Printing shipping labels with a dedicated thermal printer is more efficient than using a… [+] inkjet printer.
Many people earn extra cash by selling unwanted items on eBay, Amazon, or other online marketplaces.Quite a few people live a good life selling online and have a lucrative full-time career out of it.But with so many packages and packages to ship, how can eBay sellers streamline their shipping process and ensure that the items they sell reach the right address on time?
If you’re a professional seller, you’ve probably graduated from your local post office and moved to a larger courier company like UPS, DHL, or FedEx.These companies use specially formatted shipping labels with barcodes to expedite the delivery process and ship as quickly and safely as possible.A standard shipping label measures 4 x 6 inches, and while it can be printed on a sheet of A4 paper, it involves cutting the print area and covering it with tape to prevent ink from flowing when the package gets wet.
Another way is to buy a thermal label printer, like the excellent Zebra ZSB series I reviewed last month.Thermal label printers are fast and waterproof.They can print up to 60 labels per minute, which is fast enough for the best online sellers.Zebra wireless printers are the Rolls-Royce of label printing, using custom and recyclable label cartridges.However, this is reflected in its price and running costs.If you want to save some money, you can choose one of the two iDPRT printers I reviewed here.
As a specialist manufacturer of industrial label printers used by some large corporations, iDPRT has all the expertise to manufacture thermal label printers for the consumer market.They are competitively priced and offer great value for money.In this review, I’ll focus on iDPRT’s SPR10 workhorse model, which is primarily designed to print 500-piece folded shipping labels.It’s an affordable small printer that takes up little desk space and is easy to use.The SP410 works with most shipping company software or courier websites, and it also has printer drivers for Windows and macOS.
The second model I tested was the slightly more expensive iDPRT SP420, which looked a little prettier than the SP410 and was designed to print labels on rolls, supporting everything from small barcode labels to the 4 x 6 variety used by most couriers Various sizes.
Before we look at each printer, I want to point out a gap in the market for user-friendly label design software.As a Mac user, I really like a program called Addresses & Labels from Ukrainian developer BeLight Software.Sadly, with the introduction of macOS Catalina, Apple dropped support for 32-bit software, and the program was not updated to 64-bit.BeLight makes a desktop publishing package called Swift Publisher, which has good labeling features, but it’s not a dedicated shipping labeling app.
The compact SP410 is small enough to sit on a desk and includes a built-in power supply, so… [+] No wall adapter required.This mini printer is perfect for printing 4 x 6 inch shipping labels.
Most label printer manufacturers such as Dymo, Brother, and Seiko produce their own label design software, but these software packages only work with each company’s printers.Unfortunately iDPRT does not have its own label design software application, but there is a software package called Bartender that works with PCs and can be downloaded from iDPRT’s website, but there is no software for Mac.Any software developer looking for a new project should consider making a great label design package that works with multiple printer brands and people will find a way to your home.
An alternative to software packages is a web-based label design system such as ShipStation.It’s an integrated shipping process that does all the hard work of handling and preparing shipping labels, but it involves a monthly subscription.It’s worth looking into if you ship a lot of packages, but if you’re an occasional shipper, try BeLight’s affordable Swift Publisher.
Now let’s take a closer look at these two printers from iDPRT.The SP410 is a boxy little number that can handle labels ranging from 2 inches to 4.65 inches.The length of the label is measured using a hole or a black mark that enables sensors in the printer to calculate the label’s position.The SP410 can handle roll or fanfold labels up to 100mm in length each.
iDPRT’s small SP410 is perfect for home use, for anyone selling on eBay or… [+] Amazon, and it’s compatible with many major courier sites.
The SP410′s thermal printhead has a resolution of 203dpi (8 dots/mm) for text and line graphics.The labels used must be thermally sensitive, as the printer does not use ink, which helps reduce running costs.Unlike some fancier printers, the SP410 has no automatic or manual guillotine for cutting labels.This printer is designed to use die cut labels on perforated rolls or fan folds where the label is physically torn off.
The SP410 uses a large rubber roller to draw labels into the printer.Once the label is in the correct position, the rollers stop.The maximum speed is 6 inches per second, which means the SP410 can process approximately 60 labels per minute when batch printing from the database.The printhead has a durable coating that iDPRT claims is suitable for up to 160,000 shipping labels.Replacing a worn printhead is simple, so the printer should last for years.
Other features include a built-in power supply that can handle multiple voltages.The printer comes with a figure-8 power cable and a USB B cable for connecting the SP410 to a computer.
The slightly larger iDPRT SP420 printer can handle rolls that fit inside its housing, as well as use… [+] stationery folded from the outside.
The second printer I want to share with you is the iDPRT SP420.Slightly larger than the squat SP410, this model allows easy access to paper rolls that fit inside the printer under the plexiglass cover.The SP420 can handle labels with widths from 28 to 118 mm.Rolls up to 5 inches in diameter can be accommodated inside the printer.There is also an optional folding and oversized label holder available as an optional accessory.
Inside the SP420 is a gap and black mark sensor that can tell when a label is in the best printing position.This ensures that there is no slippage during long printing periods and that the address is always printed in the same place.Like the SP410, this model supports “reprint after error”, a feature supported by many major shipping companies.
The SP420 is compatible with shipping software from FedEx, Amazon, UPS, eBay and many other couriers.It’s a quiet printer, offering the same 203dpi as the SP410.Supports Code 39, Code 93, Code 128UCC, Code 128 Subsets A, B, C, Codabar, Interleave 2 of 5, EAN-8, EAN-13, EAN-128, UPC-A, UPC -E in the iDPRT range , EAN and UPC 2 (5) digit add-ons, MSI, PLESSEY, POSTNET, RSS-Stacked, GS1 DataBar, Code 11.
The SP420 iDPRT printer can handle thermal shipping labels up to 4 x 6 inches long, on rolls or stacked… [+] folded.
Verdict: These two thermal label printers from iDPRT are excellent and affordable models for anyone who does a lot of shipping.They are durable and quiet to use, and unlike the Zebra system iDPRT, they use roll or fanfold labels.This does mean that the no-clogging claim offered by Zebra’s ZSB cartridge system doesn’t exist.That said, roll and folded labels are cheaper and can be easily sourced from almost anywhere.The SP410 or SP420 is perfect for anyone running a business and shipping a lot of products.The SP410 is perfect for those who use the same shipper and print 4 x 6 inch labels.Anyone who needs to print a wider range of labels on different sizes and rolls may prefer the slightly more expensive SP420.
Pricing and Availability: iDPRT SP410 Thermal Shipping Label Printer $139.99 / £112 and iDPRT SP420 Thermal Shipping Label Printer $159.99.Until August 11, 2021, Forbes readers can get a 5% discount by clicking the link above and quoting code ForbeSP410 or ForbesSP420.
The iDPRT SP420 is a neat solution for those who want to use die cut label rolls for shipping or… [+] for other uses like name labels or barcodes.