Shopify Shipping Label Printing: Complete Guide for European Carriers
Printing shipping labels. It sounds like a trivial task, but for Shopify store owners in Europe, it often becomes a source of daily frustration. While a US merchant can print a UPS or USPS label with a single click directly in Shopify, you find yourself logging into carrier portals, exporting data, manually entering tracking numbers back into orders, and endlessly switching between browser tabs.
This guide will show you how to streamline label printing on Shopify so you can handle the entire process from one place, with support for all the carriers your customers expect.
Why Label Printing on Shopify Is a Problem for European Merchants
Shopify was originally designed for the North American market. Its native shipping features, including label printing, are optimized for USPS, UPS, and FedEx. For these carriers, you can generate a label directly in the Shopify admin, pay for shipping, and send tracking information to customers.
For European carriers like Packeta, DPD, GLS, PPL, or InPost, this functionality simply does not exist. Shopify has no direct integration with them. Without a specialized app, you are left with no choice but to:
1. Export orders from Shopify (manually or via CSV) 2. Import them into each carrier's portal separately 3. Create shipments in each portal and download labels 4. Manually enter tracking numbers back into Shopify 5. Mark orders as fulfilled
With five orders per day, this is annoying. With twenty, it becomes unbearable. With a hundred, it is impossible.
And that does not even account for situations where you use multiple carriers simultaneously, perhaps Packeta for pickup points, PPL for home delivery, and DPD for international shipments. Three different portals, three different interfaces, three different label formats.
Native Shopify Labels vs European Market Reality
Shopify offers Shopify Shipping, which enables label printing for US and some international carriers. In most of Europe, however, this service is practically unusable:
What Shopify Shipping cannot do:
- Connect to Packeta, PPL, DPD, GLS, InPost, or other local carriers
- Generate labels for European carriers
- Work with pickup points and parcel lockers
- Handle COD (cash on delivery)
What you need instead:
- An app that connects directly to your carriers' APIs
- Label generation in the correct formats (A6, A4, ZPL)
- Bulk printing of dozens of labels at once
- Automatic tracking number synchronization to Shopify
- Support for COD and other local requirements
Label Printing Workflow with ShipDock
ShipDock is a multi-carrier Shopify app that connects all major European carriers into one interface. Let us look at how label printing works in practice.
Creating a Shipment
You have two options for creating a shipment:
Individually: For each order in Shopify, you see a button to create a shipment. Clicking it opens a form where you can review or edit details (weight, dimensions, carrier service) and create the shipment with a single click. The label is generated immediately.
In bulk: In the orders overview, you select multiple orders at once (for example, all unprocessed orders from today) and create shipments for all of them simultaneously. The app uses default settings for each carrier and generates labels for all orders at once.
Label Formats
ShipDock supports two main formats:
A6 PDF (100 x 150 mm): The standard format for thermal printers. One label per page, ready for direct printing on a Zebra, Brother, or other thermal printer. This is the fastest workflow for higher volumes.
A4 PDF (4 labels per page): For regular laser or inkjet printers. Four A6 labels are arranged on a single A4 sheet. After printing, you cut them apart. Suitable for smaller volumes or if you do not have a thermal printer.
Bulk vs Individual Printing
Individual printing is ideal when you process orders continuously throughout the day. An order comes in, you create the shipment, print the label, pack the package, and prepare it for pickup.
Bulk printing makes sense if you prepare packages in batches, perhaps once or twice daily. You select all unprocessed orders, create shipments in bulk, and download a single PDF file with all labels. You send it to the printer and have dozens of labels ready within minutes.
Tip: A combination of both approaches works great. Process urgent orders individually right away, and leave the rest for evening batch processing.
Thermal Printers: An Investment That Pays Off
If you print more than 10-15 labels daily, a thermal printer is an investment that pays for itself within a few weeks. Compared to a regular printer, it offers:
Speed: You print a label in 2-3 seconds. No waiting for warm-up, no paper jams.
Savings: Thermal printing requires no ink or toner. You only buy rolls of thermal paper, which cost a fraction of inkjet cartridges.
Simplicity: The label comes out exactly the right size. No cutting, no folding.
Reliability: Thermal printers are built for industrial use. They run all day without problems.
Recommended Models
Zebra GK420d / ZD420: The industry standard. Reliable, fast, supports both direct thermal and thermal transfer printing. Price around 150-250 EUR. Ideal for higher volumes (50+ labels daily).
Zebra GX420d: The smaller sibling of the GK420d. Slightly more compact, equally reliable. Suitable for medium volumes.
Brother QL-1110NWB: A more affordable alternative (around 120 EUR). Supports wide labels up to 103 mm. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. A good choice for smaller e-commerce stores.
HPRT N41: A budget option for beginning e-commerce stores. Price around 60-90 EUR. Sufficient for 10-30 labels daily.
What Paper to Buy
For most European carriers, you need 100 x 150 mm (A6) labels. Buy rolls, not individual sheets. Rolls feed better and jam less frequently.
Two types of paper exist for thermal printing:
Direct thermal: The paper reacts to heat and turns black. The most common option, cheaper, but labels fade over time (usually within 6-12 months). Perfectly adequate for most e-commerce stores.
Thermal transfer: Requires a special ribbon. More durable, labels do not fade. More expensive. Necessary only for special applications (long-term storage, harsh conditions).
Step-by-Step Setup
Let us walk through setting up label printing from scratch.
Step 1: Install ShipDock
Install ShipDock from the Shopify App Store. Installation takes a minute; just approve the required permissions.
Step 2: Connect Your Carriers
In ShipDock settings, connect your carrier accounts. You will need:
- Packeta: API key from the client section
- DPD: Customer number and MyDPD access credentials
- GLS: Login credentials for MyGLS
- PPL: API access from the client portal
- InPost: Access from the InPost business portal
If you do not yet have a contract with a carrier, you must sign one first. Most carriers offer online registration for e-commerce stores.
Step 3: Set Default Values
For each carrier, set default shipment parameters:
- Default weight (if you do not want to enter it for every order)
- Package dimensions
- Preferred service (e.g., Packeta Locker, DPD Classic)
- Automatic order fulfillment after shipment creation
Step 4: Set Up Your Printer
For thermal printers:
1. Install printer drivers (usually from the manufacturer's website) 2. In printer settings, set paper size to 100 x 150 mm 3. In ShipDock, select A6 PDF label format 4. When printing, select your thermal printer and make sure scaling is disabled
For regular printers:
1. In ShipDock, select A4 format (4 labels per page) 2. When printing, use actual size (100%), not fit to page 3. After printing, cut the labels apart
Step 5: Test Print
Create a test order in your store. Go through the entire process: create the shipment, download the label, print it. Verify that:
- The label is the correct size
- The barcode is readable
- The address and details are correct
- The tracking number synchronized to Shopify
Tips for an Efficient Workflow
After years of working with e-commerce stores, we have identified several practices that significantly speed up order processing.
Batch Processing
Instead of processing orders one by one, set fixed times for batch processing. For example:
- 10:00 AM - first batch (orders from evening and morning)
- 3:00 PM - second batch (orders from the morning)
- 6:00 PM - final batch (everything remaining)
Three batches per day cover most needs and significantly reduce time spent on context switching.
Automate Shipment Creation
ShipDock enables automatic shipment creation immediately after receiving an order. If you have standardized products (similar weight and dimensions), this setting eliminates the manual step of creating shipments. You just download labels and print.
Organize Your Packing Station
Physical workspace arrangement has a huge impact on efficiency:
- The printer should be within arm's reach of the packing table
- Keep label rolls and packaging materials at hand
- A monitor or tablet with Shopify open for checking orders
- Clearly marked zones for different carriers (if each has different pickup times)
Always Print Labels Before Packing
A proven approach: First print all labels for a given batch. Then start packing. Lay out the labels on the table next to the corresponding products. You pack faster because you know exactly what goes where.
Use Fulfillment Automation
Set up ShipDock so that after creating a shipment, it automatically:
1. Marks the order as fulfilled 2. Sends the tracking number to the customer 3. Updates the order status
You no longer need to manually go through orders and change their status. Everything happens automatically when you create the shipment.
Track Your Metrics
Pay attention to the numbers:
- How many orders do you process per hour?
- Where do delays occur?
- Which steps could be automated?
Even small improvements add up to hours of saved time when processing hundreds of orders monthly.
Common Problems and Solutions
Label prints too small or too large: Check your printer settings. Disable "Fit to page" or "Scale to fit." The document size must be 100 x 150 mm and print scale must be 100%.
Barcode is not readable: Usually a print quality issue. For thermal printers, check if the print head is dirty. Clean it with a special cleaning pen or isopropyl alcohol. For inkjet printers, higher print quality settings may help.
Labels are jamming: Check that the roll is properly loaded. Paper edges must be aligned with the guides. On older rolls, the adhesive may have dried out; try a new roll.
Tracking number does not appear in Shopify: Verify that ShipDock has fulfillment permissions. In the app settings, check that automatic synchronization is enabled.
Conclusion
Efficient label printing is fundamental to a functioning e-commerce store. As order volume grows, so does the importance of an optimized workflow. Investment in proper setup and tools pays off in saved time and reduced frustration.
Key takeaways:
- Use a multi-carrier app instead of logging into individual carrier portals
- Consider a thermal printer if you print more than 10-15 labels daily
- Process orders in batches, not one by one
- Automate everything that can be automated
- Set up your physical workspace for maximum efficiency
Want to streamline label printing for your Shopify store? Install ShipDock and connect Packeta, DPD, GLS, PPL, InPost, and other carriers in one interface. Bulk printing, automatic tracking number synchronization, and labels in the right format for your printer.