Mastering ShipStation: Your Complete Guide to Streamline Shipping

Mastering ShipStation: Your Complete Guide to Streamline Shipping

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. What is ShipStation?
3. Setting Up Your ShipStation Account 3.1 Account Setup 3.2 Connecting Selling Channels 3.3 Adding Shipping Carriers 3.4 Setting Label Format 3.5 Adding Ship From Location
4. Importing Orders 4.1 Store Update 4.2 Uploading a CSV File 4.3 Creating a Manual Order
5. Processing Orders and Creating Labels 5.1 Processing Individual Orders 5.2 Processing Orders in Batches
6. Tracking Shipments 6.1 Tracking Shipments and Notifications 6.2 Reprinting Labels and Documents 6.3 Voiding Shipments 6.4 Creating Return Labels 6.5 Creating End-of-Day Form or Scan Form 6.6 Requesting a Pickup with USPS
7. Getting Support with ShipStation 7.1 Live Chat and Email Support 7.2 Support Tickets and Help Center 7.3 Contacting Account Managers
8. Conclusion

Article

ShipStation: Simplifying Shipping and Order Management

Introduction

Welcome to ShipStation, the ultimate solution for managing your e-commerce orders and streamlining your shipping process. In this article, we will guide you through the basics of how ShipStation works, setting up your account, importing orders, processing shipments, tracking shipments, and getting support. By the end, you will have a comprehensive understanding of ShipStation and how it can save you time and money with your business.

What is ShipStation?

ShipStation is an online software that helps you manage your orders and create labels for shipping. It acts as a central hub, connecting with your selling channels such as Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and more, where all your orders are imported and managed. ShipStation allows you to streamline the order fulfillment process, create shipping labels, automate shipping updates to customers, and much more.

Setting Up Your ShipStation Account

Account Setup

To get started with ShipStation, you need to set up your account. This involves basic steps such as connecting your selling channels, adding shipping carriers, setting label formats, and adding ship from locations.

1. Connecting Selling Channels: ShipStation allows you to integrate with popular marketplaces and shopping carts like Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and BigCommerce. By connecting these selling channels, ShipStation automatically imports all orders placed on those platforms into its system. You can access this feature under Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup.

2. Adding Shipping Carriers: ShipStation supports multiple shipping carriers such as USPS, FedEx, UPS, and DHL. You can either set up a new account or link existing carrier accounts to ShipStation. By adding shipping carriers, you can access their discounted rates, create shipping labels, and track shipments. You can add shipping carriers under Account Settings > Shipping and Carriers > Add a Provider Account.

3. Setting Label Format: ShipStation allows you to customize label formats based on your printer type, whether it's a thermal label printer or a desktop printer. This ensures that labels are printed correctly and optimally for your chosen printer. You can set label formats under Account Settings > Printing and Printing Setup > Document Options for Labels.

4. Adding Ship From Location: Ship From Locations represent the origin address and return address for your shipments. By adding ship from locations, you can easily generate accurate shipping rates and labels for your orders. You can add ship from locations under Account Settings > Shipping and Carriers > Ship From Locations.

Importing Orders

Once you have set up your ShipStation account, the next step is to import your orders. ShipStation offers three main ways to import orders: Store Update, Uploading a CSV File, and Creating a Manual Order.

1. Store Update: With Store Update, ShipStation automatically imports orders placed on your connected selling channels. This feature ensures that all your orders are centralized in ShipStation, making it easier to manage and process them. You can perform a store update by clicking on the "Update All Stores" or "Individual Update" button in the sidebar.

2. Uploading a CSV File: If you have orders stored in a CSV file, you can import them into ShipStation. This is useful if you have orders from platforms or systems that are not directly integrated with ShipStation. You can upload a CSV file under "Other Actions" on the Orders page.

3. Creating a Manual Order: ShipStation allows you to manually create orders within the system. This is beneficial if you receive orders via phone or in-person and need to process them alongside your other orders. You can create a manual order by clicking on "Create Order" on the Orders page and entering the relevant details.

Processing Orders and Creating Labels

Once you have imported your orders, it's time to process them and create shipping labels. ShipStation offers a user-friendly interface that allows you to efficiently process both individual orders and batches of orders.

1. Processing Individual Orders: To process an individual order, select the order from the sidebar or the Orders page and review the shipping details. You can set the weight, shipping service, package dimensions, and other parameters. Once you have reviewed and updated the information, click "Create Label" to generate the shipping label.

2. Processing Orders in Batches: ShipStation enables you to process multiple orders at once, saving you valuable time. If you have orders with similar shipping settings, you can select multiple orders and apply the same settings to all of them. ShipStation will calculate the rates and generate labels for the entire batch. To create a label batch, select the orders and click "Create Labels" or "Create New Batch."

Tracking Shipments

After creating labels and shipping out your orders, ShipStation helps you track your shipments and manage any necessary actions related to them.

1. Tracking Shipments and Notifications: ShipStation automatically sends shipping notifications to your customers, providing them with tracking information and updates. You can track shipments within ShipStation by clicking on the tracking number or using the carrier's tracking website. ShipStation consolidates tracking data from different carriers to provide you with real-time updates.

2. Reprinting Labels and Documents: ShipStation allows you to reprint shipping labels, packing slips, and other related documents if needed. This is useful in case of printer malfunctions or if you need additional copies. You can access the reprinting options by selecting the orders and clicking on "Print."

3. Voiding Shipments: If you made an error in creating a label or need to cancel a shipment, ShipStation allows you to void the label. Voiding a label cancels it before the package is shipped. You can void a label by selecting the order and clicking on "Void Shipment."

4. Creating Return Labels: ShipStation simplifies the process of creating return labels for your customers. In case of returns, you can easily generate and send return labels either by email or as downloadable PDFs. This allows for easy return management and maintaining a positive customer experience.

5. Creating End-of-Day Forms or Scan Forms: ShipStation offers the option to create end-of-day forms or scan forms for USPS shipments. These forms help streamline the pickup process for your USPS driver or pickup service. By generating a scan form, you can consolidate multiple shipments into one barcode, making it easier for USPS to scan and process your packages.

6. Requesting a Pickup with USPS: ShipStation allows you to schedule pickups with USPS directly from the platform. By selecting the shipments you want to ship out, you can request a pickup and provide the necessary details. This eliminates the need for manual scheduling and ensures that your packages are collected promptly.

Getting Support with ShipStation

If you encounter any issues or have questions about ShipStation, our support team is here to assist you.

1. Live Chat and Email Support: ShipStation offers live chat and email support to address any inquiries or challenges you may face. Silver plan subscribers and above can access live chat support directly within the app. You can also reach out to our support team via email for personalized assistance.

2. Support Tickets and Help Center: ShipStation provides a comprehensive Help Center with a vast knowledge base, videos, webinars, and community forums. Here, you can find answers to common questions, explore articles on different topics, and access tutorial videos to enhance your understanding of ShipStation. You can also submit support tickets for specific issues that require personalized guidance.

3. Contacting Account Managers: If you're a new trial user, you can contact your Account Manager for additional support. They can provide guidance on setting up your account, understanding features, and optimizing your usage of ShipStation.

Conclusion

ShipStation offers a complete solution for managing your orders, streamlining your shipping process, and saving time and money. With its intuitive interface, automated features, and robust support system, ShipStation is the ideal platform for e-commerce businesses of all sizes. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can set up your ShipStation account, import orders, process shipments, and track them seamlessly. Get started with ShipStation today and experience the convenience and efficiency it brings to your business.