shippo-mcp 0.1.2
An unofficial MCP server for Shippo shipping API integration
License: MIT
Requires Python: >=3.9

# Shippo MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that integrates with the [Shippo shipping API](https://goshippo.com/) to provide shipping functionality through an AI assistant. This server enables you to validate addresses, get shipping rates, create shipments, generate shipping labels, track packages, manage carrier accounts, and handle refunds.

## Features

- **Address Validation**: Validate shipping addresses using Shippo's address validation service
- **Shipping Rates**: Get real-time shipping rates from multiple carriers
- **Shipment Management**: Create, list, and retrieve detailed shipment information
- **Label Creation**: Generate shipping labels for packages
- **Transaction Management**: List and manage shipping label transactions
- **Refund Processing**: Create and track refunds for shipping labels
- **Package Tracking**: Track packages using tracking numbers
- **Carrier Management**: List and manage configured carrier accounts

## Prerequisites

1. **Homebrew** (macOS/Linux): Install from [brew.sh](https://brew.sh/)
   ```bash
   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
   ```

2. **uv** (Python package manager): Install via Homebrew
   ```bash
   brew install uv
   ```

3. **Python 3.13+**: This project requires Python 3.13 or higher (uv will handle this)

4. **Shippo Account**: Sign up for a free [Shippo account](https://apps.goshippo.com/join)

5. **API Key**: Generate an [API Token](https://docs.goshippo.com/docs/guides_general/authentication/) from your Shippo dashboard

## Installation

1. Clone or download this repository
2. Install dependencies using uv:
   ```bash
   uv install
   ```

## Configuration

The server gets the Shippo API key from environment variables. You can set it either:

1. **Via MCP client configuration** (recommended for production)
2. **Via command line** for testing:
   ```bash
   export SHIPPO_API_KEY=shippo_test_your_api_key_here
   ```

> **Note**: Use a test API key (starts with `shippo_test_`) for development and testing. Only use live API keys for production.

## Usage

### Starting the Server

#### For stdio transport (MCP client integration)
```bash
export SHIPPO_API_KEY=shippo_test_your_api_key_here && uv run --with shippo-mcp shippo-mcp stdio
```

#### For HTTP transport (Inspector compatible)
```bash
export SHIPPO_API_KEY=shippo_test_your_api_key_here && uv run --with shippo-mcp shippo-mcp server
```
The server will be available at: http://127.0.0.1:8000/mcp

### Getting Help
```bash
uv run --with shippo-mcp shippo-mcp --help
```

### MCP Client Configuration

#### Claude Desktop Configuration

Add this configuration to your Claude Desktop config file (usually located at `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json` on macOS):

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "shippo": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--with",
        "shippo-mcp",
        "shippo-mcp",
        "stdio"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHIPPO_API_KEY": "shippo_test_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

### Available Tools

#### Address & Validation

##### 1. `validate_address`
Validate a shipping address to ensure it's deliverable.

**Parameters:**
- `name` (required): Recipient name
- `street1` (required): Primary street address
- `city` (required): City name
- `state` (required): State/province code
- `zip_code` (required): ZIP/postal code
- `country` (optional): Country code (default: "US")
- `street2` (optional): Secondary address line
- `company` (optional): Company name
- `phone` (optional): Phone number
- `email` (optional): Email address

#### Rates & Shipping

##### 2. `get_shipping_rates`
Get shipping rates for a package between two addresses.

**Parameters:**
- `from_name` through `from_zip`: Sender address details
- `to_name` through `to_zip`: Recipient address details
- `length`, `width`, `height`: Package dimensions
- `weight`: Package weight
- `from_country`, `to_country` (optional): Country codes (default: "US")
- `distance_unit` (optional): "in" or "cm" (default: "in")
- `mass_unit` (optional): "lb" or "kg" (default: "lb")

##### 3. `create_shipment`
Create a shipment and get basic information about available rates.

**Parameters:** Same as `get_shipping_rates`

##### 4. `list_shipments`
List all shipments for the account with summary information.

**Parameters:** None

##### 5. `get_shipment`
Get detailed information about a specific shipment, including all available rates.

**Parameters:**
- `shipment_id` (required): The ID of the shipment to retrieve

#### Labels & Transactions

##### 6. `create_shipping_label`
Create a shipping label from a rate ID.

**Parameters:**
- `rate_id` (required): The ID of the rate to purchase (obtained from `get_shipping_rates` or `get_shipment`)

##### 7. `list_transactions`
List all shipping label transactions to find transaction IDs for refunds.

**Parameters:** None

#### Refunds

##### 8. `create_refund`
Create a refund for a shipping label transaction.

**Parameters:**
- `transaction_id` (required): The ID of the transaction to refund (obtained from `list_transactions`)

##### 9. `list_refunds`
List all refunds for the account with detailed status information and visual indicators.

**Parameters:** None

##### 10. `get_refund`
Get comprehensive details of a specific refund including status, dates, and transaction info.

**Parameters:**
- `refund_id` (required): The ID of the refund to retrieve

#### Tracking & Management

##### 11. `track_package`
Track a package using its tracking number.

**Parameters:**
- `tracking_number` (required): The tracking number
- `carrier` (required): Carrier name (e.g., "usps", "ups", "fedex")

##### 12. `list_carrier_accounts`
List all configured carrier accounts in your Shippo account.

**Parameters:** None

## Example Workflows

### 1. Getting Shipping Quotes
```
1. Use `validate_address` for both sender and recipient addresses
2. Confirm package dimensions and weight with user
3. Use `get_shipping_rates` to get all available options
4. Present rates clearly to user for selection
```

### 2. Complete Shipping Process
```
1. Validate sender and recipient addresses
2. Confirm package dimensions and weight
3. Use `get_shipping_rates` to get available options
4. Present rates and ask user to select preferred option
5. Use `create_shipping_label` with chosen rate_id
6. Provide label URL and tracking information to user
```

### 3. Managing Existing Shipments
```
1. Use `list_shipments` to see all shipments and their IDs
2. Use `get_shipment` with specific shipment ID for detailed info
3. Use rate IDs from `get_shipment` to create labels with `create_shipping_label`
```

### 4. Refund Management
```
1. Use `list_transactions` to find the transaction ID for a purchased label
2. Use `create_refund` with the transaction ID to request a refund
3. Use `list_refunds` to see all refunds with status indicators
4. Use `get_refund` for detailed status and explanations
```

### 5. Package Tracking
```
1. Get tracking number from shipping label creation
2. Use `track_package` with tracking number and carrier
3. Monitor delivery status and history
```

## Supported Carriers

Shippo supports many carriers including:
- USPS
- UPS
- FedEx
- DHL
- Canada Post
- Australia Post
- And many more regional carriers

The available carriers depend on your Shippo account configuration and carrier accounts you've set up.

## Development

### Project Structure
```
shippo-mcp/
├── server.py          # Main MCP server implementation
├── pyproject.toml     # Python dependencies and project config
└── readme.md          # This file
```

### Testing

To test individual tools:

1. Start the server
2. Use an MCP client or test the functions directly
3. Use Shippo's test API keys to avoid charges

### Error Handling

The server includes comprehensive error handling for:
- Missing API keys
- Invalid addresses
- Network issues
- Shippo API errors
- Invalid parameters

## Security Notes

- Never commit your actual API keys to version control
- Use test API keys for development
- Live API keys will charge real money for label purchases
- Store API keys securely in production environments

## API Rate Limits

Shippo has rate limits on their API. The server handles basic error cases, but for high-volume usage, consider implementing additional rate limiting or retry logic.

## Support

- [Shippo Documentation](https://docs.goshippo.com/)
- [Shippo API Reference](https://docs.goshippo.com/docs/reference)
- [MCP Protocol Documentation](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/)

## License

This project is open source. See the license terms in your repository for details.