DPD Guide

DPD is part of Geopost, one of the world’s leading parcel delivery networks operating in more than 50 countries. Their 57,000 delivery experts deliver more than eight million parcels worldwide daily through DPD, Chronopost, SEUR, BRT, Speedy, and Jadlog.

This guide includes detailed information on utilizing DPD shipping with the EasyPost API, focusing on account setup, rates, label creation, manifests, tracking, and more.

Note: This carrier guide is specifically provided for the DPD Germany service.


Prerequisites

Account Registration

Sign up for an EasyPost account to obtain a Test and Production API key. See Authentication and Key Management for more information.

Note: Negotiated rates are only available in Production mode.

Carrier Setup

Upon sign-up with EasyPost, users gain immediate access to Default Carrier Accounts, which can be enabled directly from the Dashboard. For additional carriers, EasyPost supports a Bring Your Own Account (BYOA) option. This requires users to register directly with the respective carrier.

DPD Account Registration

  1. Contact DPD to request a shipper account. A representative will be in touch for additional details regarding the account.
  2. Inform DPD about using EasyPost’s API for label purchases.
  3. Acquire rates and align any additional shipping needs.
  4. Obtain the following production and test credentials:
    1. DPD Customer Number
    2. WebConnect Password
    3. WebConnect Username
  5. Input carrier-specific credentials within the EasyPost Carrier Account Dashboard for comprehensive rate access.

DPD Account via API

The API structure specified by EasyPost can also be used to add the DPD carrier shipper account.

curl -X POST https://api.easypost.com/v2/carrier_accounts \
  -u "$EASYPOST_API_KEY": \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
  "type": "DpdAccount",
  "description": "DpdAccount",
  "carrier_account": {
    "credentials": {
      "customer_number": "VALUE",
      "password": "VALUE",
      "username": "VALUE"
    },
    "test_credentials": {
      "customer_number": "VALUE",
      "password": "VALUE",
      "username": "VALUE"
    }
  }
}'

Software Requirements

Download an EasyPost Client Library or utilize the REST API with cURL.

Documentation Review

Examine the EasyPost Objects section to understand the API's structure, which is critical for constructing requests and interpreting responses.


Rates

When integrating a DPD account with EasyPost, users should be aware of how rates are managed and displayed. Here’s a breakdown of key points:

Default Rate Display

  • EasyPost initially returns a $0.01 rate for shipments once the DPD account is set up.
  • DPD will charge the appropriate amount for postage via their billing system.

Service Levels

DPD offers the following services:

Service
Transit Time
Max Dimensions (inches)
Max Weight (ounces)
DPDCLASSIC
DPD8:30
DPD10:00
DPD12:00
DPD18:00
DPDEXPRESS
DPDPARCELLETTER
DPDPARCELLETTERPLUS
DPDINTERNATIONALMAIL

Predefined Packages

There are no predefined packages for DPD.


Generating Shipping Labels

With EasyPost, generating shipping labels for DPD is the same process as generating them for any other carrier.

Review the Getting Started Guide for help generating a shipping label.

1-Call Buys

1-call buys enable streamlined label purchasing through the EasyPost API by consolidating multiple operations into a single API request. This feature is designed to simplify and accelerate the shipping process by combining the creation of a shipment, retrieval of rates, and purchasing the shipping label into one efficient step.

See Reducing API Response Times for more information.

Manifests

Manifesting is not supported or required for DPD integration.

Refunding and Voiding Labels

Voiding DPD labels through EasyPost is not supported.

Supported Options

Label Formats

EasyPost offers native DPD labels in ZPL, PNG, and PDF formats.


Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT)

The DPD policy on hazardous materials is not explicitly detailed in this guide. Shippers are advised to contact DPD directly for specific hazmat inquiries.

Shippers can indicate limited quantities of hazardous materials in their shipments by adding:

shipment.options.hazmat=“LIMITED_QUANTITY”


Pickups

DPD accommodates pickups based on individual agreements with customers. While regular pickups can be arranged directly with DPD during the account registration process, they cannot be scheduled via the EasyPost API.


Tracking

EasyPost simplifies package tracking by offering two methods:

  • Tracking with an existing number and carrier.
  • Using a Tracker included with an EasyPost-purchased shipping label.

The service integrates webhooks for timely shipment updates. For detailed information on tracking methods, visit the Tracking Guide.


Additional Resources

Carrier Metadata

The Carrier Metadata endpoint can programmatically return information about service levels, predefined packages, supported features, and shipment options.

Use this information to quickly integrate and make educated decisions about the mix of carriers for shipping needs. Additionally, the Carrier Metadata endpoint is available to retrieve comprehensive information about all carriers on the EasyPost platform, enhancing decision-making for carrier services.

Support and Troubleshooting

In addition to the guidance provided in our Carrier Guides, EasyPost offers support to assist with FAQs, troubleshooting issues, and inquiries related to the EasyPost platform.

Please visit the Help Center for more information.


Talk to a Shipping Expert

For questions about getting started with the EasyPost API please talk to a Shipping Expert or contact our Support team.