Shopify to DHL Express Ecommerce Products Allocating to Shipping Boxes

Payments + Shipping & Fulfilment
1

Hi there

We are utilising DHL Express Ecommerce to provide Customers with live shipping rates on Checkout

We have managed to correctly assign producs to pick out the correct boxes, price correctly and show all the options we want in checkout

HOWEVER… the customer would like it so DHL Express Ecommerce can automatically assign products (depending on their category / type) to fit inside a certain box

What complicates this however, is the products only have Weights, SKUs, Product Type, Collection and Tags.

There is no confirmed LxWxH dimensions for the products - only the boxes…

Therefore the customer has kindly provided me with a spreadsheet of what sort of items (and how many of each) are typically packed into each box

What would be the best way for me to get this correctly set up from Shopify into DHL Express Ecommerce?

I have tried numerous times in contacting DHL Express Ecommerce for help on this, but they really have been pretty useless… they just pass the buck back to Shopify support or send a common issue help url…

If anyone has had experience with this / can give any advise… I would be hugely appreciated!

Likewise I am happy to pay someone for their time in correctly setting this up if required, as we have a deadline in less than 2 weeks…

Many thanks!

2

Hi there,

I’ve worked on similar setups before, and I can confirm that this is a pretty common pain point with DHL Express Ecommerce (and other carriers) — since they rely heavily on product dimensions to do the auto-boxing, but Shopify only natively provides weight, not LxWxH.

Here are a few approaches that could work for your case:

  1. Box mapping via rules (using tags/collections)

    • Since you don’t have product dimensions, you can “simulate” them by using tags, product type, or collections.

    • Based on the spreadsheet your client gave you (e.g., X items of category A fit in Box 1, Y items of category B fit in Box 2), you could set up custom packing rules.

    • Unfortunately, DHL Express Ecommerce doesn’t natively support complex rules, so you may need a middleware app (like Boxify, Advanced Shipping Rules, or Intuitive Shipping) to handle this logic and then pass the correct box assignment to DHL.

  2. Manual box assignment in DHL plugin

    • Some DHL integrations let you define “default boxes” and assign them based on weight brackets.

    • Since your products don’t have LxWxH, you can fake it by assigning weight-based tiers that correspond to the packing logic from the spreadsheet.

  3. Custom development route

    • If your client’s packing spreadsheet is very specific (e.g., “2 mugs + 1 plate = Box A”), the cleanest long-term solution would be a small custom app or script.

    • That app would look at the cart contents, check the logic from your spreadsheet, and then feed DHL the correct box size automatically.

    • This avoids the guesswork and keeps everything aligned with how your client actually packs orders.

You’re not alone here — most DHL setups need a workaround when LxWxH isn’t available in Shopify. With 2 weeks to deadline, I’d push for the rules-based app approach since it’s the fastest to implement without coding.

1 Like
3

Many thanks for the super fast reply!
This is all very helpful

If I was to message you over the Spreadsheet I have supplied by the client… would it be possible (if you have time) to assist with what is the best solution for me on this?

I can also give you further information on the types of products to further assist

Many thanks !

4

Hey @Monty_3540

Since you’re working with just weight, SKUs, tags, and product types, and you already have a spreadsheet of what fits in each box, that’s a great start. Unfortunately, most real-time rate tools (like DHL Express Ecommerce) depend heavily on product L x W x H to determine fit into boxes for rate calculations. Without those dimensions, DHL’s system can’t really run a proper volumetric logic.

Here are a couple of workaround ideas:

  • Use Shopify Metafields or Product Tags
    You can assign box types to products via tags (like box_type_small, box_type_medium, etc.), then set up rules in a third-party app that supports conditional shipping logic based on those tags.

  • Use a shipping app with smart packaging logic
    You might want to explore app ParcelPanel Shipping Protection (not for box assignment per se, but handy if you’re handling high-value or fragile items).

  • Custom Script or Shopify Plus Flow
    If you’re on Shopify Plus, a custom script or flow might help match products with known box types and override certain shipping rules, though this might require a developer.

Sadly, without dimensions, DHL’s system itself can’t truly “auto assign” boxes, but with a bit of creative logic in Shopify or an external shipping app, you might get pretty close.

Hope this helps a bit! If it does, feel free to mark it as a solution so others can find it too :blush:

1 Like
5

Hello @Monty_3540

If you have DHL Express API credentials, we might be able to help you implement this using our app: JsRates If you are keen, please install the app in free demo plan and reach out to our customer support with the details of your requirements.

1 Like
7

Thank you - I’ve installed and sent the request