Two kinds of shipping label
People mean two different things by "shipping label", and it helps to know which one you need.
- An address label says who the package is from and where it's going. That's what LabelYeti makes. You pay for postage separately, usually at the post office counter.
- A carrier label comes from a carrier or a shipping platform when you buy postage online. It has the addresses, the postage and a tracking barcode in one, so you print it instead of an address label.
If you're dropping a package at the counter, an address label is all you need. If you've already bought postage online, print the label they gave you.
What goes on a shipping label
Every label needs two addresses:
- Your return address, at the top left. If the package can't be delivered, this is where it comes back to.
- The recipient's address, in the middle and larger, so it's the first thing anyone reads.
In the US, write the recipient's address on three lines:
JORDAN RIVERA
88 HARBOR VIEW DR APT 3
AUSTIN TX 78701
Mail is sorted by machines, so clear block capitals help. Use the two-letter state abbreviation and the ZIP Code. Put the apartment or suite number on the street line.
For international packages, add the country in capitals on its own last line.
You can also add an order number and the weight. They're for you and the person receiving the package. Carriers don't use them.
How to make one with LabelYeti
- Open the shipping label maker.
- Type your return address under From and the recipient's under Ship to. Your return address is remembered in your browser for next time.
- Add an order number if you want a barcode for your own records. Carriers won't scan it.
- Pick a style and paper. Choose 4x6 in for a thermal label printer, or Letter or A4 for a home printer. On Letter and A4, the label prints sideways on the top half of the page.
- Select Download PDF or Print, and print at 100% scale.
Prefer to write it by hand? Download a blank shipping label template instead.
Attaching the label
- Put it on the largest flat side of the box, not over a seam or edge.
- Remove or cover any old labels and barcodes, so the package can't be sent to the wrong place.
- If you print on plain paper, tape all four edges, or slide it into a clear label pouch.
- If you tape over the label, lay the tape flat with no wrinkles, so any barcode stays readable.
Paying for postage
A LabelYeti label addresses your package. It is not postage.
- At the counter: take the package to the post office or carrier store. They weigh it, take payment and add the postage.
- Online: buy postage on the carrier's website or a shipping platform and print the label they give you. That label already has both addresses on it.