How to Make a Shipping Label for Your Business

Having none or substandard shipping labels for your deliveries can be harmful to your business to your business in both reputation and cost.

How? When your clients don’t receive deliveries on time, it might cost you a little more to get the package to them, and overall they might not appreciate the slowness.

But with a shipping label, it’s easy for deliverymen and women from USPS and other providers to get to your customers with specific addresses, names, product descriptions, and more.

So, how do you make a good shipping label for your business?

We’ve outlined all the steps for you to ensure you transform your business with efficient deliveries!

1.How to Make a Shipping Label

But before we dive into the ‘how’ let’s take a look at what shipping labels are, and why they are essential for your business.

2.What is a Shipping Label?

A shipping label is basically an ID or passport for your package.

These labels, often designed as stickers, serve as a guide to help your carrier deliver the package to the accurate doorstep.

Shipping labels usually include details like:

• Address label, e.g. receiver and return address
• Chosen shipping service e.g. standard, economy, express shipping
• Item name & description

3.How to Make a Shipping Label

Now that we've unpacked shipping labels and the importance of a well-crafted shipping label, let's unpack more on creating a clear and efficient label.

How to Make a USPS Shipping Label

The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a popular and cost-effective option for many online-based and small businesses. Here's a breakdown of creating a USPS shipping label through their user-friendly USPS Click and Ship service:

Navigate to Click-N-Ship:

Head to https://cns.usps.com/ and sign up for a free USPS account. This allows you to save addresses, track packages, and even get access to discounts.

Enter Your Information:

Fill out your complete address details under "Return Sender." Then, enter your customer's accurate shipping address in the "Mail Recipient" section.

Package Details:

Select Mailing Service: Choose the USPS service level that best suits your needs or your customer’s needs.

Popular options include:

• Priority Mail (2-3 day delivery)
• Priority Mail Flat Rate (fixed price based on size)
• First-Class Mail (typically 2-5 days).

Enter Package Weight and Dimensions: Carefully weigh and measure your packaged product. USPS has size and weight restrictions depending on the service you choose.

Postage and Additional Services (Optional):

Click-N-Ship displays the estimated postage cost based on your selections. You can also choose to add optional services like Delivery Confirmation (tracking) or Signature Confirmation for added security.

Pay for Postage:

USPS accepts major credit cards for online postage purchases.

Print Your Label:

Upon successful payment, you'll be able to download and print your USPS shipping label.

For good adhesion throughout the shipping journey, use a standard printer with high-quality adhesive paper. This ensures the label stays securely attached to your package, even under handling.

Pro Tip: Utilize USPS Click-N-Ship's "Ship Again" feature to save time on recurring shipments with the same information. This allows you to quickly create US post office shipping labels for frequently sent items.

How to Make a Shipping Label for UPS

UPS is a popular choice for e-commerce businesses due to its reliable service and range of shipping options.
Here's how to create a UPS shipping label specifically through their platform:

Head to the UPS Website:

Head on to the UPS website, navigate to https://www.ups.com/ship?loc=en_US, and select "Create a Shipment" under the "Shipping" tab.

Sign Up or Login:

You can create a UPS account for free if you don’t have one. The sign-up process will also allow you to save addresses, track packages, and access discounts.
If you don’t want to create a UPS user account, you can proceed as a Guest.

Enter Shipper and Recipient Information:

Fill out your "Ship From" details (return address) and enter your customer's complete and accurate shipping address in the "Ship To" section.

Package Details:

Select Package Type: Choose the type of packaging you're using (e.g., Box, Letter).
Enter Package Dimensions: Carefully measure and enter the length, width, and height of your packaged product.
Weigh Your Package: Accurately weigh your packaged product and input the weight on the platform.
Declared Value (Optional): If your shipment requires additional coverage, you can declare a value for insurance purposes.

Select Your Service:

UPS offers various shipping options with different transit times and prices. Consider factors like delivery speed and budget when making your selection. Popular choices include UPS Ground, UPS 2nd Day Air, and UPS Next Day Air.

Review and Pay:

The platform will display a summary of your shipment details, including estimated costs. Be keen to review everything carefully before proceeding to payment. UPS accepts major credit cards for online payments.

Print Your Label:

Once your payment is processed, you'll be able to download and print your UPS shipping label. Use a standard printer and high-quality adhesive paper to ensure the UPS label print-ups stay securely attached during transit.

4.Do Shipping Labels Expire?

Yes! You've created your shipping label, all set to send your product on its way. But wait, is there an expiration date lurking in the corner?

It all depends on the carrier you choose.

USPS Shipping Labels:

The perk with choosing USPS is that their labels technically don't expire. However, there is a recommended validity period of 28 days from the date of purchase.

While some USPS locations might accept labels slightly past this timeframe, it's best practice to use them within the recommended window to avoid any potential issues.

Labels from Other Carriers:

Other carriers like UPS and FedEx typically have stricter label expiration policies.

Their labels usually come with a designated "Ship By" date, which indicates the latest recommended date to tender your package for shipment.

Using a label after this date might result in the carrier refusing the package or requiring you to purchase a new label.

Always Double-Check:

It's a good habit to check the specific policy of your chosen carrier regarding label expiration.

Most carrier websites have clear information on validity periods within their shipping FAQs or terms of service.

By understanding these guidelines, you can ensure your shipping labels remain valid, and that your packages get delivered smoothly and efficiently.

Once you've created your perfect shipping label, you'll need to print it out.

Here's some good news: Betckey's standard 4" x 6" shipping labels are designed for compatibility with a wide range of popular desktop printers, including industry leaders like Brother, Dymo, and Zebra. This means you can use your existing printer without needing any special shipping label printer equipment.