Activating calculated shipping with UPS

You can display shipping rates in your checkout that are calculated by UPS. You need to set up your UPS account, and then connect it to your Shopify admin.

After you connect your UPS account to your Shopify admin, you can set up rates calculated by UPS.

If your store is based in the United States, then you can also do the following:

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:

  1. Visit the UPS website.
  2. Sign up for an account by using one of the affiliate sites, or by filling in the form as required.
  3. Accept the UPS Technology Agreement, then click Sign Up.
  4. 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:

  1. Log in to your account at the UPS website.
  2. 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 doesn't appear 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:

  1. Log in to your account at the UPS website.
  2. From the account menu in the top-right corner of the page, select Payment Options.
  3. From the Add a payment method menu, select Add new account, and then click Add.
  4. Select the address that you want to register with, and then click Next.
  5. 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:

  1. Log in to your account at the UPS website.
  2. From the account menu in the top-right corner of the page, select Payment Options.
  3. In the My payment methods section, find the correct account, and then click Edit.
  4. Open the Location address section.
  5. 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:

  1. Log in to the UPS Billing Center.
  2. In the Quick Links section, click View Invoice.
  3. Select an applicable invoice by clicking the invoice number.
  4. Click View/Download Invoice Data.

On your UPS invoice, you can find the following information:

  • Your Invoice date, Invoice number, and Control ID appear under Delivery Service Invoice on the top-right corner of the invoice.
  • Your Invoice amount appears 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 appears 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.

When you connect your account, you can choose to use retail shipping rates set by UPS or shipping rates that your business has negotiated with UPS. It can take up to three business days before the negotiated rates are displayed at your checkout. If they don't appear after three business days, then contact Shopify Support) for assistance.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.
  2. In the Carrier accounts section, add UPS as a shipping carrier:
    • If you don't have any shipping carrier accounts added, then click Connect carrier account, and then click Connect account next to UPS.
    • If you already have a shipping carrier account added, then click Manage carriers, and then click Connect account next to UPS.
  3. In the Connect your UPS® acount dialog, click Start.
  4. In the Account/Shipper number field, enter your UPS account number.
  5. In the PERSONAL INFORMATION section, enter your address and contact details.
  6. In the ACCOUNT TO BUY LABELS section, select Your UPS account.
  7. In the RATES CUSTOMERS SEE AT CHECKOUT section, select the shipping rates type:
    • To use retail shipping rates set by UPS, select UPS retail rates.
    • To use shipping rates that your business has negotiated with UPS, select Your negotiated rates with UPS.
  8. Optional: In the Account type (optional), select your UPS account type.
  9. Review the terms of service, and then click Submit and continue.
  10. On the Verify your UPS® account dialog, add your UPS account and invoice details, and then click Submit.

After you connect your UPS account to Shopify, a new entry appears in the Additional Users section of your account page in your UPS account. This is your Shopify account that is connected to your UPS account. It includes an account ID that you might not recognize and the email address that's associated with your Shopify account. This account is required. If you remove it, then you lose the connection between your UPS and Shopify accounts, and 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.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

  2. In the Carrier accounts section, click Test account next to the carrier that you want to test.

  3. Select the package type, and then enter the size and weight.

  4. Adjust your origin and destination addresses. The Ship From and Ship To fields use your default location information.

  5. Click Test rates to view sample rates.

  6. Optional: Click the Details tab to enter different package details.

  7. Click Close.

Step 7: Set up carrier-calculated shipping rates

Set up your shipping rates calculated by UPS to display them to your customers at checkout.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

  2. In the Shipping section, click the shipping profile that you want to add carrier-calculated rates to.

  3. Next to the zone where you want to add a rate, click Add rate.

  4. Select Use carrier or app to calculate rates.

  5. In the drop-down menu, choose the shipping service that you want to add calculated rates for.

  6. In the SERVICES section, select the shipping methods from that shipping service that you want to provide as options for your customers at checkout.

  7. Optional: In the FUTURE SERVICES section, choose whether to automatically offer any new services that the shipping service makes available.

  8. Optional: In the HANDLING FEE section, add any handling fee that you'd like to be added to the calculated rate.

  9. Click Done, and then click Save.

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:

Getting support for UPS account setup
CountryContact number
United States1-800-742-5877
Canada1-800-742-5877
United Kingdom03457 877 877

If you're having issues with connecting your UPS account to Shopify, then 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.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

  2. In the Carrier accounts section, click Manage carriers.

  3. Next to UPS, click Disconnect account.

  4. In the dialog, click Disconnect account to confirm the deactivation.

UPS account types

Description of the different UPS account types
Account typeMethodDescription
Daily pickupPickupA 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 pickupPickupYou 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 counterDrop offYou drop off your packages at a UPS customer center (The UPS Store locations, authorized shipping outlets, and UPS access points).
Letter centerDrop offYou drop off your packages at a UPS drop box.
Air service centerDrop-offYou drop off your packages at an air service center.
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