Wholesale containers hold inventory during packing. Courier orders use boxes; Freight orders use pallets. The Packing Layout lets you add, update, move, and unpack containers, and ShipHero assigns each one an LPN (license plate number) barcode for identification.
Before You Begin
- Accurate dimensions and weight: Set dimensions and weight on products and boxes so the Packing Layout can calculate container measurements correctly.
For container-management steps in the Packing Layout, see How to Manage Wholesale Containers in the Packing Layout. For full packing steps, see How to Pack a Courier Wholesale Order or How to Pack a Freight Wholesale Order. For LPN labels, see How to Create and Manage LPNs.
Table of Contents
- Wholesale Order Container Types
- Wholesale Container Dimensions and Weights
- Available Wholesale Container Actions
- Available Wholesale Bulk Container Actions
Wholesale Order Container Types
Courier orders use boxes in the Packing Layout. Freight orders use pallets. Courier boxes can nest up to two levels, and Freight pallets can hold boxes or products directly.
| Order Type | Container | Starting Action |
|---|---|---|
| Courier | All inventory must be packed into Box containers. Supports inner boxes nested inside outer boxes (maximum 2 levels). | Select Create a box in the Packing Layout. |
| Freight | All inventory must be packed onto Pallet containers. Boxes can be nested inside pallets, or products can be packed directly onto the pallet. | Select Create a pallet in the Packing Layout. |
ShipHero assigns each container an ID and LPN when you create it. Print and apply the LPN label to identify and track the physical container. Choose Print simple LPN label for a standard label or Print detailed LPN label to include the container contents.
Wholesale Container Dimensions and Weights
- Calculated dimensions and weight: The Packing Layout uses the selected package type dimensions and the weight of products inside the container. Set dimensions and weight on both products and boxes for accurate calculations.
- Manual dimensions: When you edit dimensions manually, ShipHero changes the package type to Custom.
- Updated weight: ShipHero recalculates container weight whenever you add a product or box. Verify the final weight before completing the order.
Wholesale Packing Layout Zero-Dimension Warning
The Packing Layout shows this warning before ShipHero generates a shipping label when an outer container has a dimension set to zero:
"One or more outer containers have a dimension set to zero, which may cause issues with label generation."
Select Fix It to return to the container. ShipHero outlines the dimension field in red so you can correct it. Select Continue Anyway to generate the label without changing the dimension.
| Example: Error | Example: Fix It |
|---|---|
Available Wholesale Container Actions
The Packing Layout provides these actions for boxes and pallets.
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Add Container | Select Add container in the Packing Layout. Courier orders add a box; Freight orders add a pallet. |
| Delete Container | Delete an empty box or pallet. When a container has packed products, the Delete action changes to Unpack. |
| Unpack Container | Unpack removes products from the container and returns them to the staging location. After you confirm, ShipHero shows where to take the unpacked inventory. |
| Duplicate Container | Choose the number of copies to create. ShipHero shows the maximum number based on available unpacked inventory and prevents you from exceeding it. |
| Move Container | Move a box to another box or pallet. Boxes can nest up to two levels: an outer box and an inner box. |
| Lot-Controlled SKUs | You cannot combine different lots of the same product in one container. Use separate inner boxes for Courier orders or separate boxes on the pallet for Freight orders. |
| Delete: Empty Container | Unpack: Container with Items |
|---|---|
| Select Duplicate | Confirm Quantity to Duplicate |
|---|---|
Available Wholesale Bulk Container Actions
The Packing Layout lets you apply one action to several selected containers at once.
Bulk actions available: Move, Unpack, Delete, Print LPNs, Change weight, Change dimensions, and Change package.
- Select the containers to update by checking the box next to each.
- Choose the action to apply.
The Packing Layout shows only actions that work with the selected containers. When you select incompatible types, such as boxes and pallets or empty and packed containers, ShipHero disables actions that do not apply and shows a tooltip with the reason.