HomeRate Management Guide

Rate Management Guide

A complete walkthrough of how shipping rates flow from the admin to resellers and from resellers to their clients — including step-by-step setup, bulk import, and pricing strategy tips.

Last updated: March 2026
Overview: The Two-Layer Rate System
ShipSmarter uses a two-tier pricing model. Rates flow from the admin down to resellers, and from resellers down to their clients.

Admin

Defines base FedEx weight brackets with a flat rate (what resellers pay) and an optional cost rate (admin's actual FedEx cost, for margin tracking).

Reseller balance
deducted at admin rate

Reseller

Sets their own weight brackets with a flat rate charged to their clients. Resellers keep the margin between what clients pay and what the admin charges.

When a client creates a shipment, the reseller's rate is charged to the client's balance. The admin's rate is deducted from the reseller's balance.
Key concept: Rates are weight-bracket based. Each bracket defines a minimum weight, maximum weight, service type (FedEx 2Day or Standard Overnight), and a single flat price. The system automatically picks the matching bracket when a shipment is created.

Example Rate Structure

Admin cost → Reseller price → Client price

ServiceWeight RangeAdmin CostReseller PriceClient Price
FedEx 2Day0 – 2 lbs$2.50$4.99$7.99
FedEx 2Day2 – 5 lbs$3.50$6.99$9.99
FedEx 2Day5 – 10 lbs$5.00$9.99$14.99
FedEx Standard Overnight0 – 2 lbs$5.00$9.99$14.99
FedEx Standard Overnight2 – 5 lbs$7.00$13.99$19.99
Reseller margin = Reseller Price − Admin Cost. Client margin = Client Price − Reseller Price.

Part 1 — Admin: Setting Base Rates for Resellers

These rates determine what resellers are charged when their clients create labels.

Only the super admin (the platform owner) can manage base rates. Resellers cannot see admin cost rates — they only see the flat rate they are charged.
  1. Log in to ShipSmarter with your admin account.
  2. Click Admin Panel in the top navigation bar.
  3. Select the Rates tab from the admin tab bar.

Click Add Rate and fill in the form:

FieldDescriptionExample
LabelOptional friendly name for the bracketSmall Package
Service TypeFedEx service (2Day or Standard Overnight)FedEx 2Day
Weight Min (lbs)Lower bound of the weight bracket (inclusive)0
Weight Max (lbs)Upper bound of the weight bracket (exclusive)2
Flat Rate ($)What resellers are charged per label in this bracket4.99
Cost Rate ($)Your actual FedEx cost (for internal margin tracking only — not shown to resellers)2.50
Weight brackets must not overlap. For example, if you have a bracket for 0–2 lbs, the next bracket should start at 2 lbs, not 1.5 lbs. The system picks the first matching bracket where weightMin ≤ package weight < weightMax.

A recommended starting rate schedule for two service types:

Recommended rate schedule (admin flat rates)
FedEx 2Day
  0 – 2 lbs    → $4.99
  2 – 5 lbs    → $6.99
  5 – 10 lbs   → $9.99
  10 – 20 lbs  → $14.99
  20 – 50 lbs  → $24.99

FedEx Standard Overnight
  0 – 2 lbs    → $9.99
  2 – 5 lbs    → $13.99
  5 – 10 lbs   → $18.99
  10 – 20 lbs  → $27.99
  20 – 50 lbs  → $44.99
If a shipment's weight does not match any active bracket, the label cannot be generated and the client will see an error. Always ensure your brackets cover the full weight range your clients ship.

For high-volume resellers or special agreements, you can override the global rate for a specific account:

  1. In the Rates tab, click Add Rate.
  2. Fill in the weight bracket and flat rate as usual.
  3. In the Account Override field, select the specific reseller account.
  4. Save. This rate will apply only to that account and takes priority over the global rate.
Account-specific rates are visible in the Account Overrides section of the Rates tab. The system always checks for an account-specific rate first before falling back to the global rate.

Part 2 — Reseller: Setting Rates for Your Clients

These rates determine what your clients are charged when they create labels through your portal.

You keep the margin. When a client creates a label, your rate is charged to their balance. The admin's rate is deducted from your reseller balance. The difference is your profit.
  1. Go to your portal URL (e.g., shipsmarter.vip/portal/your-slug).
  2. Log in with your reseller owner account.
  3. Click the Rates tab in the dashboard navigation.

Click Add Rate and fill in the form:

FieldDescriptionExample
Service TypeFedEx service your clients can chooseFedEx 2Day
Weight Min (lbs)Minimum package weight for this bracket0
Weight Max (lbs)Maximum package weight for this bracket2
Flat Rate ($)What your clients are charged per label in this bracket7.99
Set your client rate higher than the admin rate for the same bracket, otherwise you will lose money on every label. Check the admin's rate schedule before setting your prices.

Example client-facing rate schedule with healthy margins:

Example reseller → client rate schedule
FedEx 2Day
  0 – 2 lbs    → $7.99   (admin charges $4.99 → your margin: $3.00)
  2 – 5 lbs    → $10.99  (admin charges $6.99 → your margin: $4.00)
  5 – 10 lbs   → $15.99  (admin charges $9.99 → your margin: $6.00)
  10 – 20 lbs  → $22.99  (admin charges $14.99 → your margin: $8.00)

FedEx Standard Overnight
  0 – 2 lbs    → $14.99  (admin charges $9.99 → your margin: $5.00)
  2 – 5 lbs    → $19.99  (admin charges $13.99 → your margin: $6.00)
  5 – 10 lbs   → $27.99  (admin charges $18.99 → your margin: $9.00)
  1. In the Rates tab, check that each bracket shows a green Active badge.
  2. Use the toggle switch on any row to activate or deactivate a bracket without deleting it.
  3. Test by creating a shipment as a client — the rate quote shown at checkout should match your configured bracket.
Clients see the rate quote before confirming a shipment. If no matching bracket is found for the entered weight, the client will see "No rate available" and cannot proceed.

When a client visits your portal and creates a shipment:

  1. 1 They enter the package weight and select a service type.
  2. 2 The system looks up your active rate for that weight + service combination.
  3. 3 The rate quote is shown (e.g., "FedEx 2Day — $7.99").
  4. 4 The client confirms and the label is generated. Their balance is deducted by your rate.
  5. 5 Your reseller balance is deducted by the admin rate for the same bracket.
Clients never see the admin rate or your cost. They only see the price you configured for them.
Bulk Import Rates via CSV
Import an entire rate schedule at once instead of adding brackets one by one. Available for both admins and resellers.

Click Bulk Import in the Rates tab and paste or upload a CSV with the following columns:

CSV format
serviceType,weightMin,weightMax,flatRate
2day,0,2,4.99
2day,2,5,6.99
2day,5,10,9.99
2day,10,20,14.99
standard_overnight,0,2,9.99
standard_overnight,2,5,13.99
standard_overnight,5,10,18.99
ColumnRequiredAllowed Values
serviceTypeRequired2day, standard_overnight
weightMinRequiredDecimal number (lbs), e.g. 0, 2.5
weightMaxRequiredDecimal number (lbs), e.g. 2, 5.5
flatRateRequiredDecimal number (USD), e.g. 4.99
costRateAdmin onlyDecimal number (USD), e.g. 2.50
labelOptionalAny text, e.g. Small Package
Bulk import adds new brackets — it does not replace existing ones. If you want to start fresh, delete your existing rates first, then import.
How Rates Are Applied at Label Creation
Understanding the exact lookup order helps you troubleshoot pricing issues.

Rate lookup order when a client creates a shipment:

1

Check reseller rates

The system looks for an active rate in the reseller's rate table matching the package weight and service type. If found, this is the price charged to the client.

2

Check admin account override

For the reseller balance deduction, the system checks if there is an account-specific rate override for this reseller. If found, this rate is deducted from the reseller's balance.

3

Fall back to global admin rate

If no account override exists, the system uses the global admin rate for the same weight bracket and service type.

4

No rate found → error

If no matching bracket is found at any level, the label cannot be created. The client sees 'No rate available for this weight and service type'.

Balance flow on label creation:

Client Balance

−$7.99 (reseller rate)

Reseller Balance

−$4.99 (admin rate)

Reseller Margin

+$3.00 per label

Tips & Best Practices

Price in round numbers

Clients find $7.99 easier to understand than $7.43. Round numbers also make it easier to explain your pricing verbally.

Cover all weight ranges

Always have a bracket that covers heavy packages (e.g., 20–50 lbs). A missing bracket means clients cannot ship that weight.

Check your margin regularly

If the admin updates their base rates, your margins change. Review your rate schedule whenever you receive a rate change notification.

Offer both service types

Clients who need overnight delivery will pay a premium. Offering both FedEx 2Day and Standard Overnight gives them flexibility and you more revenue.

Test as a client

After setting rates, create a test client account on your portal and try creating a shipment. Verify the rate shown matches what you configured.

Deactivate, don't delete

If you want to temporarily remove a rate, toggle it inactive instead of deleting it. This preserves the bracket for easy reactivation later.

Ready to set up your rates?

Go to your dashboard and open the Rates tab to get started.