Q: I need help printing shipping labels for UPS.  To use these labels for UPS, I have to trim about 1? off of the receipt side of the form to get the online UPS program to print within the peel off section.

A: If you are using our Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets  LS-U:

Have you tried only printing the label (not the instructions)?

Remove the “check”  in the “Print label instructions” section.

Then, the “label section” prints onto the label perfectly, with no need for cutting.

Effective Jan. 3, 2011

• FedEx Express package and freight rates will increase an average of 5.9% for U.S. and U.S. export services. The rate increase will be partially offset by adjusting the fuel price at which the fuel surcharge begins, reducing the fuel surcharge by 2 percentage points.
• FedEx Express U.S. import rates will change.
• FedEx Express U.S. rates to Puerto Rico will change.
• FedEx International Premium® rates will change.
• Preview 2011 FedEx Express rates.
• There will be changes to FedEx International Priority® and FedEx International Economy® minimum rates.

Read our suggestions for reducing your shipping costs, even when carriers increase rates.

FedEx

Q: We use Zen Cart and found the .php file you offer that formats a packing slip to fit Burris Computer Forms Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets layouts LS-A and LS-A4. Can you send me samples of those forms? Sounds like it might be a good solution for us.

A: Our Zen Cart packing slip template will fit on Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets layouts LS-A, LS-A with perforation and LS-A4 with perforation, using the Zen Cart shopping cart. The printout will allow you to have a return address and shipping address printed on a packing slip with a peel-off label ready for your package. The template was created using Zen Cart version 1.3.5.  You may request free samples.

Beginning January 3, 2011, UPS Ground services will increase a net 4.9% through a combination of a 5.9% increase in rates and a 1% reduction in the UPS Ground services fuel surcharge.
UPS Air and International services will increase a net 4.9% through a combination of a 6.9% increase in rates and a 2% reduction in the UPS Air and International services fuel surcharge.

Read our suggestions for reducing your shipping costs, even when carriers increase rates.

UPS

In general, shippers can minimize shipping costs by asking for a volume discount from their carrier, verifying the shipping address with the carrier before sending the package, and by selecting the least expensive service for the time constraints of the shipment. Investigate a few possibilities with these popular delivery services*:

United States Postal Service (USPS)

• utilize Priority Mail Flat Rate boxes to control cost and minimize transit time
• consider Global Express for cost-effective package shipping to international customers
• receive up to a 10% discount when paying for international shipments online

Federal Express (FedEx)

• ask for a discount based on your memberships (i.e. USAA and Google Sellers) and/or American Express credit card usage
• consider Ground for reliable, lower-cost shipping (see service map)
• use the correct service (Ground vs. Home Delivery) to avoid residential surcharges
• save up to 15% when printing Express labels online
• receive up to a 15% discount when you open a new FedEx account

United Parcel Service (UPS)

• ask for a discount based on your memberships (i.e. Ebay)
• use the correct service (Commercial vs. Residential) to avoid residential surcharges
• consider using UPS Mail Innovations to improve cost and transit time for high volume shipping

*The information listed is for information purposes only and should be independently verified with each source.

Here are some suggestions to minimize the transit time and cost of international shipments:

• Compare rates between carriers
• Utilize USPS flat rate boxes
• Verify that the package contents are not prohibited in the destination country with the carrier
• Complete the appropriate import/export documentation (ask your carrier)
• Use suitable packing material (ask your carrier)

In this economy, you can’t afford to process fewer orders. But, you can process your orders more efficiently. With shipping label sheets, you print your packing slip or invoice on the same sheet as your shipping & return labels. We have over 27 layouts that are compatible with USPS® Click-N-Ship, UPS®, FedEx®, QuickBooks®, PayPal® as well as Amazon.com® and eBay®. No more matching a packing slip with a separate shipping label. Our Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets can be used as shipping labels, packing slips, invoices with built-in shipping labels, media labels, mailing labels and letters, address labels, half-sheet labels, jar labels, or name badge labels with instruction letter. These label sheets are guaranteed to run smoothly through inkjet, desktop, copiers & high speed laser printers. We use premium paper stock and adhesive. Print orders and labels faster, and fill your orders faster and more accurately.

If you sell products, order fulfillment is one of the most important functions that your company performs. Done correctly, it can lead to repeat business because your customers know that they can rely on you. The more efficient your company becomes at order fulfillment, the more orders you can handle. Below are the components of a successful order fulfillment department:

1.  Well-Trained Staff – Train your employees properly on equipment and systems to handle the inflow of orders. Make sure your manager is an experienced communicator who can direct and delegate. Attention to detail is a must at this level.

2. Sufficient Product Supply – Maintain an adequate supply of inventory that is organized, available, and ready-to-ship. Group like items together, clearly labeled with item numbers. Analyze customers? buying trends to ensure stock on the most popular items.

3. High Quality Shipping Supplies – Equip your warehouse with high quality, compatible supplies such as boxes, packing material, tape and labels. Make sure your boxes are “crush resistant” so that they will survive in transit. Use a laser printer for printing of shipping labels, as inkjet can cause problems with your carrier’s scanning equipment.

4. Flexible Carrier Pickup – Choose a carrier that will work with your operating hours. Arranging an automated pickup can be convenient and cost-effective. Arrange with carrier to have driver pick-up occur at same time each day. Obviously, the later in the day, the more orders you can get out the door.

5. Systematic Procedures – Define policies and procedures.  Systematize and streamline. Consider such activities as batch picking, where the same item is picked in large quantities for use in multiple orders. An excellent method of streamlining your shipping process is to have the shipping label and packing list on the same page. This cuts down on errors and saves time.

6. Smart Technology – Utilize whatever technology is available to you, including electronic packing lists,  automated label/packing list printing and automated order entry. Combining your ecommerce web site and your accounting systems with your order fulfillment streamlines your use of manpower.

Once all of these elements are in place, challenges such as matching packing slip with actual item to be shipped and the shipping label, as well as picking the correct items becomes routine. Efficient order fulfillment systems enable your shipping department to fill orders faster with less error. This will result in lower costs and improved customer service which, in turn, will allow your company to increase sales and improve your bottom line.

Q: Does your LS-3.5B2 work with Zen Cart?

A: You can alter the packing slip or invoice layout in Zen Cart to accommodate the Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets LS-3.5B2 label sheet. However, our LS-A, LS-A with perforation and our LS-A4 with perforation are compatible with Zen Cart, without modifications. We also have a Zen Cart template available for those layouts.

Peel Out!® Shipping Label Sheets are available in over 30 layouts. Each layout consists of at least two sections: one or more labels and a separate plain paper section. Companies can process orders faster by printing shipping labels on the same sheet as the packing list (or invoice). Free templates, free samples, and custom quotes are available.

Why should online sellers print their own shipping label sheets?