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What Is a Shipping Barcode and Why Does Your Package Need One?
Since their invention in the 1950s and wide introduction in the 1970s, barcodes have become ubiquitous; they can be found on all kinds of goods, various documents, identification wristbands, airline luggage, tickets, some types of mail, etc. Barcodes found on mailpieces are typically referred to as shipping barcodes. Why do packages need a shipping barcode and where can you get one for your package?
How to Protect Your Package from Damage During Transit
Even though postal and courier companies do their best to handle all shipments with care, packages can get damaged during transit for a variety of reasons, ranging from poor packaging to adverse weather conditions and traffic accidents. If you prefer to print shipping labels yourself and mail packages from home, you probably want to know how to protect your package from damage during transit.
8 Reasons to Choose Ground Shipping
Air shipping is faster than ground shipping for obvious reasons. However, “faster” does not necessarily mean “better”. When your shipment is not too time-sensitive, it might make more sense to have it delivered by ground rather than by air. Here are 8 reasons to choose ground shipping.
Shipping Restrictions: What Is the Difference Between Prohibited and Restricted Items?
When you mail something from a Post Office, a USPS employee will warn you if your package contains any items that cannot be mailed. However, when you print shipping labels online and mail packages on your own, there is no one to warn you about shipping restrictions; you should research them beforehand if you don’t want your package to get confiscated. One of the things you should research is the difference between prohibited and restricted items.
How to Ship a Package from Home Without a Printer
These days, a lot of people ship packages from home because it saves them time, money, and trouble. However, in order to send a parcel from home, you need to purchase a shipping label online, print it, and affix the label to your parcel. But what if you don’t have a printer? Are there any ways to ship a package from home without a printer?
How to Ship Books Cheaply
There are plenty of ways to save on shipping, from packing properly (the more compact the package, the cheaper it is to ship) to printing shipping labels yourself in order to get a shipping discount, and some of these ways are item-specific. For example, books can be mailed more cheaply than most other items – of course, if you know some tricks. How to ship books cheaply?
Who Do Packages Get Lost in Transit?
According to estimates, up to 2% of packages are lost in transit in the United States. While it is not a huge number in the grand scheme of things, there is a non-zero chance that your package might get lost one day. Why do packages get lost in transit and is there anything you can do to prevent this?
Why Do Packages Get Damaged in Transit?
Postal and courier companies do their best to deliver packages intact, because that’s what clients pay them for, but no one is perfect, and sometimes packages end up being damaged. Why do packages get damaged in transit and is there anything you can do to prevent it?
How to Make Sure Your Shipping Labels Aren’t Flagged as Invalid
Printing shipping labels online has quite a few benefits: it is easy, convenient, and helps to save both time and money (due to shipping discounts offered by label printing services). However, when you print your shipping labels yourself, it is no one else’s responsibility but your own to ensure that they are correct and scannable. How to make sure your shipping labels aren’t flagged as invalid by the carrier?
Why Can a Shipping Label Be Invalid?
Every mailpiece needs a valid shipping label to be delivered, otherwise it may get returned to sender, confiscated by the carrier, or simply lost. But what exactly does “valid” mean in this context? How can a shipping label be invalid? Let’s figure this out together.
How to Ship via EMS from the United States
International mail delivery can take quite a lot of time, but there are certain ways to speed things up if your shipment is time-sensitive. Most national postal operators offer Express Mail Service (EMS) that provides expedited delivery, and the United States Postal Service is not an exception. How to ship via EMS from the United States?
What Happens to Unclaimed Packages
Sometimes packages can’t be delivered as addressed for one (very legitimate) reason or another. In such cases, packages are supposed to be delivered back to the sender, but sometimes it is impossible. What happens to unclaimed packages that cannot be returned to sender?
Why Do Recipients Sometimes Refuse to Accept Parcels?
While postal and courier companies do their best to deliver all parcels in a timely manner, some parcels get returned to senders for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons is “refused delivery”. But why do recipients sometimes refuse to accept parcels?
Why Do Packages Get Returned to Sender?
While postal and courier companies these days are pretty reliable and deliver more than 90% of all shipments on time, a small percentage of packages may be returned to senders as undeliverable. Why exactly can packages get returned to sender and are there any ways to prevent this? Let’s figure it out together.
Can the Recipient Pay for Shipping?
In most situations, it is the sender of a parcel who is responsible for paying the shipping costs. Can you ship something and have the recipient pay for it? There are several ways to have the addressee pay the shipping expenses, but all of them are “indirect”, so to say.
Do You Need Self-Adhesive Paper to Print Shipping Labels?
Printing shipping labels at home has a number of time- and cost-saving benefits, but some people don’t take advantage of this opportunity, assuming they require specialized equipment and materials like a thermal printer and self-adhesive labels. Is that really so? Do you need self-adhesive paper to print shipping labels or can you make do with regular office paper?
Can You Change the Shipping Address on a UPS Shipping Label?
As the old saying goes, to err is human; sometimes we make mistakes even when we’re absolutely sure we have double-checked everything. Some mistakes are easy to fix, others not so much. Say, you’ve made a typo or a mistake on a UPS shipping label. Is it possible to edit the label and change the shipping address? If no, are there any other ways to fix the mistake?
Can You Change the Shipping Address on a USPS Shipping Label?
Getting the recipient’s address right is the key to having your package delivered to its destination without a hitch. Unfortunately, mistakes sometimes happen even when you’re sure that you’ve double-checked everything. Can you change the shipping address on a USPS shipping label if you messed up?
What Is the Difference Between Domestic and International Shipping Labels?
Each package, regardless of whether it is domestic or international, requires a shipping label to get to its to destination. A shipping label provides information about the sender and the recipient, as well as serves as proof of postage, the package’s identification, and sometimes other purposes. Is there any difference between domestic and international shipping labels or are they identical?
What Is an Air Waybill Number and Where to Find It
When completing a commercial invoice for an international shipment, you are required to specify the Air Waybill Number of your package, among other information. What exactly is an Air Waybill Number and where can you find it?