Shopify lets you buy Royal Mail labels in the admin, and for a store sending a few parcels a week that is enough. It uses Shopify's Royal Mail account, covers four services and ships domestically only (GB to GB).
As you grow, you can ship with your own Royal Mail account instead. With Zenstores, your Shopify orders import automatically and ship on that account, so you keep your own rates and can use every service on it.
Here are the two side by side:
| Shopify's built-in Royal Mail | Your own Royal Mail account with Zenstores | |
|---|---|---|
| Rates | Shopify's Royal Mail account | Your own, from your Royal Mail business account |
| Services | Tracked 24 and Tracked 48, each with or without signature | Every service enabled on your Online Business Account |
| Destinations | UK domestic, except Great Britain to Northern Ireland. No international. | The whole UK including Northern Ireland, and all international destinations |
| Account needed | None | Royal Mail business account, from 20 parcels a week |
| Dispatch | Labels from the Shopify admin | Rules assign the service, labels print in picking order, manifests print in Zenstores |
| 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 Royal Mail account with Zenstores if you need it.
- Check what Shopify's built-in Royal Mail covers
Shopify sells Royal Mail labels in the admin if your fulfilment location is in the UK. It covers Tracked 24 and Tracked 48, each with or without signature, up to 20 kg and 61 x 46 x 46 cm. It ships domestically only, with no international destinations and no labels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Rates come from Shopify's Royal Mail account, and a label must be used within 7 days and can only be voided after 11. Collections aren't included, so you will need to drop off your parcels.
- 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 on any service other than those 4. You also need more if you want your own rates, or if you ship around 100 orders a week or more, where the limits start to get in the way.
- Get a Royal Mail business account
Apply to Royal Mail for a business account, which gives you your own rates. Royal Mail's threshold is 20 parcels a week or more. The account comes with an Online Business Account, or OBA, where Royal Mail bills you. If you already have one, you can ignore this step.
- Add your Shopify store and your OBA to Zenstores
Add your Shopify store in Zenstores so your orders import, then connect your OBA with your account number, company name, login email, posting location number and collection postcode. Zenstores is an approved Royal Mail partner and connects through the Royal Mail API. Every service on your account then appears in Zenstores, including international and Northern Ireland. Your rates and billing stay with Royal Mail.
- Set rules and start shipping
Build rules in Zenstores Automations so each order gets its Royal Mail service as it arrives, using weight, destination, order value or SKU. Labels print in picking order, and tracking numbers sync back to Shopify with the order marked fulfilled. At the end of the day you print your manifest in Zenstores for the Royal Mail collection.
Very impressed indeed. I dreaded the switch to Zenstores and anticipated all kinds of issues, but there were none. We have received exceptional support from Alex and Michael in the set up and transition process and I am pleased to say we are almost a week into fulfilling all our orders with Zenstores and are super happy. Thank you!
Boerie | Taste South Africa
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I connect Royal Mail to Shopify?
Yes. You can buy Royal Mail labels in the Shopify admin, or connect your own Royal Mail account through shipping software such as Zenstores. Shopify's option uses Shopify's rates and covers four domestic services. Your own account uses your rates and every service on it.
Does Shopify have Royal Mail built in, and what are the limits?
Yes, through Shopify Shipping, if your fulfilment location is in the UK. It covers Tracked 24 and Tracked 48, each with or without signature, up to 20 kg and 61 x 46 x 46 cm. It ships domestically only, with no international destinations and no labels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Labels must be used within 7 days of purchase.
Can I ship internationally with Royal Mail from Shopify?
Not with Shopify's built-in option, which is domestic only. Ship with your own Royal Mail account through Zenstores and every international destination on it is available, with customs documentation generated from your product data.
Can I ship from Great Britain to Northern Ireland from Shopify?
Not with Shopify's built-in option. Since 1 May 2025, Shopify's carrier accounts can't buy these labels because of the Windsor Framework, and Shopify points merchants to a carrier or a third-party shipping app such as Zenstores.
Do I need a Royal Mail business account?
Yes to access your own rates, international shipping, collections etc. But Shopify's built-in option doesn't require a account. Royal Mail's threshold for a business account is 20 parcels a week or more, and Zenstores connects to the Online Business Account that comes with it, so Royal Mail keeps invoicing you directly.
Which Royal Mail services can I use with my own account?
Every service enabled on your Online Business Account, domestic and international, appears in Zenstores. If one is missing, it hasn't been enabled on your account, so ask your Royal Mail account manager.
Do I still need Click and Drop?
No. With a business account, Zenstores replaces Click and Drop. It connects to the same Online Business Account, so your rates and services carry over.
Does tracking sync back to Shopify?
Yes. Tracking numbers from Zenstores push back to Shopify automatically, and the order is marked fulfilled, so your usual notifications go out.
