Order and label software that pulls in orders from several marketplaces.
Typical price
Check current pricing
Why we pick it
- Works with
Suits you when you send dozens of parcels a day from eBay and Etsy and want one queue for every order. It connects to Royal Mail and DHL, so you compare and print labels in one place.
The guide
Each step in the order you'll need it.
Who ShipStation suits
You send dozens of parcels a day from eBay, Etsy, Shopify or Amazon, and switching between each site's own label screen eats your morning. ShipStation pulls every order into one queue, so you sort, label and dispatch from one screen.
It is a paid monthly service, so it makes sense once your time on labels costs more than the subscription. For a few parcels a week, free tools cover the job.
It suits you if you run a few hundred orders a week across two or three channels, often with a second person at the packing bench.
UK carriers, channels and automation rules
ShipStation's UK help pages list Royal Mail, DPD, InPost and Evri among the carriers UK accounts can connect, plus its own built-in carrier rates. It connects to eBay, Etsy, Shopify, Amazon and other channels.
Automation rules apply a service, package size or weight based on the order, so repeat orders skip manual setup. Batch printing sends every label to a thermal printer in one go. Features vary by plan, so compare current pricing and plan limits on ShipStation's site.
Setting up your first batch
Connect each sales channel, then your carriers, then set the label size to 100 x 150 mm for a thermal printer. Add product weights to your catalogue so the software fills them in on each order.
Write a rule or two for your common orders, such as a single trading card going Royal Mail Large Letter. Each morning, review the queue, select all, and print the batch.
Print packing slips with the labels if you sell many different items, so whoever packs can check each order against the slip before sealing the box.
Kit for this step
Click & Drop or Parcel2Go at lower volume
Royal Mail Click & Drop is free and imports marketplace orders; pick it if Royal Mail carries most of your parcels.
Parcel2Go suits the odd bulky parcel where you want to compare couriers per booking, and its Smart Send tool links marketplaces at no monthly cost.
Kit for this step
Deciding if the fee pays off
Time a normal day's labelling before you sign up, then again during any trial. Compare the time you save with the current monthly fee on ShipStation's site.
Add a fast printer such as the Zebra ZD421d once the batches get large, so printing keeps up with the queue.
Count the smaller savings too: fewer typos in addresses, fewer orders missed between platforms, and tracking that uploads to each marketplace without you pasting it in.
Kit for this step
Common mistakes
Each one costs you money or reviews, and each has a fix.
- Add product weights to the catalogue during setup, or you type them on every order.
- The default label size can waste labels. Match it to your 100 x 150 mm thermal stock.
- At low volume the monthly fee buys little; start with Click & Drop until the queue grows.
- An untested automation rule can send parcels on the wrong service, so check the first few orders each rule touches.
Questions
Does ShipStation work with Royal Mail?
Yes. ShipStation lists Royal Mail among the carriers UK accounts can connect.
Can it import eBay and Etsy orders?
Both connect as sales channels, with others such as Shopify and Amazon.
How much does ShipStation cost?
It is a monthly subscription with several plans. ShipStation's UK site has current pricing.
Is it worth it for a small seller?
Usually only once you post dozens of parcels a day across several channels. Below that, free tools do the job.
Does ShipStation print packing slips?
Yes, alongside labels, which helps when someone else packs the orders.
Alternatives
Other picks for the same job, cheaper and pricier.
Parcel2Go
Suits you if you post the odd bulky parcel, such as a pair of boxed trainers, and want to compare couriers before booking. You can choose a home collection or a drop-off shop, and its free Smart Send tool gathers orders from several marketplaces.
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