Online Selling How Do You Print Labels?

[kmmcrafts]

I know many folks have started selling online and it'll take some time to really get going with sales etc.. 

I used to print my labels on plain old paper at first.. and cut them out, taped them to the package.. can't imagine that now, LOL I'd be all week doing one days worth of orders  

When I got a little bit busier I purchased full sheet self adhesive shipping labels.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1000-Shipping-Labels-Full-Sheet-8-5x11-Self-Adhesive-PACKZON/172818314778?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649   was a ton better and I also figured out that I could print my patterns on these then no need for the sticky spray glues ( unless it's a large pattern ).. Still found myself taking a ton of time cutting out the labels when I got even busier.. not to mention the cost of ink cartridges for the printer.. 

Two years ago I finally broke down and bought this little label printer...  https://www.walmart.com/ip/DYMO-LabelWriter-4XL-Thermal-Label-Printer-Black/21801546 

Now you can search for this printer online and get it much cheaper.. They have jumped up in price a lot, I paid around $120 for mine with 4 rolls of labels.. This thing uses no ink as it's a thermal printer.. Bulk print labels and peel and stick to the packages.. I wouldn't be without one of these now that I have it.. 

I ran out of labels this last spring.. buying the Dymo brand labels are not all that cheap... but there are off brand companies making them for the Dymo and they are actually better quality than the Dymo brand.. They've been working great. Purchased 2 rolls for $20.. 220 labels on a roll.. should get me through the holidays.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/DYMO-LW-1744907-4XL-4x6-4-x6-1-to-80-Rolls-Shipping-Labels-FREE-SHIP/302984600397?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=601919492321&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Anyway, you'll find that even if you have to pay the $300+ for this thing.. well worth it in the time & ink savings.. There are many other brands out there.. ( Just be sure it'll print at the correct mailing label size as many of these only print like return label sizes so watch that if you search to buy one ) .  I have no affiliation with dymo or any other label printer or otherwise.. just changed to a new roll of labels and thought about how nice it's been to have this thing.. thought I'd share my experience..

 

I hope someone some day will find this post useful.. 

[new2woodwrk]

@kmmcrafts how did those full page labels work for patterns?

I'm having a hard time finding duck shelf paper now

[kmmcrafts]

@new2woodwrk They work great, BUT... I still use the shelf paper.. or painters tape etc... They stick pretty darn good if you stick it directly to the wood.. I assume the manufactures of the labels use a good sticky adhesive because you don't want you label falling off a package.. I do like not having to spray that messy stuff and get my fingers all sticky with the spray glues.. My finger print reader to unlock my cell phone never worked when I was using those spray glues,.. not sure why 

.

[BadBob]

I use these: MFLABEL Half Sheet Self Adhesive Shipping Labels for Laser & Inkjet Printers, 200 Count

For a long time, I printed them on paper, cut them out, sprayed the back with adhesive, and stuck them to the package. I have never liked taping them on.

I have a Brother Laser printer, and I manually feed the labels once for each label. I only print one label at a time and turn the sheet around for the next label. The cost works out to about $0.06 per label. Thermal labels are much cheaper, but you would need to add the cost of maintaining a second printer that only prints shipping labels. I can buy a lot of labels for the cost of a label printer. The most I have printed in a day are three labels, so the laser printer is cheaper for now.

I would not recommend printing shipping labels with an inkjet printer. The ink is expensive, and you should use waterproof ink.

 

[kmmcrafts]

I do agree with you on the inkjet printer for printing labels is not the best option.. 

Also I'd be all day packing orders if I did it one at a time like you do.. but that is at one time somewhat how I did mine.. I now would not be without the dedicated label printer.. But I do several orders a day so there is that.. I think the most orders for one day that I personally have packaged was around 70.. but a typical day in October 15-20 with the exception of this holiday shopping season.. which when I was packaging the other day made me realize how thankful I am to have that printer... which is why I made this post.. you'll eventually get there if you keep working at it.. then you might see a value for buying one, LOL  

[BadBob]

The most labels I have printed in a day is 3 or 4 and that is rare.

If you print 70 labels at once, how do you keep track of them?

[kmmcrafts]

That gets tricky, LOL 

I usually package all orders first, as I package I right the last name and state to where its going on the package under where I would place the label to cover up my writing. I then print all the labels in bulk printed on the roll from the label printer as it's a roll of label and it prints them in a roll.. If you package in a sequence of the order that you print off the packing slips.. Usually the labels print in that same sequence so it's almost exactly reverse order, But of coarse I have the last name and state it goes to, to double check.

I now add the first name initial though.. as one time I had two different orders with the same last name.. going to the same state.. but different first name.. I ended up opening up the packaging to figure out who was what.

 

So far the only mistake I've made where it went to the wrong customer was a customer that place two different orders.. one order was going to her daughter and the other was to herself.. I got mixed up with what order went to who.. and they got opposites.. she let me know but it was just light first class mail.. I refunded her money as they had to reship to each other to get the right things.. she wasn't mad at all.. just let me know what happen and said she'd have done the same probably.. was kind of funny for everyone.. I refunded her money as it was my mistake even though she said not to worry about it.. However she shouldn't have had to reship things to get the items to the right people that was on my mistake..

 

I spent 11 years at a company in the packaging / shipping / receiving department so I have shipping experience that has helped prepare me for this type stuff..    

[BadBob]

The only shipping problem I have had was when I had a browser problem and had to go back into Etsy and retrieve a label I had already paid for.

I printed the same label twice, and someone got two packages instead of one. I told her to consider it a gift. I contacted the other customer and reshipped it for her. The USPS system missed the duplicate label and did not track it. I never figured out what happened.

[puzzleman]

I always use USPS Priority Mail for shipping so I can track orders. I use a laser printer to print directly from the USPS website.

bb

[kmmcrafts]

22 minutes ago, puzzleman said:

I always use USPS Priority Mail for shipping so I can track orders. I use a laser printer to print directly from the USPS website.

bb

 

Been a long time since I used the USPS website for printing labels.. but you could save a ton of money to your customers by printing labels elsewhere and using first class mail.. Last I knew USPS site also gives free tracking to first class so long as you are buying and printing your own label.. Not the case if you go to a USPS service center to get the label then you pay extra for tracking.. but as far as I know all online First Class mail comes with tracking.. 

Most sellers don't realize that they are not buying the shipping.. the customer does.. options are nice to offer.. and gives you a competitive edge over those that don't take the time to learn this stuff.. Many shoppers will choose First Class mail over Priority with the exception of about 30 - 40 customers a year I get will upgrade to Priority mail because the want it in a hurry.. otherwise they almost always choose the lower cost option.. Why not let the customer decide what they want to pay? There are exceptions to this.. such as.. it's too heavy for First Class.. OR the value is high and sometimes it's cheaper to get the $50 - 100 free shipping insurance value than shipping First Class and adding insurance.. sometimes you have to weigh the options to see what the better value is.. I rarely buy insurance for my package delivery.. I've only been burned twice on that.. but buying insurance I get burned every time.. because I pay for a service that rarely gets used..   

[Puzzleguy]

Hi Kevin -

You know im new at this - but i found its way cheaper just to print

a label on my printer with plain paper - cut it out and tape it on 

self adhering labels sometimes come off -thermal printers have their problems as well

heat and other weather conditions can either blank out the label or blacken them .

its quick just to cut strips as they come off the tape gun -like 3 stips an inch or more in length

than the label ( that completely cover the label and then some ) . I keep thinking my label only uses about a half of a sheet of paper

but when 500 sheets of paper is like 3.50 to 4 bucks - and with LD Extra capacity toner cartriges for my printer ( around 30 bucks from amazon )-

its like dirt cheap -have though about getting one of those small printers -but stuff that need special paper or rolls -

your at the mercy of what ever they want to charge .  
 

 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Puzzleguy said:

Hi Kevin -

You know im new at this - but i found its way cheaper just to print

a label on my printer with plain paper - cut it out and tape it on 

self adhering labels sometimes come off -thermal printers have their problems as well

heat and other weather conditions can either blank out the label or blacken them .

its quick just to cut strips as they come off the tape gun -like 3 stips an inch or more in length

than the label ( that completely cover the label and then some ) . I keep thinking my label only uses about a half of a sheet of paper

but when 500 sheets of paper is like 3.50 to 4 bucks - and with LD Extra capacity toner cartriges for my printer ( around 30 bucks from amazon )-

its like dirt cheap -have though about getting one of those small printers -but stuff that need special paper or rolls -

your at the mercy of what ever they want to charge .  
 

 

It is cheaper when you have a small amount of orders to ship.. did this method for years.. However when you start getting busy and packing 20 - 60 orders every single day.. cutting labels out of full sheet plain paper turns into a second job.. time is money when you are busy and you have to weigh out the options... For instance.. just this week I've started pushing some orders out into the new year.. I'm swamped with work.. turning away a lot of work and other work pushing out until next year.. I know these special rolls of self stick labels a person is somewhat at the whim of a special paper.. I also know there are aftermarket papers out there.. 440 labels for $12 that I can just peel and stick is a awesome price when doing the amount of shipping I do.. I've not had any issues with the label printer or the labels I use.. Since my purchase of this printer 2 years ago I've printed just shy of 1000 labels now.. no issues...

Also please note.. do not cover the full label with tape.. The postal electronic readers that they use to scan the package at each destination has trouble reading the bar codes with the tape on them.. I ran into trouble with this years ago.. The printing instructions on some websites state this in their printing and applying instructions.. Also note that the postal service has the right to decline a insurance claim IF the package isn't packed to their standards.. Tape covered labels is considered improper packaging..   

[BadBob]

I can confirm that USPS 1st Class does include tracking when purchased from Etsy.

I let my customers choose the shipping method they want as long as it is USPS. Only once has a customer asked for priority mail.

I use priority mail when I get an order that is too heavy to ship first class. If you use the priority mailboxes, USPS provides.

I installed and maintained for several years a system that used thermal labels from Zebra. We had everything from small desktop printers to large industrial size. One thing I learned while researching thermal printers is, the reason they use the thermal printer for shipping labels is that the address and bar code doesn't rub off. Toner can rub off. Many inkjet printers don't use water-resistant inks. I discovered by accident that some thermally printed labels could be erased by spraying them with alcohol. All of them have their issues.

Edited November 12, 2020 by BadBob
Corrections.

[Puzzleguy]

Thank you kevin !

[kmmcrafts]

Priority mail through etsy gets you $100 in value free shipping insurance... Other places like Paypal and some of the others is only $50 value.. if you need more value you'll have to add to it and pay.. I don't usually buy insurance on the smaller cheaper items.. My clocks are valued at less than that $100 so it works well for me on them.. But there have been times where a customer orders large quantities.. Ie i sell some bulk wholesale orders where the package is full of ornaments valued at over $1000.. many times this time of year.. I certainly insure those, LOL..    

And yes First class through etsy comes with tracking.. as does on PayPal and I think most online sites.. 

[BadBob]

I don't buy insurance. I did a little math, read the fine print, and decided that it wasn't worth the cost.

If USPS says it was delivered, you will not get paid for lost packages.
The thing that got me was the requirement of two inches of padding almost triples the shipping cost. Larger boxes and more packing material push the weight well over 16 ounces, so I can't ship first class anymore. It probably means a few fewer sales too. Now the boxes don't fit in my mailbox, and I either need to arrange for pickup or take them to the post office myself. USPS will pick them up, but I have to add more shipping time because I have to arrange for pickup the day before. A lot of orders come in after midnight. I ship with Etsy shipping, and the insurance is a third-party provider. That means there will be three people in a fight over a claim. USPS, me, and the insurance company.

I plan to pack everything well and issue a refund or reship if there is a problem. So far, I haven't had to do either. I figure I have saved somewhere close to $600.00 so far.

 

[kmmcrafts]

I don't pay for insurance either... UNLESS it's ne of my accounts that I sell wholesale to.. These boxes typically have a value of $500 I do insure packages valued over $100 or sometimes $150 or more.. remember priority mail is already insured to $100 value.. I've only had 3-4 instances where a item was damaged in my nearly 8-10 years of selling crafts and my 25 years of selling car & tractor parts..

I've only ever had a missing package once.. and that was early this summer.. part of that was the customers fault for not putting the correct address on the package.. I sent it out by the time she caught it.. we tried to intercept the package.. I could never get through to the local post office on the phone but the customer did.. they charged her and placed a different label on the package which I don't think was right.. especially since the address was right.. just no apartment number.. The package never got delivered and the tracking number changed with the new label they charged her for, LOL.. I filed a claim and got paid for another one so I sent her a replacement..

I have always packaged large with plenty of padding.. probably overkill actually... however air pockets don't weigh much.. I use those when I can.. and then fill with the biodegradable packing peanuts.. I buy those bulk.. 4 bags of the 14 cubic foot bags.. typically last me a couple years as I try to use air pockets..  I don't buy air pockets.. I typically have all my family and friends save me packing fill.. very rarely use a used box but do if there is no brands or markings on them.. otherwise I send them to the recycle centers.. 

For air pockets.. in a pinch you can use cheap sandwich type sealing bags.. years ago I would use newspaper which isn't very professional but worked for be years ago.. then I just bought paper wrap you get in a large roll wad it up and it takes up some space but it also does add a lot of weight if you use much of it.. LOL I've heard of people using water bottles etc.. Not my style but I suppose it'd work.. Not sure I'd want to be on the receiving end of a bunch of plastic bottles especially used ones that had been drank out of etc.  Not too professional in my opinion.. 

[BadBob]

I love the air pillows. They weigh almost nothing. I save as many as I can, and my wife brings some home from work. I have not had to buy any yet, but they are cheap. About $0.04 each. $1.00 saved in shipping costs pays for 25 air pillows. 

[kmmcrafts]

I hadn't looked into buying them already made like that.. at once time ( couple years ago ) I looked into them and found none for sale premade like that.. But I found the machines and the rolls of material to make them... which wasn't worth it to me no more than I use.. If I remember correctly the machine and roll of pillows was around $700.. I should have bought it and made them to sell ready made, I could have been a good seller being one of the first to sell made like that.. LOL.. This may have been longer than a couple years ago now that I think about it.. anyway.. glad you shared the link.. At some point I may buy some.

[Puzzleguy]

Kevin , my wife asked the post office about labels printed on your printer that we put tape over

the top-  They told her that was a problem years ago but the scanners that they use now have no problem with that

in fact they told her most people do it that way . But i agree with you  .We will more than likely do the dedicated thermal label printer

to save on time and money -( like you do ) when the sales increase and need time savers . I could see how older technology

or older scanners might be used in a smaller post office in the middle of no-where -our country is backwards in

many places - 

 

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