When creating shipping labels, many factors must be considered. Each step is tailored to improve every aspect of the label and ensure it doesn’t get damaged or rejected along the way.
Key Steps to Choosing the Perfect Shipping Label
1. Understand Brand and Customer Needs
The product’s needs should be considered to judge the type of label used. Fragile products will need differing label materials, while products being delivered across far places will need strong materials to withstand weather elements.
2. Pick the Right Label Material
No label will last the shipping process if the answer material is weak and unsuitable for the shipping conditions. For instance, there is the option of getting paper, synthetic, or thermal labels, depending on the need.
For shipping purposes, synthetic labels are best suited for the harsh conditions of the shipping process. Unlike paper labels, they’re waterproof and fire-resistant.
3. Select the Appropriate Label Size
One key element of shipping labels is their size. The size of any label affects its readability and the amount of information you can fit into it. At the same time, label sizes are important for carrier regulations, so ensure you get them right.
Another tip to note is that oversized labels give off an unprofessional look, and it’ll be difficult to fit every important message into undersized labels.
4. Pick the Best Label Printing Technology
After ensuring the right label material is selected, you have to scan for the best label printing technology. A good example is the thermal label printing technology that’s made a name for its speed, precision, and clean process.
Thermal label printers are also employed for the continuous supply of shipping labels, while inkjet and laser printers are used for smaller scales.
5. Ensure Effective Design of Product Labels
Labels shouldn’t be bland. Once you’ve laid down the important information (barcode, product and customer description, return address, tracking number, etc.), you have to add some elements of the brand to the product labels.
The company logo and other design elements help create a professional outlook on the shipping labels while enhancing the company image. It’s also important to customize shipping labels to help with easy identification.
6. Keep In Line with Shipping Regulations
As good as your labels may look, they’ll be useless if they don’t comply with the shipping regulations. Always review your labels to ensure they follow the specific shipping guidelines, including barcode specifications, font size, and other criteria.
This is a necessary item to tick off your checklist to prevent your labels from getting rejected before reaching the desired customers.
7. Always Test Before Sending the Finished Product Out
Once the labels have been designed, be sure to test them out before sending a large batch into the market. Ensure the shipping labels are compatible with the products and withstand the elements they’ll be subjected to during the shipping process.
Always note any changes and ensure they pass the quality test before they’re declared the finished product.
Wrapping Up
Product labels are crucial for the proper identification and tracking of products during shipping processes. By picking the right materials, implementing the best production practices and running valuable test runs, you can ensure shipping labels are always in perfect condition.