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Calculate Shipping Rates in Shipbridge

Overview

Shipbridge lets you calculate and compare different Shipping Rates to select the ideal shipping method for your orders. With our user-friendly Rate Calculator, you can easily quote rates from various shipping carriers and make an informed decision according to your business needs.

Valid carrier credentials are required to calculate rates successfully. You can either configure them within Shipbridge or import them from Sellercloud. 

Configure Carrier API Credentials

Before you begin, learn more about how to obtain your carriers’ credentials:

Next, to configure your API Credentials in Shipbridge, navigate to:

  1. Menu > Options > Rates.
  2. Enter your API Credentials.
  3. Click Save.

For USPS, all you require is the USPS API User ID unless you are using an Endicia Label Server account. If you use Dazzle for postage, select USPS Web Tools in the USPS Rate Provider dropdown. For ELS accounts, select Endicia Label Server. If you go with ELS, your Endicia credentials will be pulled from the USPS tab, and you can leave the USPS API User ID field empty.
Alternatively, if your shipping carrier credentials are already configured in Sellercloud, you can import them into Shipbridge. This can be done in the Rates tab > Import from CWA Company Record. 


Refer to Shipping API for Calculating Rates for more information on how to configure your API Credentials in Sellercloud.

Import a Rate Chart for Certain Carriers

Certain carrier rates, like DHL eCommerce (Global Mail) and UPS Mail Innovation (UPSMI), can’t be fetched through API. Instead, you need to import their rate charts into the Rate Calculator.

If you encounter the error “The ‘Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0’ provider is not registered on the local machine,” install the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable on your device.

To import rates into the Rate Calculator, navigate to:

  1. Menu > Options > Rates.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.
  3. Click Add to import your rate table. If you are importing a UPSMI rate table, be sure to also enable Use Mail Innovations rate tables by default.
  4. Click Save.
Such rate tables must be obtained from the carrier and imported into Shipbridge.

Calculate Order Shipping Rates

To calculate shipping rates for different orders, follow the steps below:

  1. Select an Order from the grid.
  2. Click Menu > Rate Calculator, the F6 hotkey, or right-click an order > Calculate Rates.
  3. A rate window will appear with available services and their rates. To see the amount the customer paid for shipping in the rate grid, enable the setting Show how many customers paid for shipping (on Calculate Rates form) in Menu > Options > Shipping tab.
  4. The Accessory dropdown field lets you see rates when adding Signature Required or Delivery Confirmation options. A column called Features Rates will appear to show the additional cost for the selected services.
  5. Select a Package Type to compare rates with different package types. For example, to compare USPS Priority rates for a Flat Rate Box with USPS Priority rates for an Envelope.
  6. The Provider column displays where you are buying the label from For example, if you have enabled Amazon Services: Buy Shipping, this column will show Amazon. It can also display Endicia.
  7. Highlight a service on the grid > Click Select service. The selected service and packaging type will populate in the order grid.
Choosing a rate will update the Order Details page in Sellercloud with the shipping method selected as soon as the order is shipped.

Shipping Rate Plugin

By default, you can only calculate rates for one order at a time in the Shipbridge grid. Alternatively, you can configure pre-defined rules for preferred shipping carriers and services or configure a customized Shipbridge Plugin that automatically selects the cheapest rate available based on the order’s estimated delivery date.

Open a ticket with the Sellercloud Support team to request the latest version of our generic Rate Shopper Plugin. You can request additional customizations tailored to your business needs; however, any such customizations may be billable.

You’ll also need to enable the following settings on your Shipbridge application:

  • Always Use Cheapest Rate To Ship
  • Calculate Rates based on Estimated Delivery Date
    • If the above is enabled and you would like UPS SurePost rates to be included in the calculation, you must also enable Use UPS Ground Delivery Days. Otherwise, Shipbridge will not be able to include a Delivery Date in the rate request.

Troubleshoot Carrier Rate Calculations

If carriers or services are not visible during the shipping rate calculation, consider the following troubleshooting options:

  • Check if the carrier credentials are valid in Menu > Options > Carrier tab or Menu > Options > Rates tab.
  • Confirm that the intended service is enabled by checking Menu > Customize Interface > Shipping Services.
  • If shipping to a PO box, review the setting Only Offer USPS services for POB destinations under Menu > Options > Shipping tab, as it may affect the displayed rates.
  • Ensure the selected service supports shipping from the specified ShipFrom location to the ShipTo address by checking details such as country, address type, etc.
For services requiring weight and dimensions, ensure these details are filled in on the order.

Relevant Settings

The following related settings are available in the Rates tab.

  • Show FedEx Ground rate for residential destinations
  • Include UPS Ground Saver by default (No Tracking)
    • Allows you to view and select UPS Ground Saver in the Rates Calculator without toggling between Delivery Experience options in the Amazon tab.
  • Calculate Rates based on Estimated Delivery Date
    • The rate calculation will be based on the order’s estimated delivery date.
  • Use negotiated rates
    • Implement negotiated rates to ensure you benefit from specially agreed-upon pricing, optimizing cost-effective shipping solutions.
  • Only show rates for UPS services
    • Limit the displayed shipping rates to those offered by UPS exclusively, simplifying the selection process for UPS services.
  • Prefer USD Currency
    • Shows rates in USD, regardless of the selected currency of the order company.
  • Only show priority services for rush orders
    • Customize the rate display to show exclusively priority shipping services for orders requiring urgent delivery (Rush Orders).
  • Allow immediate selection in the rate calculator
    • Enhance user convenience by enabling the immediate selection of preferred shipping options directly within the rate calculator.
  • Only show rates from the custom tables (ignore APIs)
    • Display rates exclusively from custom tables and disregard information from APIs, tailoring the rate display to specific user preferences or requirements.
  • Use Mail Innovations rate tables by default
    • Enables rate tables specific to Mail Innovations, ensuring accurate and appropriate pricing for this shipping service.
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