When running an eCommerce business, shipping efficiency and flexibility can make or break the customer experience. If you’re using Magento 2 and rely on UPS or FedEx for order fulfillment, you may encounter a common challenge—how to use a third-party shipping account, especially when you’re not the one paying the shipping cost.
Fortunately, there’s a solution. The Magento 2 UPS/FedEx 3rd Party Shipping Labels extension by EcomPlugins enables seamless support for third-party shipping accounts right from your Magento admin panel. Let’s dive into why this is important and how to use it effectively.
Why Use a Third-Party Shipping Account?
In many business models—especially B2B, drop shipping, or fulfillment by distributors—the recipient or a partner may want to be billed for the shipping charges instead of the store owner. Here’s why third-party shipping support is essential:
1. Billing the Receiver or a Partner
Some clients or distributors have negotiated rates with UPS/FedEx and want to use their own shipping account. This allows them to benefit from their discounts and manage shipping costs directly.
2. Fulfillment by a Supplier or Manufacturer
If your suppliers ship products on your behalf (drop shipping), they may use their shipping accounts for label generation. You’ll need a way to enter and use their account details when fulfilling orders.
3. Avoiding Shipping Charges at Your End
By using third-party billing, you don’t pay the shipping costs—your customer or their logistics partner does. This is critical in industries with razor-thin margins or custom shipping arrangements.
How the EcomPlugins Extension Helps
The Magento 2 UPS/FedEx 3rd Party Shipping Labels module by EcomPlugins fills a key gap in Magento’s default shipping label functionality.
Here’s what it enables:
Add 3rd party billing details (UPS/FedEx account number and country) to orders.
Automatically generate shipping labels using the customer’s or distributor’s account.
Supports UPS and FedEx, including Ground, Express, and International services.
Integrates with Magento’s admin shipment creation workflow.
How to Use 3rd Party Shipping Accounts in Magento 2 Checkout
Using this extension is straightforward. Here’s a simplified setup and usage flow:
1. Install the Extension
Purchase and install the module from EcomPlugins on your Magento 2 store.
2. Configure Shipping Settings
In Magento Admin:
Navigate to Stores > Configuration > Sales > Shipping Methods.
Under UPS/FedEx, enter your default API credentials.
Enable 3rd party billing and define default behaviors if needed.
3. Add 3rd Party Account Info to Orders
In the order view or during shipment creation:
Select “Use Third Party Shipping”.
Enter the 3rd party UPS or FedEx account number.
Choose the billing type (Bill Recipient, Third Party, or Sender).
Generate the label as usual – Magento will create a label using the third-party account.
4. Download and Print the Label
Once generated, you can download and print the shipping label with all details routed through the third-party account.
Final Thoughts
For any Magento 2 merchant working with customers, vendors, or distributors who manage their own shipping costs, supporting third-party shipping accounts is critical. It streamlines operations, reduces your overhead, and meets the expectations of business buyers.
The Magento 2 UPS/FedEx 3rd Party Shipping Labels extension by EcomPlugins makes this process smooth, reliable, and easy to manage from the Magento admin interface.
By leveraging this tool, you can offer professional, flexible shipping options that cater to a wide range of logistics needs—without disrupting your checkout or fulfillment workflows.