Activating calculated shipping with UPS
You can display your negotiated UPS shipping rates in your checkout after you set up your UPS account, and then connect it to your Shopify admin.
If your store is based in the United States, then you can also complete the following tasks:
- Buy UPS shipping labels using your negotiated rates directly in your Shopify admin.
- Purchase shipping insurance for your UPS shipping labels.
- Buy returns labels.
On this page
- Plan requirements for third-party carrier-calculated shipping
- Requirements for activating calculated shipping with UPS
- Step 1: Register for an account with UPS
- Step 2: Get your UPS account number
- Step 3: Verify your address
- Step 4: Verify your invoice
- Step 5: Connect your UPS account
- Step 6: Test your carrier-calculated shipping rates
- Step 7: Set up carrier-calculated shipping rates
- Getting support
- Deactivate UPS calculated shipping
- UPS account types
- UPS international shipping and customs documents
Plan requirements for third-party carrier-calculated shipping
To use third-party carrier-calculated shipping, you must be on the Shopify Advanced or Shopify Plus plan. If you're currently on the Shopify plan, then you can opt for the monthly fee to add this feature or switch to yearly billing. Third-party carrier-calculated shipping isn't available on the Basic Shopify or Shopify Starter plans.
Requirements for activating calculated shipping with UPS
To activate calculated shipping with UPS, you need to meet the following requirements:
- You need to have a UPS account that has an account number, sometimes referred to as a Shipper Number.
- Your store needs to be on the Advanced Shopify or Plus plan. If you're on the Shopify plan, then you can add this feature for a monthly fee or switch from monthly to yearly billing. For more information, contact Shopify Support.
Step 1: Register for an account with UPS
If you don't already have a UPS account, then you can register for one.
Steps:
- Visit the UPS website.
- Sign up for an account by using one of the affiliate sites, or by filling in the form as required.
- Accept the UPS Technology Agreement, then click Sign Up.
- Confirm your email address to complete the registration process.
Step 2: Get your UPS account number
Depending on when and how you created your UPS account, it might not have an account number, sometimes referred to as a Shipper Number, associated with it yet. You can check if your account already has an account number or register for one.
Find your account number
If you already have an account number, then you can find it on a copy of a UPS invoice or by logging in to your UPS account. If you don't have an account number, then you can register for one online.
Steps:
- Log in to your account at the UPS website.
- From the account menu in the top-right corner of the page, select Payment Options.
Under My payment methods, your account number is displayed in the Number column (your account number is in a format similar to 123AB4
). If an account number isn't displayed here, then you need to register for one online.
Register for an account number with UPS
If your UPS account doesn't have an account number associated with it yet, then you need to register for one.
Steps:
- Log in to your account at the UPS website.
- From the account menu in the top-right corner of the page, select Payment Options.
- From the Add a payment method menu, select Add new account, and then click Add.
- Select the address that you want to register with, and then click Next.
- Enter your answers for the questions about your shipping profile.
You can now enter your account number to connect your UPS account.
Step 3: Verify your address
You need to verify your account with the address that's associated with your account number.
Steps:
- Log in to your account at the UPS website.
- From the account menu in the top-right corner of the page, select Payment Options.
- In the My payment methods section, find the correct account, and then click Edit.
- Open the Location address section.
- Use the entries for country and ZIP/postal code in this section to authorize your account.
Step 4: Verify your invoice
If you've received an invoice in the past 90 days (or the past 45 days for accounts not based in the US or Canada), then you need to authorize your account with one of your past three invoices. If you haven't received an invoice in that period, then you don't need to complete this step.
If you've enrolled in the UPS Billing Center, then you can view your invoices online.
Steps:
- Log in to the UPS Billing Center.
- In the Quick Links section, click View Invoice.
- Select an applicable invoice by clicking the invoice number.
- Click View/Download Invoice Data.
On your UPS invoice, you can find the following information:
- Your Invoice date, Invoice number, and Control ID display under Delivery Service Invoice on the top-right corner of the invoice.
- Your Invoice amount displays next to Amount due this period at the bottom of the invoice. If this amount is 0, then use the Charges this period amount that displays below Summary of Charges.
Step 5: Connect your UPS account
You need to register for a UPS account and have a UPS invoice before you can connect your UPS account to Shopify.
After you connect your account, your Shopify store uses shipping rates that your business has negotiated with UPS. It can take up to three business days before the negotiated rates are displayed in your checkout. If they don't display after three business days, then contact Shopify Support for assistance.
Steps:
After you connect your UPS account to Shopify, a new entry is added to the Additional Users section of your account page in your UPS account. This is the Shopify account that is connected to UPS, which includes an account ID and the email address that's associated with your Shopify account.
This additional user entry is required. If you remove it, then your UPS and Shopify accounts are no longer connected. If this entry is removed, then you need to contact Shopify Support to resolve the issue.
Step 6: Test your carrier-calculated shipping rates
After you connect your third-party shipping carrier to your Shopify admin, you can test your account integration and preview calculated shipping rates for specific package types, sizes, and destinations within the Shopify admin.
The shipping rates that are displayed during testing are sample rates and might be different from the shipping rates displayed to your customers at checkout.
Step 7: Set up carrier-calculated shipping rates
Set up your shipping rates calculated by UPS to display them to your customers at checkout.
Getting support
If you're having issues with your UPS account setup, then you can visit the UPS Help and Support Center or contact UPS customer support:
Country | Contact number |
---|---|
United States | 1-800-742-5877 |
Canada | 1-800-742-5877 |
United Kingdom | 03457 877 877 |
For help connecting your UPS account to your Shopify store, questions about UPS labels purchased through Shopify Shipping, or issues with claims on refunded labels, you can contact Shopify Support.
Deactivate UPS calculated shipping
If you no longer want to use calculated shipping by UPS, then you can disconnect your carrier account from your Shopify admin.
UPS account types
Account type | Method | Description |
---|---|---|
Daily pickup | Pickup | A UPS driver stops at your location once per business day, as scheduled. You can schedule daily pickups at UPS.com. To learn more about this service, refer to Daily Pickup |
One-time pickup | Pickup | You call UPS to have your packages picked up by scheduling a pickup online or by phone as needed. To learn more about this service, refer to UPS On-Call Pickup. |
Customer counter | Drop off | You drop off your packages at a UPS customer center (The UPS Store locations, authorized shipping outlets, and UPS access points). |
Letter center | Drop off | You drop off your packages at a UPS drop box. |
Air service center | Drop-off | You drop off your packages at an air service center. |
UPS international shipping and customs documents
You can reduce paper waste and speed up customs clearance by using UPS Paperless® Invoice when you ship internationally with UPS. When buying international shipping labels using your own UPS account, check your UPS account to make sure your UPS Paperless® Invoice preferences are set to submit paperless commercial invoices. If you're shipping to a country that accepts paperless documentation, then your customs documentation is automatically submitted electronically, and you need to print only the shipping label.
If you're shipping to a non-supported country or region, then you need to print the customs forms and attach them to your shipment.