Most online orders need just two package inserts: a packing slip, so the customer and your packer can check the order is complete, and one useful extra, such as a thank-you card, care instructions or return details. Gift orders swap the priced paperwork for a gift receipt with no prices. Wholesale and B2B orders usually add an invoice. International parcels carry their customs paperwork on the outside of the box, not inside it. Anything beyond that should earn its place, because every extra flyer costs paper, packing time and the customer’s attention.
This guide explains what a packing slip is and how it differs from an invoice, which inserts each kind of order needs, eight package insert ideas worth the space, and how to keep the box from filling up with clutter. It’s written by the team behind Send Invoice, a Shopify app that creates packing slips, gift receipts, return forms and invoices from every order.
Key takeaways
- A packing slip lists what’s in the box, with no prices. It’s for checking the order, not for paying it.
- An invoice asks for or records payment. Consumer orders usually get it by email; B2B buyers often want it in the box as well.
- Gift orders never get prices. Send a gift receipt so the recipient can exchange without seeing what was paid.
- One card beats five flyers. Pick the single insert that does the most for that order.
- Customs documents go outside the box, in a document pouch, so they can be read without opening the parcel.
What is a packing slip?
A packing slip is a document that lists the items in a shipment: product names, SKUs and quantities, plus the order number and the shipping address. It has no prices. It does two jobs. In your warehouse it tells the packer what to pick and pack. In the box it lets the customer check that everything arrived, and it gives them the order number they’ll need for a return.
A packing slip is easy to confuse with the other paperwork around an order. This is how they differ:
| Document | What it’s for | Prices? | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packing slip | Checking the contents of a shipment | No | Inside the box |
| Invoice | Requesting or recording payment, with tax details | Yes | Email, or in the box for B2B |
| Receipt | Confirming payment was received | Yes | |
| Gift receipt | Proof of purchase for exchanges, for a gift recipient | No | Inside the box |
| Return form | Telling you what’s coming back and why | No | Inside the box |
| Customs paperwork | Declaring contents and value for international shipping | Yes | Outside the box, in a pouch |
For more on why the invoice itself matters, see why invoices are important for Shopify stores.
Which package inserts each kind of order needs
The right inserts depend on who the order is for. A single rule for every order either leaves gift recipients looking at prices or sends consumers paperwork they don’t need.
| Order type | In the box | By email |
|---|---|---|
| Standard consumer order | Packing slip, one card | Order confirmation, invoice or receipt |
| Gift order | Gift receipt, gift message | Invoice or receipt to the buyer, not the recipient |
| Wholesale or B2B | Packing slip, invoice | Invoice to the accounts contact |
| Subscription renewal | Packing slip, what’s new this box | Receipt |
| Frequently returned products | Packing slip, return form | Invoice or receipt |
| International | Packing slip; customs paperwork outside | Invoice |
8 package insert ideas that earn their space
1. A thank-you note
A short thank-you is the insert customers mention most. Handwrite it for first orders while you can; it takes under a minute and it’s the thing a machine-packed order from a giant retailer can’t match. For repeat customers, a printed card in your brand voice is enough.
2. Care or usage instructions
If your product needs setup, care or a routine, such as skincare, plants, cast iron or leather, a card with clear instructions prevents disappointment and the returns that come with it. A QR code to a short video works well for anything fiddly.
3. A next-order discount
A discount code with an expiry date, for example 10% off within 30 days, gives a new customer a reason to come back while the first order is still fresh. Use a unique code for inserts so you can see how many orders it actually brings in.
4. A referral card
Give the customer something to pass on: a code that gives a friend a first-order discount and them a credit. Two cards, one to keep and one to give, make the ask physical.
5. A product sample
A sample of a product the customer hasn’t bought yet is the most direct way to sell a second product. Choose samples that match what they ordered: a cleanser sample with a moisturiser, a different roast with a coffee order.
6. A return form
For categories with frequent returns, like clothing and shoes, a return form with reason codes and the return address makes returns faster for the customer and tells you why things come back. That reason data is worth more than the form costs.
7. A review request, timed right
Ask for a review on a card, but point it at the moment the customer has actually used the product, for example “once you’ve worn it a few times”. Don’t offer a reward that depends on the review being positive; in the US the FTC treats incentives conditioned on positive sentiment as deceptive.
8. A reorder shortcut
For consumables, a QR code that goes straight to a reorder page, or to setting up a subscription, saves the customer a search when they run out. Put the typical time until they’ll need more on the card, such as “lasts about six weeks”.
How to keep package inserts from becoming clutter
Inserts pile up. Marketing adds a flyer, customer service adds a returns leaflet, and soon every box carries five pieces of paper that go straight in the bin. A few rules keep it in check:
- One marketing insert per box. Choose the one that fits the order: a sample for a first order, a referral card for a repeat customer.
- Email what doesn’t need to be paper. Invoices, receipts and policy details are easier to keep in an inbox.
- Mind the weight on small parcels. An A6 card on 350 gsm board weighs about 5 g. Three of them can tip a letterbox parcel into the next price band.
- Review inserts quarterly. If a discount code on a card brings in almost no orders, drop it.
Fewer inserts also means less waste, one of the easiest wins in our guide to eco-friendly packaging for small business. And the inserts you keep are part of the unboxing, as we cover in ecommerce packaging and the unboxing experience.
Gift orders: never send the invoice in the box
The most common insert mistake is a priced invoice or packing list in a gift order. The recipient sees what was spent, and the surprise is gone. When an order is marked as a gift, or shipped to a different address from the billing address with a gift message, leave out anything with prices. Include a gift receipt, which lists the items so the recipient can exchange them, and print the buyer’s gift message. Send the invoice or receipt to the buyer by email.
How Send Invoice creates your package inserts
Send Invoice builds each document from the Shopify order, so the paperwork in the box always matches what was ordered:
- Packing slips with no prices, from 100 curated presets in A4, Letter, A5, A6, 4×6 and 4×4 inch sizes. Options include SKU and bin columns, a “packed by” signature line, the gift message and packing notes. A slip can be printed from the order before payment clears, or sent to your warehouse by email or Slack automatically.
- Gift receipts that list the items with no prices, sent once the order is paid.
- Return forms with tick boxes, reason codes, your return address and a signature line.
- Invoices emailed automatically when an order is placed, paid or fulfilled, so the priced document goes to the buyer’s inbox rather than into a gift box. You can also download and print them from any order.
See packing slips and return forms.
FAQ
What is a packing slip?
A packing slip is a document that lists the items in a shipment, with product names, SKUs, quantities, the order number and the shipping address, but no prices. Packers use it to pick the order, and customers use it to check everything arrived.
What's the difference between a packing slip and an invoice?
A packing slip lists what's in the box and has no prices. An invoice requests or records payment and includes prices, tax and your business details. The packing slip goes in the box; the invoice usually goes by email, except for B2B orders.
What should I put in my package inserts?
A packing slip plus one extra that suits the order: a thank-you note, care instructions, a next-order discount, a referral card, a sample or a return form. One well-chosen insert does more than a stack of flyers.
Do I need to include an invoice in the package?
Not for most consumer orders, where an emailed invoice or receipt is easier to keep. Wholesale and B2B buyers often want a printed invoice in the box for their receiving team. Never put a priced invoice in a gift order.
Where do customs documents go on an international parcel?
Outside the box, usually in a clear document pouch attached to the parcel, so customs can read them without opening it. Your packing slip can still go inside for the customer.
Related: Eco-friendly packaging for small business · Ecommerce packaging and the unboxing experience · Why invoices are important for Shopify stores