| In designing a shipping label, one must first select a | | | | to repeat such an obvious fact but basic details which |
| proper label size on which to design the label. A | | | | others assume to be worthless are greatly |
| common shipping label size, and a good choice is 4" X | | | | appreciated by the novice. |
| 3-1/3". They're commonly found on 8-1/2" X 11" sheets, | | | | Whether you're using Microsoft Word, or OpenOffice |
| and come with 6 labels on a page. These labels allow | | | | to print your labels, you'll still want to use some kind of |
| enough room on the label to print a logo and a | | | | graphics manipulation program to produce your logo, |
| company name and address on the top third of the | | | | and some kind of border. The border will be something |
| label leaving the remaining two thirds of the label to | | | | that will separate the addressee address from the |
| print the address of the addressee. Beware that | | | | sender address. This is usually a simple line between |
| putting this kind of shipping label on a regular number 10 | | | | the addresses, but can also be a complete border |
| envelope can cause problems. Many times, the post | | | | around the sender address on the top to make the |
| office will run these envelopes through automated | | | | address stand out a bit. |
| address readers, and will sometimes use the sender's | | | | Free programs like Inkscape and Gimp are free and |
| address from the upper third of the label as the | | | | available on the internet. Using Gimp and Inkscape |
| addressee. So don't be too surprised if you happen to | | | | together can produce some really professional looking |
| put one of these labels on a #10 envelope, and send it | | | | results. |
| out, that a short time afterward, you'll get this same | | | | The 4" X 3-1/3" size labels are great to use on padded |
| piece of mail back from your local mail carrier. | | | | envelopes, as well as small boxes. For larger boxes, |
| The sender's address always goes on top, and the | | | | you're probably not shipping using the Post Office and |
| addressee goes on the bottom. That's a fact that is | | | | you're probably using Fedex Ground or UPS ground |
| pretty obvious to everyone except those who have | | | | and most likely, you're using their shipping labels. |
| never produced a shipping label before. It sounds dumb | | | | |