How To Print Shipping Labels

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Shipping labels are essential for both the customer and the business that is shipping the products. As a customer, you want to receive the products timely and safely. As an eCommerce business, the first responsibility in product logistics is to ensure that the products reach the customer on time and without any delays. Therefore, shipping labels are essential from both these perspectives. Shipping labels are critical to the eCommerce supply chain. Moreover, they ensure that data and information about the packages are relayed effectively between the business and the customer. Moreover, without well-made shipping labels, your customer’s orders are lost, which causes a significant loss of revenue and reputation for your business. 

This blog will talk about shipping labels, how they are made for eCommerce businesses, and how shipping labels are used in eCommerce businesses. 

What is a Shipping Label?

A shipping label is a simple label that carries information about a particular package for delivery. The shipping label may not necessarily be around eCommerce businesses. Shipping label is used for shipping and transporting any package or physical deliverable sent from one place to another. For example, suppose you have sent a courier to your friend with some important documents. In that case, the courier has a shipping label attached to it that conveys all the information regarding the courier package to the receiver. Since all of you live in dispersed locations, but it is possible to send and receive packets from all over the world, shipping labels matter to different sectors. However, the most important they hold is to the eCommerce segment. This is because successful shipping is crucial for the fulfillment of orders and business. 

Shipping labels differ from business to business and the shipping partner they use. However, the common thing about all shipping labels is that they contain crucial information. This vital information about the package is the shipping address, billing details, etc. The shipping labels also include a tracking barcode that helps in tracking the package from anywhere. Given that international and domestic shipping companies operate worldwide, tracking barcodes is essential on shipping labels. The shipping address is the most crucial detail on the label because it determines how well the package reaches the customer. 

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Benefits of Using Pre-Printed Labels for Your Business

Pre-printed labels can benefit businesses, from cost savings to increased efficiency. Let's take a look at some of the critical advantages pre-printed labels have to offer:

Cost Savings

Pre-printed labels reduce business costs by eliminating the need for costly ink and toner to print labels from scratch whenever you need them. This saves time, money, and resources that would otherwise be spent on purchasing supplies, stocking up on inventory, and dealing with maintenance issues related to printers and other equipment used in the labeling process.

Fast Turnaround Time

Pre-printed labels are incredibly convenient because they require no additional labeling or printing processes once ordered – this makes it easy for business owners to order large amounts or reorder specific batches quickly when needed in short periods. Additionally, if you need unique shapes or sizes not available off-the-shelf, you can almost always find them among custom pre-printed label offerings!

Quality Assurance

By using pre-printed labels with your company logo already attached (or barcodes etc.), there is less risk of mistakes occurring during production thanks to the automated labeling process – one slip-up could ruin entire batches, which is far more costly than buying a pre-printed option upfront! This also helps maintain consistent branding identity among all products produced and shipped out—especially when releasing new products into markets quickly without compromising quality control measures set forth by your company standards/quality policy procedures.

Professionalism & Presentation

Using custom-designed/pre-printed paper stickers adds a touch of professionalism and completeness when packaging individual items being shipped out, an essential factor when it comes down to presenting yourself as a professional business entity that maintains standards/policies set forth by your company. Ordering in bulk quantities significantly reduces cost overhead associated with "hard knocks" traditional label-making methods saving both time & resources while simultaneously assuring customers product orders were packed accurately & efficiently before becoming shipped off!

Preparing Your Shipping Label for Printing

Preparing your shipping label for printing is an essential step in mailing packages, as it ensures accuracy and allows you to track the progress of your package once it's been shipped. Here are some steps to help make sure that your shipping label is appropriately set up before you hit print:

Make sure all information needed for the delivery is accurate: double-check the address, postcode, contact details, and any other necessary order details before affixing the label onto a package;

Select the best option for printing: if you are using pre-printed labels or labels with printed bar codes, consider getting these professionally printed on high-quality paper to ensure legibility; alternatively, use laser printers with more durable ink when printing directly from PC;

Verification/Proofreading Step: Once all information has been entered into a computer program, review it carefully – check everything twice (or even thrice) and make sure that there are no typos or misspellings that could result in misdelivered packages or added costs due to reprints;

Install necessary software drivers & applications: printer drivers may need regular updating, so be sure to keep them up-to-date for reliable performance & consistent output quality when generating labels; also double check if updates should be made on specific programs used for designing/printing labels before production runs;

Utilize proper label materials based on application needs & environmental requirements: select the right adhesive type depending on expected surface conditions, such as temperature changes during transportation (especially when dealing with cold climate locations). Check media weight options too – heavier weight material can provide better protection against wear & tear while lightweight options offer lower cost savings but may not stand as much stress over time as sturdy materials would do;

After making prints run through the Quality Assurance step once again just before affixing each labeled piece onto individual parcels - QC helps verify the accuracy of code numbers contained within each design layer of every single label, including the human readable section below bar code graphics, etc., allowing mail handlers better identification without any difficulty which helps maximize efficiency throughout the entire process.

Choosing the Right Printer and Paper for Shipping Labels

1) Printer Type

 For best results, laser printers are usually recommended for printing shipping labels. They provide superior long-term durability compared to inkjet printers - especially if your packages are exposed to rain or extreme temperatures while in transit. Laser printers offer better resolution when printing large amounts of text on small labels due to their higher level of detail accuracy. Many businesses opt for thermal label printers because they only require thermal label stock and no additional ink cartridges or toners - making them more cost-effective in the long run and easy to maintain overall.

2) Label Stock Available

Once you've chosen the power type best suited for your needs (laser or thermal), it's time to pick out your appropriate label stock material - several factors play an essential role here, including size requirements (width/height), adhesion type needed (removable/permanent), whether there will be direct contact with food products or liquids during shipment, etc. You should also pay special attention to weight specifications since heavier papers tend to have better durability, which could be a crucial factor depending on specific scenarios involved with handling packages being shipped out!  

3) Measurement & Alignment Accuracy

With the right kind of hardware in place, measurements and alignment accuracy must be tuned so printed materials look professionally done every time – this includes ensuring each line runs parallel along edges without any overlapping text running off from previous lines below it. Many modern-day all-in-one models come equipped with advanced software programs nowadays. Users can easily adjust measurements according to their preferences to save time otherwise spent manually changing such settings each time prints must be made!  

4) Cost Effectiveness 

Buying bulk quantities suitable based upon demand keeps costs down substantially, but also considering compatible alternatives sourced through online retailers to offer potential cost savings depending on types of materials needed, among other factors applicable case by case basis. This can become incredibly insightful when factoring larger orders into the equation. Buying large volumes from the manufacturer itself now may only sometimes prove the most economical option available given current market conditions, so searching marketplace resources might yield more lucrative outcomes! 

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How to Print a High-Quality Shipping Label from Home

Printing a high-quality shipping label from home is a great way to save time and money. Here are some simple steps you can follow to ensure your labels are printed with the highest quality and accuracy:

Select the right printer

Before you begin printing, ensure you have the correct type of printer for your job. Inkjet printers use liquid ink, while laser printers use toner powder. For higher quality labels, it's often best to go with a laser printer since they produce more detailed images at higher resolutions than inkjet printers.

Choose the right paper

You should always choose heavy-weight papers like regular or premium photo papers as they provide better print results than regular copy papers, which are too thin to hold up through scanning processes or other handling methods that may occur during shipment periods. Additionally, look for glossy-coated paper materials. They are better suited for most shipping applications due to their durability and moisture resistance capabilities for ensuring the longer shelf life of your labels in outdoor temperature conditions when necessary.

Adjust settings & preview before print

Once you've selected your desired paper type and loaded it into your printer tray, set up your adjusted settings accordingly, then preview what will be printed before actually doing so on actual material - this allows you to ensure everything looks perfect before printing out hardcopies of all material needed!

Quality check after completion

Always double-check that everything is in order after completing prints – take time to review each sheet printed out where applicable (this includes checking margins/font sizes/bullet points etc.), making sure there's no distortion or incorrect information displayed on any piece before moving onward with mailing process ahead!

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Related: How To Label A Box For Shipping

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How to Print Shipping Labels and 4 Tricks of the Trade

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Before printing a shipping label, your business has to create a shipping label for a package. There is much easy shipping label generator software that eCommerce businesses use today. Here are the simple steps that make a shipping label- 

Create a shipment with a courier service- Every successful e-retail business has a trusted courier partner. When a specific package registers with the courier service, it creates a shipment. 

Create the shipping label- Once you create the shipment, you choose the shipment details and the type of shipping label you want to create. You put in the necessary information for the shipment and make the final shipping label. 

Download shipping label- Once the shipping label is complete, you download the shipping label and save it on the computer. 

Print the shipping label- you print the saved shipping label on paper and stick it to the package.

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Related : What is a Shipping Label, and How Does it Work?

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Tips and Tricks of the Trade

Once the shipping labels print out, you stick them to the package and send them for delivery. Pretty easy, right? However, there are some points to understand when printing and using shipping labels. Read on to learn more about the right way to use a shipping label. 

It would help if you had a barcode

A machine generates the shipping label. On the other hand, a handwritten shipping label works well too. You can write all the customer information by hand if you have all the information correctly. However, a barcode is an essential part of a shipping label. Moreover, a machine generates the bar code, which comes in handy for package tracking. 

Paper shipping labels

 Paper shipping labels are straightforward to print. You print general paper labels with simple laser printers. Paper shipping labels are cost-effective and do not need much equipment. Many eCommerce companies use paper shipping labels. 

Thermal Transfer labels are more effective

 There are many types of shipping labels available today. Thermal transfer labels are better than paper labels because they provide better wax transfer methods that create sharper printing results. Thermal transfer labels are more durable than paper shipping labels.

Self-Adhesive Shipping labels

 Adhesive shipping labels are suitable for eCommerce businesses that send packages every day. The adhesive shipping labels are easy to use and stick to the box easily. eCommerce businesses prefer adhesive shipping labels for their convenience. 

Shipping labels are easy to print if one has the software and resources to print them. Shipping labels come into use in almost every industry for logistics purposes. The most prominent industry of use is the eCommerce sector. Moreover, the expansion of the eCommerce segment means that shipping labels come into use every day. Printing shipping labels and knowing how to use them can benefit you. Even as a customer, knowing how the shipping labels help you understand your order details better. If you plan to initiate your e-retail business soon, the skill of printing shipping labels is a necessity to imbibe. This blog has covered all the essential aspects of the shipping label and its use.

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Recommended: The Best Thermal Shipping Label Printers to Buy