Your shipping label should be securely attached to your bag to avoid shipping delays, and this can be done in a few ways. The preferred method of attaching your label is to use a carrier luggage tag (a “Fly Tag”), but you can also attach your label using shipping tape or a LugLess provided tag.

These Fly Tags are self adhesive, and wrap around the handle of your luggage.

If you opted for a shipping kit, you will receive your shipping label, a LugLess tag, and two zip ties (per bag). Simply insert the label into the tag, slip the zip ties through the holes on the tag and around a non-telescoping handle, and zip them closed.

If you don’t have access to a “Fly Tag” then you can secure the label using clear packing tape. Be sure to wrap the tape completely around the bag, as shown below:

Please view an example of an improperly attached tag below. When a label is not securely attached, it is at risk of falling off while in transit:.

Nowadays, e-commerce is a huge part of the business world. This well known term among the entrepreneurs refers to buying and selling goods and services through the Internet.

Through online stores producers can reach out to the wider audience, expand their market and at the same time avoid additional expenses by opening numerous physical stores. Consumers can search and buy products at any time from anywhere, so the opportunities for earnings are bigger than the ones in conventional stores.

One of the most important aspects of e-commerce is shipping. Your product may be the best on the market, but if it is not delivered to the customer in short time and properly, they won’t be satisfied.

That’s why every manufacturer needs to plan out good shipping strategy. When it comes to making a good strategy for shipping your products, there are several things you need to think through:

The material, dimensions, and shape of a shipping package should be adjusted to the nature of the goods that you are selling. If you are selling a fragile items you should consider the use of different protective packaging material (e.g.

Finding the optimal size and weight of a shipping box or tube for your product will save your budget from unnecessarily high shipping costs.

You can offer free shipping, flat-rate shipping, or calculate the variable shipping rate depending on the item that customer purchased. Free shipping is very popular among customers because the seller bears all the shipping costs.

Flat-rate shipping is the right option if you have products that are nearly the same size and weight. Then it’s good to consider charging the same shipping fee for every product.

Many courier companies can help you out with delivering your product to the customer’s door. They are offering various types of shipping, packaging material and have different prices for shipping services.

Most of the sellers cooperate with USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL and more. Which one will you choose depends on the type of your product.

After you set up your shipping strategy, you should pick the right shipping labels. Shipping labels make your business look more professional and ease your shipping process.

The shipping label is like an ID card of the package. It contains key information for couriers so they can deliver the shipment at the right address and to the right person.

Different courier companies have different labeling requirements. However, there are parts of the shipping label common for the majority of the courier companies:

So, if you want to add a personal touch to the product’s packaging, you can make custom shipping labels. Nevertheless, it is important to mention that custom shipping labels need to be compatible with labeling requirements of the chosen courier.

Different couriers demand different dimensions of the shipping labels depending on the package size. Still, some of the common sizes of shipping labels are 4×4 inches, 4×6 inches, and 6×3 inches.

Although, the look of the shipping label is crucial for shipping, placing the label properly on the package can significantly improve the process of delivering product to the customer.

To make sure that your product will be properly stored and delivered, you should follow several tips for labeling shipping package in the right way:. At first glance, dealing with shipping labels may seem like a small detail of e-commerce business.

No matter the size of your ecommerce business, shipping is essential to your success. And while you as a business owner aren’t fully responsible for dents, dings, or damages acquired during shipping, the customer is likely to associate the poor condition with you anyway.

Show your customers that you put as much thought into getting your product to their door safely and professionally as you did into the product itself. Their impression when unboxing your product will make it worth it.

Here are some quick tips on preparing your product for delivery that can improve the final condition of your product – and your business’ reputation. You need a box that’s strong enough to protect what’s inside.

Make sure if you’re reusing boxes that they’re in good physical condition. Besides the obvious perception that comes with used boxes, rundown boxes are more likely to break or open during the shipping process.

If you’re sending something flexible and light, mailing envelopes and bubble mailers are a perfect option. They’re typically less expense to buy and ship than rigid boxes, so your profit margin will be a little higher if you opt for this type of outer packaging.

When it comes to choosing a size, you want to go with one that’s just a little larger than your product. Your box should be big enough to add cushioning materials, but not so large that you’re spending unnecessary money in shipping costs.

The length, width, height, and weight of your package all play a part in how much they charge, so a good fitting box can help cut costs.). Don’t go too small, either.

Wondering how to package your products for shipping when you sell various sizes and quantities. Consider investing in a variety of sizes.

You don’t want to just drop your product in the box and mark it as shipped. The presentation is everything and picking the right internal packing material makes a big difference.

Corrugated wrap and even old newspaper can also help secure your product in the box for delivery. For less delicate items, you can go with a more ornamental filling like paper shreds or confetti.

Smaller and more flexible items may not need anything at all. After you’ve added your materials, make sure to gently shake your box to see if the shipment is secured.

To avoid minor shipping mishaps, we suggest using a tape durable enough to secure your packages and withstand any contact with water/moisture. Some popular tapes include clear carton sealing tape, gummed kraft tape, and duct tape.

Just be sure you don’t tape over the label’s barcode as it can make your shipment unscannable and delay the process. Selecting a shipping label depends on your box size, but it’s also a variable that changes from carrier to carrier.

Check out some of our popular labels for shipping below. We offer compatible 4″ x 6″ shipping labels, half sheet labels, and everything in between for all of your packaging needs.

For example, use the true red or silver foil materials for holiday mailers. Need more recommendations.

The outside of your packaging is a great place to add one more finishing touch. It’s an opportunity to drive home your brand and get customers really excited for what’s inside.

Browse our pre-designed label templates to get started, or make your own using Maestro Label Designer.

Is your business prepared to take the financial hit and/or deal with dissatisfied and frustrated customers.

Learn more about shipping insurance so you understand what coverage comes with your shipping label purchase and what you need to do if your items are more expensive. Here are a few additional pieces of advice to help keep profit margins high and spending low:

For more suggestions and help, visit our article hub or contact our customer service team. Also be sure to browse our selection of pre-printed shipping labels and pre-printed business labels.

The USPS has made tremendous strides in package tracking over the past three years. Now, it’s not uncommon to see 7 or 8 tracking events on USPS.COM as packages go from their origin to destination.

Some of these events are based on human interaction with your package — others are done automatically as packages move through USPS sorting equipment. In order to obtain good “visibility” for your packages, there are things you should do regarding the positioning of your barcoded labels.

These are folks who scan each and every package as they load them in their trucks in the morning and deliver them to the door of the recipient later that day. You need to know a little about how barcode scanners work to appreciate these hints.

They project a light on the barcode area and measure the information that comes back. A key here is that the barcode needs to be perpendicular to the light source.

Another way of saying this: “Barcode scanners can’t read around corners. ”.

Figure 1 shows how you should place the label to obtain a readable configuration. Regardless of how the tube is rotated, there is always a portion of the barcode where all of the bars are perpendicular to the scanner light source.

The scanner can’t “see” around the curvature of the tube so you will never get a read of the tracking number (and thus you will get no tracking events on USPS.COM. ).

Figure 2: Bad label placement. Now mailing tubes are not all that common, but rectangular packages are.

Figure 3 shows a readable configuration whereas Figure 4 can’t be scanned. In Figure 3 there are two areas where all the bars on perpendicular to the scanner light source — either area will scan just fine.

Figure 3: Proper label placement. Figure 4: Bad label placement.

If you can avoid it, don’t place your label over the seam of your box. In transit, the box can get jostled about and sometimes the seam will shift or split a bit.

Figure 5 shows a bad situation — where the rip has causes the bars in the barcode to lose their expected spacing. The barcode will generally not read in a situation like this.

First, don’t place the label over the seam if at all possible. If you must place the label over the seam, place it as shown in Figure 6 so that either the barcode is not on the seam or the barcode orientation is such that even with a label split, there will still be two continuous bar patterns (one on each side of the split).

Figure 5: Bad label placement. Figure 6: Proper label placement.

You do that in a Windows operating system by going into the Printer Control Panel and right clicking on the thermal printer. Under Printing Preferences, you should find a dialog like the one below.

Boost this value up if you feel your labels are “too light”. Don’t go crazy here — use just enough heat to get a readable label.

Another thing that will impact the darkness of the printing is the age of your paper roll. Keep your stored label rolls in a cool, dark place to enhance their life.

Here’s another hint: Look carefully at your printed label. If you see unevenness or “streaks” moving from top to bottom, you print head might need cleaning or replacement.

), but if you have a high volume shop and the printer is older, you may need to do some simple maintenance on the print head.

Getting started with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) can be overwhelming – even for the experts. Navigate the waters of labeling shipments for Amazon FBA with this list of frequently asked questions.

Visit our FAQs for prospective FBA sellers. For those who don’t know, Amazon will label your products for a fee of $0.20 per item.

We provide several sizes that are compatible with Amazon’s label templates and can help you save money when you’re labeling your products. The table below shows Amazon recommended blank sheet and roll sizes along with their OnlineLabels equivalents.

A dedicated label printer can help speed up the process, bringing us to our next frequently asked question. If you started using your home or office printer to print product labels for Amazon FBA, you know that the process isn’t super user-friendly or customizable.

More than anything else, this seems to be the biggest complaint with using the Amazon FBA software with traditional printers. There are countless blogs that discuss saving up all your labels so you can print as many as possible at a time, but if that’s holding up your process, what good does that do you.

If that’s a problem you’ve run into during the inventory labeling process of Amazon FBA, it might be worthwhile to invest in a dedicated label printer. These printers were designed specifically to print labels, so they optimize your process.

The more technical answer, however, is that it depends on the quantity of items you ship to Amazon FBA. If you’re shipping more than 20 packages per week, the amount of time, energy, and supplies justify the switch.

Some dedicated label printers can print more than 70 labels per minute. If you’re tired of standing at the printer waiting for your inkjet or laser printer to do its job, the speed of a label printer is sure to impress.

In terms of supplies, you won’t be constantly running out of ink and having to replace cartridges with a label printer. Because label printers work by using thermal technology, not ink or toner, there’s no ink to replace.

The savings will keep multiplying, both in terms of time and money. Within months, the printer will pay for itself.

The results: use a DYMO LabelWriter 4XL if you’re shipping less than 500 packages a week and the Zebra GC420d for large-scale, commercial use. We also found that the Dymo 450 Turbo Writer is a popular pick among Amazon FBA sellers.

But don’t fret about how to create one yourself, you can download them anytime from the “Manage Inventory” page of your account. It should go on a smooth portion of the packaging, avoiding the opening of the box, all curves, and the corners.

Also, avoid placing labels in an inconspicuous location, like the inside cover of a book. If you’ve watched any of the Amazon FBA help videos on their Youtube page, you may have noticed that many of their examples contain multiple labels or advisories.

We’ve summarized their needs, uses, and placement below so your products can sail through the Amazon FBA shipment process. If you’re shipping products that need to be kept together and sold as one piece, you need to identify that to the team in the warehouse.

You’ll need one of two labels to make that clear: “Sold as set” or “This is a set. Do not separate.” To prep those products correctly, bundle them together with shrinkwrap or in a transparent poly bag or separate box.

Use our pre-designed “Sold as Set” label on OL2088LP to get started. If your item is already in a consumer-ready box or packaging, you’ll want to make sure the warehouse team doesn’t open it, altering its selling condition.

Do not open.” Once your label is applied, place the ready-to-ship box inside a separate box for shipping. The outermost box must contain a shipping label, and you wouldn’t put that on a consumer-facing box.

They notify warehouse personnel not to disrupt the arrangement or packaging of an item. Save time with our “Ready to Ship” label on OL875LP.

It should say: “WARNING: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic bag away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, beds, carriages or play pens.

The size of the label’s font ranges from 10 to 24, depending on the width of the bag itself. The chart below outlines the specific font size requirements for each bag size:

According to Amazon, expiration dates must be labeled in the following format: MM-DD-YYYY. (You can forgo the day of the month if that information isn’t available.) These labels must be visible, in size 36 font or larger on the master carton and on the individual units.

Our pre-designed Expiration Date labels printed on OL200LP meet Amazon FBA’s requirements. If the package you’re sending to Amazon FBA is more than 50 lbs, Amazon considers it oversized.

You must place the sticker on the top of the box and along each side. Use our “Team Lift” labels on OL996LP to print up to 10 at a time.

Print them yourself using our “Mech Lift” label on OL996LP. When shipping your products to Amazon, you want to make sure the two shipping labels are properly placed and easily identifiable.

Amazon prefers side placement of the labels and a 1.25″ margin between the box edge and the label. Use the chart below to find the right size for your type of shipment (box or pallet).

We’ve created sheets cut to the exact size of the labels. Load our labels into your printer as you normally would, print, and simply peel off the perfectly-sized labels.

Bonus: you can order them in our weatherproof material so they’ll stand up against the elements during shipping and the test of time during handling. If you want a sheet with the two halves already separated, we offer an 8.5″x11″ sheet of labels cut down the middle horizontally.

Plus, they’re weatherproof. Well, they are if you use the weatherproof material, which you should.

Both options are available in custom quantities and our waterproof label material. Much like our half sheet labels, you can place an order online for free UPS WorldShip Peel-and-Stick Labels.

Their durability against heavy use or liquids is not listed on the UPS site. Print your labels on regular printer paper, cut the paper in half, and tape it to your box.

Regular paper is also more prone to water damage and ripping, problems that are likely to occur once the package leaves your hands and begins its journey to the Amazon FBA warehouse. Unscannable or unreadable labels can cause your item(s) to be held up or sent back.

Having multiple labels per box can delay the process. Covering them up with another label is your best bet, and the most professional looking option.

Now that you have a better understanding for the rules, get started. Browse our variety of Amazon FBA shipping label sizes for use with both label and traditional printers.

Questions. Reach out to customer service and we’ll lend a hand.

A shipping label… it’s just a sticker on a package, right. Actually, things aren’t quite that simple.

Your shipping labels are a crucial element of your supply chain, so having a good understanding of their value is critical. In this blog, we’ll take a look at the anatomy of a shipping label, how to print a shipping label, and much more.

Jump down to the bottom of this post.

These labels are used by humans and their machine counterparts to understand where your package came from, where it needs to go, and what stops it may have made along the way. Without a clear shipping label, packages can be delayed in transit, delivered to the wrong address, or lost completely.

Shipping labels between the major carriers—USPS, FedEx, and UPS—all have slight variations, but they generally contain the same information. Here’s a shipping label example that highlights the various elements you’ll see on a carrier’s label.

Recipient Name & Address, the package’s destination. 3.

Unidirectional Code, or maxicode, designed to be read by a machine in any direction. 5.

Service Type, the method of shipping, i.e. Standard, Express, Priority, etc.

Routing Number, which informs sorting where to route the package. 8.

If this seems daunting for those of you just starting out, don’t worry—much of this information will be automatically generated by the carrier or proprietary software.

To save money and time, you’ll want to create a shipping label yourself. In doing so, you can take advantage of postage discounts and make pickup arrangements from your home with the carrier.

You can create a shipping label manually through your carrier’s online services. It’s not the fastest method, but it’s fine if you’re shipping a low volume of packages.

Here are the major carrier sites for reference where you can do this: There are a variety of shipping label software solutions available online that easily integrate with your e-commerce software platform.

What’s really great about these solutions is that most of them do more than just provide labels. Regardless of the payment model you choose, you generally get substantial carrier discounts and access to a dashboard offering a number of reporting tools.

Here are a few other things to remember regarding shipping labels: If the contents of your package require special instruction, make a note of it on the package.

You may also want to note if a package needs to be “This Side Up.” Noting these special requirements will help ensure your package arrives at your customer’s doorstep in perfect condition. Labels should be placed on the top of your package (especially if there is a “This Side Up” instruction).

Also, be sure to flatten any bumps after sticking it down as this could also make codes unreadable. If you cover your label with transparent tape or place it in a plastic wallet for protection, just be sure the whole label is legible.

The slips should include your company contact information, the customer’s address, the order date and number, the items included in the package and their quantity, a customer service number, and any additional comments or information about returns, refunds, etc. Most e-commerce sellers eventually find that they spend too much time packing boxes, printing labels, and shipping packages.

When this happens, they may turn to a product shipping service, otherwise known as a third-party logistics (3PL) company. With a 3PL, you can store your products in their warehouses and, when orders come in, they will label and ship your products properly, you just need to cover the shipping charges.

If a 3PL sounds like a good solution for your business, choose The Fulfillment Lab. At The Fulfillment Lab, we store inventory strategically across domestic and international centers to reduce shipping costs with major carriers and increase the speed of delivery.

Interested in customizing your packaging. Through an online portal, you can tailor packaging to your customer based on demographics and data analytics, delivering a more personalized, unique customer experience that won’t soon be forgotten.

You can get shipping labels from individual carriers in-person or online, by printing a shipping label at home through personal shipping software, or by letting a 3PL handle it (you only pay for shipping). It’s free to create a shipping label but, of course, you aren’t free to ship the package until you’ve paid for postage.

They do this by sending you a prepaid shipping label to stick on your package or giving you a web address where you can print it out. Follow the instructions provided by a carrier.

For more on how to make shipping labels, read the section “How to Create a Shipping Label”. Absolutely (as long as your writing is legible), however, some information, such as the barcode, will need to be generated from the carrier prior to shipping.

Yes, just be sure it’s clear tape and that the label is completely visible. Try not to allow any air pockets underneath the tape for a smooth affixture.

Check out the 8 best thermal printers here. Place your shipping label on the side of the package with the largest and most visible surface.

If there is an indicated “ship by date” on a label and the date has passed, the label does expire. Some delivery services may still ship it past the expiration date, but complications can arise so it’s best to keep an eye on that date.

On this segment of Book Flipper University, we’re going to walk you through the final steps of preparing your shipments for Amazon FBA. Last time we walked you through how to separate for splits, if any, and box up your books.

Once you get this part done, you are on your way to making some money selling your books. Before you start taping, make sure you’ve got the correct labels with the correct boxes, especially if the number you wrote on your box flaps will be hidden once taped shut.

I personally write a number on the inside flap and on the outside of the box. No one really cares what is on the outside of the box, so it makes my life a lot easier.

Then, be sure to use sturdy boxes to ship your books. They won’t go through the mail system gently, so the heartier the box the better.

Books tend to have some heft, so you will need to make sure you get a box that is small enough to not weigh a ton once full. As far as tape goes, we typically just use regular-width shipping tape and run two strips over the center seam to seal the top and bottom.

It can help strengthen the box a bit and help prevent moisture, but it’s really personal preference. You can also use wide tape if you prefer it for a little added security.

I sometimes will also throw an extra strip or two on there with my label if the box is feeling a little flimsy. I would rather waste my $0.05 on some extra tape than lose an entire shipment of books.

Now that your boxes are all taped up, it’s time to apply your shipping labels. While our shipping labels are peel-back labels, the square Amazon barcode is printed on a standard sheet of paper.

We like to cover the full label to make it water and rip-resistant. If you’re taping down your shipping labels as well, make sure to tape over the barcodes and address information to protect them in transit.

Amazon also prefers you avoid the seams if you can. Sometimes we run into a little overlap with the seams and have never had an issue, but we always try to make sure key information isn’t on the seam.

If you are reusing boxes, I like to put my labels over the old labels to make life a bit easier. Whether you’re using a recycled box or a brand new box, odds are there are other barcodes somewhere on the box.

It might seem like overkill, but you don’t want UPS or Amazon to scan the wrong code and misplace your shipment. That is no fun and you will lose out on your possible profit.

If you have followed our steps, you should have no problems with Amazon. But if you decide to cut a corner or not follow the rules, you might find yourself in hot water.

Easy as that.

If you go over 50 pounds with your shipment, they’ll suspend your listing abilities until you vow not to send overweight boxes again. Amazon takes box weight seriously to protect their workers.

And that’s it.

One hour of sourcing, one hour of listing, and 30 minutes of shipping prep work. From this batch, we’re looking at a $200 to $300 profit.

Not too bad for a few hours of book flipping.

See you next time on the Book Flipper University.

This Week’s Video. Book Flipper Blog.

The 100 Book Challenge. The Listing Software I Use‍.

Many small businesses with eCommerce operations ask the question: can I print shipping labels on regular paper. The short answer is, yes, you can print shipping labels on regular paper using a regular printer, but it will be more labor-intensive.

So in the meantime, here’s what you need to know about printing shipping labels on regular paper. Many individuals and small businesses have inkjet or laser printers.

Small businesses might even print their own marketing materials using these printers, meaning they’ve invested in a high-quality one. So can you use the investment you’ve already made to print shipping labels too.

When using regular paper for shipping labels, you’ll print them like you would any general file, such as a Word document or PDF.

Once printed, you’ll need to use tape to attach the label to your package, which will take longer than just peeling and sticking an adhesive label.

Here’s a look at the advantages and disadvantages of doing so. If you have an inkjet printer sitting around, you might be wondering if it’s an ideal solution for shipping label printing.

Advantages: Disadvantages:

Get insights into the advantages and disadvantages of this method. Advantages:

Startup costs can feel overwhelming and if you’re trying to avoid taking out a loan to get the office materials you need to get your business up and running, you might be putting off purchasing a printer until you have some income.

But it will mean frequent trips to the post office or other shipping company stores. Once you receive an order, you can take the mailing address information to the shipping store and they will print the labels for you along with the required barcodes for the item to go through the logistics process.

And because eCommerce moves quickly now where 42 percent of consumers expect to receive their item within 2 days of ordering, you might find yourself at the post office daily to meet ongoing demands.

Or you could ask a neighbor to use their printer. If it has a good Bluetooth range, you could even print to your neighbor’s printer throughout the day and then just drop by in the evening to pick up your labels each day.

An internet café might also provide printing services. So if you have one within a short distance from your home, this might be an ideal solution for your needs.

Look for a Staples, Office Max or another store near you to make printing fast and simple before you can afford to invest in a printer for your growing business. As you grow your business, you might be wondering if it’s worth it to switch from using standard printer paper to true shipping labels.

Plus, you’ll be amazed at how much time you’ll save by just printing, peeling and sticking your shipping labels instead of cutting and taping them.

And while this might not be super attractive to smaller businesses, it should not be challenging to ensure you keep shipping labels on hand that fit your printer. The answer to this question will depend on your printer.

You can go from printing from a desktop computer to a tablet while on the go or a smartphone from anywhere.

Getting started with printing can feel confusing and overwhelming. And while technology is getting better, people are printing less thanks to the ease of digital communications, which means the average person knows less about printers and options than they used to.

Yes, you can. You’ll just want to be sure you cover the entire label with tape to prevent the ink from bleeding or getting damaged while in transit.

You can print using a laser or inkjet printer or visit a local library or print shop if you don’t own a printer. To print a shipping label at home, you should first choose your shipping partner, such as USPS, UPS or FedEx.

You’ll get a shipping label you can download as a PDF to print from any printer, anywhere it is convenient for you.

Contact the DuraFast Label Company team and we’ll be happy to assist you with your printing needs. Further Reading:

Shipping a package can be a bit confusing. Once you’ve figured out how to properly pack and weigh everything, you’ll want to ensure you’ve written the destination address on a package or parcel in the proper format so that the mail carrier delivers it correctly.

Addressing a package is very similar to addressing an envelope. You need a return address, a destination address, and postage when addressing a package for shipping.

This is particularly true when shipping through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Other carriers like FedEx and UPS rely more on computer printed labels address on them and less on hand written ones.

The easiest way to create shipping labels is by creating an account using shipping software like Stamps.com or Shippo. You can get discount postage and print shipping labels for all the major carriers like USPS and UPS.

You can either hand write the destination and return address directly on the box, or you can use a label or printed piece of paper taped to the face of the box. If you decided to hand write the mailing and return address on your package, you’ll first find a clean face of the box.

Make it as easy as possible for your mail carrier to read the address so that it doesn’t get mis-delivered. The area should also be large enough so that both the sender and recipient address can fit on the same face of the box.

Write the destination address toward the center bottom of the face of the box. You’ll want to leave enough room for the return address which will go on the center of the box face.

If you are hand writing the addresses, use a dark colored permanent marker so that it is easy to read and won’t wipe off.

Each address should have separate lines for: If the apartment or suite number cannot fit on the street address line, place it on it’s own line above the city, state, and ZIP code.

There are multiple ways to pay for USPS postage for your parcel. You can take the package to your post office and have the post office employee calculate the cost of the postage for you.

If you don’t want to wait in line at the post office, you can go to a self-service kiosk found in many post offices. They are also known as APCs or Automated Postal centers.

To skip going to the post office completely you can utilize USPS’ Click-N-Ship. Register for an account and it will let you buy labels directly from the USPS.

Using a Stamps.comyou can print labels online while getting steep discounts of up to 80%. You can also print labels for UPS.

You can do this with any printer and clear shipping tape, or a dedicated label printer. You can request your mail carrier to pick up your parcel, or you can drop it off at any post office.

A less popular option is to use use stamps, which is rather cumbersome as you’ll still have to calculate the cost of postage and count out the correct number of stamps. This method could be useful if you have a large number of unused stamps lying around.

If you take your package to a UPS or FedEx store, they will often have you hand write your shipping address on to a waybill form. An employee will then take that form and type into their computer the information you wrote down and provide you with some pricing options.

To skip the extra step of filling out a waybill form, you can open up online accounts with all the major carriers. You can purchase all the necessary shipping labels from your home and just drop off the packages once you’ve attached the postage.

Similar with the USPS option, you can buy and print labels for UPS, FedEx, and DHL from EasyShip, which like Stamps.com offers discounted postage. If you want to do a bit of comparison shopping, be sure to visit our shipping calculator which compares the prices of the major carriers so you can find the cheapest one.

Logistics has always been a tricky affair. Right from the start, when the product gets picked up to the point when it is delivered to the customer.

For a budding eCommerce entrepreneur, there are many things to take note of, understand and execute for shipping. In their long list of to-do’s, like selecting the suitable carrier, shipping labels may not be the top priority.

While there are multiple shipping and postal companies, no one can replace the United States Postal Service. USPS highlights that an efficient and well-connected logistics network is necessary for entire nations.

USPS has given eCommerce retailers, especially SMBs, an affordable and reliable shipping partner.

The US Postal Service labels are a subset of what, in logistics, we generally refer to as a shipping label. A shipping label is a document that holds key information for the successful delivery of the parcel.

Now, different carriers have different formats for shipping labels. However, in general, they have the following data.

Included are the postal code and address details like street, city, and country. Next in line are package weight, quantity, and shipping method, whether it is priority mail, standard or international.

In international shipments, the shipping label may specify the enclosed item.

Moreover, the shipping label also includes postage information if it is paid or requires payment from the recipient.

A shipping label accurately directs your package to its intended recipient and back to your warehouse if it is returned. Herein lies its importance in eCommerce shipping.

Its main responsibilities are carrying out postal and delivery services in the United States and its insular areas.

It also has a significant international presence, promoting cross-border trade from the United States. It delivers to over 180 countries across the globe.

The USPS shipping labels have a standard format except for the different logos designating the chosen shipping method. For example, the shipping label of Priority Mail will have “P” printed on the top left corner.

The tool enables you to pay for postage, print shipping labels, and schedule package pick-up or drop-off. These labels are available for almost all mail classes, such as Priority Mail, Express Mail, and Global Airmail Parcel Post.

Now, for the actual process of creating the shipping label, you will first need to create an account with USPS. Once done, you can proceed with the following steps:

Similarly, fill in your destination address details. You also get the option to start a batch shipping to multiple addresses and add delivery instructions or messages.

If you have USPS Flat Rate Packages, you can choose the flat rate option or enter the actual weight.

USPS has a chart with all the details for your convenience. Tracking and insurance are automatically included.

After this step, the shipping label is finalized. After ensuring the details are accurate, you can pay for it and print it from your office or home printer.

The US Postal Service has a list of standard and express mail and parcel shipping services. Each has its benefits and postage cost.

Therefore, we have accumulated the list of USPS shipping services and the associated cost of shipping labels. This is the fastest domestic shipping method of USPS.

You can choose the option that best fits your shipping needs. Postage starts at $27.25, and for commercial shippers, it begins at $23.75.

If you opt for the next-day option, you can also get a money-back guarantee if your parcel does not arrive by 6 p.m. Priority Mail supports both flat rate and variable pricing.

Included in the service are USPS tracking and signature confirmation. Priority Mail is USPS’s most sought-after shipping service.

A range of pricing options is available for the Priority Mail service, including flat rate, regional, and prepaid. There are free packaging boxes available.

There are no surcharges for fuel, residential addresses, or Saturday delivery. The Post Office and online price starts at $9.00, while the commercial rate begins at $7.42.

The shipping time is usually between one and five business days. The price range depends on two sizes: standard or square and oversized.

Similarly, the price for oversized letters and postcards starts at $0.99 and $0.60. For large envelopes, the price is $1.20, while a small package costs $4.80.

The shipping time ranges between two and five business days.

The postage can be bought only in USPS Post Offices, beginning at $8.80.

It usually takes two to eight business days to ship the products.

To create shipping labels, all you need to do is to buy Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express postage for the packaging. Before making any decisions, you might want to compare prices and service types.

While not necessary, the prudent option would be to properly weigh the packages before generating USPS shipping labels. This can be done easily using a scale.

This is because if the weight turns out to be more than mentioned, you might have to pay additional USPS postage charges.

The charges range from a low fee of $4.05 to $14.40. Payments for these can be made using a card, and the labels can be quickly printed at home using a personal computer and printer.

If required, customers can also print Click-N- Ship labels without postage. The Click-N-Ship service will automatically find the ZIP codes and calculate the postage charges.

You can add any insurance if needed or any additional delivery instructions or services you might require.

To print USPS shipping labels at home, you will need a printer, a personal computer, and a free USPS account if you don’t have one. Enter the package’s ship-to address and weight.

By default, tracking facilities are turned on, and there is usually a fee of $50 per package for insurance purposes. If the shipment is to be sent internationally, you must complete the customs documentation.

Once you have made the payment, you can print it within minutes. With the label printed, you will want to schedule a pickup time for the package.

Once the label is created, you can pay for it and send it to your printer. If you are away from home or do not have access to a printer, you can easily use the USPS Label Broker service.

Busy customers can use the QR code to access the labels printed by USPS associates right at the Post Office location. This is especially convenient when the customer is ready to send the shipment.

If they choose not to print at the post office, they can also print the labels themselves from USPS.com when they can access a printer. Many things set USPS apart from other carriers or delivery agencies.