A merchant wanted to connect a carrier's Shopify app. The credentials were there, via his fulfillment provider. Even so, logging in to the app failed, again and again. Instead of trying over and over, we clarified who actually does what. The result: the existing credentials didn't match the connection the app expected.
The case
“But we have an account with the carrier” is a sentence that costs a lot of time in cases like this. Carriers often offer several types of access for different purposes, and a fulfillment provider frequently works with its own connection. The credentials look similar but don't fit together.
Who does what
| Party | Role | Typical question |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier | Transports and issues access for its interfaces | Which access belongs to which product? |
| Fulfillment provider | Packs and ships, often with its own connection to the carrier | Does it create the labels itself, or should the store do it? |
| Shopify app | Connects the store to the carrier | What kind of access does it expect? |
The key question was: Who actually creates the shipping label, and which data has to flow back into the store afterward? Only once that was clear could we say which solution fits.
What we did instead
- Cleanly separated the responsibilities between provider, carrier and app.
- Clarified which data has to go back to Shopify, above all the tracking number.
- Reviewed alternatives: shipping apps that cover several carriers and returns, instead of experimenting further with credentials.
What you can take away
- A contract with the carrier doesn't mean every app works with it. Ask which access you have and what it's meant for.
- Clarify first: Who creates the label? Store, provider or app. Everything else depends on that.
- Don't keep trying forever. When a login fails three times, it's rarely a typo.
- Sometimes a different app is the shorter route. A shipping app that covers several carriers often solves more than the one matching connection.
Is your shipping stuck between store, provider and carrier? We clarify who does what and find the solution that works.