I have been very quiet lately. This is mainly because Christmas are approaching and as it is always the case this time of the year, I am overwhelmed with FBM orders.
As a seller based in Slovakia, I am unable to purchase shipping from Amazon or print adhesive postal labels.
I have to print Amazon’s packaging slips and then manually cut out the upper part containing address with scissors and attach it to an envelope using transparent tape.
Here is what a pile of 500 hand-packaged Amazon small parcels looks like.
And keep in mind that none of them comes with tracking
I have been already advised some time ago by @FunkyMonkey and @AmazonUKForumRefugee to use a special printer for the labels, however I understand that these would be helpful just for the FNSKU barcodes.
In Slovakia, the shipping labels cannot be printed / purchased online unlike in some other countries. The addresses either have to be hand-written or manually typed / copied into a table sheet and printed on adhesive paper to be cut out.
I tried using adhesive paper in the past, however the full text never fitted into the pre-cut form and a portion of text always ended up outside of the form, so I had to cut and tape it manually ensuring that the address was complete.
I understand that in the US and UK you can print complete postal labels and just stick them on the envelopes (this would save me so much time).
The Thermal printer I have prints 4" wide - And however long I want it to be. Standard shipping labels in US is 4"x6". (Do you understand inches or are you one of those “weird” metric people. )
In order to make it fit, you could turn the printing on its side and print one address per 4x6 label. (I don’t know about Slovakia, but I can get free UPS thermal labels.)
I would ask your programming friend how to get this process streamlined. If he is at all like every other tech person I’ve met, he could come up with a solution that would save you time.
Or, you just need to move to Houston so you can do this printing - And help me with any problems I have. (Be my assistant, in other words. Don’t worry, I’ll take you to lunch to thank you.)
The question is how do I arrange the printer to print the addresses out of “Manage Orders” section of my Seller Account? As the postal carrier doesn’t provide any option of purchasing postage / labels. So I would have to somehow copy hundreds of buyer addresses and at the same time connect them to the order packaging slips and figure out the ordered merchandise.
I am using an iPad, so without computers or laptops at home, I have no means to do any serious programming. And in general, I am not familiar how to use other devices than iPads.
But there may be a solution. Frequently, when I order something online, I am getting a packaging slip where the address part is adhesive and removed out of the invoice to be placed on the parcel.
I believe it’s called “integrated label” and this could be the solution for me:
Thank you for the offer, would love to visit you one day Actually, I already visited Houston when I had a flight layover on my way to Seattle.
You realize that if YOU are having this problem, others (less technical than you) are having it, too.
If you design a solution that works (just white board what needs to happen), you and your programmer friend could create an app to save you time and that you could sell to other people in your position. (What is your programmer friend’s name? I remember seeing him in one of your posts, but don’t remember his name.)
It’s probably too late for this Christmas but there is always next year.
Good idea, thank you! I may ask him if he has any ideas. But the integrated adhesive label seems like an easy solution - I would just need to find sizes that fit all the addresses. As some have more rows than others.
Go for the 99% solution. In other words, if you find 1 out of 100 won’t work, just take that 1 out. Don’t reject the whole thing. Even if you have to hand do a few, you’ll still be happy.
And, going through Houston to get to Seattle doesn’t count as coming to Houston. Until you are stuck in traffic, it doesn’t count.
BTW, are all the items the same? Or do you just do a lot of different Amazon smalls?
All you have to is copy, paste, and print the mailing address on labels.
4 x 6 labels would be too large for your tiny packages, but the DYMO 30334 multi-purpose labels (the ones I used for my FNSKU stickers) would be perfect.
You can print multiple labels from a list created in a word processor, spreadsheet, or other similar program.
Of topic question, but since you are using postal services for delivery.
How do you handle A to Z claims?
I cannot win a single A to Z claim </3, your A to Z appeal templates do not help either.
Your Guinea Pig (USA name for your pet, please forgive me if that is not the correct name) is so cool. Our daughter had one and it was such a nice and loving pet.
They just have so many health problems. After we buried my third hamster (BB, CC, and DD) I couldn’t go through it again, so we got a dog. We have a few of those in our pet cemetery, as well.
They are small pendants and charms, most of them are under 10 grams. It’s difficult to tell there’s anything inside the envelopes, so small are the items.
Yes, I know. With 500 packages, it takes hours and it is so boring manual work! I would be unable to keep track on what goes inside the orders - I need a packaging slip next to the label to know what do I have to put into the envelope.
I spent years trying to figure out a clever hack!
As an international seller, I am not subject to valid tracking rate, so I will just refund/replace any complaining customers. Obviously, items valued over a certain sum are sent tracked, so I have no issues disputing A-Z claims using my guide thread.
A-Z claims used to be easy to win using my templates with just tracking. Amazon strictened the rules a lot over the past few years. With signature confirmation delivery proof, you should be able to win A-Z claims thanks to this guide:
It doesn’t have a name! I call it just “prasa”, which is a guinea pig in Slovak. And it reacts upon this name with squealing. Guinea pigs are the most perfect pets, they don’t bite, won’t attempt to escape and you can sleep with them in bed.
It’s very sad that rodents live so shortly. However, a guinea pig can live for up to 15 years, which is similar to dogs or cats.
I am neither a dog and nor a cat person. I am afraid of dogs because they bite and afraid of cats because they can scratch you with paws. I have always been a rodent girl, even though it’s so difficult to cope with their short lifespans (hamsters, mice etc).
I had 10 cats up until a week ago, one of the deer (buck in mating season) kicked my one eyed cat in the head and she is now with the lord. Myself, not a big fan of dogs, my favorites are rodents, birds and cats.
That’s why a Dymo would work great. You can print one label at time. It’s what we do with packing slips and shipping labels. Finish one order at a time.
)
I would be unable to keep track on what goes inside the orders - I need a packaging slip next to the label to know what do I have to put into the envelope.