How to Set Up Packaging with ReachShip WooCommerce Multi-Carrier Shipping Plugin?
This guide will help you set up packaging for your WooCommerce orders using the ReachShip WooCommerce Multi-Carrier & Conditional Shipping Plugin. If you want to learn more about all the features of this plugin, you can visit its product page.
About ReachShip Plugin
The ReachShip WooCommerce Multi-Carrier & Conditional Shipping Plugin is a free and powerful tool that enables online merchants to streamline their shipping operations and offer a better shipping experience to their customers.
The plugin is designed to simplify the shipping process for online businesses by allowing them to manage their shipping operations using multiple carriers, including FedEx, UPS, USPS, Australia Post, and DHL. This allows them to offer their customers a wider range of shipping options and optimize their shipping costs.
With this plugin, you can easily display real-time shipping rates, print labels, track shipments, and automate your shipping tasks—saving time and reducing manual work.
👉 New to the plugin? Click here to learn how to get started.
Packaging Overview
Efficient packaging is crucial for smooth order fulfillment and customer satisfaction in eCommerce. Choosing the right packaging method helps save on shipping costs and ensures that products arrive safely.
Follow the tips below to pack products correctly:
- Choose sturdy boxes that match product dimensions.
- Use cushioning materials like bubble wrap or paper to prevent movement.
- Ensure the total package weight complies with carrier requirements.
- Label boxes clearly with shipping details.
Now, let’s see how the ReachShip Multi-Carrier Shipping Plugin simplifies the entire packaging process for your eCommerce store.
Packaging Methods Offered by ReachShip Plugin
Setting up packaging with ReachShip is quick and efficient. It helps you pack items automatically based on the weight and size of the products, ensuring accurate shipping rate calculation and faster order processing.
When a customer adds products to their cart, the plugin applies the selected packaging method and displays real-time shipping rates accordingly. Once the order is placed with the chosen shipping option, the system shows the packaging boxes as defined or selected by you.
The following are the packaging options available:
1. Pack Items Individually
Each product in the order is packed in a separate box. Shipping rates and labels are calculated individually for each item. This method is ideal for shipping fragile products or items that must be handled separately.
Example: If one item costs $10 to ship and the customer orders two, the total shipping cost will be $20, and two shipping labels will be generated.
2. Pack Items Based on Weight
With this option, you can create custom boxes by specifying their dimensions, empty weight, and the maximum weight capacity. Here, you have the option to choose to pack heavier items first or lighter items first.
Example: Suppose you configure a box that weighs 0.1 lbs and supports a maximum capacity of 2 lbs (as in the screenshot below). If a customer orders items weighing 0.5 lbs and 1 lb, they can be packed together. However, if the two items weigh 1 lb each, then they cannot be packed into the same box, since their combined weight (2 lbs) exceeds the usable limit (2 – 0.1 = 1.9 lbs).
3. Pack into Boxes with Weights and Dimensions
This option gives you more control by letting you pack items into boxes based on both weight and dimension. You can choose from two packing algorithms: Volume-Based Packing or Stack First Packing.
Volume-Based Packing
In the volume-based packing, the volume of the product is considered along with the weight of the product. You can define custom boxes by specifying outer and inner dimensions, box weight, and maximum weight allowed.
Example: If you create a box with outer dimensions of 10x10x10 inches, a box weight of 0.1 lbs, and a max weight of 3 lbs. Then, an item with dimensions 9x9x7 inches and a weight of 2.5 lbs can be packed into it. However, a product with dimensions 11x10x15 inches and a weight of 2 lbs will not fit because its volume exceeds the box volume.
Note: If your inner dimensions are different from those of the outer, then the algorithm will consider the inner dimensions for the volume.
Stack First Packing
This is a widely used method in eCommerce shipping. Here, items are stacked inside the box based on length, width, and height, ensuring optimal use of space.
Example: Suppose you have three products:
- Item1: 5in x 4in x 3in
- Item2: 4in x 3in x 3in
- Item3: 3in x 3in x 3in
Now, consider a box with dimensions 14L x 8W x 10H.
- Length-wise: The items can be placed one after another — 5in (Item1) + 4in (Item2) + 3in (Item3) = 12in used, leaving 2in of space.
- Width-wise: Item1 (4in) and Item2 (3in) can fit side by side, using 7in of the 8in width.
- Height-wise: Each item is 3in tall, so stacking all three vertically uses 9in of the 10in height, leaving 1in remaining.
The plugin uses this stacking logic to automatically arrange items in the most space-efficient way, ensuring maximum items fit within the box while reducing unused space.
Set Up Packaging For Your Orders
By default, ReachShip Multi-Carrier Shipping Plugin uses the Pack Items Individually method for all shipping carriers.
You can customize packaging by following the steps below.
- Go to the Settings tab in the ReachShip Plugin.
- Click on the Packaging tab.
- Click Add New Custom Packaging Method to start setting up.
You’ll be asked to fill in the following details:
- Packaging Name: Define a unique name for your custom packaging method.
- Carrier Applicable To: Select the shipping carrier for which the packages are being created.
- Production Account(s): Choose the carrier accounts that will be used in production mode.
- Sandbox Account(s): Select the carrier accounts for sandbox mode, useful for testing purposes.
- Packaging Method: This feature allows you to create packages based on the following methods:
Pack Items Based on Weight, which includes Pack Heavier Items First or Pack Lighter Items First.
Pack into Boxes with Weight and Dimensions, which includes either Volume-Based Packing or Stack First Packing.
Note: Also, under Pack into Boxes with Weight and Dimensions, you can enable predefined boxes provided by the carrier, making it easier to align with carrier-specific requirements. Or you can just define your own dimensions to create custom boxes.
Once you enter all the information, just click Save.
You can also edit, duplicate, delete, enable, or disable any of your packaging setups anytime.
Additionally, in the Packaging tab, you’ll find the Select Accounts option. This allows you to filter packaging settings by specific carrier accounts. Use Clear Filter to reset the view and see all packaging methods.
Conclusion
Packaging plays a vital role in your store’s shipping process, and the ReachShip WooCommerce Plugin makes it easy to manage.
Whether you’re shipping small, fragile items or large bulk orders, you can customize packaging methods that suit your product range and business model.
Take advantage of ReachShip’s flexibility to improve shipping efficiency and reduce costs, giving your customers the fast, safe delivery they expect.