QBO App First Look: ShipStation

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There was time when shipping was something businesses did because they had to – a way to get merchandise to customers who couldn't make it into the store.

Today, shipping is a way of life for a growing number of businesses. In fact, they don't even have a store. All of their customers are serviced online via the business website and shopping cart, and products are shipped to the customer, many times dropped shipped from the supplier.

When shipping is your lifeblood, you need a solution that offers more than the ability to just print a packing slip and shipping label. You look for a comprehensive solution that will allow you to manage your orders and all of the various shipping resources you rely upon. 

You also want a solution that can work with your chosen accounting software in the way that works best for you. And that doesn't always mean letting QuickBooks Online be in charge.

Well ShipStation is one such solution. With ShipStation, Ecommerce shipping is easy, and you will be connected to all your selling channels in minutes, as well as your own website shopping cart(s). Then link-up with all the shipping resources you use including USPS, UPS, FedEx and DHL.

Once you have everything configured, you won't be searching for logins and passwords for each connection. They can all be managed from your ShipStation hub. Hey, want to know if your oddball shipper integrates with ShipStation, just check out this webpage.

Integrating with QuickBooks Online is just as easy – then configure how you want to process orders. Some users may already have their e-commerce and webstores set up to send orders to QBO. ShipStation can handle that configuration, too. 

On the other hand, you may want all or a portion of your e-commerce and webstores to send the orders directly to ShipStation. That’s a workflow that works with this product, too. If you’re wondering if ShipStation will work with your e-commerce partners, webstores or shopping carts, check out the list of ShipStation Partners.

ShipStation can update QuickBooks with order information in the form of sales receipts as well as invoices. You select the method and the accounts that work best for you.  Orders processed via ShipStation will memorialize the processing order number in the Memo Field of your QBO transactions to insure that everything stays in sync.

Speaking of staying in sync, ShipStation can read your QBO Products list so that your

Speaking of staying in sync, ShipStation can read your QBO Products list so that your inventory counts appear right in the hub of your shipping empire, order by order. You will even receive notifications when inventory levels get low. 

But ShipStation does more when it comes to your products. You can configure and use barcodes for order fulfillment, scan a barcode and ship the order, or print a label. You can also store photos of all your products to make it even easier for your order to be facilitated if you’re fulfilling them in-house.

Did I mention that ShipStation could even use the recipient's address to match the sales tax to one or more taxing agencies? Tax information is exchanged between ShipStation and QBO on an order-by-order basis.

One of the reasons you want a shipping solution is simply to insure that each shipment is right and that they get processed properly. ShipStation gives you all the tools and features you need to insure your order fulfillment gets done right the first time. One of the biggest reasons is that ShipStation uses automation rules to customize your order fulfillment and shipping processes. It fits the way you work, rather than you having to adapt and adjust your work flow to meet the requirements of your shipping software.

ShipStation also is great at helping you deal with returns. To take that feature one step further, you can configure ShipStation to automatically print a return label with every shipping label you print. This not only makes returns easier on you and your customers, but it has been proven to show your customers the confidence you have in your own products.

And just because you’re away from your shipping hub doesn't mean you are away from your shipping hub. ShipStation Mobile gives you the ability to sell all orders and get new order alerts. 

Hey, you can even get those alerts on your 'Apple Watch' if you want. Then tag and note orders, transmit orders for fulfillment, even create and print shipping labels. You can cancel or put orders on hold if needed, as well as view and track shipment history.

Your customers will love ShipStation, too. That's because they’ll be kept abreast of their orders via emails that can include special instructions or notifications when an order is unique. You can even set up a branded tracking page that gives your customers a direct portal into their order fulfillment. 

If you want, you can even provide customers using their portal with special promotions and coupons to drive your sales out the roof.

With ShipStation, there is no software to buy or specialized networking set up to permit remote fulfillment locations to do their work. ShipStation is a cloud-based solution you subscribe to on a monthly basis. Starting out small, ShipStation has a starter plan that will service up to 50 shipments per month with one user. They also offer an “Enterprise” plan that covers an unlimited number of shipments per month and 10 users (from anywhere). There are four other plan levels in between that are more than likely going to work for you.

If you’re ready to streamline your order fulfillment and shipping, as well as integrate those workflows into your QuickBooks Online, it may be time to sign up for the Free 30-day Trial ShipStation is offering. Or, you can sign up and link up at the Intuit QuickBooks App Center ShipStation webpage.