Once Shipi is connected to your AI assistant (see the MCP setup guide), you can ask for live rates from every carrier account you have switched on in Shipi, pick one, and have the label created on exactly that account and service.
| Step | What you ask | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Quote | “Get rates for a 4 lb box, 12×9×6 in, to 10001, US.” | Shipi asks every enabled carrier account and returns all quotes, cheapest first. |
| 2. Choose | “Book the UPS Ground rate.” | The AI uses that quote’s account and service code. |
| 3. Label | — | Shipi creates the label on that account and returns the tracking number and label link. |
In this guide: How rates work · Parcel shipments · Freight (LTL) · Booking a quote · Accounts without a quote · Costs and limits · FAQ
How rates work through MCP
- Every carrier account switched on in Shipi → Carriers is quoted, including several accounts of the same carrier.
- Each quote shows the account it came from, the carrier, the service, the price, the currency and the delivery estimate.
- Quotes are sorted from cheapest to most expensive.
- Rates come from the carriers’ live APIs with your own account pricing, the same way as in the Shipi dashboard.
- Accounts that can’t quote are listed separately with the reason (see below).
Rating parcel shipments
Give the AI the destination (at least postal code and country; a full address gives more accurate rates) and each package’s weight and dimensions. The ship-from address is taken from each carrier account, so you don’t need to repeat it.
“Compare rates for two boxes to Toronto M5V 2T6, Canada: 5 kg 40×30×20 cm and 3 kg 30×20×15 cm.”
To quote only one carrier or account, say so: “Only FedEx” or “Only my UPS account for the EU store”.
Rating freight (LTL) shipments
If you have a FedEx Freight (LTL) account in Shipi, describe pallets or crates instead of boxes. For each handling unit give the freight class, the weight of one unit (including the pallet) and its dimensions:
“Get FedEx Freight rates for 2 crates, class 150, 210 lb each, 84×44×36 in, to Denver CO 80202. Residential delivery with liftgate.”
Freight quotes include FedEx Freight Priority and FedEx Freight Economy. Accessorials such as liftgate, inside delivery or call before delivery change the price, so mention them when you ask for rates.
Booking the quote you choose
- Pick a quote in plain words, for example “Book the cheapest one” or “Use DHL Express Worldwide”.
- Give the recipient’s name, full address and phone number. Phone numbers are required by most international and freight services.
- Confirm the service and price the AI shows you. Always confirm before booking: a label is a real shipment and is billed by the carrier.
- The AI returns the tracking number and label link. Freight bookings return the PRO number, the Bill of Lading and one label per pallet or crate.
Every label created this way also appears in Shipi → Shipments, with tracking and customer emails exactly like labels created in the dashboard.
Accounts that return no quote
| Reason shown | What to do |
|---|---|
| Credentials missing or rejected by the carrier | Fix the API credentials in the carrier account settings. |
| Parcel quotes need products | Give package weights and dimensions. |
| FedEx Freight quotes need freight items | Describe pallets/crates with freight class, weight and dimensions. |
| Flat Rate is a checkout price rule | Flat Rate accounts set checkout prices only; they can’t create labels. |
| No live rates for this carrier | The carrier has no rate API in Shipi, but you can still create labels with a known service. |
Costs and limits
- Each successful rate request uses one live-rate request from your Shipi plan, like the dashboard’s Get Rates button.
- Each label uses one label from your Shipi label balance; the carrier bills the shipment to your carrier account.
- Rating many carrier accounts at once can take several seconds.
If something fails, see the Shipi MCP troubleshooting guide.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. It quotes every carrier account that is switched on in Shipi, including several accounts of the same carrier, and returns all quotes sorted by price.
Yes. Each quote is linked to the carrier account and service that produced it, so the label is created on exactly that account and service.
No. Shipi uses the ship-from address saved on each carrier account. You can give a different ship-from address when needed.
Yes, if a FedEx Freight (LTL) account is connected in Shipi. Describe the pallets or crates with freight class, weight and dimensions to get Priority and Economy quotes.
The response lists every account that didn’t quote with the reason, such as missing credentials, missing package details, or a carrier without a live rates API.
Related guides
- How to connect Shipi to Claude, Cursor and other AI tools (MCP setup)
- Shipi MCP troubleshooting
- How to configure FedEx Freight (LTL) in Shipi
- How to configure shipping accounts in Shipi
Last updated: September 24, 2026