If you ship more than a few orders a day, creating labels one by one quickly becomes the slowest part of fulfilment. Each label means opening the order, copying the address, entering the weight, checking rates, paying and printing. Do that thirty times and you have spent most of an afternoon on data entry.
Printing shipping labels in bulk replaces those thirty small jobs with one batch. This guide covers what to prepare, how a good batch workflow runs, and how to deal with the parcels that need extra attention.
Why bulk label printing saves so much time
Most of the time spent on a single label is not the printing. It is the set-up around it: finding the order, copying the address, re-entering the package details and comparing rates. In a batch, that work happens once for the whole group:
- Addresses come from your orders, so nothing is retyped.
- Rates are requested for every parcel together, instead of one quote at a time.
- Payment happens once, for all labels in the batch.
- Printing happens once, so you can load the label printer and walk away.
There is a quality benefit too. Copying addresses by hand is where typos come from, and typos lead to returned parcels and unhappy customers. Working from the order data removes most of those chances for error.
What to have ready before you start
A batch only runs smoothly if the inputs are ready. Before you start, check these four things.
1. Only include orders that are ready to ship
Include orders that are paid, packed and in stock. Mixing in orders that are still waiting for payment or stock creates labels you might have to cancel.
2. Complete, correct addresses
Missing apartment numbers and mistyped postcodes are the most common reasons a label fails or a parcel comes back. Use address verification where it is available, and fix any flagged address before you buy.
3. Accurate weights and dimensions
Carriers charge by weight and, for larger boxes, by size. If the package details on the label don't match the real parcel, the carrier can charge an adjustment after delivery. Weigh at least one parcel of each type you ship, and reuse those figures.
4. A label printer set up for 4x6 labels
Most carriers' labels are designed for 4x6 inch thermal labels. A dedicated thermal printer is faster and cheaper per label than printing on paper and taping it to the box.
A step-by-step bulk label workflow
The exact screens differ between tools, but an efficient batch follows the same five steps.
- Select the orders. Filter to paid, unshipped orders and select the ones going out today.
- Review addresses and packages. Scan the batch for flagged addresses and confirm the package weight and size for each shipment.
- Get rates for every shipment. Compare the available services per parcel. A small package and a heavy box are rarely cheapest with the same service.
- Buy the labels together. Purchase every label in the batch in one step, and make sure each tracking number is saved against its order.
- Print in one run. Print all successful labels together, then match each label to its parcel as you pack.
Tip: Print labels in the same order as your packing list. Matching labels to boxes is much faster when both are sorted the same way.
What to do when some labels fail
In any large batch, a few orders will not go through first time. Usually the address can't be verified, or the package details don't match any available service. A good bulk workflow does not let one problem block the rest:
- Let the successful labels print.
- Put the failed orders in a separate list.
- Fix each one: correct the address, adjust the package, or pick another service.
- Ship them as a small second batch.
This keeps the whole day's shipping moving while you deal with the exceptions.
Keeping track after the labels print
Once labels are printed, the job moves from creating shipments to managing them. Store every tracking number with its order, so you can answer "where is my parcel?" without searching through emails. Tools that receive carrier tracking updates automatically save you from checking each carrier's website.
How SellTrac handles bulk labels
In SellTrac, orders are invoices, so customer names and shipping addresses are already in place. On the Ship your orders screen you select the paid invoices, choose Get Shipping Labels, compare rates for each shipment, buy the batch and use Print Labels to print all successful labels together. Tracking numbers are saved back to each invoice, and a half-finished batch can be saved as a draft.
Learn more about bulk shipping label printing in SellTrac, or see how shipment management keeps track of everything once your labels are printed.