Some sellers, trying to cut costs or go paperless, skip the printed slip and rely on an emailed digital copy instead. Whether that actually works depends heavily on who's receiving the package.
A printed slip solves a problem an email can't
The whole value of a packing slip is being available the instant someone opens the box — whether or not they have access to their email at that moment, or even remember an email was sent. A physical slip removes that dependency entirely.
Digital-only works better for certain contexts
Business-to-business shipments to a warehouse with dedicated receiving staff who check emailed documentation as part of their process can work fine digital-only — the process is more structured than a typical consumer opening a box at home.
Consumer orders generally still expect a physical slip
A typical online shopper doesn't check email before opening a delivery — they open the box and look inside. Skipping the printed slip here risks the exact confusion the document exists to prevent.
A middle ground: print minimal, keep digital as backup
Some businesses print a simplified physical slip while also emailing a fuller digital copy — covering the immediate in-hand need while keeping a permanent digital record for both sides.
Consider your actual return rate as a signal
If skipping printed slips coincides with more "what's in this box" support inquiries, that's a fairly direct signal the digital-only approach isn't serving your specific customers well, regardless of the cost savings.