Packing Slips 101: A Complete Guide for Online Sellers

A packing slip may be the first document your customer sees after checkout. Yet many Canadian online sellers still treat this document as an afterthought.

So, let's discuss what this piece of paper actually is, and why it matters to your business. Let's also tackle the process of generating one that supports accurate fulfillment, smooth customs clearance, and a better customer experience.

Key Takeaways

• A packing slip tells the receiver what the package contains. But it does not specify or show the pricing or any payment information.
  
  
• Packing slips reduce fulfillment errors, speed up returns, and support customs documentation for cross-border orders.
  
  
• Many sellers interchange packing slips with commercial invoices. But they are not actually the same. Each document serves a different purpose.
  
  
• Generating packing slips automatically through a fulfillment platform gives sellers numerous advantages. Aside from saving time, they also reduce manual errors compared to spreadsheet-based methods.
  
  
• Small layout choices make a packing slip more useful for both warehouse staff and customers. So, consider consistent branding and clear SKU placement when creating one.
  

What is a Packing Slip?

A packing slip is a document included inside a shipment that lists the contents of the box. It confirms what the customer ordered and what was actually packed. But it does not show pricing, payment method, or billing information.

Additionally, retailers, warehouses, and fulfillment centres use packing slips to confirm that they received an order and packed it correctly before they ship.

What does it do?

In addition to what was mentioned earlier, it serves other purposes at several stages of the order journey:

• During fulfillment. Warehouse staff use it to confirm they have included every item on the order in the box.
  
  
  
• During transit. Customs officers may use it to verify the contents of a cross-border shipment.
  
  
  
• After delivery. The customer uses it to check their order against what they actually received, and to start a return if needed.
  
  
  

What are the key elements of a packing slip?

A well-built packing slip includes a consistent set of details. It doesn't matter if you created it manually or automatically through a fulfillment platform. Here are the things you should look at:

• Shipping and billing address. The warehouse and carrier rely on it to route the package correctly. Some formats may include the billing address for reference. But note that you should not indicate any sensitive payment details in this section.
  
  
• Order date and order number. These details connect the physical shipment back to the original order in your system. This makes it easy for customer service teams to look up an order if a customer calls with a question. It also gives the customer a reference number for a follow-up.
  
  
• Itemized list of products. Every product included in the shipment should be listed by name. This makes it easier for the customer to confirm that what they received matches what they ordered. It also gives warehouse staff a checklist to follow while packing.
  
  
• Quantity of each item. Alongside each product, the packing slip should show the number of units included in the package. This matters most for orders with multiples of the same item. It helps prevent both overpacking and underpacking.
  
  
• Special Notes (if applicable). Some orders call for extra instructions. You may see requests for gift wrapping, fragile-item handling, or specific delivery notes. A dedicated space for these special notes will help whoever is packing or delivering the order see them instantly.
  
  
• Backordered items note (if applicable). You might encounter a situation where you just ran out of a product that a customer had just ordered. If this happens, the packing slip should clearly note which items are backordered and when they can expect them. This small detail prevents confusion when a box arrives lighter than expected.
  

Packing Slip vs Packing List vs Invoice: What's the Difference?

Many sellers interchange packing slip, packing list, and invoice loosely. However, only two of these terms describe the same thing. Packing slip and packing list refer to the same document, the itemized record of what is physically included in a shipment.

Some businesses and carriers favour "packing list," particularly for bulk or commercial shipments. Meanwhile, "packing slip" is more common in retail and eCommerce. Either way, this document does not include pricing, taxes, or payment information.

An invoice, on the other hand, is a different document entirely. It is a billing record that shows the cost of the order, applicable taxes and payment status.

Here’s a brief comparison between the two:

Why Packing Slips are Critical for Canadian Online Businesses

For Canadian sellers, packing slips play a bigger role than many realize. Here are some of the advantages of a well-designed packing slip:

Ensure 100% Fulfillment Accuracy

Think of them as a built-in checklist during the picking and packing process. Warehouse staff can check off each item against the slip before sealing the box. As a result, it reduces the chance of missing orders, duplicate items, or wrong products going out. For sellers with high order volume, this single step can meaningfully cut down on costly fulfillment mistakes.

Facilitates Seamless Customs Clearance

You need to declare your cross-border and international packages at the border. A clear, itemized packing slip gives customs officers what they need to verify a shipment right away. As mentioned earlier, it also allows them to see the list without pricing or payment details getting in the way. This can help reduce delays at customs checkpoints.

Simplifies the Customer's Unboxing & Returns

Packing slips remove the guessing game on the side of the customers. When they open their packages, it's faster for them to confirm that they received everything they ordered.

If they need to return something, the slip often includes the order number and item details needed to start the process. These small details save the customer from digging through old emails.

Identifies Split Shipments

Sometimes, not all packages will arrive at the customer's doorstep in one box. There can be many reasons, like warehouse location, product size, or stock availability. When this happens, it creates confusion and misunderstandings with the customer. Customers may assume their order is missing items when a second box has not arrived yet.

The slip avoids these kinds of situations. It helps customers understand that more packages are on the way, and they don't have to worry about lost orders.

How to Create and Print Packing Slips Automatically

Creating packing slips doesn't have to be a manual task that eats into your day. Sellers today have two options:

1. Handling packing slips by hand; or
2. Letting a fulfillment platform create them automatically.
   

Here's how each approach works:

The Old Way

Many businesses, especially those smaller ones, still create their packing slips manually using spreadsheets or basic templates. It requires someone to enter order details by hand for every shipment.

This approach is not entirely wrong, but it still comes with many disadvantages. It's slow, prone to typos, and difficult to scale once order volume grows.

A missed field or a copy-paste error can lead to a misplaced order or a customs delay.

The Modern Way

Modern fulfillment platforms produce packing slips automatically as part of the order processing workflow. The order system pulls the order details, shipping addresses, and itemized product lists. This approach removes manual entry and reduces the chance of error.

For growing sellers, this kind of automation frees up time that would otherwise go toward repetitive administrative work. It also keeps packing slips consistent across every order.

Best Practices for a Packing Slip Template

A packing slip's design matters as much as its information does. A few simple layout choices can make the document easier for your warehouse team to work with and more memorable for your customers.

Keep Branding Consistent

When creating a packing slip template, remember to use your logo, brand colours, and consistent formatting. This will reinforce your brand identity at the moment the recipient opens their package.

Ensure SKUs are Prominent for Packers

While product names matter to customers, SKUs matter to the people packing the order. So, place the SKUs clearly next to each item. This speeds up the picking process and reduces the chance of a warehouse worker grabbing the wrong product.

Leave A Room for a Quick, Personalized "Thank You" Note

A short, genuine thank you note on the slip is a low-cost way to make a customer feel valued. It does not need to be elaborate. A simple line of appreciation can leave a positive impression that a generic, purely transactional slip cannot.

FAQs

Here are quick answers to round out what you need to know:

Is a packing slip a legally required shipping document?

No federal law requires a packing slip for domestic Canadian shipments. For cross-border orders, however, some destination countries expect a contents declaration inside or attached to the package. The slip often fills that role even when it is not strictly mandatory.

Can a packing slip be digital instead of printed?

Yes. Some businesses include a QR code or a link on the shipping label that lets the customer view the slip online instead of printing a paper copy. This is more common for merchants looking to cut down on paper use. Still, a printed copy is the standard for most fulfillment operations.

What happens if a packing slip is missing from a return?

Most sellers can still process a return without the original slip. As long as the customer provides the order number or the email used at checkout, there should be no problem. That said, having the slip on hand speeds up the process for both the customer and the returns team.

Final Thoughts

A packing slip may seem like a small piece of paper. But it plays a role in fulfillment accuracy, customs clearance, and customer experience all at once. For Canadian businesses, getting this document correct and automating it where possible is a simple way to reduce errors and build customer trust with every order shipped.

Simplify Your Fulfillment with Stallion

Stallion helps Canadian online businesses automate the details that keep fulfillment running smoothly. Create accurate, professional packing slips with every order through our platform.

Book a demo or get in touch with our team to see how Stallion can support your fulfillment process from pick to delivery!

Aman Chopra

Aman looks after the content marketing department at Stallion Express. He is passionate about helping businesses grow by providing informative and up-to-date trends in the eCommerce industry. Outside the office, you can find him on the soccer field cheering on Real Madrid.