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The Custom Store option in ShipStation allows a developer to build a custom connection for a selling channel that does not have a native integration with ShipStation. In this case, DEAR has handled the development so it is simple for you to connect your store through DEAR. Once connected, you can then import order information from DEAR to ShipStation and send back shipment information to DEAR.


ShipStation supports three kinds of integration, this article covers connecting ShipStation as a Custom Store

  • ShipStation store integration - This connects ShipStation store as an eCommerce channel. Orders are passed to DEAR for stock management. See ShipStation Store for more information. 
  • ShipStation Custom Store - we recommend this if you are using eCommerce channels integrated with DEAR. ShipStation pulls orders from DEAR (including eCommerce orders), fulfillment and shipping label printing takes place in ShipStation, then shipping information and stock movements are synced back to DEAR. 
  • Connect ShipStation as a Shipping Service - similar in function to custom store. Order (including eCommerce orders) are placed in DEAR, orders can be fulfilled either through DEAR or exported to ShipStation for fulfillment, shipment information is synced with ShipStation to generate shipping labels, printable in DEAR. We recommend this if you are using eCommerce channels integrated with DEAR and need to filter sale orders before export. See ShipStation as a Shipping Service for more information.


For more information, see the ShipStation Integrations Help guide for DEAR Inventory


DEAR as a Custom Store can be connected at the same time as ShipStation store, DEAR has validation to prevent the same order being sent through twice. However, for optimum performance we recommend connecting only one. 


Custom Store and ShipStation Shipping Service have almost the same function and we do not recommend connecting both at the same time, as it can generate duplicate shipping labels.


Prerequisites:

  • Familiarity with Processing a Sale
  • Familiarity with Product and Service Management
  • Only one ShipStation account can be connected to DEAR.
  • ShipStation account settings currency MUST match with DEAR base currency, set via Settings → General Settings

  • ShipStation account settings units MUST match with DEAR default units, set via Settings → General Settings.

  • Users will need the following permissions:

    • User will need the Integrations → Shipment - ShipStation permission enabled to access the integration settings. 
    • User will need the Sale → Sale Task – Pack view: Sales List & Tasks permission to enter package information and shipping instructions. 
    • User will need the Sale → Sale Task – Ship view: Sales List & Tasks permission is required to generate the shipping label.


Table of Contents:


Connect ShipStation Custom Store

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DEAR as a Custom Store can be connected at the same time as ShipStation store, DEAR has validation to prevent the same order being sent through twice. However, for optimum performance we recommend connecting only one. 


Custom Store and ShipStation Shipping Service have almost the same function and we do not recommend connecting both at the same time, as it can generate duplicate shipping labels.


When using both types of integration (Custom Store and ShipStation Store), there are some validations to prevent user data from being damaged:

  • Unable to download data from ShipStation (API) if this data was first exported from DEAR using (Custom Store Integration). Data will not be saved.
  • Unable to export (Custom Store Integration) sale orders that were downloaded from ShipStation (API).
  • You need to use a DEAR login that is linked to a single DEAR Organisation only. When trying to connect ShipStation to a DEAR account with more than one organisation, error code 300 will be generated, preventing data from being exported to ShipStation.


Log in to your ShipStation account to connect DEAR as a custom store. 

  1. Navigate to Integration → ShipStation. Only one ShipStation account can be connected to DEAR.
  2. Select the Custom Store tab.
  3. Switch Status to Enabled.
  4. Login to ShipStation. 
  5. Go to Account Settings
  6. Select Selling Channels from the left-hand sidebar, then choose Store Setup.
  7. Click + Connect Store or Marketplace and choose DEAR.
  8. Enter your login and password from DEAR account. 


IMPORTANT! The user login/password specified in ShipStation custom store should have access to no more than one DEAR Organisation. If the user connecting has access to more than one DEAR organisation there will be a connection issue. 


Integration Settings

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Access the integration settings for ShipStation Custom Store by going to Integrations ShipStation 


Custom Store Integration Status

This enables or disables the Custom Store Integration.


Use Stock Locator instead of Location as Warehouse

This setting controls the value that DEAR sends to ShipStation for the Warehouse field. This can either be the Location or the Stock Locator value for the product in DEAR. 


Export sales fulfilled externally

This setting controls whether DEAR should export Amazon sales fulfilled via FBA to ShipStation. This only affects FBA sales fulfilled through DEAR's native integration with Amazon FBA - sales fulfilled through Amazon FBA NOT integrated with DEAR will not be affected. 


Import shipping costs

When this setting is enabled DEAR obtains the shipping cost value from ShipStation and automatically creates and authorises an invoice entry under the Additional Charges section of the invoice tab in DEAR. 


NOTE: Shipping costs can only be added to the invoice in DEAR when invoice has not yet been authorised. If invoice has been authorised shipping costs will not be added. 


Capture ship to company as

When labels are printed in Shipstation, Ship to Company and Ship to Contact are passed with the sale order. If Ship to Company is left blank, you can:

  • Ignore billing customer when when Ship to Company is not specified: The field is left blank on the ShipStation shipping label when Ship to Company is not specified. 
  • Use customer name when ship to company not specified: Customer name is printed on ShipStation shipping label when Ship to Company is not specified. 


Pulling orders from DEAR to ShipStation

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ShipStation Custom Store pulls orders from DEAR to ShipStation, including orders that DEAR has pulled from other sales channels. Frequency of order pull is configured from the ShipStation side, and can be triggered manually from ShipStation with Custom Store Sync

  1. Sale order is authorised in DEAR/ DEAR receives order from connected sale channel (e.g. Shopify, WooCommerce)
  2. ShipStation pulls order from DEAR when the following parameters are fulfilled:
    • Pack tab is authorised 
    • Ship tab contains info (Tracking # field must be blank)
    • Ship tab can be authorised or unauthorised
    • Invoice tab can be authorised or unauthorised but must have an invoice number.
  3. Fulfillment and shipping label printing takes place via ShipStation.
  4. Tracking #: Once shipment is dispatched, tracking # is sent back to DEAR. 
    • Tracking field must be blank when order sent to ShipStation.
  5. Shipping Fee: If invoice is not authorised, shipping fee will be sent back to DEAR and invoice will be authorised. Shipping fee will not be sent back to DEAR if invoice has already been authorised
    • Import Shipping Costs must be enabled in ShipStation Custom Store settings. 
  6. Shipment tab is authorised if it has not yet been authorised. 
  7. Stock movement in DEAR takes place when ship tab is authorised.  


Are you having problems with orders from sale channels not getting pulled by ShipStation? Here are common causes of errors:

  • Pick, Pack and Ship Processing Mode for online sales setting for eCommerce integration is set to No Picking or Auto-Pick - this will not authorise the Pack tab, which is the trigger to pull the order. We recommend setting Pick, Pack, and Ship Processing Mode for online sales to Auto-Pick + Pack
  • Invoice Status for connected eCommerce integrations should be set to Draft - shipping costs will not be synced back to DEAR if invoice is authorised when synced too ShipStation. 
  • Invoice number should be created On sale creation - sale needs an invoice number in order to sync to ShipStation. (Edit this from Settings → General Settings → Sale process customisation
  • We recommend integrating sales channels with DEAR, then integrating DEAR with ShipStation. Integrating ShipStation to the sales channels directly can cause issues with data flow. 


Prevent orders syncing to ShipStation

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It is possible to set up order filters in ShipStation to prevent syncing some DEAR orders to ShipStation. 


NOTE: If your DEAR account is integrated with FBA via DEAR's native integration, you can simply disable the Export sales fulfilled externally to stop FBA fulfilled sales syncing to ShipStation. This function will not work if FBA is not integrated with DEAR. 


We recommend using the Warehouse Location field as your filter criteria. All eCommerce native integrations with DEAR  have an option to specify the location for sales for that general in that integration's Setup tab.


Back in the ShipStation integration in DEAR, you will need to make sure that Use Stock Locator instead of Location as Warehouse setting is disabled. 


Next, log in to ShipStation to set up an order filter. Please see ShipStation documentation for more information on applying filters. Set a filter for Warehouse Location and exclude the location associated with the channel you wish to filter. 


Next, set up an Automation rule using this filter, with the following settings. 



Tasks not ready for ShipStation

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This section displays sales which have not been able to be exported to ShipStation and the reason for the export fail. Typically, export fails due to missing shipping address in sale. 


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