Carriers Management Guide

The Carriers page is where you connect and configure shipping carriers. This guide covers everything about managing carriers, from network carriers (always available) to BYO (Bring Your Own) carriers that require account setup.

Platform V2: Parcel bookings shop Pack Network (managed Aramex / Couriers Please, cheapest eligible rate, carrier revealed on the label). Freight-eligible shipments (30 kg+ or oversize) shop Pack Freight / Pack Freight Express (TFM + TNT). See Pack Network and Pack Freight.

Carriers Page Overview

What it is: The main page for viewing, connecting, and configuring shipping carriers.

How to access: Click Carriers in the left navigation menu, or go to Settings → Carriers tab.

What you'll see:

Network carriers (always available)
BYO carriers (require account connection)
Connection status for each carrier
Manage buttons for configuration

Network Carriers

What they are: Carriers that are pre-connected and available to all merchants by default.

Available network carriers:

Aramex - Business standard service
Couriers Please - Business standard service
Australia Post - MyPost business standard and express (available on all plans, including Free with 100 orders/month limit)

How they work:

Already connected by Pack to the Future
No account setup required
Rates are managed by Pack to the Future
15% markup applied to carrier rates

Status: Always shown as "Connected" with a green badge.

What you can do:

Use them immediately for booking shipments
Configure settings (handling fees, signature, insurance)
Enable/disable specific rates
Set as default carrier

BYO (Bring Your Own) Carriers

What they are: Carriers where you connect your own account to use your negotiated rates.

Available BYO carriers:

StarTrack - Standard shipping
TNT - Business standard and overnight express
DHL - Express worldwide
Australia Post eParcel - Premium eParcel service (BYO only, different from network Australia Post)

How they work:

You provide your carrier account credentials
Pack to the Future uses your account to get rates and book shipments
15% transaction fee applied (separate from carrier rates)
You pay the carrier directly (Pack to the Future doesn't charge the carrier)

Subscription requirements:

Free plan: Can connect BYO carriers (limited to 100 bookings per Shopify billing cycle)
Starter plan: Can connect BYO carriers (unlimited bookings)

Status indicators:

Not connected: Checkbox unchecked, "Connect" button shown
Connected: Checkbox checked, green "Connected" badge, "Manage" button shown
Disabled: Grayed out with upgrade message (if on Free plan or at limit)

Carrier Categories

What they are: Carriers are organized by service type.

Categories:

Postal: Standard postal services (Australia Post, StarTrack)
Courier: Business courier services (Aramex, Couriers Please, TNT)
Express: Express and same-day services (Australia Post Express, TNT Express, DHL)

What it means: Helps you understand the type of service each carrier provides.

Carrier List View

What it shows: A table (desktop) or cards (mobile) listing all available carriers.

Information shown:

Carrier code badge (e.g., "ARX-STD")
Carrier name and service label
Description of the service
Connection status
Action buttons

How to use:

Review available carriers
Check connection status
Click Manage or Carrier setup to configure

Connecting a BYO Carrier

What it is: Setting up your own carrier account to use with Pack to the Future.

How to connect:

Step 1: Check Your Plan

What to check:

Free plan: Can connect BYO carriers (100 bookings per Shopify billing cycle)
Starter plan: Can connect BYO carriers (unlimited bookings)

How to check: Look at the carrier status in Settings → Carriers.

Step 2: Click Carrier Setup

What it does: Opens the carrier management modal for that carrier.

How to use:

Find the BYO carrier you want to connect
Click Carrier setup button
Modal opens with connection form

Step 3: Enter Account Credentials

What you need: Your carrier account credentials (varies by carrier).

For Australia Post:

OAuth connection (recommended): Click "Connect with OAuth" button
Manual credentials: Enter Partner ID, API Key, and Merchant Token

For other carriers (TNT, DHL, StarTrack):

API Key: Your carrier API key
API Secret: Your carrier API secret (if required)

How to enter:

Fill in the credential fields
For Australia Post, prefer OAuth if available (more secure)
Click Test Connection to verify credentials work

Step 4: Test Connection

What it does: Verifies your credentials are correct and the connection works.

How to use:

Enter your credentials
Click Test Connection button
Wait for test result

What you'll see:

Success: Green message confirming connection works
Error: Red message with error details

What to do if test fails:

Verify credentials are correct
Check carrier account is active
Ensure API access is enabled in your carrier account
Contact carrier support if needed

Step 5: Configure Settings

What it is: Setting up carrier-specific options.

Settings available:

Active/Inactive: Enable or disable the carrier
Handling Fee: Add a per-order handling fee
Signature on Delivery: Require signature by default
Shipping Insurance: Add insurance by default
Enabled Rates: Select which service rates to show

How to configure:

Toggle Active to enable/disable carrier
Set handling fee (if desired)
Toggle signature and insurance options
Select enabled rates
Click Save Settings

Step 6: Save Settings

What it does: Saves your carrier configuration and credentials.

How to use:

Review all settings
Click Save Settings button
Modal closes and page refreshes

What happens:

Credentials are saved securely
Carrier appears as "Connected"
Carrier becomes available for booking shipments

Carrier Management Modal

What it is: A modal for configuring carrier settings and credentials.

How to open: Click Manage or Carrier setup on any carrier.

What it contains:

Connection status
Account credentials form
Carrier settings
Test connection button
Save/Cancel buttons

Close Button (✕)

What it does: Closes the modal without saving changes.

How to use: Click the ✕ button in the top-right corner.

What happens: Any changes you made are discarded.

Active/Inactive Toggle

What it does: Enables or disables the carrier for booking.

How to use:

Toggle the Active switch
When inactive, carrier won't appear in booking options
When active, carrier is available for booking

When to use:

Disable if you want to temporarily stop using a carrier
Enable when you want to use the carrier again

Note: Network carriers are always active, but you can disable them if needed.

Handling Fee

What it is: An additional fee added to each shipment with this carrier.

How to set:

Select handling fee type:
- None: No handling fee
- Fixed: Fixed dollar amount per order
- Percentage: Percentage of shipping cost
Enter the fee value
Fee is added to shipping cost when booking

When to use:

To cover packaging costs
To add a markup to shipping
To account for handling time

Example: $2.50 fixed fee adds $2.50 to every shipment.

Signature on Delivery Toggle

What it does: Requires recipient signature on delivery by default.

How to use:

Toggle Signature on Delivery switch
When enabled, all shipments with this carrier require signature
You can still override this per-order in the booking modal

When to use:

For high-value orders
When proof of delivery is important
For orders going to high-risk areas

Cost: May add a small fee (varies by carrier).

Shipping Insurance Toggle

What it does: Adds shipping insurance to all shipments by default.

How to use:

Toggle Shipping Insurance switch
When enabled, insurance is added to all shipments
You can still override this per-order in the booking modal

When to use:

For valuable items
When you want protection against loss/damage
For international shipments

Cost: Adds insurance cost to shipping (varies by carrier and order value).

Enabled Rates

What it is: Selecting which service rates to show when booking.

How to use:

Check/uncheck rate checkboxes
Only checked rates will appear in booking options
Unchecked rates are hidden but can be enabled later

When to use:

To simplify booking options
To hide rates you don't use
To focus on preferred services

Example: If a carrier has "Standard" and "Express" rates, you can disable "Express" if you only use standard shipping.

Test Connection Button

What it does: Tests your carrier credentials to verify they work.

How to use:

Enter your credentials
Click Test Connection button
Wait for test result

What you'll see:

Success: "Connection successful" message
Error: Error message with details

When to use:

After entering new credentials
If connection seems broken
To verify credentials before saving

Note: Test may take a few seconds. Don't close the modal while testing.

Save Settings Button

What it does: Saves all carrier configuration and credentials.

How to use:

Configure all settings
Test connection (recommended)
Click Save Settings button
Modal closes and page refreshes

What happens:

Credentials are saved securely
Settings are applied
Carrier status updates
Carrier becomes available for booking

Requirements:

Valid credentials (if connecting new carrier)
At least one rate enabled (if carrier is active)

Australia Post OAuth Connection

What it is: A secure way to connect your Australia Post account without entering credentials manually.

How to use:

Click Carrier setup for Australia Post
Click Connect with OAuth button
You'll be redirected to Australia Post's login page
Log in with your Australia Post account
Authorize Pack to the Future to access your account
You'll be redirected back to Pack to the Future
Connection is automatically saved

Benefits:

More secure (no manual credential entry)
Automatic token refresh
Easier setup process

When to use: Always prefer OAuth if available (more secure than manual credentials).

If OAuth fails: You can still use manual credentials (Partner ID, API Key, Merchant Token).

Australia Post on-label / returns address

What it is: An optional public or returns address printed as the sender on MyPost labels. Pickup and quotes stay on your warehouse.

How to set it: Settings → Pack products → Australia Post → On-label / returns address. Save. Leave blank to print the warehouse.

Example: Warehouse in North Lakes 4509 for collection; PO Box 331, Kallangur 4503 on the label.

Pack Network: Cannot offer on-label changes. Not every network carrier can split the printed sender from collection. See Australia Post on-label address and https://packtothefuture.com/kb/carriers.

Sender phone: Add a sender phone in the same Australia Post settings. MyPost prints sender and receiver phones on the label.

Managing Network Carriers

What it is: Configuring settings for network carriers (Aramex, Couriers Please, Australia Post).

How to manage:

Click Manage button on a network carrier
Carrier management modal opens
Configure settings (same as BYO carriers)
Click Save Settings

What you can configure:

Active/Inactive status
Handling fees
Signature on delivery
Shipping insurance
Enabled rates

What you cannot configure:

Account credentials (managed by Pack to the Future for Aramex and Couriers Please)
Base rates (set by Pack to the Future for Aramex and Couriers Please)

Note:

Aramex and Couriers Please are always connected and managed by Pack to the Future
Australia Post network carrier requires OAuth connection or manual credentials (similar to BYO carriers), but is available on all plans including Free Forever
Network carriers can be disabled or configured with settings

Carrier Status Indicators

What they are: Visual indicators showing carrier connection status.

Statuses:

Connected (Network)

What it shows: Green "Connected" badge with "Connected by Pack to the Future" text.

What it means: Network carrier is active and ready to use.

What you can do: Use immediately for booking, or click Manage to configure settings.

Connected (BYO)

What it shows: Green "Connected" badge with checked checkbox.

What it means: Your carrier account is connected and working.

What you can do: Use for booking, or click Manage to update settings.

Not Connected (BYO)

What it shows: Unchecked checkbox with "Connect" text.

What it means: Carrier account not yet connected.

What you can do: Click Carrier setup to connect your account.

Disabled (Plan Limit)

What it shows: Grayed out with an upgrade message when you've reached your booking limit.

What it means: You've reached your plan's booking limit for this Shopify billing cycle.

What you can do: Upgrade to Starter to remove the volume cap, or wait for the next billing cycle.

Disconnecting a Carrier

What it is: Removing your carrier account connection.

How to disconnect:

Click Manage on the connected carrier
In the modal, you can:
- Toggle Active to disable (keeps connection but hides from booking)
- Or contact support to fully disconnect (removes credentials)

What happens:

If disabled: Carrier won't appear in booking options, but credentials remain saved
If disconnected: Credentials are removed, carrier shows as "Not Connected"

When to disconnect:

If you no longer use the carrier
If you want to connect a different account
If you've reached your plan limit and want to switch carriers

Note: Disconnecting a carrier doesn't affect existing shipments, only future bookings.

Setting Default Carrier

What it is: Choosing which carrier to use by default when booking shipments.

How to set:

Go to Settings → General tab
Find "Default Carrier" setting
Select your preferred carrier
Click Save Settings

What it does: The selected carrier will be pre-selected in the booking modal.

When to use: If you primarily use one carrier, setting it as default saves time.

Understanding Carrier Rates

What they are: Shipping costs charged by carriers.

Rate types:

Network Carrier Rates

How they work:

Rates are provided by Pack to the Future
15% markup is applied to carrier rates
You pay Pack to the Future, who pays the carrier

Example: If carrier rate is $10, you pay $11.50 ($10 + 15% markup).

BYO Carrier Rates

How they work:

Rates come from your carrier account (your negotiated rates)
15% transaction fee is applied
You pay Pack to the Future, who pays the carrier on your behalf

Example: If your carrier rate is $10, you pay $11.50 ($10 + 15% transaction fee).

Benefits of BYO:

Use your negotiated rates (often better than standard rates)
Maintain relationship with carrier
Get volume discounts from carrier

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need to connect carriers to start shipping? A: No, network carriers (Aramex, Couriers Please, Australia Post) are available immediately. You only need to connect BYO carriers if you want to use your own accounts.

Q: How many BYO carriers can I connect? A: All plans can connect BYO carriers. Free is capped at 100 bookings per Shopify billing cycle. Starter removes the volume cap.

Q: Can I use both network and BYO carriers? A: Yes, you can use any combination of network and BYO carriers.

Q: What's the difference between network and BYO carriers? A: Network carriers use Pack to the Future's accounts and rates. BYO carriers use your accounts and your negotiated rates.

Q: How do I get carrier account credentials? A: Contact your carrier directly or log into your carrier account portal to find API credentials.

Q: Are my credentials secure? A: Yes, credentials are encrypted and stored securely. We never share them with third parties.

Q: What if my carrier connection stops working? A: Use the Test Connection button to verify. If it fails, check your credentials and carrier account status. Contact support if issues persist.

Q: Can I change carrier credentials? A: Yes, click Manage on the carrier and update the credentials, then click Save Settings.

Q: What happens if I disable a carrier? A: The carrier won't appear in booking options, but existing shipments are unaffected. You can re-enable it anytime.

Q: Can I set different handling fees for different carriers? A: Yes, each carrier can have its own handling fee configuration.

Q: Do I need to test connection every time? A: No, only test when setting up a new carrier or if you suspect connection issues.

Q: What if I'm on Free plan and want to use BYO carriers? A: Free plan includes full BYO carrier access. Free is capped at 100 bookings per Shopify billing cycle. Upgrade to Starter to remove the volume cap.

Q: Can I use Australia Post without OAuth? A: Yes, Australia Post is available as a network carrier on all plans (including Free with a 100 bookings per billing cycle limit). You can connect via OAuth (recommended for production) or enter credentials manually (Partner ID, API Key, Merchant Token). OAuth is recommended for security and easier token management.

Q: Can I put a PO Box on the Australia Post label and keep warehouse pickup? A: Yes. Set On-label / returns address in Settings → Pack products → Australia Post. Pickup and quotes stay on the warehouse. Pack Network cannot do this. See Australia Post on-label address.

Q: How do I know which carrier is best for my needs? A: Compare rates in the booking modal. Network carriers are good for standard shipping. BYO carriers are better if you have negotiated rates or need specific services.

Q: What if a carrier I want isn't listed? A: Contact support to request additional carriers. We're always adding new carrier integrations.