Shipping Labels for Customs Taking up Multiple Pages

[Lane_Borg]

Has anyone had any issues with international shipments printing the customs pages as two pages instead of one? Normally the name/signature line is at the bottom of each page (three in total). The recent labels I've been getting using Shopify's integrated shipments are printing the name/signature line on a whole new label. So now I get six pages/labels when I used to get only three. I know labels aren't that expensive, but it adds up and it makes a huge mess having that many printouts. I'm not even sure if there will be issues with customs not accepting signatures that aren't on the main customs page. 

Shopify's chat said that it's my printer settings causing the issue, but the PDF is generated by Shopify without any input from me other than agreeing to purchase the label in their system. The PDF generated when purchasing the label also shows double the pages of normal. I've looked in the settings for shipping, on the page when purchasing the labels, all to no avail. If anyone has experienced a similar issue and can help me fix it, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Lane_Borg]

Anyone? The only feedback I get from Shopify's support ticket is to change my local printer settings, but the PDF of the shipment label and customs forms is generated by Shopify before I can change any of the printer settings. Is there something hidden somewhere that allows you to change the format used for labeled generated by Shopify and if so, can anyone help me find it?

[kilnshop]

I am having the same issue, and it started last month. Any luck fixing it? As you mention, the PDF's are created by Shopify, so no settings will fix it on our end. 

[Lane_Borg]

Just printed one today and I still have that issue.

[kilnshop]

After further investigation, the reason for the multiple pages is Shopify's recent switch to HS codes on customs forms. The long description makes that section of the form longer, which pushes the signature portion onto the next page. 

The work-around we have for now is to print a single 4x6 customs form, then in Adobe Acrobat, when you print, under "Page Size & Handling" select multiple, 2x2. 

Make the paper size 8.5x11, and the orientation landscape. 

That will print 2 customs forms with the signature field in the right place. 

[Lane_Borg]

Thanks for the tip. Have you let Shopify know you discovered the reason it's happening? Hopefully, if they know they can fix it and we can get back to nice and fast order processing.

[RALLYROAD]

Any luck with a solution?  This has been such a hassle and it has caused UPS customs to call and claim they need a PDF of the customs labels emailed because "there was none attached to the package".  They were attached...but they probably trashed them because of all the pages.

[djaiko]

I'm having the same problem - this is ridiculous and is a huge time sink. I'm going to have to edit in another program - I cant have my shipments getting caught up in customs for this. Shopify: please fix!!

[Lane_Borg]

Still having the same issue. Printed out the labels last week. They keep telling me to change my margins, but it's clearly the PDF generated by their system causing the issues. I'm at a loss for what to do other than overstuffing customs pouches and hoping they get to the customer...

[djaiko]

Same issue still. This is incredible nobody at Shopify is addressing this. It's making my business impossible to run on this platform.

[RALLYROAD]

The only solution that I have found is to open the Customs Information and edit the description to something more simple.  That cuts down on the paragraph of generic garbage while keeping the same HS Code, etc.  It's a hassle for sure when you have to repeat it every time, but it cuts down on the pages needed.  I'm not sure why our information is constantly overridden by the automatically populated Shopify info.

[Lane_Borg]

Interesting. I'll have to try that next time. 

[John_Walter]

that sounds like a great fix for now, and makes a lot of sense.  my customs info for one line takes up 6 lines, i know i can knock it down to 3.   And customs can certainly look up the full text if they need to as the HS code is right there.  thanks!

[Lane_Borg]

Just had another one today. Anyone at Shopify going to look into this? Is there a way to make the changes that @RALLYROAD suggested below permanent in a customs field for each product so they don't have to be corrected every time?

[StrangeSpecies]

Yeah, I'm also having this problem. The instructions on there say to not stick it on the package but to use a paperwork sleeve, so I printed everything as two pages per printed page (so the customs form is on the left and the ridiculous second page with the signature line is on the right). It's kind of weird that the "print customs form" option defaults (for me at least) to printing label-sized on a thermal printer, but then tells you not to make a stickable label. And I've just learned from a helpful Pirate Ship FAQ about customs forms that UPS REQUIRES customs forms to be 8.5" x 11". So this workaround could potentially result in problems too, since the actual form part is only half a page when you print them 2-up like I did.

The last international label I printed simply integrated the customs information as part of the shipping label, but that package was sent USPS... so is this just an issue with UPS shipments? I've only shipped internationally twice now since switching to Shopify so I haven't really done enough shipments of that type to know.

[retrogameboyz]

And here we are almost 8 months later and the issue is still happening. I’m lucky I found this thread. I’ve been printing double pages for customs for Canada shipments for UPS but so far none of those packages got stopped or held up. But this is freaking ridiculous that Shopify can’t fix something as simple as this. I swear if there was another e-commerce platform that was better than them and offered the features and flexibility and ease-of-use I would switch to them. What annoys me is that it’s the simple things like this that they don’t seem to care about. 

[tomgo2]

+1 same problem.

Shopify used to have a phone number to call.  Now there is only a chat option which connects you to someone in a foreign county.  Shopify used to have great phone support....now, nonexistent!!!

[SoCalMacGuy]

Well, it’s 18 months later and I found this thread because the issue is still happening. That’s kind of pathetic. How do we tag a Shopify person here?

Edit: found a couple of names, let’s see if this works. @Erin @Blair 

[thikmiss]

Yea, for a while it was working to just edit the description for the HS code before printing the labels. But now if there is only one item, it doesn't matter because UPS adds so many unused item lines on the customs forms that it pushes the signature to the next page. But if the customer purchased multiple items, it lessens the amount of lines on the customs forms and prints out the regular three pages like it's supposed to. Soooo frustrating and wasteful. Ridiculous that we can't edit the UPS template. 

[llbh]

Still an issue. @Jacqui  @TyW  
Can we add support for the following?
1. Customs forms without several blank rows
2. Automatic digital signature and printed name applied to customs forms

These two changes would really improve the international shipping experience!