How to Connect Shipstation for Live Rates and Seamless Shipping

ShipStation can help you quote accurate live shipping rates at checkout and streamline label printing once orders are ready to ship. In this guide, you’ll learn how to connect ShipStation to DecoNetwork (for live rates), connect DecoNetwork to ShipStation (for order sync), and apply practical workflow tips like markups, presets, split shipments, and white-labeled ship-from addresses.

In This Article

• Prerequisites
• Why connect ShipStation?
• Step 1: Connect ShipStation for live rates in DecoNetwork
• Step 2: Select services and configure shipping methods
• Step 3: Connect DecoNetwork to ShipStation for order sync
• Step 4: Understand what syncs and where orders appear
• Step 5: Handle split shipments (partial-ready orders)
• Step 6: Speed up label creation with presets and scales
• Step 7: White-label Ship From locations
• Step 8: Customer pickup email and sync options
• Step 9: Batching, end-of-day forms, and reporting
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Prerequisites

Why connect ShipStation?

• Accurate checkout rates: Quote customers live shipping rates based on destination, weight, and packaging estimates.
• Faster fulfillment: Print labels, packing slips, and batch shipments efficiently from ShipStation.
• Flexible carrier choice: Compare services (e.g., USPS vs UPS) and choose faster/cheaper options when appropriate.
• Operational control: Apply markups, restrict availability, and keep shipping defaults aligned with your most common method.

Step 1: Connect ShipStation for live rates in DecoNetwork

1. In the DecoNetwork Admin, go to Settings → Shipping → Shipping Methods.
2. Click Manage Live Shipping Carriers.
3. Click Add Live Shipping Carrier, then select ShipStation.
4. In ShipStation, go to Account → My Profile → API Settings and generate an API Key and API Secret.
5. Copy the API Key and API Secret into the ShipStation carrier setup screen in DecoNetwork.
6. Click Test settings, then click Save.

Step 2: Select services and configure shipping methods

1. After saving the ShipStation carrier, open Shipping Methods for that carrier connection.
2. Select the shipping services you want to offer (for example: USPS First Class, USPS Priority, UPS Ground, etc.).
3. Return to Shipping Methods and review the newly created methods.
4. For each method, update:
   • Max delivery days (newly added live methods commonly default to 1 day and should be corrected).
   • Display order (top-to-bottom order matters at checkout and in Business Hub quotes/orders).
   • Markup (to cover handling/packaging; many shops use 10–20%).
   • Availability (limit to specific stores, or Business Hub only, if needed).

Step 3: Connect DecoNetwork to ShipStation for order sync

Live rates only handle quoting. To send orders into ShipStation for label creation, set up ShipStation order sync.

1. In the DecoNetwork Admin, open the ShipStation Order Sync settings page (your account lists a URL to copy for ShipStation).
2. In ShipStation, go to Selling Channels and click Connect a Store.
3. Choose Custom Store.
4. Paste the Store URL from DecoNetwork’s ShipStation order sync settings.
5. Enter a username and password for a DecoNetwork account that ShipStation will use to authenticate.
6. Enter the required identifiers for the remaining fields as follows:
   • Awaiting Payment Status: ss_unpaid
   • Awaiting Shipment Status: ss_paid
   • Shipped Status: ss_shipped
   • Cancelled Status: ss_cancelled
   • On-Hold Status: ss_on_hold
7. Click Test Connection and confirm it succeeds.
8. Click Connect to complete the setup.

Step 4: Understand what syncs and where orders appear

After connecting, ShipStation treats your DecoNetwork account as a single “store/marketplace,” even if you have multiple affiliate sites.

1. In ShipStation, go to Orders.
2. Use Update All Stores to pull the latest order updates.
3. Search using All (or All Search Results) so you can find orders regardless of ShipStation status buckets.

Step 5: Handle split shipments (partial-ready orders)

If only part of an order is ready, you may need to move the ready portion into Shipping and create split shipments in ShipStation to ensure labels remain properly tied to the order.

1. In Business Hub, confirm the order items are in an appropriate state:
   • If any part of the order is Not Ready, the order may not appear in ShipStation until at least one shipment is ready in the Shipping area.
2. When part of the order is ready, move that portion to Shipping (for example, mark the produced items as complete so they become shippable).
3. In ShipStation, click Update All Stores, then locate the order (use All search results).
4. Open the order and use the split shipment tool (for example: Other Actions → Split Ship).
5. Assign the ready items to Shipment 1 and backordered/not-ready items to Shipment 2.
6. Save, then create/print a label for the shipment that is ready.

Step 6: Speed up label creation with presets and scales

1. In ShipStation, create a preset from Settings → Shipping → Presets (or similar).
2. Include repeatable settings such as:
   • Package dimensions (e.g., poly bag size)
   • Carrier service (e.g., USPS Priority)
   • Package type
   • Ship From location
3. Apply presets to orders to auto-populate common label fields.
4. If available, connect a shipping scale to ShipStation and use the scale button to quickly update weights at ship time.
5. Compare rates instantly by switching services (e.g., USPS vs UPS) to find faster/cheaper options where your customer expectations allow.

Step 7: White-label Ship From locations

If you run multiple affiliate sites—or you want neutral branding—you can create multiple Ship From locations and choose which one appears on the shipping label.

1. In ShipStation, go to Settings → Shipping → Ship From Locations.
2. Click New Location.
3. Enter your shipping address details, then set the Company Name to:
   • The affiliate store’s brand name, or
   • A neutral/white-label name (to avoid confusing recipients).
4. When creating labels, select the appropriate Ship From location (or include it in your preset).

Step 8: Customer pickup email and sync options

Customer pickup is not the same as shipping. You’ll usually want different customer messaging and may want to keep pickup orders out of ShipStation entirely.

1. Create a Customer Pickup shipping method in DecoNetwork (custom method, typically priced at $0, and restricted to your local area).
2. Decide how you want pickup notifications handled:
   • Option A: Create a pickup-specific “shipped” email template that tells the customer the order is ready for pickup.
   • Option B: Disable the shipped email for pickup orders (so customers don’t receive an “on its way” message).
3. If available in your settings, exclude Customer Pickup from ShipStation sync so pickup orders don’t appear in ShipStation.
4. In ShipStation order sync settings, avoid double-emails:
   • If ShipStation is emailing tracking updates, you may want to disable DecoNetwork’s ShipStation-shipped email option to prevent customers receiving two notifications.

Step 9: Batching, end-of-day forms, and reporting

1. Batch labels when you have many similar shipments:
   • Filter or sort orders by item/service, select multiple orders, then create a Batch to buy/print labels in bulk.
2. Create an End of Day form when orders are ready for carrier pickup:
   • Go to Shipments, select shipments, then generate an end-of-day summary for the carrier.
3. Request Carrier Pickups (where supported) from ShipStation.
4. Use Insights/Reports to evaluate shipping costs:
   • Review spend by carrier/service and compare what you charged vs what you paid.
   • Use results to tune shipping markups, thresholds, or free-shipping strategies.

Best-practice tips

• Always test before saving: Use Test (DecoNetwork live carrier) and Test Connection (ShipStation custom store) to catch issues early.
• Fix delivery days immediately: If new live methods default to 1 day, update to realistic delivery windows right away.
• Order your methods intentionally: Put the most common/desired default at the top for checkout and Business Hub entry.
• Use markups deliberately: A small markup can cover packaging/handling; validate markup accuracy using ShipStation reporting.
• Use presets to reduce clicks: Presets standardize packaging + carrier settings and reduce label-time errors.
• Split before you ship partials: If only some items are ready, split shipments so each label stays tied to the correct shipment.
• Prevent double emails: Decide whether DecoNetwork or ShipStation should send shipment confirmations/tracking, then disable the other to avoid duplicates.
• Prefer “All” search results: In ShipStation, search from All so you can find orders whether they’re “On Hold” or “Awaiting Shipment.”

Troubleshooting

Live rates aren’t showing at checkout

• Confirm ShipStation is added under Settings → Shipping Methods → Manage Live Shipping Carriers.
• Re-check the API Key and API Secret and run Test again.
• Verify products have realistic weights (and packaging estimates where applicable).
• Confirm the live shipping methods are enabled and available for the store the customer is ordering from.

Orders aren’t appearing in ShipStation

• In ShipStation, click Update All Stores and wait a moment before refreshing results.
• Make sure you are searching within All (All Search Results), not only a single status bucket.
• If part of the order is Not Ready, ensure the ready portion is actually in the Shipping area of Business Hub (partial-ready orders may not sync as expected until something is shippable).
• Confirm the ShipStation custom store connection still authenticates (credentials can break if the linked DecoNetwork password was reset).

The ShipStation connection broke after I changed the DecoNetwork password

• Update the ShipStation store connection with the new credentials, or restore the original credentials if possible.
• For long-term stability, use a dedicated/stable DecoNetwork account for the integration and avoid resetting its password.

Customers are receiving two shipping confirmation emails

• Decide whether ShipStation or DecoNetwork should send shipping confirmations.
• If ShipStation sends tracking emails, disable the equivalent ShipStation-shipped email option in DecoNetwork’s ShipStation order sync settings (where available).

FAQs

Can I create two UPS Ground live methods with different markups for different stores?

No. Live services are unique – you can’t create multiple versions of the same live method (like two UPS Ground methods) for different store groups. Instead, configure markup and availability within the single method where possible.

Why do newly added live methods show a max delivery period of 1 day?

Some newly created live shipping methods default to 1 day. You should update max delivery days to realistic delivery windows so customers see accurate estimates during checkout.

Why make USPS First Class the default?

First Class is often the cheapest option for small/light shipments. However, it can become unavailable above certain weights, so many shops place it first (default) and keep Priority as the next best fallback.

Does ShipStation see each affiliate site as a different store?

Typically, ShipStation treats your DecoNetwork account as a single store/marketplace connection, even if you operate multiple affiliate sites.

Should I send shipping emails from DecoNetwork or ShipStation?

Either can work, but most teams choose one system to avoid duplicate notifications. If ShipStation is sending tracking emails, disable the equivalent “order shipped” email option in DecoNetwork’s ShipStation sync settings (where available).

Can I keep customer pickup orders out of ShipStation?

In many setups, yes – pickup can be excluded from ShipStation sync. This keeps pickup workflows clean and avoids generating shipping labels for non-shipped orders.

Additional Resources

• Connect and Sync Orders Between DecoNetwork and ShipStation
• Connect with ShipStation for live shipping estimates
• Shipping Methods
• How to Configure an Email for Customer Pick Ups