💬 Q&A

Yes, there are parameter length restrictions in our API. The exact limits depend on the use case and the carrier being integrated. Please refer to the relevant sections of the API documentation for details specific to your scenario.

Seven Senders does not enforce a strict global rate limit on API usage. However, some of our upstream providers (e.g. carriers or other software providers in use) may apply their own limits depending on the specific use case. To ensure platform stability and fair usage for all customers, we continuously monitor API traffic and reserve the right to throttle or temporarily block access if excessive, abnormal, or unfair usage patterns are detected.

If you expect high-volume traffic or have specific performance requirements, please reach out to us so we can align on your use case and ensure smooth and reliable API operations.

The shipment ID is a unique identifier assigned to each parcel or shipment and is an incremental number generated by 7S. As of January 2024, it consists of 9 digits and may continue to grow as the number of shipments increases.

This is most likely due to using the same reference number as before. Please note that each reference number must be unique.

If you use the same reference number in the POST label request more than once within 48 hours, the system will return the same label. After 48 hours, you will receive the following error: "Shipment with the same params ([tracking_code, carrier, shop_order_id] or reference_number) already exists."

To resolve this issue, you need to delete the existing label and shipment before creating a new one.

The token is valid for 60 minutes. Please make sure to adjust your refresh process accordingly and do not refresh the token every 10 minutes.

The average response time for API calls can vary depending on your specific use case and the carrier involved. We work closely with each carrier to evaluate their technical capabilities and select the optimal integration method. Whether through EDI (offline) or API connections, our focus is always on delivering a fast and reliable setup, as we understand how critical the shipping label creation process is for downstream warehouse operations. If you are interested in the response times specific to your carrier setup, please reach out to us.

Yes, the performance in our Production (LIVE) environment is better than in UAT. The PROD systems runs on dedicated resources optimized for high throughput, while our UAT is a shared test environment with limited capacity. As a result, API calls and processing in PROD are faster and more reliable under load.

Generally, the house number is not a mandatory parameter, so you can combine the street and house number into a single string. However, some carriers require the information in separate fields. In those cases, we will attempt to parse them for you, but also parsing logics have their limitations and may occasionally result in an error.

Both the first and last name are mandatory fields and must be provided. If you are unable to supply them separately, we will need to request approval from the carrier to use a predefined default, such as a ".".

The answer is that it depends on your use case.

The shipping label POST request is designed to include all parameters that would also be provided in a separate order POST. From a technical perspective, a separate order POST is therefore not strictly required.

However, if you want to track warehouse performance, we recommend creating the order as soon as it is received, rather than waiting until the shipping label is created in the warehouse. In this case, and for proper warehouse performance monitoring, we recommend using two separate API calls.

The "carrier_service" parameter does not impact the label outcome. However, the "cod" parameter, when used in combination with a COD carrier service ID, will generate a COD shipping label.

Our API does not enforce a maximum number of digits for the reference_number. However, the carrier used in the background may have its own character limits. Please refer to the carrier's support documentation or consult your integration manager for guidance.

Currently, downloading the shipping label requires a separate API call. In the future, we plan to introduce a new API endpoint that will allow you to either receive the label as a base64 response directly or continue downloading it separately, as is done today.

No. For security reasons, the label can only be downloaded using a valid authentication token along with the label ID.

Yes, multi-colli shipments are possible, but we recommend reviewing the setup with one of our integration managers, as requirements can vary by carrier.

Generally, multiple shipments need to be linked to the same order via the order ID. When creating shipping labels, the parcels may also be consolidated at the carrier level so that the carrier recognizes they belong together when received at the hub.

To create a multi-colli shipment, you need to create two or more shipments under the same order ID.
Detailed documentation for multi-colli shipments will be provided.

Currently, our API does not support messaging events or integration with message broker software. If this is a critical use case, we can evaluate it together and discuss possible solutions.

Webhooks are supported for data provided via our Seven Senders Portal (aggregated shipment & delivery data) For tracking data, webhook functionality is planned for the near future.

Depending on your use case, we support different methods. For continuous data exchange, you can use our SQS, file-based transfer & webhooks in the near future. For tracking updates on specific shipments, our Tracking API is also available. Please see the Tracking section in this support portal for more details.

Depending on the carrier shipping labels can be provided as PDF and ZPL in 203 and 300 DPI and png.

Since carriers do not follow an EU-wide standard, barcode types may vary between carriers. Please refer to the “Carrier Specific Information” section or contact your integration manager.

When a shipping label request is sent with the same reference number, it will be interpreted as a reprint request within the first 48 hours, and the original label will be returned again. If the address needs to be changed, a new request with a different reference number must be sent, or the existing shipment and label must be deleted beforehand.

This is possible, but depends on a variety of factors. Please consult your integration manager for guidance. One key aspect to evaluate is the age of the shipments and whether tracking data is still available. Depending on the carrier and the tracking integration, tracking data may only be retained for a limited period of time.

Orders and shipments are usually visible within approximately 40 minutes.

In many cases, marketplaces share only an anonymised email address with us and handle consumer notifications independently of Seven Senders. The carrier provides updates to the hashed email address, and the marketplace ensures that the information reaches the end consumer.

Once the connection to the SQS queue is established, updates are consumed immediately as they become available; there is no need to set an interval. However, after the messages have been consumed, they must be deleted as they are not deleted automatically.