutes.
- 1
Connect Shippo or ShipStation
Under Settings, Integrations, click Connect on Shippo or ShipStation and paste the API key from your account. That is the only setup that touches the carrier side.
- 2
Enter where you ship from and the box you use most
Your business address, a phone number for the label, and the box you pack in most often. Rates start from that box and the weight on each product; when an order needs a different box, change the size on the order before you buy the label.
- 3
Open an order and click Get rates
Every confirmed order has a Shipping card. Get rates returns the live prices from every carrier on your account, cheapest first, with delivery estimates.
- 4
Pick a service and buy the label
Choose the rate you want. Crate shows the exact price before anything is charged, then buys the label through your Shippo or ShipStation account.
- 5
Print it
The label opens as a PDF sized for a 4 x 6 thermal printer or a regular sheet. The tracking number goes on the order automatically.
- 6
Your customer gets tracking
When you mark the order shipped, the customer receives an email with the tracking link for every package, plus any note you add about what is in each box.
Charge what shipping actually costs
Guessing a flat rate means eating the difference on heavy orders or overcharging on small ones. With live rates on, your wholesale portal and online store quote real carrier prices for the cart and the customer picks a service at checkout. The choice is saved on the order, so the label you buy later matches what they paid.
Prefer to keep it simple? Set a flat rate and a free-shipping threshold instead. Either way it is one switch under Settings, Shipping, separately for wholesale and online orders.
- Live USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL rates at checkout, or a flat rate with free shipping over an amount
- Add a percentage on top of carrier rates to cover packaging
- Limit the services customers can pick, for example ground only
- Rates use the weights on your products and the box you ship in
- Works for wholesale portal orders and online store orders alike
What it costs
Shipping is included in every Crate plan. Postage is charged to your own Shippo or ShipStation account at the rates they give you; Crate adds nothing on top. Shippo is free for up to 30 labels a month, and ShipStation starts at $29.99 a month with a 30-day trial. Both include discounted USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL rates, and both let you bring carrier accounts you already have.
What it works with
- Shippo and ShipStation accounts, including sandbox keys for testing
- USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL and any other carrier on your account
- Wholesale portal orders and online store orders
- Square, Shopify and standalone Crate workspaces
- 4 x 6 thermal printers and regular sheet printers
Questions about shipping in Crate
Do I need a Shippo or ShipStation account to print labels in Crate?
Yes. Crate connects to the account you already have, or one you create in a few minutes. Shippo is free for up to 30 labels a month; ShipStation starts at $29.99 a month with a 30-day trial. Both come with discounted USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL rates, and you can add your own carrier accounts if you have negotiated pricing.
Which ShipStation API key does Crate need?
The V2 key. In ShipStation go to Account, API Settings; you will see a V1 and a V2 key, and Crate uses V2. API keys are included on ShipStation's Standard plan and up, not on Starter.
My box size changes with every order. Which one do I enter?
The one you use most. That box is only the starting point for rate quotes; on any order you can change the length, width and height before buying the label, and the rates update to match.
What does Crate charge for shipping labels?
Nothing. Postage is billed to your own Shippo or ShipStation account at your rates. Crate does not add a markup or a per-label fee.
Which carriers can I use?
Any carrier enabled on your Shippo or ShipStation account: USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL out of the box, plus regional carriers and your own negotiated accounts. Crate shows every rate the account returns.
Can I ship an order in more than one box?
Yes. Buy a label for each box from the same order. Each label has its own tracking number, and the shipped email to your customer lists all of them.
What if I bought a label by mistake?
Void it from the order card before the package is scanned. The refund comes back through Shippo or ShipStation, usually within a couple of weeks, and Crate updates the order when it lands.
Can my customers see shipping costs before they order?
Yes. Under Settings, Shipping you choose between a flat rate, free shipping over an amount, or live carrier rates. With live rates, the wholesale portal and your online store show real USPS, UPS and FedEx prices at checkout and the customer picks one.
I do not use Shippo or ShipStation. Does anything change?
No. Without a carrier connected, the order page keeps the same carrier and tracking fields you type in today, and the customer still gets a tracking email.
Ship the next order from Crate
Already on Crate? Open Settings, Integrations and connect your carrier. New here? Start a free trial and have your first label printed today.