eCommerce shipping is an essential component in any eCommerce business. Whether a newly launched or an existing eCommerce business, the act of shipping helps delivers goods from the manufacturer or supplier to the customer’s doorstep. Along with every parcel and package shipped, a shipping label is attached for the sake of information transfer. Here is a guide to understanding everything about Shipping Label and its role in any eCommerce shipping activity.
What is a Shipping Label?
Shipping labels are a type of identification that helps one to understand the contents of the package. In simple words, shipping labels help to describe and specify what is inside a package. They display key information for a carrier i.e. the individual or an organization involved in the process of transportation of the package from a start destination to the the designated destination.
Why Do You Need A Shipping Label?
Shipping labels are just a tiny piece of the packaging and delivery process. It is vital to have a shipping label as it also voluntarily shares important information with the supply chain, the technology that has been used and the people to have a clear or complete idea of the origins and destinations of the package. Any business constantly needs to keep looking for ways to find time, effort and money, one of the easiest ways to go about with this would be printing shipping labels Saving a few seconds and pennies on every parcel establishes an efficiency in the overall business.
Advantages Of An Informative Label
The following could be considered as the advantages of printing shipping labels.
Giving it a More Professional Edge
Believe it or not, a small piece of paper with a couple of words and a simple barcode can play a major role in increasing the impact of professionalism involved the in the packaging operation. It can make your package look more put together. You can save yourself the time and effort required in hand-writing each address label and invest that same time in the growth of the business. This becomes an essential step to take especially when you have to send out more than 15-20 parcels on a given day. Even if it saves you
Reduce Manual Effort
If you’ve been printing each address out, cutting it and then taping it to your parcel. You need to stop right now. You can find or create a template for this purpose and print it directly on sticker papers. Not only does this method save up the manual effort required to package a parcel but it also ensures a more efficient and time saving option
Ensures a Secure Package
It is a well-known factor that sticky tapes can get very messy. Shipping labels are a more hassle-free alternative. During the process of shipping, there is always a possibility that the label will be ripped off or torn. Using shipping labels minimizes the opportunity of such an occurrence.
Streamlines the Process
The usage of printed shipping labels allows a business to streamline the whole packaging and posting process. If you can print a large amount of neat and professional looking labels and stick it to the parcel, you will be saving yourself hours every week, not to forget the unnecessary stress that comes along with it. Setting up a process for printing shipping labels is an ideal way of claiming back your valuable time.
Components Of A Shipping Label
Before you decide if you love or hate shipping labels, you need to thoroughly understand the components that a shipping label includes. Here is a breakdown of the components included in a shipping label. Shipping labels may have a few differences but these are the basic elements that a shipping label must consist of:
- Sender Name & Address: This is an essential just in case a parcel has to be returned. In cases of non-delivery, the parcel has to be returned back to the origin of a parcel. It is also called the return address
- Recipient Name & Address: To whom and where the parcel has to reach. In other words, The destination of the package.
- Package Weight: Including the item being shipped and the box/packaging.
- Postal Barcode: The recipient’s scan the zip code.
- Service Type: the method of shipping, i.e. Standard, Express, Priority, etc.
- Routing Number: This informs sorting where to route the package.
- Tracking Number: which the help of this, customers can use to track the package online.
This may seem daunting to someone who is just starting off but most of the information will be automatically generated by the carrier
How do you create a shipping label?
Now that you have understood what a shipping label is, the importance of its use and the advantages of it, the questions of “What” and “Why” has been answered. The very next question and an important one is “How”. The Creation of a shipping label is not as tedious as it sounds. Even if you’re sending a few packages per week, using shipping labels can make a huge difference There are two ways to go about with this:
Creating shipping labels through software solutions
A variety of these software that are very easily available online. These software solutions easily consolidate with your e-commerce software platform. The different models that use are:
· Pay-as-you-go- This model is ideal for small to medium volume e-commerce sellers.
· Monthly fee-based model- This model is ideal for high volume e-commerce sellers.
Some of these solutions do more than just provide labels. They offer substantial carrier discounts, access to a dashboard offering a number of reporting tools as well. Some software solutions are- Shippo, ShippingEasy, ShipStation.
Creating Shipping labels through a carrier
Most online carrier services provide the option of creating a shipping label manually. This method is suitable if you are shipping a low volume of packages. For this, you just have to visit the carrier’s website, fill out the shipping label template. After filling out the form carefully, you can download the file and print it out. USPS, FedEx, DHL, Amazon FBA.
Now that you’re well aware of the entire concept of shipping labels. Here are a few things to keep in mind with regard to it before you get started.
Special instructions
If the contents of your package require special instruction, you need to make a note of it on the package itself. This could mean labelling it, “Fragile,” “Flammable,” ”perishable,” etc. Carrier’s often ask this as well. Specifying these requirements ill ensure the secured arrival of your package at your customer’s doorstep.
Label Placement
Another important thing to keep in mind is where the label is placed on the the package. Ideally, the label should be placed on to of the package. Ensure that the label is fully visible and not folded over any of the edges, there is a chance of important information being obscured because of this or it could also makr the label unscannable.
Packing Slips
It is important for good e-commerce to always include packing slips, they are also known as “waybills.” Normally this goes inside a package or sometimes even outside the package but inside a plastic wallet. The more or less serves the purpose of a receipt. It should include information like the company contact information, the date of order and number, the customer’s address, etc.
Shipping label Costs
Just in case you’re still wondering if labels are free. Yes! That’s the best part of it. You don’t have to pay the carrier to print labels, but you will definitely have to pay for the postage.
Now that you have got a detailed overview of where and how can you go ahead in creating a shipping label, consider making one for your eCommerce business.
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