Let’s talk about the messy middle of scaling an e-commerce business. Orders are coming in from throughout Australia, or across the ditch in New Zealand.
It’s where the fun of starting out meets the reality of keeping up with growth.
Because if you haven’t set up a proper shipping process, every parcel out the door might still cost you an hour of your day. You might have spreadsheets for weights and dimensions (somewhere). Packaging supplies that run out at the worst times. Couriers quote different rates every week.
This is exactly why we built Zappy, a free courier aggregator that helps Aussie entrepreneurs spend less time taping boxes and more time growing their business, with local support from multi-lingual e-commerce experts.
Below is a guide for entrepreneurs wanting to set up shipping properly, in a way that scales efficiently.
How to set up your shipping operation (from starting out to scaling)
These are the essential processes you need to nail down to have an effective, professional, and scalable shipping process for your e-commerce business.
Keep an up-to-date record of product weights and dimensions
Before you chase the cheapest courier or promise next-day delivery for individual orders, step back and look at the bigger picture:
- Do you actually know what each product weighs and how big it is when packed?
- Do you know which items need extra protection?
- Are you sending the same three box sizes every time, even if you’re paying to ship fresh air?
This is an area where problems appear and compound as an e-commerce business grows.
It’s all part of the learning curve, but gets expensive fast.
Create a master sheet of product dimensions: each SKU, its dimensions, its usual box, how much void fill it needs. Pin it up by your packing table. Even a basic list you can refer back to will save you in terms of time, accuracy, and cost.
In Zappy, your dashboard becomes this mastersheet. Save each product’s details once and the system remembers it forever.
Then, just select your custom product packaging name, and Zappy will pull the packaging dimensions automatically. Now your courier quotes are always accurate, and you’ve saved time fetching the details.
Figure out the packaging you need (and where you’ll get it)
Remember, good packaging protects your profit margins.
In Australia, packaging costs more than you might expect, especially when you buy boxes by the 5-pack at the local Australia Post shop.
And oversized packaging means you pay for empty air.
Follow these best practices:
- Buy boxes in popular sizes, in bulk. Pre-fold them if you can when you get some quiet time.
- Use sturdy tape — cheap tape doubles your packing time.
- Keep a variety of void fill (paper, bubble wrap, packing peanuts) so you don’t have to improvise with yesterday’s newspaper.
Many of our customers tell us they used to print A4 labels and tape them to parcels. That works fine when you’re starting out, but not when you’re sending 30 parcels a day.
A proper thermal label printer often pays for itself in a month or two – you can order yours through Zappy.
Inside Zappy, you can order packaging supplies at wholesale rates, not retail. It’s a small edge, but for a business shipping 50 parcels a week, that cost saving adds up quickly.
Just go to Place Order in your Zappy dashboard and select the supplies you need – satchels and eco satchels, blank shipping labels, prepaid courier tickets, labels and stickers, polybubble, boxes and cartons, cardboard and paper bags, document pouches, small to large tape dispensers.
Have enough storage & space for packing items
Packing orders in a cluttered or cramped space slows you down, causes mistakes, and can lead to missed courier pickups.
If you’re constantly clearing off the kitchen table or hunting for a roll of tape, you’re wasting time and risking damaged or mislabelled parcels.
Over time, these small inefficiencies stack up.
Set up a dedicated packing area with everything you need within arm’s reach.
At minimum, you’ll want:
- A sturdy table at standing height to reduce back strain
- Stackable storage bins or shelves for different satchel sizes, labels, and fragile items
- A label printer and scale kept plugged in and ready to use
- And a clear pickup zone – near the door or driveway – so couriers can collect items without interruption (just make sure it’s safe)
Even a spare room or a corner of the garage can be turned into an efficient mini dispatch centre with a bit of planning.
Choose your couriers and create separate accounts (or use Zappy)
The traditional way to access better courier rates is to set up a business account, meet minimum monthly spend thresholds, and negotiate with a rep.
That would mean opening accounts with each of your main couriers like StarTrack, Couriers Please, Australia Post, Aramex.
You’d also need to manage separate invoices, request claim reimbursements, and keep track of cut-off times and rural surcharges across providers.
If you have the time and shipping volume, this method can work, especially if you want direct relationships with your carriers.
But that time adds up fast for a growing e-commerce business.
Plus, most small and growing businesses simply don’t ship enough to qualify for significant discounts. You might end up paying close to retail pricing anyway, just with more admin and complexity.
That’s exactly why we created Zappy. It gives small businesses access to pre-negotiated courier rates — the kind usually reserved for high-volume shippers — without needing to set up multiple accounts or hit spend thresholds.
Prepare visual assets and email templates for branded tracking
Offering tracking updates is already a win — customers appreciate being kept in the loop, and 31% of shoppers value tracking updates in the top reasons for choosing an online store.
But if you want to take things further and make those updates feel like part of your brand, it’s worth setting aside a bit of time to get branded tracking updates organised.
Start by gathering your core brand assets:
- Your logo (ideally in a PNG or SVG format)
- Brand colours and fonts
- Any icons or design elements you use consistently
Then think about the tone of your usual customer communications: Heartfelt? Formal? Playful? Local?
You’ll want your tracking emails to match that, while still being clear and informative. Each update should clearly explain what’s happening and what the customer should expect next.
Once you have those basics, Zappy makes it easy to plug them in. You can customise email templates directly in the dashboard under Settings > Email
Templates:
Set each one to trigger automatically based on courier updates, so your customers get branded, consistent tracking messages without any manual work.
It’s a simple way to elevate your customer experience — and you can learn more about why it matters in our article on order tracking in e-commerce.
Know your courier pick-up vs. drop-off plan
Will you have a set day when you drop off parcels to the post office, or will you book for couriers to pick up from your location?
All of this needs to be ironed out. For example, knowing what days your courier or post office is available, because it gets factored into the delivery time estimates you give customers
Zappy facilitates this in one place as you’re shipping parcels – when you click on the courier quote you want for your parcels, tick the Book Courier box and then select the date and time you want your package to be picked up:
Clarify your returns policy and process and communicate it on your website
Returns might not be the first thing you think about when setting up shipping, but they’re a crucial part of the customer experience. Returns policies are often where trust is won or lost.
A clear returns policy doesn’t just help with customer service, it helps you run a shipping operation that’s consistent, fair, and ready to scale.
In Australia, you’re not legally required to offer refunds for change-of-mind purchases. But under the Australian Consumer Law, you must provide a refund, repair, or replacement (and cover return shipping) if a product is faulty, unsafe, or not as described.
It’s also worth knowing that 66% of shoppers say flexible returns influence where they shop online, so a clear, fair returns policy can go a long way in building trust.
If you don’t clearly state your process, you’ll likely deal with more “Can I send this back?” emails or refund requests that catch you off guard.
And while returns may be rare, not having a plan in place can quickly lead to confusion or a loss of goodwill when they do happen.
This doesn’t mean offering a prepaid return satchel with every order or absorbing every cost. It just means having something simple, fair, and transparent in writing on your website.
For example:
- Return window – 30 days? 14 days? Say so
- Item condition – Unused? In original packaging?
- What’s offered – Refund, exchange, or store credit?
- How it works – A form, email, or return portal?
- Return costs – Who covers shipping?
- Processing time – How long for refunds or swaps?
Once you’ve written this up and added it to your site, Zappy can help make the process smoother on the back end.
You can tick a box to email a return link directly to the customer, making it easy for them to start the return process via your e-commerce platform (like Shopify).
That means less manual handling, fewer headaches, and a more professional setup that scales with your business — which is the whole point of getting your shipping operation right from day one.
Run a test to iron out any kinks
Before you start shipping to real customers (especially if you're new to the process or branching into trans Tasman shipping to NZ), it’s worth running a few test orders.
That means double-checking that the right courier is being selected, the shipping costs are calculated accurately, the labels print correctly, and the tracking notifications actually get sent.
Catching issues early saves you from awkward follow-ups or lost parcels later.
But testing this kind of thing can feel fiddly if you’re doing it alone, especially if you’re not 100% sure what “right” is supposed to look like.
This is where the Zappy team really shines. Once you're onboarded, you’re not dealing with a generic chatbot or waiting in a global queue — you’re working with a real person based in Australia.
You can give us a call, explain what you're trying to test, and they’ll walk you through it.
Whether it’s testing courier settings, making sure your e-commerce platform integration is working, or confirming tracking links look right, they’ll help you get it sorted fast.
"Most valuable aspect of Zappy is the direct relationship with an account manager. Service is excellent and that is key – They push and get things resolved. When there’s an issue, they’re onto it and that helps ensure our customer is happy. Three words to describe Zappy: Excellent service. Good pricing. Approachable people" - Mohammed, Petfood business
You just don’t get that from overseas courier aggregators.
Set up shipping effectively with a free courier aggregator like Zappy
Once you’ve weighed your products, stocked up on packaging, set up a place to pack, and sorted your policies, the final step is making it all run smoothly.
That’s exactly what Zappy is built for. It brings everything into one dashboard: your orders, your courier options, your label printing, your tracking — no spreadsheets, no juggling logins, no wasted time.
To get started with Zappy:
- Sign up and connect your store — Shopify, WooCommerce, eBay, or another platform.
- Add your packaging sizes and product weights once, so Zappy can calculate accurate courier quotes.
- Choose which couriers to offer at checkout and how you want your tracking emails to look.
- Print your first label and book your first pick-up — the system handles the rest.
Whether you’re sending five parcels a week or fifty a day, Zappy helps you ship smarter, present more professionally, and spend less time on admin. With a locally-based, multi-lingual team, you can call us whenever you need support, not wait for an email from rep in another country.
You don’t need to be a logistics expert to have a shipping operation that works like a dream.
Get started with Zappy and set your e-commerce shipping up to scale.
Answering your questions about setting up shipping
How do I set up a shipping policy?
A clear shipping policy helps set expectations and builds trust with your customers. You don’t need to overpromise or offer free everything — just cover the essentials:
- Where you ship to (AU only? NZ? International?)
- How long delivery usually takes (e.g. “1–3 working days within Australia”)
- Which couriers you use
- Any cutoff times for same-day dispatch
- Shipping costs or conditions (flat rate, free over $150, rural surcharge, etc.)
- How customers can track their parcel
If you offer returns, it’s best to link to your returns policy from here too. Once you’ve got that written up, add it to your website’s footer, FAQs, and order confirmation emails.
Zappy can help you put this into practice by giving you live courier rates, automatic tracking, and clear checkout options — so what you say in your policy actually matches what customers experience.
How do I start shipping things?
To start shipping, you’ll need three main things sorted:
- Weigh and measure your products so you can calculate accurate shipping costs.
- Choose your packaging — padded bags, cartons, satchels — and stock up.
- Create a process for fulfilling orders: where you pack, how you print labels, and how parcels get picked up.
With Zappy, getting started is simple:
- Sign up and connect your e-commerce store to import orders (you can also import orders via CSV file).
- Add your product weights and packaging sizes once
- Compare rates and choose couriers
- Print your first shipping label and book a courier pickup — all from one dashboard
It’s designed to help small Australian businesses ship smarter, without juggling multiple courier accounts or tools.
What are the steps of shipping?
Here’s what a typical shipping process looks like using Zappy:
- Customer places an order on your website.
- Zappy imports the order into your dashboard in real time.
- You pick and pack the item, then print the courier label directly from Zappy.
- Zappy books the courier pickup for you (or you can drop off if preferred).
- Your customer receives branded tracking notifications via email or SMS.
- You can monitor delivery and send a branded return link if needed.
Behind the scenes, Zappy compares courier rates, adds surcharges where needed (like rural or fuel), and keeps all your tracking and shipping data in one place.
How do I set up shipping with Shopify?
Zappy plugs directly into your Shopify and removes the manual work of managing orders and labels.
Here’s how to get started:
- Install Zappy via the Shopify App Store.
- It syncs your open orders, product weights, and customer info automatically.
- Inside Zappy, you’ll see real-time courier rates for each order based on destination, dimensions, and service type.
- You pick the courier and service level, then click to generate a shipping label.
- Zappy books the pickup, sends out branded tracking emails, and helps manage returns — all from one place.
You stay in control of how things are sent, but the busywork is handled for you.
How do I set up dropshipping in Shopify?
Setting up dropshipping in Shopify is simple and doesn’t require upfront investment in inventory or logistics. Here’s how to get started:
- Create your Shopify store – Sign up for a free trial and choose a store name and layout.
- Install a dropshipping app – Apps like DSers, Spocket, or Syncee let you browse and import products directly from dropshipping suppliers into your store.
- Choose your products – Select items you want to sell. You only pay for them when a customer places an order.
- Set your pricing and shipping policies – Make sure your product pricing covers your supplier cost and shipping fees, and communicate delivery times clearly.
- Test the experience – Place a test order to check that everything flows smoothly — from product availability to automated order routing and delivery tracking.
Once live, your store will automatically send orders to your dropshipping supplier, who then ships the item directly to your customer. It’s a low-risk way to launch and grow a business without handling fulfilment yourself.
How do I set up international shipping with Shopify?
Setting up international shipping in Shopify involves a few key steps, and with the right tools — including Zappy — it can be simpler than you think:
1. Enable international shipping zones in your Shopify Shipping settings. Choose which countries or regions you want to ship to and create shipping profiles for them.
2. Set your pricing model:
- Free shipping (if your margins allow)
- Flat-rate shipping (predictable for customers)
- Carrier-calculated rates (real-time courier pricing)
3. Set up customs and duties: You can choose to let customers pay duties and taxes at delivery (Delivered Duty Unpaid / DDU), or collect them at checkout (Delivered Duty Paid / DDP) to avoid surprises.
4. Use Shopify’s built-in tools or apps like Managed Markets to localise your store, show duties and taxes at checkout, and generate customs documents automatically.
5. Communicate clearly: Add an international shipping section to your shipping policy. Be transparent about costs, delivery times, and returns.
Add Zappy to make international shipping easier
Zappy connects directly to your Shopify store and helps you manage international orders with less effort:
- Access real-time rates from major international couriers (like TNT, FedEx, SF Express, DHL) so you can choose the best option for each order based on cost, speed, or service area.
- Automatically generate and attach customs documentation, including commercial invoices — no manual form-filling required.
- Book pickups and print labels from your Zappy dashboard — no need to log into multiple courier systems.
- Track international parcels and send branded tracking updates to customers via email or SMS.
Whether you're just starting to ship to Australia or expanding globally, Zappy helps Australian businesses handle international shipping like pros — without needing to become a logistics expert.
