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Connect ShipStation to Fondoo

conveyor_beltLive4 min readUpdated

ShipStation is a shipping platform for comparing carrier rates and printing labels. Connecting it lets your AI agent quote rates across the carriers you have connected in ShipStation, and buy a label once you approve it. ShipStation's API v2 runs in production only, so every label it buys is real and may cost money.

What Fondoo can do with it

ActionFondoo operationShipStation v2 callRisk
Quote ratesget_shipping_rates({connectionId, shipment})POST /v2/ratesread
Buy a labelbuy_shipping_label({connectionId, shipment})POST /v2/labelsmoney
Track a parcelget_shipment_tracking({connectionId, tracking:{carrier_code, tracking_number}})GET /v2/trackingread

shipment is passed through as ShipStation's own request body: addresses, packages, and the carrier or service to rate or use. See the v2 API reference.

Tracking may not work on your plan. ShipStation's API specification shows GET /v2/tracking as available only to ShipStation API (formerly ShipEngine) Advanced and Enterprise accounts. It is not available on ShipStation web-app plans. For web-app accounts, ShipStation documents GET /v2/labels/{label_id}/track instead, which Fondoo does not call yet. If tracking fails, use AfterShip for tracking or check the parcel in ShipStation. This may differ for your account.

Approvals:

  • buy_shipping_label is a money action. When an agent calls it, Fondoo pauses it with pending_approval and an approval link. Nothing is bought until you approve.
  • Over MCP, this approval step also applies to your own session.
  • Rates and tracking are reads.
  • Agents need Fondoo's commerce:read or commerce:write scope.

Before you start

  • A ShipStation plan with API access. ShipStation's Free and Starter plans have "No API Access"; you need Standard or Premium (plans). Rates and labels through v2 are enabled on Standard and Premium.
  • Carriers connected in ShipStation. Rate shopping and labels only work with the carriers on your ShipStation account.
  • Funds or billing for postage. Labels are charged as they would be in ShipStation.
  • No sandbox. ShipStation says "All V2 API operations occur in production and may incur real costs." If you buy a label to test, void it quickly; most carriers refund labels voided promptly (sandbox).
  • A Fondoo site to attach the connection to.

Step by step: get your credentials

Fondoo needs a ShipStation API v2 key. Do not use the legacy v1 "API Key and API Secret" pair: Fondoo sends only the v2 API-Key header.

  1. Sign in to ShipStation as the account owner.
  2. Open the API Settings page. The direct link is https://ship.shipstation.com/#/settings/api . ShipStation's help center places it under Settings → Account → API Settings; that path could not be re-checked live.
  3. Choose API v2 if ShipStation asks which version you want, then select Generate API key. ShipStation may email you a verification step and offer an expiry period.
  4. Copy the key. It is shown once (authentication).

ShipStation allows one active v2 key at a time. Generating a new key replaces the old one, which disconnects anything still using it, including Fondoo. The key has no permission scopes and can do anything your account can.

Connect it in Fondoo

In the dashboard:

  1. Open Connections and find ShipStation under Available → Shipping.
  2. Click Use a key, then Open secure key entry.
  3. Paste the key into apiKey and click Save connection securely. The page expires after 15 minutes and works once.
  4. Click Check connection.

By asking your agent. For example:

"Connect ShipStation and show me the cheapest rate for order 2077."

The agent calls add_connection_key({provider:"shipstation", siteId}) without fields and sends you the secure link. Do not paste the key in chat: keys supplied in fields trigger a chat-log warning. A signed 15-minute instruction link is available with connect_service({provider:"shipstation", siteId}). Afterwards the agent runs test_connection({connectionId}).

REST: POST https://api.getfondoo.com/v1/ops/add_connection_key with Authorization: Bearer <your Fondoo key> and {"provider":"shipstation","siteId":"<site UUID>"}.

Test that it works

  1. test_connection calls GET /v2/carriers. Status connected means the key works, and the response lists your carriers. Other actions remain "unknown" until used.
  2. Ask your agent for rates on a sample shipment. This is free and buys nothing.
  3. Only buy a label for a real parcel, or void a test label straight away in ShipStation.

Troubleshooting

  • Status invalid or "Provider request failed (401)". The key is invalid, expired or deactivated. A newer v2 key may have replaced it. Generate a key and rotate it in Fondoo.
  • v1 key used by mistake. v1 keys come with a secret and use Basic authentication. They will not work here. Create a v2 key.
  • Tracking fails with 403 or 404. Your plan does not include GET /v2/tracking; see the note above.
  • No rates returned. No carrier is connected in ShipStation for that service or destination, or the request body is missing carrier or package details.
  • "Provider request failed (429)". ShipStation allows 200 requests per minute by default and sends Retry-After (rate limits). Fondoo also budgets about 60 actions per minute per connection.
  • "Do not blindly retry a mutation with an uncertain outcome". A label request may have succeeded. Check ShipStation before you retry.

Limits, data and security

  • What Fondoo stores: the encrypted key, status, last test and last use. list_connections shows [redacted] for the key. Rates and label results go back to the caller.
  • Rotate: generate a new v2 key, which immediately ends the old one, then call rotate_connection_key({connectionId}) without fields and paste the new key. Do both steps close together.
  • Disconnect: delete_connection({connectionId}) deletes the key from Fondoo. Agents need your approval. Then deactivate or regenerate the key in ShipStation.