Shipping carriers manage a high volume of packages; UPS handles an estimated 27 million packages daily, while USPS ships around 4,900 pieces per second.
As a result, these logistics partners don’t have the bandwidth to decipher a confusing or illegible shipping label. If a mail carrier can’t quickly see where a package needs to go, there’s a high likelihood the item will be returned to the sender, lost in the mail, or delivered to the wrong address.
These mistakes are frustrating for the customer and expensive for your business. Fortunately, a shipping label template can reduce the risks of poorly labeled packages.
An address label template is a pre-designed layout or format used to create shipping labels for packages. A label template provides a standardized way to include essential information such as the sender’s name and recipient details, tracking numbers, barcodes, and any other relevant information needed for the shipment.
Shipping label templates can be created and used by businesses of all sizes. These templates and label makers can help streamline the shipping process by reducing the time and effort required to create each label.
In this guide, we’ll break down some important reasons to consider using a shipping label template, some label design best practices, and common mistakes to avoid when using a label maker for your company.
Benefits of Using a Shipping Label Template
In today’s competitive e-commerce environment, efficient and accurate shipping operations are essential for any business. And shipping labels are a small but mighty aspect of getting shipping right.
Some studies have estimated the cost of an incorrect address at $35 to $70 per order.
A shipping label template can help mitigate the risk of incorrect or illegible address labels. This one tool can help streamline your shipping process and improve the overall effectiveness of your warehouse and logistics operation.
Here’s how.
Improved Efficiency
Shipping labels typically include tracking numbers and barcodes that enable easy scanning and tracking of packages throughout the shipping process.
By streamlining the label creation process, the likelihood of missing or incorrect tracking information is minimized. This ensures accurate tracking and improves the visibility of packages, allowing for more efficient supply chain management and customer service.
Likewise, shipping label templates can be integrated with shipping software to enable better communication between stakeholders across the shipping process.
This integration facilitates the generation of labels, updates to tracking information, and coordination between shippers, carriers, and recipients. It reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and enhances overall operational efficiency.
Enhanced Branding and Professionalism
Well-designed shipping label templates add a branded element to your packages. A consistent and visually appealing label creates a positive impression on customers.
It reflects a level of professionalism and attention to detail, which can contribute to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Likewise, the more creative your shipping label, the greater chance your package will be featured in an unboxing video on social media. Unboxing videos have exploded in popularity in recent years and are ranked among the most influential content on social media.
The right branding on your shipping label can help your small e-commerce business earn extra attention and engagement.
Cost Savings
Templates offer a way to reduce labor costs associated with packaging and shipping. Using a template allows your business to save time and money by eliminating the need to type in all the information for each label manually.
This can be especially helpful if you ship a large number of packages each day.
Standardized, clear shipping label templates also reduce the risk of errors when entering information, which can lead to shipping delays, wrong address deliveries, or lost packages. In the long run, you’ll avoid the costs of reshipping items or issuing refunds.
Finally, shipping carriers often offer pricing discounts to businesses that ship a large volume of packages. You can easily track your shipping volume using a template and identify opportunities to negotiate discounts with carriers. This arrangement can help save on shipping costs.
[Read more: How to Cut Shipping Costs and Boost Your Bottom Line]
Compliance and Accuracy
Shipping labels often need to comply with various regulations, such as those imposed by shipping carriers, customs authorities, or specific industries.
Using a template that adheres to these requirements ensures that all mandatory information is included, reducing the risk of non-compliance and potential penalties.
How to Choose the Right Shipping Label Template
Choosing the right shipping label template is essential for optimizing your shipping operations and creating an easy, stress-free shipping experience for your customers.
As you design your shipping label template, keep these best practices in mind.
Compatibility with mail carriers
The shipping label template you choose must be compatible with your shipping software and carrier. Different carriers may have specific guidelines for label size, format, barcode placement, or other specifications.
Make sure the template adheres to these guidelines to avoid issues or delays during the shipping process. Otherwise, you may be unable to print the labels, or they may not be accepted by the carrier.
Fortunately, many carriers offer free shipping label templates for you to use. Here are a few options to explore.
- UPS Shipping Label Template is a free, customizable template compatible with UPS shipping software.
- FedEx Shipping Label Templates are available for high-volume and low-volume shipping needs.
- USPS Shipping Label Template is a free, customizable template compatible with USPS shipping software.
- ShipStation, a third-party software system, offers shipping label printing options that are compatible with many different carriers.
- Stamps.com is another popular shipping software solution that offers a variety of shipping label templates.
Price
Shipping label templates can range in price from free to hundreds of dollars. While free templates are available, some premium templates may offer additional features or customization options.
Evaluate your budget and the template’s value in terms of time savings, efficiency, and professional appearance.
Branding and Design Options
Most shipping label templates offer some degree of customization. This lets you add your business logo, branding, and other information to the labels.
Ideally, you’ll use a shipping label template that looks professionally designed.
Your labels should be easy to read and understand, both by humans and by machines. Pay attention to the print quality of the template. The label should be printable in high resolution, ensuring that barcodes and text are clear and easily scannable.
Test the template by printing a sample label to ensure it meets your quality standards.
And most importantly, make sure the design can fit the specific information that needs to be included on the mailing label.
Consider elements such as sender and recipient details, mailing addresses, tracking numbers, barcodes, logos, and any other relevant information required by your business or shipping carriers.
Business Compatibility
Your shipping label template should be immediately useful and able to scale with your business.
If you use shipping software or systems, ensure the template is compatible. Ideally, your shipping label template will enable automation and reduce manual effort throughout the shipping process.
And as your company grows, the template should be able to accommodate your needs. For instance, if you anticipate an increase in the volume of shipments, choose a template that can handle these variations efficiently.
Key Elements of a Shipping Label Template
A shipping label template includes several key elements that are necessary to make sure the package arrives at its destination on time. Here are some key elements to include in your shipping label template.
Name and Address of Sender
The sender’s details, such as the company name, address, and contact information, allow the carrier to identify the package’s origin and contact the sender if necessary. Some carriers may not accept a package that does not have a return address listed.
If the package is undeliverable, the name and address of the sender will help the package find its way back to you.
Name and Address of Recipient
Naturally, the name and address of the recipient are the most important information to include on the shipping label. Ideally, you should use an address verification tool to make sure the sender’s information is accurately recorded.
An address verification tool lets you confirm that the billing and shipping address provided by the customer is legitimate and matches their credit card information.
This not only reduces the cost of delivering to the wrong address, but it can also lower the risk of fraudulent chargebacks.
[Read more: Why Is Address Verification Crucial For Online Stores?]
Shipping Method
Include the name of the carrier and its logo for easy identification. Likewise, include any special handling instructions, such as “Fragile” or “This Side Up,” to ensure that the package is handled appropriately during transit.
Weight and Dimensions of the Package
Add the length, width, and height of the package in inches or centimeters. You should also include the weight of the package in pounds or kilograms.
If shipping internationally, you may want to include the contents of the package. This can be useful for customs declarations or when shipping certain regulated items.
Tracking Information
Incorporate a prominent area for the tracking number, an essential piece of information for both the sender and recipient to track the package’s progress throughout the shipping process. It can be displayed as a barcode or alphanumeric code.
Barcodes and QR Codes
Barcodes or QR codes that correspond to the tracking number and any other relevant information enable quick and accurate scanning by automated systems, facilitating efficient tracking and processing of packages.
Best Practices for Creating a Shipping Label Template
Ultimately, the best shipping labels are clear, easy to read, and deliver the information needed to ensure the item makes it to the right destination on time.
By following these best practices, e-commerce companies can help mitigate some of the obstacles during the shipping process.
Keep it Simple
Design your shipping label template to be simple, clear, and easy to read. Avoid cluttering the label with unnecessary information or excessive graphics.
Use a clean and legible font, appropriate font size, and ensure sufficient contrast between the text and the background for optimal readability. And remember that both people and machines will read the label throughout the shipping process.
Barcodes or QR codes make it easy for everyone to keep track of your package.
Incorporate Branding Elements
Adding your company logo to the shipping label template will reinforce your brand identity and add a sense of excitement when the customer receives their package in the mail.
However, ensure that any branding design elements you add don’t overshadow or obscure the essential information on the label.
Canva can be a great resource if you’re looking for a branded, customizable label design. A simple Microsoft Word design would also work.
Ensuring Readability
Do a test before printing in bulk to ensure your template is readable. Print your shipping labels in high resolution using high-quality printers and label stock. This ensures clear and crisp text, barcodes, and graphics, which are crucial for legibility and accurate scanning.
And test print a sample label and verify its scannability. Ensure all the information is accurate, properly aligned, and within the designated areas on the label.
Make Sure to Include All Necessary Information
Review carrier guidelines to make sure your template includes all necessary information, such as sender and recipient details, addresses, tracking numbers, and any special handling instructions.
Consider any additional information specific to your business or industry that may be required for compliance or customs purposes.
Likewise, ensure your template’s label dimensions, placement of barcodes, and any specific formatting rules are compatible with their systems and processes.
Test the Labels
Don’t just test the label design; try the stickers to make sure they will stay on during the package’s journey. Printable stickers vary in quality.
You will want to test your label maker with different roll labels or sheet labels: Avery labels are among the most popular.
Implementation and Integration of Shipping Label Templates
Once you have chosen the right shipping label template and designed it to meet your business needs, the next step is implementing and integrating it into your shipping process.
Start by training employees on how to use, incorporate, and integrate the templates into shipping processes, software, and platforms. If your team doesn’t know how to use your custom labels, the labels will become a hindrance rather than a tool for streamlining your operations.
By training employees to use templates, you can ensure that shipping labels are created consistently. Consistency helps to prevent incorrect addresses or missing information.
And it helps improve the appearance of your shipping labels, creating a positive impression every time a customer orders from your store.
Likewise, look for ways to integrate your address labels into your existing shipping software. Integrations allow for seamless data flow, automated label generation, and real-time updates. It also eliminates the need for manual data entry, reducing the risk of human errors and saving time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Integrating a shipping address label template into the logistics process takes time and effort. Without the right training and support, a template can become more of an obstacle than an opportunity.
Ensure your template is helping rather than hurting, and avoid these common mistakes.
Using Incorrect Information
Your mailing label could be designed and printed perfectly but still have the wrong information. An address lookup tool guarantees that your shipping label template is printed with the right sender and recipient details.
Address Validator verifies that a physical address is valid and deliverable. It confirms that every shipping label uses the correct information to reach the final destination.
Using the Wrong Template
As previously mentioned, the shipping label template must be in the correct format for the shipping carrier. UPS shipping labels use a different format than FedEx shipping labels.
Ignoring the differences between these templates can result in label rejection or delays and increase your costs. Familiarize yourself with the carrier’s guidelines, which can change over time.
Failing to Customize
Customize your shipping label template to ensure the customer knows who sent the package. But make sure you customize judiciously.
Avoid overcrowding the label with excessive information, graphics, or logos. Prioritize the necessary information and ensure there is sufficient white space for clarity.
Neglecting Regulatory Requirements
Shipping labels are subject to various regulatory requirements that ensure compliance with safety, security, and documentation standards. The specific requirements can vary depending on the country, mode of transportation, and the type of goods being shipped.
Make sure you research any regulations that could apply to your package before you print the mailing label.
For instance, perishable goods, such as food, pharmaceuticals, or biological samples, must be labeled to provide temperature control requirements, expiration dates, or any other specific handling instructions.
Printing Poor-Quality Labels
Finally, poor print quality may make it difficult for humans and scanners to read barcodes and tracking numbers, potentially causing delays or errors in package handling. Use high-quality printers and ensure that the labels are printed clearly and sharply.
How to Create a Shipping Label Template
While there’s much to consider when creating a shipping label template, most labels can be created using free tools like Microsoft Word or Google Docs. This quick tutorial will give you an overview of the steps in creating a shipping label template.
- Determine the label size. Determine what size and format the shipping carrier requires. Common label sizes include 4×6 inches or 8.5×11 inches. Ensure that the label size is compatible with your printer and the carrier’s guidelines.
- Choose a template builder. Several design tools are available to help you create the shipping template. Try software like Canva, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Word, or Excel. There are also online label design platforms that offer pre-designed templates.
- Customize the template. Add your logo, change the font and font size, and add any other information that you want to include on the label.
- Include the essential information. In addition to design elements, add the information the label must include, such as the sender’s and recipient’s details, addresses, contact information, tracking number, and any other necessary information like barcodes or special handling instructions. You may also want to include the carrier’s logo.
- Preview and test the template. Preview the template to make sure that it looks correct. Test it using the stickers you intend to buy in bulk. Print a test label to make sure that all of the information is printing correctly.
- Save the template. Once satisfied with the design, save the label as a template file in a format compatible with your design tool or software. This allows you to access and reuse the template for future label creation easily.
You may want to revisit your template to ensure it’s compatible with any new office supplies, carrier rules, and shipping regulations as they change. If you ever update your branding, don’t forget to make sure your shipping template reflects your new design.
Bottom Line
A shipping label template can save your business time and money, all while enhancing the customer experience. The consistency, ease of use, and low-cost benefits that a shipping label template offers make it a no-brainer for businesses of all sizes.
Ensure you print the right information no matter what shipping label you use. Address Validator can be a helpful tool for Shopify e-commerce business owners. The fully-customizable app allows customers to verify their shipping information during checkout, preventing undeliverable addresses or shipping to regions your business doesn’t serve.
Learn more about shipping labels, how to optimize your shipping process, and how to make your e-commerce shipping more efficient. And try Address Validator for free to see how it can change your business.
