# ShipStation setup for PopMCP

You end up pasting the ShipStation V1 API Key and its matching API Secret, generated by the Account Owner on the API Settings screen, into PopMCP.

- Auth: API credentials
- Setup time: 5 min, including the email verification round trip
- API base URL: https://ssapi.shipstation.com
- Credentials screen: https://ss.shipstation.com/#/settings/api
- Provider docs: https://www.shipstation.com/docs/api/requirements/

## Before you begin

- A ShipStation account on any paid plan
- You must be signed in as the Account Owner. Other users do not see the key generator.
- Access to the owner's mailbox. ShipStation emails a verification link before it will mint keys.
- Room for another V1 credential pair. Only two sets can be active at a time.

## Get your credentials

### 1. Sign in as the Account Owner

Log in at ship.shipstation.com or ss.shipstation.com with the Account Owner login. Switch accounts now if you are signed in as a sub-user.

Screen: https://ship.shipstation.com

### 2. Open API Settings

Open Settings, choose Account in the settings side navigation, then choose API Settings. The deep link `https://ss.shipstation.com/#/settings/api` opens the same screen.

Screen: https://ss.shipstation.com/#/settings/api

### 3. Select V1 API and verify your email

Pick V1 API in the Select API Version dropdown and click Generate API Key. Open the verification link ShipStation emails to the owner address, then return to API Settings.

Screen: https://ss.shipstation.com/#/settings/api

### 4. Set the expiration and generate the pair

Choose an expiration of 3, 6 or 12 months and click Generate. Click the copy icon beside the API Key and again beside the API Secret.

Screen: https://ss.shipstation.com/#/settings/api

### 5. Paste both values into PopMCP

Put the API Key in PopMCP's API Key field and the API Secret in API Secret, then save.

## Fields PopMCP asks for

- API Key (apiKey) [required]: In ShipStation go to Settings → Account → API Settings and click "Generate API Keys" (only the Account Owner can, and must have verified their email). Copy the API Key. Sent as HTTP Basic auth, stored encrypted, used server-side only. The connection is locked to this key's account.
- API Secret (apiSecret) [required]: Same screen (Settings → Account → API Settings): copy the API Secret shown next to the API Key. If you don't see a secret, click "Generate API Keys". Regenerating the keys invalidates the old pair.

## Verify

PopMCP marks the ShipStation connector as Connected and a test call such as listing stores returns your real store list rather than a 401.

## Troubleshooting

### 401 Unauthorized on every request

Cause: The key and secret are swapped, one was truncated on copy, the pair expired, or it was regenerated after PopMCP stored it.

Fix: Generate a fresh V1 pair on Settings → Account → API Settings and re-save it, with the key in the key field and the secret in the secret field.

### The Generate API Key button does nothing

Cause: The owner's email is not verified yet, so ShipStation is waiting on the link it emailed.

Fix: Open the verification link in the owner's mailbox, reload API Settings, then click Generate API Key again.

### No key generator on the API Settings page

Cause: You are signed in as a sub-user rather than the Account Owner.

Fix: Sign in with the Account Owner login and reload the API Settings screen.

### The key and secret disappeared before you copied them

Cause: ShipStation shows the values only to the user who generated them, and only until you leave the page.

Fix: Generate a new pair and copy both values before navigating away. Delete an old pair first if two V1 sets are already active.

### 429 Too Many Requests

Cause: More than 40 calls in a rolling minute on this key pair.

Fix: Back off until the X-Rate-Limit-Reset window elapses and batch reads instead of polling in tight loops.

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Source: https://www.docs.popmcp.com/docs/integrations/ship-station/