If you've ever spent ten minutes tabbing between carrier websites just to figure out whether USPS Priority Mail or FedEx Ground is cheaper for a 2-pound package to Austin, you already know the problem. Shipping shouldn't require that many browser tabs.
The atoship skill on OpenClaw turns your AI assistant into a shipping manager. You describe what you need in plain English — "ship this 1lb box to New York, cheapest option" — and it handles carrier selection, rate comparison, label purchase, and tracking. No dashboard. No form fields. Just a conversation.
The idea is simple
Instead of logging into carrier portals, manually entering addresses, comparing rates in spreadsheets, and copy-pasting tracking numbers — you just talk to your AI. It calls the atoship API behind the scenes, compares live rates from USPS, FedEx, and UPS, and presents the options to you. You pick one, confirm the price, and it buys the label. That's it.
A workflow that used to take 5-10 minutes per shipment now takes one sentence.
What you can actually do
Once the skill is set up, you can ask your AI to do any of the following, just by describing what you need:
- Compare rates — "How much to ship a 2lb box from LA to New York?" You get live rates from all three carriers, side by side, with prices and estimated delivery times.
- Buy labels — "Buy a USPS Priority Mail label from 90001 to 10001, 1lb." Your AI shows you the summary and price, asks for a "yes" to confirm, then purchases the label. You get a tracking number and a download link.
- Track packages — Paste any tracking number and get the full event history: current status, location, estimated delivery, and every scan event along the way.
- Manage labels — View your recent labels, void an unused one for a refund, or download a label you purchased earlier.
- Check your balance — "What's my wallet balance?" See your current postage credit and recent spend.
- Validate addresses — Verify a delivery address before purchasing to avoid surcharges or returned packages.
The AI handles the API calls, formatting, and error handling. You just have a normal conversation.
Getting set up
The whole process takes about two minutes. No CLI to install, no plugins to configure — the skill is instruction-based, meaning your AI assistant reads it and knows how to call the atoship API on your behalf.
1. Create a free atoship account
Head to atoship.com and sign up. It's free, no credit card required. You'll get instant access to discounted rates on USPS, FedEx, and UPS — typically 30-60% off retail prices.
2. Get your API key
In your atoship dashboard, go to Settings → API Keys and create a new key. You'll get two types:
ak_test_...— for testing. Labels are free and never actually shipped. Great for trying things out.ak_live_...— for production. Labels are real and cost is deducted from your wallet.
Start with a test key. You can switch to live whenever you're ready.
3. Set your environment variable
Or configure it in your AI assistant's environment settings. The skill reads this variable automatically — no extra configuration files or config steps.
4. Add funds and start shipping
Go to Dashboard → Billing to add postage credit to your wallet. Labels are pay-as-you-go — you only pay for what you actually ship. Start with $20 to test things out.
Then just type /atoship in your AI assistant and start talking. That's it.
A real conversation looks like this
Here's what it actually feels like to use the skill day-to-day. These aren't abstract feature descriptions — they're the kind of things you'd naturally say:
Notice something important: the AI asked for confirmation before buying the label. It will never charge your wallet without you explicitly saying yes. Rate lookups, tracking, and everything else that's read-only runs without any prompts.
Carriers and services
The skill supports all major domestic carriers through atoship's discounted rate network:
| Carrier | Services |
|---|---|
| USPS | Priority Mail, First Class, Ground Advantage, Priority Mail Express |
| FedEx | Ground, Home Delivery, Express Saver, 2Day, Standard Overnight |
| UPS | Ground, 3 Day Select, 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver |
All rates are discounted — typically 30-60% off what you'd pay going directly to the carrier. No volume minimums, no monthly fees. You can also connect your own carrier accounts if you have negotiated rates.
Tips that actually help
After using the skill for a while, you'll develop your own shortcuts. Here are some to get started:
- Ask "what's the cheapest way to ship X?" and the AI will sort by price automatically.
- You can use any weight unit — oz, lb, g, kg — and the AI converts as needed.
- Labels come in PDF by default. Ask for PNG or ZPL if you use a thermal printer.
- Add "with signature confirmation" or "with $100 insurance" when buying to add those options.
- Say "reference ORDER-123" when buying a label to tag it with your own order number.
- Use
ak_test_...keys to try everything without spending real money — test labels are free and never get shipped.
Safety and permissions
This is a reasonable thing to worry about, so let's be explicit.
The skill only communicates with one domain: atoship.com. It does not access your file system, does not read other environment variables, and does not send data anywhere else. Your API key is the only credential it uses.
Actions that cost money — buying a label, voiding a label — always require your explicit confirmation. The AI will show you the carrier, service, price, and addresses, then wait for a "yes" before proceeding. Everything else (rate lookups, tracking, viewing labels, checking your balance) is read-only and runs immediately.
If you want an extra layer of safety, start with a test key and a small wallet balance ($20). You can revoke and rotate keys at any time from your dashboard.
Important: This involves real money
atoship is a real shipping platform — when you purchase a label with a live API key, real postage is bought and real money is deducted from your wallet. Treat your ak_live_... key like a credit card number. We strongly recommend starting with a test key (ak_test_...) to get familiar with the workflow first. Test labels are completely free and never actually shipped. When you switch to live, start with a small wallet balance and set up spending alerts in Dashboard → Billing → Notifications.
Who is this for?
Honestly, anyone who ships packages and uses an AI assistant. But it's especially useful for:
- E-commerce sellers who ship Shopify, eBay, Etsy, or Amazon orders and want to stop switching between carrier tabs for every shipment.
- Small business owners who ship a few packages a week and want the best rate without the research.
- Developers who already use AI assistants in their workflow and want to add shipping capabilities without building anything.
- Anyone tired of carrier portals — if you've ever thought "there must be a faster way to do this," this is it.
Try it out
The fastest way to get a feel for it: create a free atoship account, grab a test API key, and ask your AI "how much to ship a 1lb box from 90001 to 10001?" You'll have rates from three carriers in about two seconds. No commitment, no credit card, no setup beyond the API key.
When you're ready to ship for real, switch to a live key and add some postage credit. From there, it's just conversations.