How to print out labels quickly and efficiently

Online shopping has rocketed in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a quick, easy and practical solution, where everything is done over the internet, and the goods are delivered wherever we want – to our front door, our workplace or a collection point. The growing popularity of online shopping is increasingly convincing small businesses to sell their products online, and there’s nothing to suggest this is about to change.

In order for a web shop to be efficient, correct labelling of goods is crucial, with barcodes and shipping labels showing clear address details.

Common problems when printing labels

In the start-up phase of an online shop, prices, barcodes and shipping labels are usually output on an inkjet printer, either on A4 sheets or pre-punched label paper.

Label paper does, however, have a tendency to cause paper jams in the printer, leading to waste and hassle – for example if the printout is of larger format than the pre-punched label and a new one has to be printed after adjustment.

Equally, using a whole sheet without pre-punched labels can also consume extra time and labour, as you have to manually cut out a label of the right size every time.

How to print out labels quickly

A label printer can eliminate these challenges and save you time and money, as you never need to print the same label more than once to get it right.

Labels often have to show a wide range of different information, so a label printer that can efficiently keep everything together with excellent, high-quality results is the ideal solution.

A TD-4420TN or TN-4520TN label printer is perfect for a busy web shop. It offers fast, direct thermal printing and thermal transfer printing at resolutions up to 300 dpi – so your labelling needs will always be met using either one or both technologies.

Direct thermal printing is an efficient process, printing large volumes of labels with a heat-sensitive top layer and a thermal print head, rendering traditional ink and ink ribbons superfluous. This is ideal when printing labels for short-term use, such as shipping labels with barcodes and product marking on the top layer. And best of all, this is a very economical technology, producing large quantities of quality labels at low cost.

If instead you need robust, durable labels for long-lasting shelf and general labels, for instance, thermal transfer printing is the best solution. It produces durable printouts using a process in which the print from a special ink ribbon is absorbed into the label. It provides good protection against external conditions, which means a label that displays clear text for a long time.

A busy web shop will benefit greatly from a fast, problem-free workflow, especially when it comes to printing shipping labels. In addition, accessories are available for the label printer which can optimise your daily label printing. An automatic blade can be fitted, so that when you print labels on continuous reels, they are cut to the right length straight after printing – even when printing a lot in one go. If you combine it with a label peeler unit, also available as an accessory, it streamlines your workflow by removing the label backing for quick and easy application.

The label printer comes with software that supports barcode printing and font programming to highlight specific words, while also enabling the import of graphics and date formats. The result is a solution perfectly tailored to the user.

Clarifying your labelling requirements and specifying which functions your business needs, make it easier to find the best label solution for you, saving you both time and money.