Acenda does not buy or print shipping labels itself. For Target+ orders, labels are purchased in ShipStation using Target's third-party billing, and tracking flows back through Acenda to Target+ automatically once the label ships.
Before you start
You'll need an active Target+ seller account and a ShipStation account.
Your Target+ listings should already be connected to Acenda under CHANNELS > Integrations.
Buy Shipping access is granted by Target, not Acenda — plan for a short wait after you request it.
Set it up
Request Buy Shipping access from Target+. This is typically done from the Partner Portal: open a support ticket with Target describing that you want Target+ Buy Shipping access. Target grants access on their side before the billing step below will work.
Create a ShipStation account, if you don't already have one, at shipstation.com.
Connect ShipStation to Acenda. Go to CHANNELS > Integrations > Fulfillment Providers and add a new ShipStation connection yourself — you no longer need to open a ticket for this step. For the full walkthrough, including where your API keys go, see Acenda and ShipStation Integration: Step-by-Step Guide and ShipStation API Keys for generating your keys. If you don't see ShipStation as an option, contact Acenda Support to have it enabled for your account.
Turn on Third-Party Billing in ShipStation for Target. In ShipStation, connect Target's Buy Shipping billing to your account (menu names and steps are set by ShipStation and Target and can change — check ShipStation's and Target's own help centers for the current screens).
Once this is set up, here's how an order flows: Target+ orders import into Acenda as usual. When you buy and print the label in ShipStation, ShipStation sends the shipment back to Acenda, which creates the fulfillment and pushes tracking to Target+. You can check the result on the order's Ship Advice and History tabs under ORDERS > Orders. Acenda maps UPS, UPS Mail Innovations, USPS, and FedEx carriers (including FedEx SmartPost) through to Target+, plus OnTrac; if ShipStation reports a different carrier it may not come through correctly. If a tracking number ever needs correcting after the fact, see FAQ: Updating Target+ Order Tracking Numbers Once Submitted.
Cost
ShipStation bills its own fees separately, and those may depend on your plan and on Target's Buy Shipping billing terms. Check with ShipStation for current pricing, and contact Acenda Support with any questions about your Acenda plan.
ShipStation is currently the supported way to use Target+ Buy Shipping. If you'd like to use another fulfillment provider, contact Acenda Support to ask about options.
Troubleshooting
Tracking isn't showing up on Target+. The shipment may not have synced from ShipStation yet, the carrier code may be one Acenda doesn't recognize, or the order may not be mapped correctly. Give it a little time, then check the order's Ship Advice and History tabs in Acenda.
Labels aren't being billed to Target. Confirm Third-Party Billing is actually turned on in ShipStation, and that Target has granted you Buy Shipping access — a label can print successfully on your own account even when billing isn't routed to Target yet.
Your ShipStation integration shows Connection Unhealthy in Acenda. This usually means your ShipStation API key expired or was regenerated. See ShipStation API Keys to generate a new one and update it in Acenda.
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Still stuck? Contact Acenda Support and we'll help you get it sorted.