Is an integration platform necessary to send Shopify orders via Aus Post, and if so, which one?

[opsg]

Hello! We are currently reviewing our organisation's practices as shipping has been calculated incorrectly for over 12 months. My question is two fold:
If you have shopify and ship using Aus Post (connected to Aus Post Business), is it absolutely required to have an integration platform to facilitate this set up?
And if it is, how do you know what integration partner is best suited to your needs? (Small scale online Australian based business with some overseas orders, competitive price (as we are NFP) and good customer service is also a requirement as current problem has persisted due to lack of customer service support).
Any help is gratefully received!! Thank you!

[opsg]

Thank you for your response!

Unfortunately, according to Shopify support, unless you ship with Fedex or UPS, the direct integration (via activating carried-calculated shipping on Shopify) is not an option, which means to use Shopify and Australia Post, a 3rd party integration platform is required.
If possible, if anyone has a point of difference between the integration partner offers, that would be really helpful.

Thank you!

[opsg]

Thank you for your feedback! It is much appreciated.
Are you able to tell me how it would work to connect Shopify and Australia Post without an integration partner? I am not sure if it is even possible to connect Shopify directly to Aus Post?

[opsg]

Is it right to assume those integration partners are your recommendation because they offer better customer service/pricing etc?

[SunitaSG]

To access your account tier rates and automate the entire shipping process for your Shopify store, the Australia Post Rates & Labels app by  PluginHive is the perfect solution. It seamlessly integrates with Australia Post, providing real-time shipping rates, automatic label generation, order tracking, and access to your account-specific tier rates—all directly from your Shopify dashboard.

PluginHive also offers dedicated customer support to help with setup and troubleshooting, ensuring smooth operations for your business and an efficient shipping experience for your customers.