Shopify’s latest merchant update expands the in‑platform shipping label purchase to two new markets: the Netherlands and Poland. If you’ve been waiting for a native, discounted DHL eCommerce solution, it’s finally here. In this post we break down exactly what’s new, which users it affects, and the steps you need to take to start shipping smarter.
What’s New?
Who Is Affected?
Merchants – If your store’s primary shipping origin is the Netherlands or Poland, you can now skip third‑party label generators and buy directly in Shopify. The feature works for all plan levels because Shopify does not charge an extra fee.
Developers – No API or webhook changes are required. Existing order‑fulfillment flows (e.g., custom apps that call the Fulfillment API) will continue to work because Shopify automatically creates a fulfillment record when you purchase a label. The only thing developers might want to tweak is how they display the tracking number in custom order‑status pages.
How Merchants Can Start Buying Labels
Bulk workflow – Select multiple orders using the checkboxes at the top of the order list, then click More actions → Create shipping label. A single PDF with all labels will be generated for quick printing.
Bulk Shipping Tips
What Developers Need to Know
Even though the UI handles most of the work, you may want to surface the new tracking number in custom themes or apps. Shopify stores the tracking data on the fulfillment object, so you can access it via Liquid or the Admin API.
Liquid example (order‑status page):
{% raw %}{{ order.fulfillments.first.tracking_number }}{% endraw %}
Admin API snippet (Node.js, using shopify-api-js):
{% raw %}const fulfillment = await shopify.rest.Fulfillment.create({
session,
order_id: orderId,
tracking_number: trackingNumber,
notify_customer: true
});
{% endraw %}
Because the platform auto‑creates the fulfillment when a label is purchased, you typically won’t need to call the API manually unless you’re building a custom bulk‑label generator that talks directly to DHL.
Action Checklist
Conclusion & Next Steps
Shopify’s expansion of in‑platform DHL eCommerce labels removes a major friction point for European merchants. By leveraging the native label purchase, you save on carrier costs, automate fulfillment status, and give customers real‑time tracking—all without writing a line of code. Ready to streamline your shipments? Open an unfulfilled order today and click “Create shipping label.”
