🏴‍☠️ How to Use Pirate Ship

Pirate Ship is a free, web-based shipping platform that lets you buy and print USPS and UPS shipping labels at the lowest available rates. There are no markups, monthly fees, subscription costs, or minimum volume requirements. The only cost is the postage itself.

Key Features

• Access to USPS Commercial Pricing and deeply discounted UPS rates the moment you create an account
• Create labels by typing in an address manually, uploading a spreadsheet of orders, or importing directly from eCommerce platforms like Shopify, eBay, Etsy, WooCommerce, and more
• No separate USPS, UPS, Stamps.com, or Endicia account needed - Pirate Ship handles the carrier relationships for you
• Entirely browser-based - nothing to download or install

Setting up a Pirate Ship account takes about two minutes. Follow these steps:

1. Go to pirateship.com and click the "Create Free Account" button
2. Enter your email address (this will become your login username)
3. Enter the address you will be shipping packages from (your Ship From address used to calculate postage rates)
4. Choose a secure password
5. Confirm your email if prompted, then log in

That's it! There is no credit card required to create your account. You will only need a payment method on file when you are ready to purchase your first label.

What You Get Immediately After Signing Up

• Access to USPS Commercial Pricing on all USPS services
• Access to discounted UPS rates
• The ability to create single labels, upload spreadsheets, or connect eCommerce integrations
• Free customer support through the in-app chat feature

Once you've created your Pirate Ship account, logging in is quick and easy. Here's how to access your account:

Logging In

1. Go to pirateship.com
2. Click the "Login" button in the top right corner of the page
3. Enter the email address you used when creating your account
4. Enter your password
5. Click "Login" to access your account

Stay Logged In

You can check the "Remember Me" option on the login page to stay logged in on your device. This is convenient if you're using a personal computer, but avoid this option on shared or public computers.

Forgot Your Password?

If you've forgotten your password:

1. Click the "Forgot Password?" link on the login page
2. Enter the email address associated with your account
3. Check your email for a password reset link
4. Click the link and follow the instructions to create a new password
5. Use your new password to log in

Pirate Ship gives you three ways to create a label. This section covers the most common method: creating a single label manually.

Step-by-Step: Creating a Single Label

A. Navigate to the Ship Page

1. Log in to your Pirate Ship account
2. Click the "Ship" icon in the left sidebar navigation
3. Click "Create a Single Label" at the top of the Ship page

B. Enter Ship To and Ship From Information

In the Ship To section, enter your recipient's name and full mailing address. You can paste a full address block and Pirate Ship will parse it automatically.

Adding the recipient's email address is optional but recommended. If you include it, Pirate Ship will send them tracking updates automatically.

In the Ship From section, confirm or update your origin address. This is the location used to calculate postage. By default, this address also appears as the return address on the label.

C. Enter Package Information

Select your packaging type from the dropdown menu. Common options include:

• Box or thick envelope
• Soft pack or padded mailer (poly mailer)
• USPS Flat Rate packaging
• Tube or irregular packaging

Enter the weight of your package as accurately as possible (you can use decimal values). Then enter the dimensions (length, width, height) in inches. Accurate measurements help prevent carrier surcharges or adjustments after delivery.

D. Add Insurance and Extra Services (Optional)

Before getting rates, you can add InsureShield insurance coverage. USPS labels (except Media Mail) include $100 of built-in insurance, and UPS labels include $100 of carrier liability.

Under Extra Services, you can also enable:

• Signature Confirmation - requires the recipient to sign at delivery
• Return Labels - include a pay-on-use return label in your shipment
• Media Mail eligibility for qualifying media items like books, CDs, and DVDs

E. Get Rates

Once all fields are complete, click the green "Get Rates" button. Pirate Ship will return a list of available USPS and UPS services along with pricing and estimated delivery timeframes.

F. Choose a Shipping Service

Review the available services and select the one that best fits your budget and delivery speed needs. Each option shows the cost and estimated transit time.

G. Buy and Print the Label

1. Double-check the recipient address, return address, and package details
2. Click the green "Buy Label" button
3. On the next screen, click "Print Label" and follow the prompts in the browser's print dialog
4. Attach the printed label to your package and drop it off with the carrier or schedule a pickup

Other Ways to Create Labels

Upload a Spreadsheet: If you need to create a large batch of labels at once, you can upload a CSV or Excel spreadsheet containing your order data.

Import from Integrations: Pirate Ship integrates with popular eCommerce platforms including Shopify, eBay, Etsy, Amazon, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more.

You can print Pirate Ship labels on any printer. No special hardware is required.

Desktop Printer

A standard desktop printer can print one or two labels per 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper. You can use regular printer paper and tape the label to your package, or you can use half-sheet adhesive sticker paper for a cleaner application.

Note: Perforated 4x6 label sheets (like Avery brand) do not work with the standard label format.

Thermal Label Printer

If you ship frequently, a 4x6 thermal label printer is a worthwhile investment. USPS labels can print in 4x6 or 2x7 formats, while UPS labels print only in the standard 4x6 size.

Pirate Ship has a recommendations page for label printers and shipping scales on their support site.

Download or Share

After purchasing a label, you can download it as a PDF or ZPL file, or generate a shareable link so someone else can print it on your behalf.

1. Always weigh and measure your packages accurately. Carriers can apply dimensional weight surcharges if your declared measurements are off.
2. Use the copy and paste address feature to speed up single label creation. Pirate Ship's address parser handles most common address formats.
3. For high-value shipments, add InsureShield coverage. At roughly $1 per $100 of declared value, it's inexpensive peace of mind.
4. Take advantage of the integrations. If you sell on multiple platforms, connecting them all to Pirate Ship centralizes your shipping workflow.
5. Use the referral program. Pirate Ship offers a referral program that rewards you and the people you refer.

Helpful Links and Resources

Resource	URL
Pirate Ship Homepage	pirateship.com
Getting Started Guide	support.pirateship.com/en/collections/249176
Create a Label	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/2360098
Printing Labels	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1068409
eCommerce Integrations	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1655429
Insurance (InsureShield)	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1068431
Referral Program	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/2308929
Contact Support	support.pirateship.com/en/articles/1068676

How to Make an Account

How to Create a Label