Sway Guide

Sway is a customer-focused shipping experience specializing in returns that offer same-day and next-day pickups, all for less than the cost of ground shipping.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Sway is a Live Rating integration, enabling real-time rate retrieval for shipments created via EasyPost. Rates are guaranteed valid for a minimum of five minutes.

• When creating a shipment, EasyPost requests Sway for shipment rates specific to the user's Sway account.
• The rates provided are directly from Sway and tailored to the user's specific account details.
• In cases of discrepancies or incorrect rates, users are advised to contact their Sway account representative.
• The representative can then update the rates to ensure user account accuracy.

Sway offers the following service levels:

There are no predefined packages for Sway.

The process for generating shipping labels with EasyPost for Sway is similar to other carriers, with a few special requirements.

Users must pass in a Pickup Location Slug (provided by Sway) to EasyPost’s shipment.from_address.carrier_facility field. A user may have multiple slugs, each representing a different delivery region.

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.

Manifesting is not supported or required for Sway.

Voiding Sway labels through EasyPost is supported.

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

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

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

Coming Soon: In early 2025, the EasyPost API will support pickup options for Sway.

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.

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.

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.

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