Key takeaways
- 1Buy postage online through USPS Click-N-Ship, your marketplace (eBay, Etsy) or shipping software; USPS says Click-N-Ship gives every user commercial prices.
- 2A home printer and plain paper work; a 4 × 6 label printer is faster once you ship every day.
- 3No printer: choose USPS Label Broker and the Post Office prints the label free from a QR code; UPS and FedEx apps offer QR codes too.
- 4Tape the label flat on the largest side and never tape over the barcode or the “Postal Use” area.
- 5USPS Package Pickup is free for prepaid parcels, however many you have.
Five steps, start to finish
Printing a label at home takes a few minutes once you have a scale and a tape measure. The steps are the same whichever carrier you use.
- 1. Pack the item, then weigh and measure the finished parcel. Round each side up to a whole inch.
- 2. Buy the label online: in Click-N-Ship (USPS), from the order page on eBay or Etsy, on ups.com or fedex.com, or in shipping software. Enter the weight and size exactly.
- 3. Print it on plain paper or a label sheet, or on a 4 × 6 label printer.
- 4. Attach it flat to the largest side of the parcel and cover it with clear tape, keeping tape off the barcode.
- 5. Schedule a free USPS pickup, or drop the parcel at a Post Office, UPS or FedEx location.
Where to buy the postage
The place you buy the label decides the price and how much typing you do. All of the options below are free to use; you pay only for the postage.
- If you are not sure which carrier is cheapest for a parcel, compare them first; our guide to USPS vs UPS vs FedEx prices five common parcels.
| Where | Carriers | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Click-N-Ship (usps.com) | USPS: Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express | Occasional parcels; commercial prices for everyone |
| eBay Labels | USPS, UPS, FedEx | eBay orders; address and tracking filled in for you |
| Etsy shipping labels | USPS, UPS, FedEx | Etsy orders; $100 USPS insurance included on main services |
| ups.com / fedex.com | UPS / FedEx | Heavy parcels or business addresses |
| Shipping software (e.g. Pirate Ship, ShipStation) | Several carriers | Orders from several stores in one place |
Printers, paper and label sizes
Any home printer works. Print on plain 8.5 × 11 inch paper, cut or fold to the label, and tape it on, or use self-adhesive label sheets so you can peel and stick. Etsy, for example, says labels must be printed on 8.5 × 11 white paper or adhesive sheets unless you use a 4 × 6 printer for USPS labels.
Once you ship most days, a 4 × 6 thermal label printer saves time: one label per sheet, no cutting and no taping over paper. eBay lets you choose 8.5 × 11, 4 × 6 or a 2 × 7 USPS format under Label preferences. Check that your printer setting matches the label size before you print a batch.
No printer? Use a QR code
You do not need a printer to send a parcel. Each carrier can turn your paid label into a QR code that a counter scans and prints.
| Carrier | How it works | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Label Broker | In Click-N-Ship choose “Print later at Post Office”; show the emailed QR code at the counter or a kiosk | Free printing |
| USPS printed labels by mail | USPS mails you physical labels | $1.65 per label |
| UPS | Show the mobile barcode from the UPS app at The UPS Store | Check in store |
| FedEx | Show the QR code from the FedEx app at FedEx Office or a participating location | Check in store |
| eBay Labels | Choose “QR Code” instead of printing and take it to a participating carrier | Included in the label price |
Attaching the label correctly
A badly attached label is a common reason for delays and postage corrections. USPS asks for a few simple things.
- Put the label on the address side, flat, and not folded over an edge.
- Use clear shipping tape on all four sides of a paper label, but do not tape over the barcode or the “Postal Use” area.
- Never photocopy or reuse a label; each one is for a single parcel.
- Remove or cover old labels and barcodes on a reused box.
- Put a packing slip inside the box, not under the label.
Weigh accurately, and get it collected
Online labels are checked. USPS’s Automated Package Verification credits or debits the account you paid from when the weight, size or service on the label does not match the parcel, and missing or wrong dimensions can add a fee. A kitchen or postal scale and a tape measure pay for themselves quickly.
USPS Package Pickup collects prepaid Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage and return parcels from your home or office for free, however many there are, and you can schedule it in advance on usps.com. Pickup on Demand, for a set time, costs a fee per trip.
Free toolDimensional weight calculator
