4 easy shipping automations in Shippo to help you save hours every week

TLDR: You don’t need to automate everything. But even one or two small automations can shave minutes off every order—and hours off your week.

Running a small business means juggling a lot. Between fulfilling orders, updating your storefront, and keeping customers happy, the last thing you want is to spend your day creating shipping labels—especially when automations can handle the heavy lifting for you. 

If you’re shipping regularly throughout the month, automating just a few repeatable steps in Shippo can save you serious time and help you ship smarter.

Even better? These automations are surprisingly simple to set up. In most cases, it takes just a few clicks to go from manual drudgery to autopilot. 

Here's how:

1. Automatically assign the right package template based on what’s in the order

The problem:
You already know which items go in which box—but selecting it manually every time adds friction and opens the door for mistakes.

How Shippo can help:
With automation rules, you can automatically assign the correct package template based on weight, quantity, item name, or SKU.

Examples:
If total weight is under 2 lbs → use the “Small Box”
If SKU contains “1 poster” → use the “Tube Mailer”
If more than 3 items → use the “Medium Box”

This is the most common request we hear from users and for good reason. It’s a huge time-saver that ensures consistent packaging choices across all your orders.

Learn how to assign packaging with automation »

2. Automatically choose the cheapest shipping service based on weight

The problem:

You want the best deal for every shipment, but manually checking every rate is a pain.

How Shippo can help:

Set up an automation rule to assign a specific carrier or service level based on the order weight—or choose the cheapest available option.

Examples:

If weight < 1 lb → Assign the cheapest available rate

If weight > 2 lbs → Assign USPS Priority

You’ll streamline decision-making, save money, and avoid rate surprises at checkout.

Learn more about automation rules »

3. Automatically choose the right sender address based on where the order is going

The problem:

Shipping from more than one location? Manually selecting the “ship from” address every time slows you down—and messes with rate comparisons.

How Shippo can help:

Set up a sender address automation rule based on the destination. 

For example:

If the destination is CA, OR, or WA → Ship from your California warehouse

If it’s headed to NY, NJ, or MA → Ship from your East Coast center

The best part? With the right sender address automatically selected, you’ll get more accurate rates and faster fulfillment.

Learn how to automate sender addresses »

4. Automatically tag orders to batch, filter, and prioritize with ease

The problem:

You’re mentally sorting your orders all day—flagging international shipments, pre-orders, or high-value customers. But doing it manually is time-consuming and error-prone.

How Shippo can help:

Create tags and set up automation rules to apply them as orders come in.

Examples:
If shipping country ≠ US → Tag as “International”
If item name contains “Holiday” → Tag as “Holiday 2024”

Tags make it easy to filter, batch, or prioritize orders at a glance—and help you stay organized as you grow.

Learn how to use and automate tags »

Bonus: All your automation rules work together

You can apply multiple automation rules to the same order—assigning packaging, a tag, a service level, and a sender address in one go. Just keep in mind:

• Only one of each action type will apply
  
  
• Rules run from top to bottom—so order matters
  
  
• You can drag and drop rules into your preferred sequence

See how to manage rule order (and avoid conflicts) »

Automations: They’re easier than you think

Remember:

✨ Most Shippo automations take just a few minutes to set up

✨ You don’t have to automate everything—start small

✨ The time savings compound fast

Ready to save hours this week?

👉 Try out automations in your Shippo account today