Shopify Order Printing: Native vs AutoPrintEmail

You run a Shopify store. Orders come in. You print packing slips.

Simple, right?

Until you're doing it 50 times a day. Manually. While also packing boxes, answering customer emails, and trying to ship before the USPS pickup.

Shopify has printing tools. But are they enough?

Table of Contents

• What Shopify's Native Printing Actually Does
• Where Shopify Falls Short
• The AutoPrintEmail Approach
• Head-to-Head Comparison
• When to Use What
• Setup for Shopify Sellers
• TL;DR

What Shopify's Native Printing Actually Does

Let's give credit where it's due. Shopify does have printing features:

• Bulk printing — select multiple orders, print packing slips
• Order printer app — customize templates
• Shipping label printing — if you use Shopify Shipping

For many stores, this works fine. Open Shopify, select orders, click print.

But here's the thing: it still requires you to be in Shopify, selecting orders, clicking buttons.

Where Shopify Falls Short

Problem 1: It's not automatic

Every order requires manual action. Open app. Select orders. Print. Repeat.

At 10 orders a day? Manageable. At 50? You're spending an hour just printing.

Problem 2: You have to be there

Shopify's printing happens when you make it happen. If you're packing, you're not printing. If you're printing, you're not packing.

Problem 3: Email notifications don't print

Shopify sends order confirmations to your email. But those emails? They don't auto-print. You still have to go into the dashboard.

Problem 4: Dedicated apps cost monthly

Apps that add auto-print functionality often charge $20-50/month. That adds up fast.

The AutoPrintEmail Approach

AutoPrintEmail takes a different approach:

1. Shopify sends order confirmation to your email
2. AutoPrintEmail detects it immediately
3. Your fulfillment printer spits out the packing slip
4. You grab it and start packing

No dashboard. No clicking. No monthly app fees.

Just a $99 one-time payment and orders that print themselves.

Head-to-Head Comparison

When to Use What

Use Shopify native if:

• You do fewer than 20 orders/day
• You don't mind the manual process
• You need highly customized packing slip templates
• You're always in the Shopify dashboard anyway

Use AutoPrintEmail if:

• You want orders to print without you doing anything
• You're away from your computer during order surges
• You have a fulfillment station with a dedicated printer
• You're tired of clicking "print" 50 times a day
• You sell on multiple platforms (Etsy, Amazon, etc.)

Setup for Shopify Sellers

1. Make sure Shopify emails your orders — Settings → Notifications → Order confirmation
2. Download AutoPrintEmail — Mac, Windows, or Linux
3. Connect your Gmail or Outlook
4. Create a filter for Shopify orders (e.g., from:no-reply@shopify.com)
5. Point to your fulfillment printer
6. Let it run

Now every new order prints automatically. Your fulfillment team grabs slips as they appear.

For the full guide, check out our Shopify integration and e-commerce fulfillment solution.

TL;DR

Shopify's native printing works. But it's manual.

AutoPrintEmail makes order printing automatic — no clicking, no dashboard, no monthly fees.

🖨️ → Try AutoPrintEmail Free

Just $99 for lifetime access. Compare that to other solutions and see why Shopify sellers are switching.

Your orders arrive automatically.

Your printing should too.