Once you have created your Shippo account, you will need to decide on the carriers that will handle your shipments.

Please note that ReturnPilot does not support shipping between countries due to the added complexity / logistics of customs.

Getting started

Visit the Shippo Web App.

Next, disable all of the carrier accounts under the "Shippo Accounts" tab.

Continue with the rest of this support article in order to learn which carrier account(s) you should re-enable for your desired use case.

Understanding carrier accounts

There are two types of carrier account, "master" and "personal".

A master account is a carrier account owned by Shippo. Depending on your country, you can use these with minimal or no additional setup. You can find these accounts under the "Shippo Accounts" tab.

A personal account is a carrier account that you have set up independently with a carrier e.g. FedEx or Veho, which you then bring to your Shippo account. You can find these accounts under the "Your Accounts" tab.

You are not restricted to using one type of account. A combination of master accounts and personal accounts is fully supported.

When should I consider using a master account?

Master accounts are available for the following countries / carriers:

If you operate within one of these countries and you are happy to use one (or more) of the available carriers, then you can re-enable them.

* USPS only supports single-piece shipments.

If you want to use USPS, then you should also enable a secondary carrier to ensure that any multi-piece shipments are still covered.

Note that some carriers require account activation in order to be used. Make sure to click the corresponding "activate account" link if it is present.

You may notice that additional carriers appear within the "Shippo Accounts" tab. You should not re-enable them, as they only support international shipments and cannot be used with ReturnPilot.

Setting up personal carrier accounts

If your country of operation is not on the above list, or you do not want to use the master account carriers, or you already have preferred accounts with carriers, then you will need to add a personal carrier account.

1. First, create an account with your desired carrier (via their website).
2. Next, click the "Your Accounts" tab, then click the "Connect Carrier Account" button, then select the desired carrier that you want to add.
3. Fill in the form with your credentials, account numbers, and any other relevant details requested by the carrier.
4. At the bottom of the form, ensure that "Enable test mode" is unchecked (if present), then click the "Connect Account" button.

Depending on the carrier, you may be given the option of selecting which service levels to use. You don't need to configure these, as they have no bearing on how ReturnPilot works.

You are free to set up multiple personal carrier accounts, which may result in lower shipping rates (see the next section for more details).

How a carrier is chosen for a shipment

When it comes time to schedule a return, ReturnPilot will request shipping rates via your Shippo account. Shippo will then request rates from each carrier that your account is set up to use.

Once the rates have been received, ReturnPilot will select the cheapest option and purchase a label for your customer to use.

Important information

Always ensure that your products are of a weight and size that is permitted by your chosen shipping carriers. ReturnPilot is not responsible for rejected shipments due to oversize or overweight.