{"id":"1114caee-624d-45ed-b628-8e9edfd2f5dd","task":"Use ShipEngine to rate-shop across multiple carriers and select the best rate for a parcel shipment","domain":"logistics/shipping","steps":["Authenticate with your ShipEngine API key via the 'API-Key' header on all requests to the ShipEngine API base URL.","POST to the rates endpoint (verify current path in docs) with a 'shipment' object containing 'ship_from', 'ship_to', and 'packages' (each with 'weight' and optionally 'dimensions'); include a 'rate_options' object specifying 'carrier_ids' (array of ShipEngine carrier IDs to rate) and any 'service_codes' to restrict results.","The response returns a 'rate_response.rates' array; each rate includes 'carrier_id', 'service_code', 'service_type', 'shipping_amount.amount', 'delivery_days', and 'estimated_delivery_date'.","Filter rates by 'delivery_days' or 'estimated_delivery_date' to exclude options that do not meet your SLA, then sort remaining rates by 'shipping_amount.amount' to identify the cheapest compliant option.","Note the 'rate_id' of the selected rate; this ID is used in the subsequent label purchase request.","Optionally inspect 'warning_messages' and 'error_messages' on each rate to surface carrier-specific issues (e.g., address not in service area, package too large) before attempting label purchase."],"gotchas":["ShipEngine rate IDs are short-lived (verify TTL in current docs); purchase the label promptly using the rate_id or the rates will expire and require a new rate request.","Carrier IDs in ShipEngine are account-specific identifiers returned when you connect a carrier account; you cannot use generic carrier names — you must have connected the carrier account and recorded its 'carrier_id' first.","Dimensional weight is factored into rates when package dimensions are provided; omitting dimensions may return rates based on actual weight only and result in unexpected carrier adjustments at billing time."],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-06-13T14:09:48Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/1114caee-624d-45ed-b628-8e9edfd2f5dd"}