How to dispatch a package

To ship a package, request dispatch from its page in your account: declare the contents, choose a carrier and click Dispatch package. Tiptrans never ships a package on its own, and topping up or paying doesn't start shipping. Every package needs its own dispatch request, and your balance must cover the total when you click.

Before you start

• Finish other requests first. A consolidation and some special requests, such as a repack, lock the package until they are finished. The Shipping method tab then shows Package processing in progress. Values can no longer be changed. After a consolidation, wait for the email that it is finished, then dispatch the new package.
• Check your shipping address. It is shown under Your shipping address on the Account tab. Use Latin characters only. To change it, see How to change shipping address.
• Shipping to another address with Drop Shipping? Add that address to the package first. See How to activate and use Drop Shipping.

1. Sign in to your account at Sign in and open Packages & Shipments.
2. Click the ID of the package, for example #1234A. The Check list on the right shows what is still missing.
3. Open the Content description tab and declare each item. See How to declare package contents.
4. Open the Shipping method tab. Under Select carrier, each service shows its delivery time in days, its price in USD, and whether it takes built-in or stand-alone batteries, liquids and leading brands (No: and Yes:). Click the name or logo of the carrier you want. You see Carrier selected, and the row is highlighted.
5. Optional: to insure the full value, tick the insurance box on the Content description tab, or click change next to Insurance in the Check list. See Shipping insurance explained.
6. Check the Price line in the Check list. It shows the total and, in brackets, the shipping cost, the service fee and the insurance, plus duties and taxes if we quoted them for prepaid delivery (DDP).
7. If the Check list shows Package is ready to ship, but first you need to top up your account, click Top up. The missing amount is filled in for you. See How to top up balance.
8. When the Check list shows Ready to send!, click Dispatch package. To have the request handled first, click Priority Dispatch in the line below instead; its extra fee is shown next to it.

In Packages & Shipments, the Check list column shows the same steps for every package (Customs declaration, Insurance, Shipment), each with an Edit link, and a Dispatch package? link when the package is ready.

To choose between carriers, see How to choose a carrier. For how the price and the service fee are calculated, see How are shipping costs and service fees calculated?

Instructions for the warehouse

To leave a note for the staff who pack your shipment, open the Package detail tab, select Dispatch instructions in the Note box, write the note and click Save. This adds a fee, shown next to the option. A Private note is free, but staff don't see it. For services such as repacking, use the Special request tab instead.

If you can't dispatch

If the Check list doesn't show Ready to send! or the page shows a message, see Why can't I dispatch my package?

What happens next

• You see Package dispatch ordered. We'll e-mail you to confirm (usually within 1 working day). The package status changes to Shipment request. See Processing times explained.
• The package is locked: you can't change the declaration, carrier or insurance, and you can't change your shipping address while the request is open. To change or stop a shipment, see Can I change or stop a shipment after dispatch?
• When the package leaves the warehouse, its status changes to Shipped and we email you Your package #… has been shipped with the carrier and the tracking number. If the tracking number isn't ready yet, the package page shows Available soon. Check back later. and we email it later. See Why is my tracking not working or not updating?
• If we can't process your request, see Why was my shipment request canceled?