Setting up Shopify Shipping

To buy Shopify Shipping labels, your business needs to have an eligible fulfillment location, add accurate shipment details, and set up a printer to print shipping labels.

There are a few steps to using shipping labels for your orders:

Buy a shipping label in your Shopify admin or the Shopify app. You can do this from an order's Fulfillment page.

Download and print the shipping label. You can use a desktop printer, or a supported label printer.

Attach it to the outside of your package. If you aren't using labels, then you can use tape or a packing sleeve.

Depending on the carrier, schedule a pickup or drop off your package at a carrier's drop-off location.

Considerations for using Shopify Shipping

Review the following considerations for using Shopify Shipping:

Review your business eligibility for Shopify Shipping

To use Shopify Shipping, your business needs to have an eligible fulfillment location and for some carriers your store needs to be based in the same country as the fulfillment location.

For example, if you want to buy shipping labels from Evri or DPD, then you need to have a fulfillment location in the United Kingdom and your store's address needs to be based in the United Kingdom.

Depending on your fulfillment locations, you can purchase labels from the following carriers through Shopify Shipping:

Shipping carriers available per region
Fulfillment locationShipping carriers
United States
  • USPS
  • UPS (not available in Puerto Rico)
  • DHL Express (continental United States only)
  • FedEx by Shippo
  • Canada
  • Canada Post
  • UPS
  • Australia
  • Sendle
  • United Kingdom
  • Evri (for businesses based in the United Kingdom)
  • DPD (for businesses based in the United Kingdom)
  • France
  • Colissimo (for businesses based in France)
  • Mondial Relay (for businesses based in France)
  • Chronopost (for businesses based in France)
  • Italy
  • Poste Italiane (for businesses based in Italy)
  • Spain
  • Correos (for businesses based in Spain)
  • Adding accurate shipment details

    Shipping carriers the following information to determine the cost of a shipping label:

    • origin address
    • destination address
    • package dimensions
    • package weight

    You need to add accurate details to your products, so the shipping carriers can calculate correct shipping rates for your packages. If the package details aren't accurate, then you can be charged for a price adjustment.

    Product weights

    Your products need to have accurate weights in their product details. Your product weight is combined with the weight of the box, envelope, or other shipping container that you use to ship your product. The combined weight is used to calculate the cost to ship your package to your customer.

    To learn how to add weights to new or existing products, refer to Variants.

    Package dimensions and weight

    In your Shopify admin, you can add the dimensions and weight of the default package that you use to ship your products. The package dimensions and weight are used to calculate the shipping costs when your customer is checking out. Only the default package's dimensions are used in the checkout.

    If you use multiple package types when shipping your products, then you can adjust the package dimensions when purchasing the shipping label. If you want a shipping carrier to calculate the shipping cost at checkout based on packages other than your default package, then you can use a shipping app.

    Fulfillment location address

    Make sure that your fulfillment location's address is accurate. To change your fulfillment location's address, refer to Setting up your locations.

    Setting up your printer

    Before you purchase your first shipping label, decide how you're going to print them. You can use a desktop printer or a shipping label printer. If you want to use a shipping label printer, then use one of the Shopify-supported label printers.

    Label printers use labels that have an adhesive backing, which you attach to your shipments directly. If you print labels using a desktop printer, then attach them to your packages using a plastic sleeve or packing tape.

    You can print a test shipping label to make sure that your printer is set up properly. You aren't charged for printing a test label.

    Steps:

    1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Shipping and delivery.

    2. In the Shopify Shipping section, click test shipping labels.

    3. Click the print icon next to the format that you want to print.

    4. If the label downloads to your computer, then find the file on your computer and open it. If the label opens in a new tab in your browser, then open the tab.

    5. In the print dialog, select the printer that you want to use to print the label.

    6. Select the paper size that matches the printer you're using to print the label.

    7. Click Print.

    Adding Shopify Shipping calculated rates to zones

    If you sign up for a new Shopify account, then the Shopify Shipping rates are automatically added in the following scenarios:

    • If your store is based in the United States, then USPS rates are added by default.
    • If your store is based in Canada, then Canada Post rates are added by default.
    • If your store is based in Australia, then flat rates are added by default, and you have the option to activate Sendle rates.

    You can change what shipping rates are available to customers in your shipping settings. For more information, refer to Create calculated shipping rates.

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