Label guide: Place your shipping labels correctly on your parcels

The shipping label contains the information the carrier uses to identify, sort, and deliver shipments. That’s why it’s important that the label is placed correctly, easy to read, and can be scanned throughout the entire shipping process.

Carriers set a number of requirements for businesses that send parcels. If the label is placed incorrectly, damaged, or difficult to scan, for example, it can delay delivery and in some cases trigger a surcharge.

In this guide, we’ll go through how you as a business place shipping labels correctly, which mistakes you should avoid, and what to keep in mind when choosing label size and printer.

What does a shipping label contain?

The content and design vary between carriers and shipping products, but a shipping label will typically contain:

• Sender and receiver details
• Barcode and shipment number
• Carrier and shipping product
• Information used for sorting and delivery

That’s why it’s important that the entire label is visible and legible not just the receiver’s address.

See an example of a shipping label here:

How should your shipping label be placed?

Place the shipping label on the largest flat surface of the parcel, so it doesn’t crease and so all information and barcodes can be read and scanned. At the same time, make sure the label is firmly attached and stays legible throughout the entire shipping process.

Shipping labels are often printed on self-adhesive paper with a label printer, but it’s also possible to print them on regular paper.

If you print shipping labels on regular paper, make sure the label is firmly attached and that all information can still be read and scanned. Tape can be used, but avoid placing tape over the barcode.

Avoid these mistakes when placing the shipping label

A shipping label must be placed so that it is visible and can be read and scanned throughout the carrier’s sorting. If the label can’t be scanned, the parcel may require manual handling at the carrier.

So make sure that:

• The label is on the largest flat surface of the parcel
• The label doesn’t crease
• The entire label is visible and legible
• The barcode can be scanned and isn’t covered by tape
• The label is firmly attached during transport

Requirements can vary between carriers, so always check the individual carrier’s requirements for shipping label placement. Here are a couple of examples of placements you should avoid:

If you work with several packing stations or warehouse staff, fixed routines for placing shipping labels can help ensure a consistent packing process.

Carrier requirements

Requirements for things like shipping labels, parcel sizes, and packaging can vary from carrier to carrier. So always check the requirements of the carrier you’re shipping with.

Below you’ll find requirements and guidelines from a selection of carriers:

• Bring’s parcel types and requirements
• UPS’s information and requirements
• dao’s parcel types and requirements
• DHL Freight’s information and requirements
• GLS’s parcel types and requirements
• PostNord’s parcel types and requirements

If you have your own shipping agreement with the carrier, you should also check your contract or terms and conditions.

Some carriers even offer labelless shipments. This means you can send parcels without printing a shipping label at all, using instead a digital code or numeric code that the carrier scans at pickup or drop-off.

Which label paper size should you choose?

The size of your shipping label depends on the carrier and shipping product you’re shipping with.

10x19 cm is the format that fits the labels of most carriers, and the one we recommend printing in at Shipmondo.

You can also choose other print formats:

• A4: You can print shipping labels on a regular printer. If you print in A4 format through Shipmondo, the shipping label takes up half a page.
• ZPL: Can be used if you print on a Zebra label printer.
• Compact label: Shipmondo’s smallest available label format, depending on the carrier and shipping product. In some cases, the format may still be 10 × 19 cm. If you choose compact label, the paper size on the printer must match the dimensions of the label the carrier generates.

Please note: Shipmondo doesn’t sell shipping labels or label printers, but you can see the equipment we recommend.

How do you print shipping labels?

Shipping labels can be printed manually when you create a shipment, or printed automatically as part of your order and shipping flow.

If you have a Shipmondo account, you can add printers to your account and print shipping labels automatically. You can also connect your webshop, accounting system, or ERP system to Shipmondo, so order and shipment data become part of the same workflow.

If you work from several packing stations, you can add multiple printers and choose different print formats depending on your setup.

Print shipping labels and book freight through Shipmondo

With Shipmondo, you can bring your freight booking and label printing together in one place. You can use Shipmondo’s shipping agreements, your own shipping agreements, or combine both.

If you want to streamline the printing process itself, you can also use Automatic Printing of labels to automatically send shipping labels and other documents to the relevant printers.

Ready to bring your shipping and label flow together?