ShipStation lets you connect multiple carriers and pick cheapest per order automatically. Most brands connect one carrier (UPS) and miss 15-25 percent shipping savings. This SOP unlocks the multi-carrier advantage.
Multi-carrier setup saves 15-25 percent on shipping with no operational complexity once configured. ShipStation does the rate-shopping per order. The work is upfront, the savings are continuous.
UPS, FedEx, USPS at minimum. Add DHL for international if relevant.
If you have account-specific rates above $50K annual volume, upload them. Below that, use ShipStation discounted rates.
Zone 1-3 orders go USPS (cheapest short distance). Zone 4-8 go FedEx Ground (cheapest long distance). UPS as fallback.
Map customer-facing services (Standard, Expedited, Express) to specific carrier services. Don't show 'UPS Ground' to customers, show 'Standard 3-5 days'.
Bulky products often ship at DIM weight not actual weight. Configure product dimensions in ShipStation for accurate rates.
If UPS API is down, ShipStation should automatically use FedEx. Configure the fallback explicitly.
Average cost per order by zone, by carrier. Identify if any routing rule is suboptimal.
Bring shipping volume data to UPS and FedEx reps. Most brands get 10-15 percent discount with even modest negotiation.
Record your screen while performing the shipstation carrier rate setup. ReccordSOP turns the recording into a SOP with timestamped screenshots. When your live setup changes, drift detection flags it.
Generate this SOP freeThree minimum (UPS, FedEx, USPS). Add international carriers as needed.
Above $50K annual shipping spend. Below that, ShipStation discount rates are competitive.
No. Show service tier (Standard, Express). Customer doesn't care which carrier as long as delivery hits the promise.
I built ReccordSOP after watching too many DTC ops teams lose months to undocumented workflows. These SOPs are battle-tested with Shopify operators running $1M to $50M brands.
Last reviewed June 1, 2026