In recent years, the ecommerce industry has experienced rapid growth, fundamentally changing consumer shopping habits and expectations. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, ecommerce sales in the United States increased by 43% in 2020, reaching $815.4 billion and accounting for 21.3% of total retail sales. This surge in online shopping has put pressure on retailers and shipping carriers to provide seamless, convenient mailing and returns solutions.
As a leading postal service provider, the United States Postal Service (USPS) has adapted to these evolving needs by offering innovative tools like Click-N-Ship for purchasing discounted postage online and the Label Broker program for printing shipping labels at the post office. Let‘s take a closer look at these services and how they benefit both individual consumers and small business shippers.
USPS Click-N-Ship: Purchasing Postage Online
Click-N-Ship is the USPS online postage platform that allows customers to calculate rates, pay for postage, and create shipping labels from their computer. The service offers discounted prices on several mail classes for both domestic and international shipping:
- Priority Mail: Save up to 18% off retail rates
- Priority Mail Express: Save up to 14% off retail rates
- First-Class Package Service: Save up to 27% off retail rates
In addition to the savings, Click-N-Ship offers convenience by allowing you to handle your shipping needs 24/7 without visiting the post office. After entering your shipment details and making a secure online payment, you can print professional shipping labels with postage right from your own printer.
The platform also integrates with the USPS address verification system to validate delivery addresses and ensure accurate shipping. This helps reduce the risk of delivery delays or returned mail due to bad addresses.
USPS Label Broker: Free Shipping Label Printing at the Post Office
While Click-N-Ship makes it easy to purchase and print postage from home, not everyone has access to a printer or wants to maintain one. Recognizing this need, in October 2020, USPS introduced the Label Broker feature, which allows customers to order shipping labels online and have them printed later for free at the post office.
Here‘s how Label Broker works:
- Purchase USPS postage online as usual through Click-N-Ship.
- At the label printing stage, select "Print labels later at the Post Office" and enter your email address.
- You‘ll receive an email from USPS with a unique QR code linked to your label.
- When ready to ship, bring your package and the QR code (either on your phone or printed out) to the post office.
- A postal worker will scan the code, print your label, and affix it to your package for mailing.
This innovative solution combines the benefits of online postage pricing with the convenience of in-person label printing. It‘s especially valuable for customers who don‘t have a reliable printer at home or small businesses looking to streamline their shipping workflows.
According to a USPS spokesperson, over 31,000 post office locations across the United States now offer the Label Broker printing service. That‘s over 80% of all USPS retail locations, making it widely accessible to most Americans.
How Free Label Printing Benefits Ecommerce Sellers and Consumers
The ecommerce boom has made fast, low-cost shipping and easy returns more important than ever. A 2020 survey by Jungle Scout found that 80% of U.S. consumers expect free shipping when ordering a certain dollar amount of products, and 66% expect free shipping for all online orders.
At the same time, online shopping inherently involves more returns than in-store purchasing. The National Retail Federation reports that consumers returned an estimated $428 billion in merchandise to retailers in 2020. For online purchases, the return rate jumps to 18.1% compared to just 10.6% for brick-and-mortar stores.
These trends underscore the importance of offering customer-friendly shipping and returns processes backed by reliable, convenient mailing solutions. The USPS Label Broker program addresses these needs in several ways:
Simplifying Returns for Customers
By using Label Broker, ecommerce sellers can easily provide prepaid return shipping labels that customers can print for free at their local post office. This eliminates the hassle and potential costs involved in customers needing to print labels themselves.
As Krish Iyer, Director of Strategic Partnerships at ShipStation, explains, "A frictionless returns process is essential for ecommerce success. Allowing customers to print labels at the post office removes barriers and enhances the overall returns experience, which builds long-term brand loyalty."
Reducing Shipping Costs and Waste
Maintaining your own thermal label printers, ink, and labels involves ongoing operational costs that can add up over time, especially for low-volume shippers. Delegating label printing to USPS as needed eliminates this expense and frees up resources.
Using Label Broker can also help reduce waste from unused or misprinted labels and thermal printer consumables. A recent study by Seebo found that 67% of thermal printer owners throw away up to 10% of their label stock due to printing issues. Having labels printed at the post office ensures they are done correctly the first time.
Providing Fulfillment Flexibility
Whether you‘re an individual shipper or a small business owner wearing many hats, handling order fulfillment yourself can be time-consuming. With Label Broker, you have the flexibility to delegate shipping tasks without compromising efficiency or security.
For example, you could have an employee drop off orders to be shipped at the post office and use the Label Broker QR codes you provide. This allows you to manage the purchasing of postage while your team handles the physical mailing process.
Complementing Your Existing Workflows
Label Broker can provide value even if you already use thermal printing or shipping software in your operations. In cases where you experience printer issues or technology troubles, having the free label printing service as a backup ensures business continuity.
As Melanie Bedwell, ecommerce Manager at Olipop, notes, "USPS Label Broker has saved us time and headaches on multiple occasions when we‘ve had printer problems. It fits well within our existing shipping workflows to keep orders moving out the door on time, every time."
USPS Innovations Improve the Customer Experience
The Label Broker program is just one example of how USPS is investing in technology and innovations to better serve its customers in the ecommerce age. Other initiatives include Informed Delivery, which allows consumers to digitally preview their incoming mail and packages, and USPS Connect, offering affordable same-day and next-day shipping for local businesses.
As an organization, USPS is committed to adapting its services and infrastructure to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving shipping landscape. In 2021 alone, USPS invested $2.4 billion in new delivery vehicles, automated processing equipment, and facility upgrades to boost efficiency and reliability.
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy emphasized this focus in a recent statement, saying, "Our entire organization is working tirelessly to address our service performance challenges and provide the excellent service that our customers and the American people expect and deserve."
Tips for Efficient Use of USPS Click-N-Ship and Label Broker
To get the most value out of USPS‘s online tools and label printing services, keep these best practices in mind:
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Verify addresses: Always double-check the delivery address when purchasing postage online to avoid shipping delays or returned mail.
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Compare rates: Use the Click-N-Ship rate calculator to compare pricing for different mail classes and ensure you‘re getting the best deal.
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Schedule pickups: Combine free package pickup service with Label Broker printing to mail your items without visiting the post office.
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Check Label Broker availability: Before purchasing Click-N-Ship postage to be printed at the post office, verify that a location near you offers Label Broker service.
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Keep packaging in mind: Make sure your items are securely packaged and ready to mail before bringing your Label Broker QR code to USPS, as labels must be affixed by a postal worker at the time of printing.
The Bottom Line
The U.S. Postal Service‘s robust online tools and in-person label printing options offer unmatched convenience and flexibility for both individual shippers and ecommerce businesses. With free Label Broker printing as a backup to Click-N-Ship‘s discounted postage pricing, the agency is committed to addressing the diverse mailing needs of its customers.
As consumer demands and industry trends continue to evolve, USPS will undoubtedly keep innovating to provide seamless and reliable shipping solutions. The Label Broker program is a prime example of how USPS is adapting to best serve its customers in the modern ecommerce landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is Label Broker printing really free?
A: Yes, USPS prints Click-N-Ship labels for free as part of the Label Broker program. You only pay for the cost of postage purchased online.
Q: Are there any label types USPS won‘t print?
A: Currently, Label Broker only supports certain USPS shipping labels purchased through Click-N-Ship (Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, First-Class Package Service, and others). Labels from other carriers or platforms are not eligible.
Q: What if my local post office doesn‘t offer Label Broker?
A: While the vast majority of USPS locations now provide label printing, you can use the locator tool on USPS.com to find the nearest participating location. In some cases, you may need to travel to another nearby town or choose mobile postage options instead.
Q: Will USPS still pick up my packages if I‘m using Label Broker?
A: Yes, you can still take advantage of USPS package pickup service when using Label Broker. Just let your mail carrier know that you‘ll have labels printed at the post office when you schedule the pickup, and they will scan the QR code when they arrive.
