Shopify lets you buy DPD labels in the admin if your fulfilment location and store address are in the UK. It uses Shopify's DPD account, ships within the UK only, and doesn't offer collections, so you drop parcels off at a DPD location.
As you grow, you can ship with a DPD account of your own instead. With Zenstores, your Shopify orders import automatically and ship on that account, with every DPD service available. If you don't have a DPD account, you can open one from Zenstores.
Here are the two side by side:
| Shopify's built-in DPD | Your own DPD account with Zenstores | |
|---|---|---|
| Rates | Shopify's DPD account | Your own DPD rates, or discounted rates if you open an account from Zenstores |
| Services | UK domestic only. No signature on delivery or proof of age. | Next Day, Two Day, DPD 12, DPD 10:30, Saturday and Sunday options, and international services |
| Destinations | UK domestic, except Great Britain to Northern Ireland. No international. No PO Boxes or BFPO addresses. | All DPD destinations, including Northern Ireland and international |
| Parcel types | Up to 20 kg. No envelopes or soft packages. | Set by the DPD service you choose |
| Collection | Drop-off only. Pickups aren't available. | Collection or drop-off, your choice. Tracking can update when DPD collect. |
| Account needed | None | A DPD account, either your own or one opened through Zenstores |
| Dispatch | Labels from the Shopify admin | Rules assign the service, labels print in picking order, tracking syncs back to Shopify |
| Suits | Entry-level volumes | Brands shipping 100 or more orders a week, or sending outside the UK |
The steps below help you choose between them, then set up your own DPD account with Zenstores if you need it.
- Check what Shopify's built-in DPD covers
Shopify sells DPD labels in the admin if your fulfilment location and store address are in the UK. It ships domestically only, up to 20 kg, with no envelopes, soft packages, PO Boxes or BFPO addresses. Rates come from Shopify's DPD account, there is no signature on delivery or proof of age, and pickups aren't available, so you drop parcels off at a DPD location.
- Compare it with what you ship
Shopify's option suits entry-level volumes. You need more if you ship internationally, from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, or if you need collections or signature on delivery. You also need more if you ship around 100 orders a week or more, where the limits start to get in the way.
- Get a DPD account
Apply to DPD for a business account, or open one from Zenstores. DPD is a Zenstores Swift enabled carrier, so opening an account through Zenstores gives you discounted DPD rates without setting one up separately first. If you already have a DPD account, go straight to Step 4.
- Add your Shopify store and your DPD account to Zenstores
Connect your Shopify store to Zenstores so your orders import. Shopify and Shopify Plus both work the same way. Then add your DPD account, and every DPD service on it appears in Zenstores, including international.
- Set rules and start shipping
Build rules in Zenstores Automations so each order gets its DPD service as it arrives, using weight, destination, order value, channel or product. Labels print straight to your printer in picking order. Tracking numbers sync back to Shopify, either when the label prints or when DPD collect.
Send heavy parcels with DPD
Parcels can get expensive above 2kg. This automation sends heavier orders out on DPD Next Day automatically, so light orders stay cheap and heavy ones arrive fast.
As an app it works great with shopify, but it's the Zenstores back-end that provides you with the seamless multi-channel dispatching system. It's a system that my business has used for over 4 years and it's indespensible. Allowing us to view all selling channels (including our big 4: shopify, ebay, amazon and etsy) under one system. We can merge orders, manage requests, view SKU's and assign weights and process our postage based on these details. Then at the end of the day, click dispatch and every channel and every customer is notified. I've used other tools and they are bloated, but zenstores just works. It's a system that my staff and I can't do without. It also comes with financial stats system, as it's dififcult to see overall turnover on each channel, this gives you a per day/month earnings report. Once you've integrated the sales channels, your left to integrate the majority of delivery services (inc Royal Mail & DPD). It's an amazing system that I highly recommend.
Pure Seeds
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use DPD with Shopify?
Yes. You can buy DPD labels in the Shopify admin, or ship with your own DPD account through shipping software such as Zenstores. Shopify's option uses Shopify's rates for UK domestic parcels. Your own account uses your rates and every DPD service on it.
Does Shopify have DPD built in, and what are the limits?
Yes, through Shopify Shipping, if your fulfilment location and store address are in the UK. It ships domestically only, up to 20 kg, and doesn't support international destinations, envelopes, soft packages, PO Boxes or BFPO addresses. It doesn't offer signature on delivery or proof of age, and pickups aren't available, so you drop parcels off at a DPD location.
Can I ship internationally with DPD from Shopify?
Not with Shopify's built-in option, which is domestic only. Ship with your own DPD account through Zenstores and the international services are available, including DPD Classic, Air Classic, Air Express and DPD Direct, with the customs forms automated.
Can I ship DPD to Northern Ireland, the Highlands and the Islands?
Not using Shopify's built-in option as DPD treats Northern Ireland, the Highlands and the Islands as their own zones, with different transit times and surcharges. Using Zenstores you can ship to all destinations, and its shipping rules can match DPD's zones, so those orders get the right service.
Which DPD services can I use with my own account?
Every DPD service. That includes Next Day, Two Day, DPD 12 and DPD 10:30, with Saturday and Sunday options for each, and DPD Predict works with every UK service.
Do I need my own DPD account?
Not necessarily. DPD is a Zenstores Swift enabled carrier, so you can open a DPD account directly from Zenstores and use discounted rates. If you already have one, connect that instead.
When does my customer get their tracking?
That's your choice. Tracking can push to Shopify as soon as the label prints, or when DPD collect the parcels, so the customer's tracking link shows real movement when they click it. Either way the order is marked as dispatched in Shopify.
What is the difference between DPD and DPD Local?
They are separate accounts and separate integrations in Zenstores. If you use both, you add each one and shipping rules can send orders to either.
