Pitney Bowes shares postage rating APIs with ConnectShip

Technology concern Pitney Bowes Inc. said it will make its application programming interfaces (APIs) for postage rates available through the ConnectShip Inc. shipping solutions and postal labeling platform, as the traditional mailing equipment vendor continues to transform itself into a provider of e-postage services.

Under the deal, announced Monday, Stamford, Conn.-based Pitney Bowes' shipping APIs for U.S. Postal Service (USPS) postage will now be available on the ConnectShip/iShip multi-carrier shipping platform. Tulsa, Okla.-based ConnectShip and iShip are subsidiaries of logistics giant UPS Inc. that provide carrier-compliant labels, documentation, and electronic manifesting for small-package, less than truckload (LTL), and freight shipments.

Pitney Bowes has been investing heavily in its effort to wade into the e-commerce shipping market in recent years, acquiring cross-border parcel shipper Borderfree Inc. for $395 million in 2015 and buying reverse and forward parcel-shipping specialist Newgistics Inc. for $475 million in September.

The new link will allow ConnectShip/iShip to integrate Pitney Bowes' APIs into the shipping and logistics solutions it provides to thousands of mid-size and enterprise customers, the companies said. One of those customers, the fulfillment outsourcing and supply chain management provider IntegraCore LLC, will use the enhanced platform to create accurate USPS shipping labels; obtain USPS commercial discounts; track packages; and help manage shipments, inventory, and expenses, according to ConnectShip.