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Online Postage

Online postage is the core function of the DHL Business Customer Portal: via the browser, commercial shippers create shipping labels, select the appropriate DHL product, and hand over prepaid shipments to DHL Paket or parcel shops. For online retailers with their own warehouse, start-ups, and small shops, online postage is often the first and most affordable path to professional parcel shipping – without an API project, shipping software, or monthly middleware costs.

However, those who view online postage merely as a stopgap solution miss its potential. Set up correctly with master data, address book, and clear packing rules, it reduces errors, speeds up the packing station, and forms the foundation for later automation. This guide explains the complete workflow, compares products, and shows when switching to bulk shipping or an API makes sense.

What is online postage with DHL?

Online postage means you pay for postage and the shipping product digitally and receive a valid shipping label that releases the shipment for DHL logistics. Unlike a franking machine or buying postage at a post office counter, the process takes place entirely online in the DHL Business Customer Portal.

The term postage and franking describes the basic service: the fee for transport and delivery is paid, and the shipment is registered with the carrier. Online postage in the Business Customer Portal goes further – it simultaneously generates the shipping label with tracking number, routing code, and barcode for scanning in the DHL infrastructure.

Important: Without valid online postage, DHL will not accept the shipment in the network. A self-printed address label without a DHL label is not sufficient. Postage must be processed through DHL systems.

Requirements and initial setup

Before you frank your first shipment, several organizational steps must be completed. Setup typically takes one to three business days, depending on contract approval by DHL.

DHL business customer contract

You need an active DHL Paket business customer contract. Private customer portals and pure Warenpost contracts without parcel products do not cover all e-commerce requirements. Check whether your contract includes the following products:

  1. DHL Paket domestic
  2. DHL Kleinpaket (small parcel)
  3. DHL Warenpost (if relevant for your product range)
  4. Optional add-on services such as branch delivery, Packstation, or cash on delivery

Login credentials and portal access

After signing the contract, you receive access to the Business Customer Portal. Set up the following master data once:

  • Sender address with correct routing code
  • Bank details or billing address for monthly invoicing
  • Default product (e.g. DHL Paket 2 kg as default)
  • Label printer settings (100 x 200 mm format for thermal printers)
Warning: Incorrect sender data leads to returns and complaints. Verify postal code, house number, and company name before the first shipment with a test shipment to yourself.

Technical equipment at the packing station

For efficient online postage at the shipping desk, we recommend:

  • PC, laptop, or tablet with stable internet connection
  • Thermal label printer (e.g. Zebra, Brother) instead of laser printing on A4
  • Barcode scanner optional for returns and quality control
  • Scale for accurate weight measurement

Details on hardware can be found under Label printer and shipping station.

Step by step: franking a single shipment

The typical workflow for a single order in the Business Customer Portal follows a fixed pattern. Standardizing this process significantly reduces processing time per shipment.

1
Order packed
2
Record weight
3
Open portal
4
Enter recipient
5
Select product
6
Print label
7
Hand over parcel

001. Enter shipment data

After logging in, select "Single shipment" or "New shipment". Enter:

  1. Recipient name and full address (street, house number, postal code, city)
  2. Weight in kilograms (accurate to two decimal places)
  3. Optional: email and mobile number for delivery notifications
  4. Reference field for internal order number

002. Select shipping product

The product choice determines price, transit time, and size restrictions. Base your decision on packaging dimensions and weight:

Product
Max. weight
Typical use
Domestic transit time
DHL Warenpost
1,000 g
Envelope, thin textiles, small items
1–2 business days
DHL Kleinpaket
1,000 g
Compact parcels up to 35 x 25 x 8 cm
1–2 business days
DHL Paket
31.5 kg
Standard e-commerce, sizes up to 120 x 60 x 60 cm
1–2 business days
DHL Paket International
31.5 kg
EU and third countries with customs data
2–10 business days

A detailed decision guide is available at Warenpost vs. Kleinpaket. Rates and price tiers can be found under DHL Paket prices and rates.

003. Book add-on services

Depending on customer preference, you can activate add-on services in the portal:

  • Branch/Packstation delivery instead of home delivery
  • Age verification for age-restricted products
  • Cash on delivery with fixed amount
  • Registered mail for proof of delivery
  • Paperless pickup for regular pickup by DHL

Each add-on service increases postage costs. Document in your shop which options are chargeable.

004. Print and apply label

After confirmation, the portal generates the shipping label as a PDF or direct print command. The label contains:

  • DHL logo and product designation
  • Tracking number (tracking ID)
  • Routing code as machine-readable code
  • Sender and recipient address

Apply the label flat and legibly on the largest side of the parcel. Remove old labels when reusing cardboard boxes.

005. Hand over shipment

Prepaid parcels can be:

  • dropped off at DHL parcel shops
  • deposited in DHL Packstations (product-dependent)
  • collected by DHL pickup (with paperless pickup in the contract)
  • brought to DHL depots for sorting

Online postage vs. other postage methods

Not every shipping situation is suited to manual online postage in the browser. The following comparison helps with method selection.

Postage method
Advantages
Disadvantages
Ideal for
Online postage (portal)
No IT costs, immediately usable, full product range
Manual data entry, slow at volume
1–30 shipments per day
Bulk shipping / CSV import
Batch processing, fewer clicks per shipment
Manual CSV maintenance, import errors
30–100 shipments per day
Shipping software with API
Automatic from shop/WMS, tracking write-back
Setup effort, ongoing costs
From 50+ shipments per day
Franking machine (Post/DHL)
Fast for letters and Warenpost
Limited to certain formats
Letter and merchandise shipments without parcel label

More on automated alternatives: Label creation and Postage and rates.

Practical tips for efficient online postage

Experienced shippers optimize online postage beyond individual bookings. These measures reduce error rates and processing times.

Use address book and templates

Save frequent recipients, internal test addresses, and regular customers in the address book. For recurring shipments (e.g. sample shipments to partners), templates save up to 60 percent of entry time.

Define default products

Configure a default product in the portal that matches your typical parcel profile. A shop with cartons averaging 1.2 kg should not have to manually decide between Kleinpaket and Paket every time – clear packing rules in the warehouse prevent incorrect rate purchases.

Align packing rules with the team

Define binding rules:

  1. At what weight do you switch from Warenpost to Kleinpaket?
  2. Which carton sizes are permitted for which DHL product?
  3. When is branch delivery booked instead of home delivery?
  4. Who checks addresses for express orders?

Document tracking numbers

After printing the label, record the tracking number in your order management. Without write-back, customers receive no tracking – a common service error when using the portal alone without shop integration.

Common errors and how to avoid them

Tip: Before going live, print three test labels and check barcode readability with a smartphone scanner or the DHL app.

The following errors occur particularly frequently with online postage:

  1. Incorrect weight – cheaper rate selected, DHL bills surcharge afterwards
  2. Incomplete address – missing house number or wrong postal code
  3. Wrong product – Warenpost for shipments that are too thick, reprocessing required
  4. Double postage – label created twice, costs doubled
  5. Label on outer packaging – with multiple cartons only outer label, inner parcels without identification

Before each shipment, check size and weight limits and the checklist Label and address.

When is it worth switching from single shipments?

Online postage scales only to a limited extent. From around 30 shipments per day, manual data entry becomes a bottleneck – recognizable by waiting times at the packing station, rising error rates, and missing tracking data in the shop. Then it is worth looking at bulk shipments and API integration via shipping software.

Checklist: online postage in daily operations

8 points for daily shipping operations:

  • Business customer contract active and products enabled
  • Sender address correctly stored in the portal
  • Label printer calibrated (100 x 200 mm, no cutting errors)
  • Scale at packing station checked and tareable
  • Packing rules (product choice by weight/size) visible at packing station
  • Every shipment franked with correct weight
  • Tracking number entered in order system
  • Prepaid parcels handed to DHL daily (observe cut-off time)

Costs and billing

Every online postage transaction appears on the monthly business customer invoice. For shop pricing, use contract rates, plan for add-on services, and reconcile usage regularly.

Frequently asked questions about online postage

Question 1: Do I need a business customer contract?
Yes. Commercial online postage with DHL Paket products requires an active contract.

Question 2: How long is a label valid?
Use franked labels promptly. Unused labels can be cancelled as long as the shipment has not been scanned.

Question 3: When is shipping software worthwhile?
From medium volume (approx. 50+ shipments/day) for automation, tracking write-back, and lower error rates.

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Last updated: July 6, 2026