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Suggestions for label printer

Wanting to invest in a printer for eBay package labels. Which ones do you use for your eBay business? If you use an outside shipping service ie. Shipstation, do you still get your payouts quick? Is there an advantage to using an outside service compared to the eBay USPS rates? If so, which do you recommend? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

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Re: Suggestions for label printer


@adriennes_collectibles wrote:

Wanting to invest in a printer for eBay package labels. Which ones do you use for your eBay business? If you use an outside shipping service ie. Shipstation, do you still get your payouts quick? Is there an advantage to using an outside service compared to the eBay USPS rates? If so, which do you recommend? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


ebay rates to other 3rd party rates are equivalent, meaning they are all about the same, the contracts made with USPS to shipping label services are all pretty much same and so are the rates. Can save here and there using particular ones on specific services depending on size/weight but they are all pretty similar in the cost. A lot of people use Pirate Ship for things like First Class where you can save a little bit extra. I just use ebay as the cost is auto deducted from my payouts and don't have to fork that out pre-pay. If you were using platform like say Mercari it would pay ten fold to use another label service but unless your shipping big bulky expensive to ship packages just use ebay.... sure you'll get 100 different answers here so ultimately it's up to you.  

The great truth is there isn't one
And it only gets worse since that conclusion...
...There is something about the rigid posture of a proper, authentic blind
As if extended arms reached to pass his blindness onto others.

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

We use  a Zebra LP2844........thermal printer.......bought 2nd hand on Ebay a couple of years ago......love it........no problems.   Haven't had any shipping problems so can't speak to payouts....... 

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

I have 2 HP printers that I use for eBay. One is for my shipping labels the other is for my audiobook labels. I'm enrolled in HP Instaink program that sends me the ink I need so I never run out. 

Using a shipping service other than ebay has nothing to do with your payouts.

 

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Re: Suggestions for label printer


@adriennes_collectibles wrote:

Wanting to invest in a printer for eBay package labels. Which ones do you use for your eBay business? If you use an outside shipping service ie. Shipstation, do you still get your payouts quick? Is there an advantage to using an outside service compared to the eBay USPS rates? If so, which do you recommend? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!


ebay rates to other 3rd party rates are equivalent, meaning they are all about the same, the contracts made with USPS to shipping label services are all pretty much same and so are the rates. Can save here and there using particular ones on specific services depending on size/weight but they are all pretty similar in the cost. A lot of people use Pirate Ship for things like First Class where you can save a little bit extra. I just use ebay as the cost is auto deducted from my payouts and don't have to fork that out pre-pay. If you were using platform like say Mercari it would pay ten fold to use another label service but unless your shipping big bulky expensive to ship packages just use ebay.... sure you'll get 100 different answers here so ultimately it's up to you.  

The great truth is there isn't one
And it only gets worse since that conclusion...
...There is something about the rigid posture of a proper, authentic blind
As if extended arms reached to pass his blindness onto others.
Message 4 of 9
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Re: Suggestions for label printer

When it comes to a thermo printer, there are lots of them out there. I use a Rollo. It's a little more expensive, but the software and support are the reason I chose it. Some printers require proprietary labels some don't.  Know what you are getting into, don't just take suggestions. 

 

Most sellers who do much volume or use a variety of shippers, use other providers.  I happen to use eBay and Pirate ship. Just depends on what I am shipping and the service I am using. eBay does not offer cubic shipping. Their international rates are much higher (eBay). I ship all UPS through Pirate because I don't have to worry about upcharges later. 

 

The questions you asked are pretty general and not very specific. It's hard to give a good answer without knowing enough about your business. 

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

PirateShip is free and has great discounts and offers services not available on ebay to save even more for USPS and UPS.   PS also imports directly from ebay and updates tracking, and supports both the small and larger labels for most all thermal printers.

 

For USPS only the small low cost fast high resolution Dymo 450 is great, if you ship UPS too, the look at the larger Dymo 4XL that can even be used for the packing slips.

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

   I use a Dymo LabelWriter 4XL for adhesive labels (no need to tape a paper label down on envelopes and boxes). For packing slips and printing of Seller Hub sale records, I use an Epson 3760 Ecotank, and have had to refill the ink only once in over a year... I was very happy to junk my HP printers because of the incredibly high cost of constant ink cartridge changes.

   I use Stamps.com for shipping because of eBay's labeling/shipping unreliability, clunkiness, confusion, downtime, usage and service restrictions, and fetish with tinkering with things (change just for the sake of change). For over 15 years, I've been very happy with Stamps.com, its simplicity, reliability, customer service, and ease-of-use with comprehensive automatic post-back to eBay with just one click for everything including feedback to my customers.

   Any non-eBay labeling/shipping service has nothing to do with the timing of eBay payouts, that I am unaware of. 

   I hope this is helpful...

Cheers, Duffy

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

I've owned a Brother INKvestment MFC-J1215W (Walmart exclusive; functionally identical to the J1205W) for 3 years, and have used it for printing eBay shipping labels (as well as the "You got paid!" emails I use for packing lists) that whole time.  I have only had to replace the ink twice in 3 years, at approximately $70 each time for a set of 4 ginormous OEM INKvestment cartridges.  I print my labels on plain 8.5"x11" copy paper, and secure them to my packages with clear packaging tape around the edges and over the address (NEVER over the barcodes).  I also use the built-in flatbed scanner for product images of flat & thin eBay items, such as books, boardgames, and polyhedral dice.  For a low-end tank printer, it has been doing a fantastic job -- but I plan to upgrade soon to a midrange tank printer with a display screen and a larger-capacity paper tray.

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Re: Suggestions for label printer

Hi everyone,

 

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

 

Thank you for understanding.

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