Printing shipping labels from home can save time and money. But before you start printing labels, there are several things you need to know.
For instance: What is the best service to use for printing shipping labels & how does it work? What kind of paper do you need? What kind of printers or ink can you use? Can you use self adhesive labels, or do you have to tape or glue the label onto the package? Also, Well, lets find out!
The Best Company to Use for Printing Shipping Labels
First off, there are several companies that will allow you to pay for postage online with a credit card, and then print off the shipping label. Paypal®, USPS®, UPS®, FedEx®, and Endicia® are some of the most common services that people use online. Personally, I always prefer to use Paypal® labels simply because it is quick, you can use it to print USPS®, UPS®, etc. and because it saves money by letting you get the reduced USPS® Delivery Confirmation rate ($0.14 instead of $0.60).
Also, there is no charge to print out the label other than the postage charge-but only if someone makes a purchase using Paypal®. As a side note, if you ever need to print off a label, but the buyer didn’t use Paypal® (Ex: if you sell something on Amazon.com, Half.com, etc.), then you can still use Paypal to print the label. Simply use another account to send a penny to your account. You can then go & print a label by changing your address to the buyer’s address.
Using Paypal for labels is simple. Once someone sends you a payment, log into your account and click on the “print shipping label” link. You will then enter the details, such as package weight, which shipping method you are using, and you can add any services you want. Then verify the information, and click print label. Your label will then print out, and you can ship your package. Below is an example of what a Paypal shipping label looks like.
What Kind of Paper Can You Use For Printing Labels?
You can use either self-adhesive paper, or just plain regular white printing paper. The paper really does not matter, just as long as it is white in color & allows the ink to stick to it. I use standard paper for my labels.
What Kind of Printer Can You Use for Printing Labels?
You can use either a standard ink-jet printer, or a laser printer to print off labels. Laser printers are much more expensive, but can print faster and the ink cost per page is usually slightly cheaper.
A typical ink-jet printer will also work just fine. It can get expensive, however, unless you find a low priced refill kit & refill your own cartridges. With either printer, just make sure the label prints out without any major ink defects. I use a Lexmark Inkjet printer for my labels. I buy ink kits & refill the cartridge myself to save money.
How to Use a Shipping Label
Once you print off your label, you need to secure it to the package. To do this, you can either use a self-adhesive (sticky) label, or tape and/or glue your label to the package.
If you use a sticky label, then just attach it to the package after you print it off & you are done. If you use normal paper, then you must either use tape or glue.
If you use tape, make sure you do not tape over either of the barcodes on the label. I will usually just use some standard glue (like Elmer’s®) and run a small bead around the perimeter on the label’s back. I will then attach the label & apply a small piece of clear tape over the center (covering the buyer’s address), and cut a few small pieces to cover the bottom & top corners. This ensures that the label corner won’t stick up & risk getting pulled off.
Overall, printing your own labels is WORTH IT! I have estimated my paper, ink, & tape costs for each label to be only about $0.02 per label. Again, this saves a lot of money because you get the reduced delivery confirmation rate & also saves time!
Now that you know all the basics about shipping, click below for a quick recap of all the money-saving tips & tricks before you start shipping packages.
How to Save Money on Shipping
Sponsored Links
Posted under Making Money, Shipping, eBay
