If you are using Kickstarter’s Pledge Manager to manage the next stage of your project, you can use the ShipStation integration to connect the pledge manager directly to your ShipStation account.
Once set up, finalized orders will sync automatically to ShipStation for fulfilment, and tracking numbers will be sent back to Kickstarter so that your backers are kept up to date without any manual data entry.
Before you begin you will need:
- An active Kickstarter Pledge Manager that is currently live or has been closed
- A ShipStation account on the Gold tier or above (required for API access)
- Admin/Account Owner access to your ShipStation account
Step 1: Generate your API key in ShipStation
Your API Key and Secret Key are how Kickstarter authenticates with your ShipStation account. Only the ShipStation Account Owner can generate these.
- Log in to ShipStation and click the cog icon in the top right to go to Account Settings.
- In the left sidebar, expand Account and select API Settings.
- Make sure V1 API is selected in the dropdown, then click Generate API Key.
- ShipStation will send a verification email to the account owner's email address. Click the link in that email, then return to API Settings and click Generate API Key again.
- Choose an expiry period (3, 6, or 12 months) and click Generate.
- Your API Key and Secret Key will appear. Copy both immediately and store them somewhere secure. These will only be shown once. Once you navigate away from the page, they are hidden permanently. If you lose them, you will need to generate a new set.
Please note: API Keys can only be generated and viewed by the ShipStation Account Owner. If you are unsure who that is, contact support@shipstation.com.
Step 2: Connect ShipStation in Kickstarter
- Go to your project in Kickstarter and select 'Pledge manager' from the creator tools menu, located on the left-hand side.
- On the Pledge Manager overview page, find ‘Sync orders to ShipStation’ and click “Configure ShipStation sync”.
- On the connection screen, enter your API Key and Secret Key from Step 1.
- Click “Connect to ShipStation”.
If the connection is successful, you'll see a confirmation. If you see an error, double-check that your API key and Secret Key were copied correctly and that your ShipStation account is on the Gold tier or above.
How the sync works once connected
Orders going to ShipStation:
- Finalized pledge manager orders sync automatically to ShipStation
- If a backer updates their address, that change syncs through
- If an order is refunded (fully or partially), ShipStation is updated accordingly
Tracking numbers coming back to Kickstarter:
- When ShipStation marks an order as shipped, tracking information is sent back to Kickstarter automatically
- Tracking numbers appear in your backer report
- Backers receive an email notification and can view the tracking information on their pledge summary page
Managing the integration
Once set up, you can:
- Pause the sync to temporarily stop orders from syncing without removing the integration
- Restart the sync to resume syncing after a pause
- Remove the integration to disconnect ShipStation entirely. Any data already in ShipStation stays there, but no new data will sync. You would need to reconnect from scratch to resume
Who can manage this integration?
By default, only the project creator can set up and manage the ShipStation integration. To allow a collaborator to manage it, select 'Collaborators' from the creator tools menu, located on the left-hand side of your project page, and under 'Configure pledge manager', enable the ‘Manage fulfilment partner integrations’ permission for the relevant collaborator.
Troubleshooting
My API Key isn't working
Make sure you have copied both the API Key and Secret Key correctly. These are only visible immediately after generation. If you didn't save them, you will need to generate a new set in ShipStation.
I can't generate an API Key in ShipStation
Only the Account Owner can do this. Check with your team or contact ShipStation support to confirm who holds that role.
Pledge manager orders aren't syncing
Check that your pledge manager is live and that orders have been finalized. Only completed orders are sent to ShipStation.
I'm not seeing tracking numbers
Tracking information is sent back to Kickstarter once ShipStation marks an order as shipped. If ShipStation hasn't processed a shipment yet, the tracking number won't appear.