Shopify shipping labels are discounted carrier labels you buy and print straight from your Shopify admin: open an unfulfilled order and click Create shipping label, or buy up to 250 at once from Orders, then Shipping labels. The carriers you can use depend on the country your fulfilment location is in, and discounts vary by Shopify plan.
Here's what trips people up. Labels bought through Shopify go on your Shopify bill along with the taxes, and once your charges reach your plan's billing threshold Shopify invoices you straight away instead of waiting for your normal billing date. Return labels work differently again: you aren't charged when you create one, only when the carrier scans the package.
Which carriers you can buy labels from
| Fulfilment location | Carriers through Shopify, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| United States | USPS, UPS (not Puerto Rico), DHL eCommerce and DHL Express (continental US only), FedEx |
| Canada | Canada Post, DHL Express Canada, Purolator (domestic only), UPS |
| United Kingdom | Evri, DPD, Royal Mail, InPost UK, DHL Express Europe |
| Australia | Australia Post |
| France | Colissimo, Mondial Relay, Chronopost, DHL Express Europe |
| Germany | DHL Paket, DHL Express Europe |
| Italy and Spain | BRT Bartolini and Poste Italiane; Correos and SEUR; DHL Express Europe in both |
| Netherlands and Poland | DHL eCommerce Netherlands and PostNL; DHL eCommerce Poland |
Before your first label, you need an eligible fulfilment location, a default package set up so the weights and rates come out right, and a desktop printer or a supported label printer. If you'd rather use your own carrier accounts, that's a separate setup, and if you need more than Shopify's built-in tools, here are the shipping apps I'd compare.
How to buy a single shipping label
- From your Shopify admin, go to Orders and open an order with unfulfilled items.
- In the Unfulfilled section, click Create shipping label and confirm the items going in this parcel.
- Check the weights, and for international parcels fill in the customs form, including country of origin and the HS code.
- Pick an existing package or add a new one, then confirm the total weight with packaging.
- Choose a shipping service. Your preferred carriers show first; click All to see every eligible service.
- Add extras such as a signature or proof of age, and insurance if you ship from the United States.
- Set the shipping date, tick the option to send shipping details to the customer, then click Buy shipping label and print.
Shopify may pick a Suggested shipping service for you, based on what you've used for similar orders, and that gets smarter the more labels you buy. Two international rules are worth knowing: HS codes are required, and the product description must be detailed, precise and in plain language.
Buying labels in bulk
You can select labels for up to 250 paid orders that need shipping, from Orders, then Shipping labels, or by ticking orders on the Orders page and clicking Create shipping labels. Orders with only non-shipping items, orders without a valid shipping address and orders already fulfilled are left out automatically. The Shipping labels page shows 100 orders per page, so for a bigger batch you open the batch and select from there.
The useful trick is grouping. On the Create shipping labels page you can group by Same item name, Same item quantity or both. Groups are exact matches, so Shopify's example of nine shirt orders splits into six single green shirts and three green-plus-blue orders. On desktop you can then change the package, weight, service or insurance for a whole group in one go.
| Icon on a bulk label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Yellow warning | You can still buy the label, but it might cause problems with the carrier or customs |
| Red critical error | You can't buy until it's fixed or the label is removed from the batch |
Set preferred carriers once
If you only ever ship with two carriers, go to Settings, then Shipping and delivery, click Shipping labels, then Manage preferred carriers, and tick the ones you use. You can go a step further and choose which services from each carrier show by default. Shopify won't let you keep a preferred carrier with no services ticked; removing them all removes the carrier.
DDP labels for international orders
A DDP label, Delivered Duty Paid, includes the import duties and taxes, so you take on whatever customs charges apply in the customer's country. If you collect duties at checkout, Shopify's carrier accounts sell DDP labels only for Canada Post (to the US), DHL Express, DHL Express Canada and DHL eCommerce. With any other carrier you'll need to buy the label elsewhere or refund the order.
Return labels: US and Canada only
You can create return labels from the admin only for domestic orders inside the United States or inside Canada, not between them, and not for military or international addresses. At least one item in the order must be fulfilled, and labels are made per order, so adjust the weight if only some items are coming back. You can't void a return label, but unused ones expire.
| Carrier | Return label expiry |
|---|---|
| USPS | 1 year |
| UPS | 6 months, and the label link expires after 30 days |
| FedEx | 90 days |
| Canada Post | Doesn't expire |
Return labels are always billed to your Shopify account, alongside your other Shopify fees, so if you want the customer to pay, you deduct it from their refund by hand. Tracking statuses such as Delivered don't show in the admin for returns; you check the carrier's site. If no carriers appear, the parcel may be over the limits: USPS caps weight at 70 lbs, with length plus girth no more than 108 inches.
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My verdict on Shopify shipping labels
I'd use Shopify's own labels if you ship domestically from a supported country and you're fulfilling in the admin anyway, because tracking goes to customers automatically and you skip trips to carrier locations. Set preferred carriers and use bulk grouping from day one. I'd look elsewhere if you ship lots of returns across borders or need DDP with a carrier Shopify doesn't support.
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Frequently asked questions
How many Shopify shipping labels can I buy at once?
Up to 250 at the same time, from the Orders page or Orders, then Shipping labels.
Can I void a Shopify return label?
No. Return labels can't be voided, but you're only charged if the carrier scans the package, and unused labels expire.
Can I make Shopify return labels for international orders?
No. Return labels in the admin are only for domestic orders within the United States or within Canada.
How are Shopify shipping labels paid for?
The cost and taxes are billed through your Shopify account, and you're invoiced early if your charges reach your plan's billing threshold.
Why can't I see all carriers when buying a label?
Your preferred carriers show by default. Click All to display every eligible shipping service.
