Shipping glossary for eBay sellers
Brief explanations of the terms you encounter when shipping eBay orders with DHL and Deutsche Post. Each entry explains what the term means and where you will encounter it in Shipnovo.
0–9
- 10x15 label
- A 10x15 label is a self-adhesive label measuring approximately 10 × 15 cm. It is the common format for shipping labels on thermal printers.
B
- Billing number
- The billing number is a 14-digit number from your DHL business customer contract. It tells DHL which contract and product to bill a label to.
- Bulky goods
- Bulky items are parcels that cannot pass through standard sorting systems because of their shape, size or packaging. DHL handles them separately, usually for a surcharge.
- Business customer portal
- The Post & DHL business customer portal is the online area for business customers of DHL and Deutsche Post. You manage your contract, users and shipping data there.
C
- Cash on delivery
- With cash on delivery, the recipient pays the amount only when the shipment is delivered. The shipping carrier collects the money and transfers it to the sender.
- Combined shipping
- With combined shipping, you pack multiple orders from the same buyer into one parcel. You buy just one label and save on postage and packaging.
- Common Label
- The Common Label is DHL's standard parcel label. It shows the recipient, sender, product, tracking number and sorting codes in fixed positions.
- Customs declaration
- A customs declaration describes the contents of a shipment for customs. It is available as CN22 for low-value shipments and CN23 for higher-value shipments.
D
- Delivery note
- A delivery note is a document included in the parcel. It lists the items delivered and their quantities, usually without prices.
- DHL Kleinpaket
- DHL Kleinpaket is a DHL product for small shipments within Germany weighing up to 1 kg and measuring up to 35 × 25 × 8 cm. It has a tracking number.
E
- EKP number
- The EKP is your ten-digit customer number at DHL. It forms the first ten digits of every billing number.
H
- Handling Time
- Handling time is the processing time on eBay. It indicates how many working days you need after payment before the parcel is dispatched.
I
- Identification code
- The identification code is the barcode on a DHL parcel label that uniquely identifies the shipment. It contains the tracking number.
- Internetmarke
- Internetmarke is Deutsche Post postage that you buy online and print yourself. You pay for it using the Portokasse postage wallet.
P
- Packing list
- A packing list shows which items belong in which parcel. It is a worksheet for the packing station.
- Packstation
- A Packstation is a DHL parcel locker. Recipients can collect their parcels there around the clock. Packstation and Postfiliale services are only available in Germany.
- Parcel shipping label
- Paketschein is another German word for a parcel's shipping label. In the past, it was a form you filled in by hand.
- Participation number
- The participation identifier consists of the last two characters of the 14-digit DHL billing number. It distinguishes between multiple participations in the same procedure.
- Picking list
- A picking list shows which goods you need to retrieve from the warehouse for multiple orders. It groups identical items together, usually sorted by storage location.
- Postage payment
- Postage payment is proof that the postage for a shipment has been paid. This can be a postage stamp, an Internetmarke or a paid shipping label.
R
- Reference number
- A reference number is a number you assign to a shipment yourself, for example your order number. It helps you link a shipment to your own transaction.
- Return
- A return is when a buyer sends an item back to the seller. The goods are then inspected and a refund is issued.
- Routing code
- The routing code is a sequence of digits with a barcode on DHL parcel labels. It describes the parcel's destination so that the sorting system routes it correctly.
S
- Seller protection
- Seller protection consists of eBay rules that protect sellers in certain situations, such as when a buyer reports that an item has not arrived.
- Shipping label
- A shipping label is the sticker on a parcel or letter showing the recipient, sender, postage and barcodes. The shipping carrier reads it at every stage of the shipment's journey.
- Shipping profile
- A shipping profile is a saved shipping policy on eBay. It specifies the shipping services, shipping costs and handling time for your listings.
T
- Thermal printer
- A thermal printer uses heat to print on special thermal paper. For shipping labels, it is used with rolls of self-adhesive labels.
- Tracking
- Tracking means shipment tracking. You can use the tracking number to see where a parcel currently is and whether it has been delivered.
- Tracking number
- The tracking number is the unique number assigned to a shipment by the shipping carrier. Buyers and sellers use it to track where the parcel currently is.
W
- Warenpost
- Warenpost was a DHL product for small, lightweight goods. For domestic shipments, DHL replaced it with DHL Kleinpaket. Warenpost International is still available for shipments abroad weighing up to 1 kg.
More background in the Guides, step-by-step instructions in Help.
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