Customizing Shipping Labels & Packing Slips on Shopify for Brand Loyalty

Why Branded Shipping Materials Matter

Your package is often the first physical touchpoint with your customer. A plain brown box with a generic label says "transaction." A branded unboxing experience says "relationship."

The Stats:

• 72% of consumers say packaging influences their purchase decisions
• 40% would share a photo of branded packaging on social media
• Branded packaging increases repeat purchase rate by 30%

What You Can Customize

#### 1. Packing Slips The document inside the box. Opportunities:

• Logo and brand colors
• Personalized thank you message
• Product care instructions
• Return policy
• Social media handles
• Discount code for next purchase

#### 2. Shipping Labels (Limited) Carrier labels have restrictions, but you can:

• Add your logo (with some carriers)
• Customize return address format
• Include branded QR codes

#### 3. Tracking Experience The post-purchase journey:

• Branded tracking page
• Custom email notifications
• Delivery updates with your voice

Customizing Packing Slips in Shopify

Option 1: Shopify's Built-in Editor

Go to Settings → Shipping and delivery → Packing slips

Click "Edit template"

Add your logo, colors, and custom text

Basic Customization Code:

  

  

    Thank you for your order, {{ customer.first_name }}! 🎉
  
  

    Questions? Email us at [email protected]
  

Option 2: Advanced with Atoship

Atoship offers more packing slip customization:

• Drag-and-drop designer
• Multiple templates per product type
• Dynamic content (product images, personalization)
• QR codes linking to care instructions

Creating Branded Tracking Pages

Generic carrier tracking is a missed opportunity. Your customer leaves your brand and goes to usps.com or ups.com.

With Atoship Branded Tracking:

Instead of: usps.com/track?num=9400111... Your customers see: yourstore.com/track/ORDER123

Customization Options:

• Your logo and brand colors
• Product recommendations
• Social media links
• Review request
• Referral program promotion
• Estimated delivery countdown

Setup in Atoship:

Settings → Tracking Page

Upload logo

Set brand colors

Add footer content (social links, support)

Enable product recommendations

Toggle review request timing

Email Notification Customization

Default Shopify emails are... basic.

Customize shipping notifications:

Shipment Confirmation:

Subject: [Your Brand] Your order is on its way! 📦
Hey {{ customer.first_name }},
Great news! Your order #{{ order.name }} just shipped.
Track your package: {{ tracking_url }}
Estimated delivery: {{ estimated_delivery }}
While you wait, check out what's new: [Shop Now]
Questions? We're here to help at [email protected]
Thanks for being awesome,
The [Your Brand] Team

Out for Delivery:

Subject: Your [Brand] order arrives TODAY! 🎁
{{ customer.first_name }}, your package is out for delivery!
Keep an eye out for it today.
Order: {{ order.name }}
Items: {{ line_items }}
After it arrives:
📸 Share your unboxing on Instagram @yourbrand
⭐ Leave a review for 15% off your next order
Enjoy!

Physical Branding Elements

#### Custom Packaging Materials

ROI Calculation:

• Added cost per package: $0.50
• Increase in repeat purchase rate: 30%
• Customer lifetime value increase: $25
• ROI: 50x

#### Thank You Card Template

Include in every package:

Front: [Beautiful product photo or brand imagery]
Back:
"Thanks for supporting our small business!
Your purchase helps [your mission - supports families,
funds creators, etc.]
Share your experience:
📸 @yourbrand #YourHashtag
Get 15% off: Use code THANKS15
With gratitude,
[Founder name + signature]"

The Unboxing Experience Checklist

Outside the Box: ☐ Branded shipping tape or labels ☐ Clean, professional packaging ☐ Consider custom box (for premium brands)

First Layer: ☐ Thank you card on top ☐ Tissue paper in brand colors

Product Presentation: ☐ Product wrapped or protected beautifully ☐ Care instructions included ☐ Samples or small gifts (optional)

Documentation: ☐ Branded packing slip ☐ Return instructions (make it easy) ☐ QR code to support/community

Measuring Branding Impact

Track these metrics:

Social Mentions

• Monitor your hashtag
• Track unboxing posts

Repeat Purchase Rate

• Before branded experience: X%
• After branded experience: Y%

Customer Reviews

• Look for mentions of packaging
• Track review sentiment

Referral Rate

• Did branded inserts increase referrals?

Getting Started: Quick Wins

This Week:

Customize Shopify packing slip template

Set up branded tracking page in Atoship

Order thank you cards (Canva + local printer)

This Month:

Customize all shipping notification emails

Source branded tape or stickers

Create unboxing-worthy packaging process

This Quarter:

Test custom boxes (if margins allow)

Launch referral program with package inserts

Measure impact and optimize

The Bottom Line

Every package you ship is a marketing opportunity. With relatively small investments in branded materials and proper shipping software setup, you can:

• Increase repeat purchases by 30%
• Generate free social media content
• Build emotional connection with customers
• Differentiate from Amazon and big-box competitors

Start with the easy wins: Set up branded tracking pages and custom packing slips in Atoship today—it's included free with your account.