***

title: Quickstart
slug: quickstart
last-updated: 'February 24, 2026'
---------------------------------

This quickstart guide intends to walk you through a few common scenarios to let you understand how to use the ShipBob API.

## 1. Get Personal Access Token (PAT)

ShipBob verifies a user's request by using a Bearer token in the header. We call this a Personal Access Token.

On the ShipBob dashboard, go to **Integrations** > **API Tokens**. Click Generate New Token. Copy this token as we will use in next step. If you do not have a ShipBob account yet, you can create a sandbox account by following [this link](https://webstage.shipbob.dev/app/merchant/#/SignUp).

## 2. Make your first API request

Use your PAT token to make a request to the [GET Channels](/api/channels/get-channels?explorer=true) endpoint. You will need the channel ID to create products, orders and returns with the ShipBob API.

```
GET https://api.shipbob.com/2026-01/channel
```

<Tip>
  If you are using a ShipBob sandbox account, make sure to update your endpoint to `https://sandbox-api.shipbob.com/2026-01/channel`
</Tip>

<Accordion title="Example response">
  The channel ID to use when creating products, orders and returns would be `100102` since this is the channel that has scopes with `_write` access.

  ```javascript GET Channel 2026-01/channel {4-25}
  {
    "items": [
      {
        "id": 100102,
        "name": "Privileged Access Token Wednesday, September 20, 2025",
        "application_name": "API",
        "scopes": [
          "fulfillments_write",
          "webhooks_read",
          "returns_read",
          "orders_read",
          "inventory_write",
          "inventory_read",
          "returns_write",
          "products_read",
          "webhooks_write",
          "receiving_write",
          "receiving_read",
          "channels_read",
          "products_write",
          "locations_read",
          "orders_write",
          "fulfillments_read",
          "locations_write"
        ]
      },
      {
        "id": 100101,
        "name": "ShipBob Default",
        "application_name": "ShipBob",
        "scopes": [
          "webhooks_read",
          "returns_read",
          "orders_read",
          "inventory_read",
          "products_read",
          "receiving_read",
          "channels_read",
          "locations_read",
          "fulfillments_read"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }

  ```
</Accordion>

## 3. Common scenarios

A few common scenarios to get started with the ShipBob API. All endpoints are only accessible via `HTTPS`.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Create product">
    Below is a sample request to create a product:

    <CodeGroup>
      ```javascript POST /2026-01/product
      {
        "name": "Light Roast Coffee",
        "type_id": 1,
        "variants": [
          {
            "name": "Light Roast Coffee",
            "sku": "LIGHT-ROAST",
            "packaging_requirement_id": 1,
            "packaging_material_type_id": 1
          }
        ]
      }
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Create order">
    Below is a sample request to create a order:

    <Note>
      Make sure to pass the `shipbob_channel_id` in the header.
    </Note>

    <CodeGroup>
      ```javascript POST /2026-01/order
      {
        "shipping_method": "Standard",
        "recipient": {
          "name": "John Doe",
          "address": {
            "address1": "100 Nowhere Blvd",
            "address2": "Suite 100",
            "city": "Gotham City",
            "state": "NJ",
            "country": "US",
            "zip_code": "07093"
          },
          "email": "john@example.com",
          "phone_number": "555-555-5555"
        },
        "products": [
          {
            "reference_id": "LIGHT-ROAST",
            "name": "Light Roast Coffee",
            "quantity": 1
          },
          {
            "reference_id": "DARK-ROAST",
            "name": "Dark Roast Coffee",
            "quantity": 1
          }
        ],
        "reference_id": "840343901234", // the reference_id can be the same as the order_number
        "order_number": "1001",
        "type": "DTC"
      }
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Create warehouse receiving order">
    Here is a sample request to create a warehouse receiving order. If testing on sandbox you can use `fulfillment_center` id 8 or id 10

    <Note>
      When you create warehouse receiving orders with the ShipBob API, you do not need to pass the `shipbob_channel_id`.
    </Note>

    <CodeGroup>
      ```javascript POST /2026-01/receiving
      {
        "fulfillment_center": {
          "id": 8
        },
        "package_type": "Package",
        "box_packaging_type": "EverythingInOneBox",
        "boxes": [
          {
            "tracking_number": "860C8CDC8F0B4FC7AB69AC86C20539EC",
            "box_items": [
              {
                "quantity": 1,
                "inventory_id": 0 // get the inventory_id by making request to GET Products /2026-01/product?search=LIGHT-ROAST
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "expected_arrival_date": "2025-11-24T14:15:22Z",
        "purchase_order_number": "PO123"
      }
      ```
    </CodeGroup>
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## 4. Use Cases

Get started with the ShipBob API with detailed guides for your use case.

<CardGroup cols="2">
  <Card title="Build Orders integration" icon="bolt" href="/guides/build-orders-integration">
    Learn how to build an orders integration
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manage Products" icon="browser" href="/guides/products">
    Set up your catalog
  </Card>

  <Card title="Track Shipments" icon="chart-mixed" href="/guides/tracking">
    Get delivery updates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sync Inventory" icon="rotate" href="/guides/inventory">
    Keep stock in check.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Warehouse Receiving Orders" icon="pallet-boxes" href="/guides/receiving">
    Send stock to ShipBob.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Returns" icon="rotate-left" href="/guides/returns">
    Create and manage returns
  </Card>
</CardGroup>