You need the correct Shipping Label to ensure your product is delivered to your customer correctly and on time. There are several checkpoints along the delivery route; at each point, the information on a label helps guide it to where it needs to go.
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Part 1. What is a Shipping Label
A Shipping Label is a pastable form that contains all the essential information a logistics or shipping company needs to deliver the product to its destination. It contains the following information more commonly.
- The recipient’s address, including the postcode.
- The delivery company
- Which country or city is it moving to and from
- ?
- The gross weight of the package, along with the working dimensions, is clearly mentioned.
- Type of shipping, tracking number, and more.
All these facets of information are stored with detail in either the bar code or QR code of the label you are pasting for shipping.
Part 2. Shipping Labels Example
Any Shipping Label you see on different packages contains almost similar information. So, by understanding one of them, you can easily understand labels from other companies.
1. Shipping Method
This method uses the company’s terminology so that it might differ slightly but mostly remain the same. This method allows logistic companies to expedite or take care of when delivering. So, the type of delivery method matters. In the image below, USPS GROUND ADVANTAGE is the shipping method that speeds up the delivery process once the package is on the landside.
So whether you are using expedited shipping, fast track, overnight delivery, etc., the logistics company will know what to do and how to expedite the process.
2. Recipient Information
Due to privacy, this information isn’t normally available on the label, but the address must be there. In the above image, the address is at the bottom of the box under the shipping type. So, if you create a Shipping Label for your business and deliver a customer’s product, please ensure their privacy first.
The address is one of the two most important information on your label. So ensure it is eligible and pasted on a flat surface, not on the corners or seams. The same goes for the bar code, so make sure whoever is responsible to create Shipping Label makes the design accurate according to the package.
3. Tracking Number and Barcode
The Shipping Label shown above typically has the bar code at the bottom, as it doesn’t require you to read it. However, this barcode is scanned first every time it enters or leaves a checkpoint or center. Nowadays, the barcode contains the tracking number and other essential information.
Part 3. How to Create a Shipping Label?
If you want to create Shipping Label at your business or home, you should do that. It will save you time and allow you to get discounts from different shipping companies when they pick up packages at your doorstep.
– Go to the Carriers’ Website
Most delivery carriers we typically use will have a dedicated page to enter relevant information, which will help you print it out and paste it on the package.
Some shipping companies make it easier by allowing you to create Shipping Label on your mobile phone through their app.
– Enter Relevant Information
Once you sign in with your credentials, you must fill in every essential information before printing. The most common information on a product label is as follows:
- Your name and the recipient’s name, including your address.
- The address must include the country or state.
- The phone number number for each.
- You may also enter the tracking number and other essential information, such as the weight and date.
You can also show or hide the recipient information other than the address, which is necessary.
– Download And Print
Every business, e-commerce platform, or logistics company provides a template for entering information. You can modify any of these templates to meet your needs as a business owner.
When you have entered all the information, you can print it out and paste the Shipping Label on your package. Be sure to clean the designated area before pasting so the label stays there during the delivery journey. It is also imperative that the label be on a flat surface and on the side where it is easily visible and easier to scan the code.
Here are a few Dos and Don’ts when you want the correct format for utilizing a Shipping Label.
- Do make sure that your package is big enough. The label should have enough space to sit properly and not be pasted near the edges, such as wrapping around them.
- Do follow the standard shipping dimensions, which are as follows:
- 4×4”
- 4×6”
- 6×3”
- Make sure that you paste your label correctly. Some printing papers come with pastable designs. You can glue or paste them securely with transparent adhesive tape if you don’t have them.
FAQs about Shipping Labels
1. Can I Use My Shipping Labels?
Yes, you can, as most shipping carriers allow you to do that through their website or mobile app. The same carriers provide the facility for the shipper to collect the package at their home or drop it off at a drop-off center as long as they know which information to print and paste correctly.
Companies such as USPS allow you to add postage if the mailing address is correct and within their jurisdiction. Furthermore, printing Shipping Labels at home is cheaper, primarily because a business doesn’t have to worry about overhead charges.
2. Are Shipping Labels Free?
Most businesses worry about shipping label, among many other overhead charges. Different carriers, such as FedEx, USPS, DHL, and others, offer this facility to business owners to streamline things. The only cost that some might see is the number of products shipping out each month. As long as you are fulfilling a certain quota, label printing and pickup from collection centers or home don’t cost extra.
If you have many products going out, it is best to look up each carrier’s shipping policies. Please also look at the minimum number of shipped products to create Shipping Label for free.
3. Can you create Shipping Labels in bulk?
Yes, you can, and it is more economical if you are shipping frequently. Companies like FedEx allow bulk shipping and labels if you contract with them. They help you with fulfillment through their distribution center, where you can deposit your products and deliver them when you have a new order.
Conclusion
Learning to create Shipping Label at home or themselves is very important for a new business or someone who ships their products regularly. Printing your Shipping Label at home or through a mobile app can streamline your fulfillment process. Due to this streamlining, you focus on catering to your customers and essential growth aspects.If you are still learning the ropes or your business has grown tenfold, utilizing a shipping company like NextSmartShip is always better. These companies work best for the best shipping rates, whether standard or express and do not worry about fulfillment or which carrier to choose. So visit their website to get the best deals and relax so that you can focus on what really matters.
