Yes! ShipStation has a unique identifier for orders indicated as gifts by the order source. This identifier is visible in the Order Summary section of the Order Details screen and can also be displayed on the Orders tab by enabling the Gift column.
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In addition to the gift identifier, there is also a field reserved for any gift notes attached to the order. The gift note is visible in the Notes section of the Order Details screen or in the sidebar.
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Not supported by all integrations
Some selling channel integrations do not support gift tags. To see if the integration you use supports this feature, check the integration's page in the Integrations Help Guide.
How can I better handle gift orders with ShipStation?
Most sellers handle gift orders in much the same way that they handle any other orders. That is, you're still fundamentally packing your products and creating a label so they can be delivered to their destination. However, there are a few things you can do to ensure your customers have a good experience when ordering gifts from your store.
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Use a custom packing slip template for gift orders
Depending on your document options, the default packing slip template in ShipStation will include item prices. Typically, customers do not want the cost of the item shown to the recipient when it's a gift. We recommend you create a custom packing slip that does not include item prices or order totals and use that template for any gift orders. You should also ensure that the [Gift Message] field replacement is used so any message from the buyer is included there as well.
The gift packing slip template can automatically be applied to your orders with Automation Rules that use the Gift field as criteria.
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Use a custom email template for gift orders
ShipStation's default email templates do not include item prices or order totals, but you can customize the email template to include item prices in the item list.
In most cases, shipment confirmation emails will be sent to the buyer, not the recipient, so customizing the email template is typically not as important as the packing slip template. However, you may still find it beneficial to create a custom email template for gifts. The template can exclude item prices and include the [Gift Message] field replacement.
Like packing slip templates, the gift email template can automatically be applied to your orders with Automation Rules that use the Gift field as criteria.
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Gift wrapping
If you offer gift wrap, the gift identifier will tell your packers that the item needs to be gift wrapped. Also, the gift note will indicate the type of wrapping the buyer prefers (if applicable) as well as any message that should be included in the gift note.
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Quickly view pending gift orders
You can use Filters on the Orders tab to quickly locate any gift orders that you may still need to process. Filters are especially important if you offer gift wrap and have to spend extra time processing those orders. If you regularly handle gift orders, you can also create a Custom View to quickly recall the filter.
What if my integration does not support gift features?
If the integration you are using does not officially support gift features, there may still be a way you can identify the gift orders in ShipStation. Check the other Notes fields (Notes from Buyer and Internal Notes) to see if there is any text that would indicate a gift order.
Text in these fields can also be used as Automation Rule criteria, which can be used to apply Order Tags to more easily identify the orders on the Orders tab. You can apply unique gift packing slip or email templates to the order.
If ShipStation does not receive any order data to indicate the order is a gift, automation will not be possible. But you can still manually update the order record in ShipStation, as appropriate. You can mark orders as a gift and enter gift messages in the Order Details window, as well as update the packing slip and email template used for the shipment.