4 Must Have Shipping Tools for Any Ecommerce Business
If you’re selling online, you’re going to need to send the items you sold to your customer. Here are 4 items you’ll want to have that will make shipping easier and help you save money.
- Shipping scale – One of the must-have items for any shipper is a scale because it ensures you’re not overpaying on outgoing shipments. The cost for a scale varies from about $20 to $250 each. Before purchasing, determine if you primarily send heavier items or smaller items. If you’re primarily sending smaller items, you’ll want a scale that reads in pounds and ounces. If you primarily send heavier items, most people can get by with a shipping scale that accommodates up to 35 pounds.Pro-Shipper Tip: When you weigh an item, always round up. If the scale says 10.1 ounce, than your package must be shipped at the 11 ounce rate.
- Tape Measure – Once you start shipping a lot, it’s likely that you will know your commonly used size package dimensions by heart. Until that time, you will want to keep a tape measure nearby. If you don’t have a tape measure, you can also check the bottom of the box since many boxes have the size on the bottom.Pro-Shipper Tip: When you measure an item, always round up to the nearest inch. Fractions or decimals are not allowed.
- Printer – You need a way to print shipping labels, and you have a choice between a standard printer and a thermal printer.A standard printer uses ink or laser technology to print. You probably already have a standard printer.
A thermal printer is dedicated to printing shipping labels. It uses heat to print (not ink), and usually does this in one of two formats: EPL or ZPL. These are languages that tell the thermal printer how to print the label. The benefits of thermal printers are that you never need to purchase ink or toner, and they print labels much faster.
Either a standard or thermal printer will work for printing shipping labels. Most customers start with a standard printer and eventually graduate to a thermal printer as they become more serious. When you do decide to look for a thermal printer, we recommend http://supplies.shipworks.comfor thermal printers at over 20% off the retail price.
- Tape, Bubble Mailer and More – Shipping supplies can be expensive, but they don’t have to be. As mentioned already, you can get free supplies from USPS, FedEx and UPS. You can also purchase supplies at a discounted price from many online sites includinghttp://supplies.shipworks.com.