Ebay shipping labels... Can somebody please help me?

[bonecrusher86]

Hi there!

Where do I get Canada Post Ebay shipping labels? Will blanks I can buy from Walmart or Staples work? If so, what size? Or do I have to go directly to Canada Post to purchase their blanks? Or... do I have to order them from Ebay?

Gads! This is basic info yet despite numerous searches in Ebay help pages, I see none of this most basic information provided. Can somebody please hold my hand and school a clueless dolt like me? I've been an Ebay member/buyer/seller for almost fifteen years, and I've never done this!

Thanks.

[recped · Accepted solution]

You can just print on plain paper and tape the labels on.

[bonecrusher86]

That easy, huh? Do sellers typically go that route, or the sticky labels?

[decal-fx]

Canadians can get free labelopes (clear plastic sleeves for attaching shipping labels) for shipping through Canada Post. All you have to do is sign up for their Venture One program which is free! They will even cover the S&H.

[mr.elmwood]

I love the labelopes. Free and easy. PO still says not to tape the labels on. I know, I know, I know.

[pjcdn2005]

I would guess that most use plain paper.

[mdf_jersey]

CP says not to tape on labels only because many people have place tape over the bar code which will not allow for scanners. Other than that CP doesn't care.

[recped]

For as long as I have printed my own postage (10 years?) every single label has been taped to the package. The clear tape covering the entire label.

More than 99% of my labels are scanned, most of them with many intermediary scans so clearly there is no technical issue with tape over the labels. Besides, what's the difference between covering the label with packing tape or putting it inside a poly envelope?

No tape on the bar code is a holdover from the very early days of bar codes when the readers had issue properly reading the scans through tape. Those days are now in the distant past.

Labellopes are ok but in the time it takes to insert the label into the lope, peel the back and stick it on I can easily apply tape.

[dinomitesales]

I agree with recped. I always tape over the barcode and have had zero issues *not* having it scanned. Just dropped off a package today and the machine beeped as soon as the lady put the scanner over the code, so obviously the machinery doesn't have any issue reading it.

[007steveb16]

I use plain printer paper and have always taped over the entire label with or without bar codes. Never had an issue.

[decal-fx]

---

@recped wrote:

For as long as I have printed my own postage (10 years?) every single label has been taped to the package. The clear tape covering the entire label. 

---

I believe the CP "no tape label policy" stems from the not so bright shipper who may use an opaque packing tape.

[joetriever]

Been using plain paper to print labels and clear packing tape to tape the labels to the packages for years.  Never any issues at the post office to scan through the clear tape even if the label is Expresspost or with tracking. It's a lot less expensive than buying special labels!

[maggiebvintage2010]

I'm a big fan of the labelopes.  As others have advised, get a VentureOne card - order it online from the Canada Post website.  You can immediately order free labelopes, as well as "Fragile" and "Air Mail" stickers.  They will be delivered to you free of any charges.  You insert your printer-generated shipping label, peel off the backing, and stick the labelope on your package/envelope.  This beats using tape any day for me.  It also looks professional, thus cutting down on Customs uncertainty.

I use plain printer paper for labels, and I don't cut the label all the way down, I always leave the complete 1/2 page that the label prints on, and hand print "Shipping Label/Invoice/Packing Slip Included" on the top right-hand side. I slip an Invoice behind the shipping label.  This way should Customs anywhere decide they have an interest in your parcel, they can look at that first before deciding if they want to open the parcel - reduces possible damage and delay.  If I think the "To" and "From" addresses could be confused, I hand print the "To" address beneath that. (I have had stuff returned to me because sender/receiver on the label wasn't read correctly by the letter carrier).

Another poster some time ago reported that he was able to use the package numbers from Small Packet Air to support a Canada Post claim of non-receipt.  So on the other half of the printer paper, I note the Light or Small Packet numbers, and staple this to my copy of the invoice.  I always add these numbers to the eBay transaction record,  and always send a message to my buyers, including this number as "The parcel number is: -------".  I think this reduces false claims of non-receipt - the buyer can see the numbers, and thinks you have purchased delivery confirmation.

If you have never used PayPal labels before, you will have to be prepared to add the HS code before you can print your label.  Since you seem to sell vinyl exclusively, you only need the code for phonograph records:  852380 - enter it exactly as shown.