Every ecommerce order that leaves your warehouse or fulfilment centre carries two documents that most customers never consciously notice — but whose absence they notice immediately when something goes wrong.
The first is the invoice or receipt. The second is the packing slip.
A packing list, shipping slip, or delivery note — all common names for the same document — is a detailed itemised list of the contents of a shipment. It travels inside or attached to the package, and it serves a purpose that goes far beyond simple paperwork: it is the document that enables accurate receiving at the customer's end, drives your returns process, protects you in carrier disputes about lost or damaged items, and communicates your brand at the critical moment a customer opens their order.
This guide covers everything ecommerce businesses need to know about packing slips: what they are, what they must contain, how they differ from invoices, why they matter for fulfilment operations, how to handle them for international shipments, and how to generate professional ones without a template or special software.
What Is a Packing Slip?
A packing slip (also called a packing list, delivery slip, shipping list, or dispatch note) is a document included with a shipment that lists the specific contents of that package. It provides a record of what was packed, in what quantities, and from which order — allowing the recipient to verify that everything they ordered has arrived.
Unlike an invoice, a packing slip does not show prices. Its purpose is purely operational: it describes what is in the box, not what it cost.
In warehouse and fulfilment operations, packing slips are generated at the pick-and-pack stage. The picker uses the packing slip as a checklist to gather items, verifies the contents before sealing the box, and includes the slip with the shipment. At the receiving end, the customer (or a warehouse team for B2B shipments) checks the delivered items against the packing slip to confirm the order is complete and correct.
Packing Slip vs Invoice: A Critical Distinction
These two documents are frequently confused — and occasionally combined into one, which is sometimes appropriate and sometimes absolutely not.
| Packing Slip | Invoice | |
|---|---|---|
| Contains prices | No | Yes |
| Purpose | Verify shipment contents | Request payment |
| Recipient uses it to | Check what arrived | Authorise payment |
| Travels with | The physical package | Package or sent separately |
| Required for customs | Yes (international shipments) | Yes (as a separate document) |
Why not combining them matters: Many B2B buyers specifically instruct suppliers not to include pricing information inside the package — because the goods may be received by a warehouse team or end customer who should not see the cost. Gift orders are an obvious example: if a customer has ordered a gift to be shipped directly to a recipient, a packing slip without pricing allows the recipient to check contents without revealing what was paid.
For international shipments, customs authorities require both a packing slip (contents description and quantities) and a commercial invoice (values) as separate documents. Combining them into one is not acceptable for customs clearance purposes.
Packing Slip vs Bill of Lading
A bill of lading (BOL) is a different document issued by a freight carrier, not by the seller. It is a formal receipt from the carrier acknowledging they have taken possession of a shipment for transport, and it functions as a title document for the goods in transit. A packing slip is seller-generated and describes the contents; a bill of lading is carrier-generated and acknowledges custody.
For small parcel shipments (individual packages via couriers), a bill of lading is not typically required — your packing slip and the carrier's tracking number are sufficient. For freight shipments, both documents are usually required.
Who Needs a Packing Slip?
Packing slips are relevant across a wide spectrum of B2C and B2B shipping scenarios:
- Ecommerce retailers (Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon sellers, Etsy sellers) shipping products to individual customers
- Wholesale distributors shipping stock to retailers or stockists
- Manufacturers shipping components or finished goods to trade buyers
- Subscription box businesses including pick-lists to verify contents for fulfilment teams
- Drop shippers passing orders through to suppliers who ship directly to end customers
- B2B sellers shipping goods to corporate accounts where the delivery is received by a different team from the one that placed the order
- International exporters where customs authorities require detailed content documentation
If you put goods in a box and send it to someone, attaching a packing slip is best practice.
What Every Packing Slip Must Include
A complete, professional packing slip contains these elements:
1. Seller Information
- Business name and address
- Contact details (email and/or customer service phone number)
- Business logo (for branded customer experience)
2. Recipient / Ship-To Information
- Recipient's full name
- Delivery address — every line, including postcode/ZIP code and country for international shipments
- Contact phone number (useful for carrier delivery issues)
3. Order Reference Information
- Order Number: Your internal order reference. This is the primary reference the customer will quote if they contact you about the order
- Packing Slip Number: A unique document reference for internal tracking
- Order Date: When the order was placed
- Despatch Date: When the package leaves your facility
- Tracking Number / Carrier: If known at the time of packing, this is invaluable for customer communications
4. Itemised Contents
For each item in the shipment:
- Product Name / Description: Clear, recognisable description matching what the customer ordered
- SKU or Product Code: Your internal reference code — essential for warehouse operations and returns processing
- Quantity Ordered: What the customer ordered
- Quantity Shipped: What is actually in this box — which may differ if you are split-shipping or have a partial stock issue
- Notes on Back-ordered Items: If any items are missing because they will ship separately, this must be clearly stated
If you regularly split orders across multiple shipments, include "Package X of Y" notation so the customer knows additional packages are coming.
5. Special Instructions or Notes
- Return policy reference or returns address
- Care instructions for the product (particularly for apparel, food, or fragile items)
- Promotional messaging or discount codes for next purchase
- Gift message (if the order was a gift and the buyer submitted a message at checkout)
- Thank-you note — a brief personalised thank-you measurably improves customer satisfaction and review rates
6. Returns Information
For ecommerce businesses, including returns instructions directly on the packing slip dramatically reduces friction and customer service queries. At minimum, include:
- Your returns policy summary (standard returns window, condition requirements)
- How to initiate a return (link, email, or QR code to your returns portal)
- Whether the original packing slip should be included with a return
Free Packing Slip Template Options — And Their Limitations
Here are the most common approaches ecommerce sellers use for packing slips, and why each creates friction at scale:
Manual Word / Google Docs Templates
Pros: Free, fully customisable, no software dependency.
Cons: Every order requires manual data entry — product names, SKUs, quantities, and addresses copied from your order management system. Error-prone, time-consuming, and completely unscalable beyond a handful of orders per day. No auto-numbering. Formatting inconsistency between documents.
Excel / Google Sheets Templates
Pros: Can be set up with basic automation and formulas.
Cons: Still requires manual data entry per order. Exporting a clean PDF per order requires extra steps. Not designed for producing print-ready fulfilment documents quickly.
Ecommerce Platform Auto-Generated Slips
Pros: Platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Amazon automatically generate packing slips.
Cons: Limited customisation — typically basic templates with no branding flexibility. Cannot be customised for special orders, wholesale customers, or orders with gift messages and specific formatting requirements. No control over layout or content.
Free Online Packing Slip Generator
Our free packing slip generator gives you full control over your packing slip content and branding while automating the document production:
- Auto-populates your business details from your saved profile
- Add as many line items as required with separate ordered vs shipped quantities
- Outputs a clean, professional PDF instantly — no formatting headaches
- No watermarks on downloaded documents
- No account required — open, complete, download, print or attach
- Your business details save locally — between sessions, your name, address, and logo are pre-filled
- Your data stays entirely private — all processing happens in your browser; nothing is stored on any external server
Step-by-Step: Creating a Packing Slip in Under 2 Minutes
Here is how to use Bizcalc's free packing slip generator:
Step 1: Set Up Your Business Profile (One-Time)
Open the generator and configure your business details:
- Business name and address
- Customer service contact email/phone
- Upload your logo for branded slips
- Set your preferred accent colour
This is saved locally and pre-fills on all future packing slips automatically.
Step 2: Enter the Ship-To Details
- Recipient's full name
- Full delivery address including postcode/ZIP and country
- Contact phone (optional but useful for courier queries)
Step 3: Set Order References and Dates
- Order number — copy from your order management system or platform
- Packing slip number — auto-assigned sequentially
- Order date — when the customer placed the order
- Despatch date — when you are shipping
- Carrier and tracking number — if available at packing time
Step 4: Add Line Items
Click "Add Item" for each product in the shipment:
- Product name/description
- SKU or product code
- Quantity ordered
- Quantity shipped (these will differ if you are split-shipping)
Items that will ship separately should be noted with quantity shipped as zero and a note such as "Back-ordered — ships separately by [estimated date]."
Step 5: Add Notes and Returns Information
Use the notes field for:
- Gift message if applicable
- Returns instructions
- Thank-you message
- Promotional code for next order
- Any special handling instructions
Step 6: Download and Print (or Attach Digitally)
Click "Download PDF" — your packing slip downloads immediately as a clean, professionally formatted document. Print it and include it in the package, or attach it digitally if your fulfilment workflow permits.
Packing Slips for International Shipments
For cross-border ecommerce, packing slips take on additional regulatory significance. Customs authorities in most countries require accompanying documentation that describes the contents of international packages in detail.
Required Information for International Packing Slips
In addition to the standard components above, international shipments typically require:
- Country of origin for each item (where the product was manufactured, not where you are shipping from)
- HS Code (Harmonised System Code): The international product classification code, which customs use to determine applicable duties and taxes
- Total declared value: The customs value of the contents — note that this is the commercial value, not what you choose to declare; misrepresenting customs value is illegal and can result in seizure or penalties
- Number of packages and total weight for multi-package shipments
- "Gift" designation: If the shipment is a personal gift, some customs authorities apply reduced duties. Mark this clearly if applicable and within your jurisdiction's rules
Commercial Invoice as a Separate Document
For international shipments, customs requires a commercial invoice as a separate document from the packing slip. The commercial invoice states the value of the goods; the packing slip describes the quantity and description. These should always agree on product descriptions and quantities but serve different purposes in the customs clearance process.
If you are shipping internationally regularly, the invoice generator can produce the accompanying commercial invoice alongside your packing slip.
Incoterms and Duty Responsibility
For B2B international shipments, the packing slip should reference the agreed Incoterms (e.g., DDP — Delivered Duty Paid — means you the seller are responsible for duties and taxes; DAP — Delivered At Place — means the buyer handles customs clearance). This prevents disputes about responsibility for import duties and delays.
Packing Slips and Your Returns Process
One of the most underused functions of a well-designed packing slip is streamlining the returns process. Returns are an operational cost every ecommerce business carries — how efficiently you process them directly impacts your margins and your customer satisfaction scores.
What to Include on Your Packing Slip for Returns
- Return window: Clearly state how many days after receipt the customer can return (e.g., "30-day returns from date of delivery")
- Return condition: "Unused, in original packaging" or your specific policy
- How to initiate: Email address, returns portal URL, or QR code linking directly to your returns page
- Whether to include the packing slip: Many fulfilment operations require the original packing slip to be enclosed with a return to enable fast processing
- Return address: State explicitly if the return address differs from your business address
Using the Packing Slip for Returns Matching
When a return arrives, the packing slip (returned with the item) enables your warehouse team to immediately match the return to the original order, verify the item returned matches what was shipped, and process the refund or exchange efficiently. Without this document, returns matching relies on the customer having correctly noted their order number — which many do not.
Operational Best Practices for Ecommerce Packing Slips
Print Quality Matters
Packing slips that are difficult to read — blurry, low contrast, or printed on poor quality paper — create unnecessary friction. If your customers are separating the packing slip to use as a return document, they need to be able to read it clearly. Use at least 300 DPI print resolution and standard white paper.
Consistency Across Orders
Every order from your business should include a packing slip with consistent formatting, branding, and information. Inconsistency undermines the professional impression you are building and creates confusion when customers need to reference documents.
Separate the Packing Slip from the Invoice for B2B Orders
B2B buyers — particularly retailers stocking your products — will often have a receiving team who opens packages separately from the finance team who handles invoices. The receiving team needs the packing slip; the finance team needs the invoice. Combining them or sending only an invoice creates operational problems at the buyer's end.
Use the Packing Slip as a Brand Touchpoint
The moment a customer opens a package is one of the highest-attention moments in the entire customer journey. A well-designed packing slip — featuring your logo prominently, your brand colours, a personal thank-you, and perhaps a discount code for next purchase — converts a functional document into a marketing touchpoint that actively drives repeat business.
Research by various ecommerce platforms consistently shows that including a personalised thank-you with a discount code for the next purchase increases repeat purchase rate meaningfully. The packing slip is the natural home for this communication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a packing slip legally required?
For domestic shipments within most countries, a packing slip is not legally mandated — but it is practically essential for professional fulfilment operations. For international shipments, customs authorities in most countries require accompanying documentation describing the contents, which is effectively a packing slip (or commercial invoice with equivalent information). Check the specific import requirements for the destination country you are shipping to.
Should a packing slip include prices?
For most B2C ecommerce orders, prices are deliberately excluded from packing slips. This allows gifts to be shipped to recipients without revealing the cost, and keeps the packing slip focused on its operational function — verifying shipment contents — rather than acting as a payment request. If you need to include pricing (for customs purposes or B2B buyers who require it for their accounts payable process), include it alongside the standard content but clearly mark the document as a "Packing List with Values" or use a combined commercial invoice/packing list format.
What is the difference between a packing slip and a delivery note?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but in some contexts:
- Packing slip typically refers to the document inside the package
- Delivery note may refer to a document signed by the recipient upon delivery to acknowledge receipt
In practice, most ecommerce businesses use either term to mean the same thing. The functional requirement is the same: a document that lists what was shipped and enables the recipient to verify receipt.
Can I use my packing slip as a return label?
No — a packing slip and a return shipping label are different documents. A return shipping label is a pre-paid or pre-addressed postage label generated by a carrier. However, your packing slip can (and should) include the return address and return initiation instructions, making it easy for the customer to find the information they need to return an item even if you issue the actual return label separately.
How many copies of a packing slip do I need?
For most ecommerce operations, one copy travels inside the package. If you use a warehouse management system, a digital copy is retained against the order record. For freight shipments carried on pallets, a second copy is often attached to the outside of the pallet in a waterproof document sleeve. International shipments may require multiple copies for customs clearance.
What should I do if a customer says items are missing from their order?
The packing slip is your first line of defence. Your own copy (or digital record) shows what was packed and shipped. If the packing slip records the correct quantity shipped, the discrepancy may be a picking error, a carrier theft or damage issue, or a customer miscount. Request that the customer check the package and packing slip carefully and, if discrepancy remains, initiate a claim with the carrier (supported by your packing record) or arrange a replacement for confirmed picking errors.
Pack Smarter. Ship Professionally.
A well-executed packing slip is invisible when everything goes right — and invaluable when anything goes wrong. It protects you in disputes, streamlines your returns process, enables accurate receiving at the customer's end, and communicates your brand at the highest-attention moment in the delivery experience.
Our free packing slip generator produces professional, branded packing slips in under two minutes — no account, no subscription, no software installation. Your data stays entirely in your browser.
Generate your first packing slip now →
Complete your ecommerce fulfilment document stack with:
- Invoice Generator — for commercial invoices accompanying international shipments, or B2B customer invoices
- Sales Order Generator — to formally record incoming customer orders before fulfilment begins
- Purchase Order Generator — to manage your own supplier orders and inbound stock procurement
