Three Ways This Label Printer Has Helped Me Improve My Resale Business
Back in October, I wrote about how I wanted to buy a mini label printer during Amazon Prime Day to boost my resale potential. I’m a woman of my word, and the printer arrived in just two days, allowing me to immediately print the necessary labels for all the packages I sell on Poshmark .
This isn’t a necessary upgrade for any reseller, especially those who simply resell their clothing and merchandise online, as most resale platforms, including Poshmark, allow you to simply show a USPS employee a QR code on your phone to print a label at the post office. But having access to my own printer has sped up and made the process much more efficient. Yes, I could have continued printing labels at the post office, but it would have been slower and more complicated, especially when shipping multiple packages at once. Here are three reasons why my own printer was better.
My label printer saves me time.
When I wrote about discounts in October, I considered buying an expensive printer from a well-known brand, but ultimately settled on the Vretti , a cheaper option for about $70. I figured this way I could see if it would benefit my small business before investing more money. If it didn’t work out, I could resell it and recoup my minimal investment. If it did work out, I could resell it and then use the proceeds to buy a more powerful printer.
Surprisingly, Vretti immediately paid off. The first thing I noticed was how much time I saved. Previously, I’d collect items sold on a given day, put them in a bag, take them to the post office, and then pack them—right there, in front of everyone—in mailing envelopes I’d have to find at the post office itself. Then I’d stand in line with my huge pile of packages, wait for who knows how long, and finally show the agent the QR code assigned to each package so they could scan them, print out a label, stick it on the package, scan it , and place it in the cart, ready for shipping. On a good day, this took me 30 minutes.
With my label maker, I do most of this myself, having purchased several envelopes in advance. When an order arrives, I pack everything in an envelope, print the envelope myself, head to the post office, and I don’t have to wait in line at all. I simply drop the labeled package through the designated window and go. The longest part is the four-minute walk to the post office, but even that can be avoided if I arrange for the postman to pick up the package the night before. I actively strive to keep average delivery times as short as possible, so if an order arrives during the day, I try to ship it the same day, which means I rarely have the opportunity to pick up a package from home the next day. If I were less concerned about this, I could easily set up all my labeled packages for in-home pickup and skip the post office altogether, meaning each sale would take me just a few seconds.
My label printer helps me stay organized.
Since I got this thing three weeks ago, I’ve made 26 sales. But since I usually sell in sets—or more than one item at a time, offering a discount for bulk purchases—I’ve actually sold about 63 items in those 26 packages. Remember how I said before I got the printer, I’d put everything in a bag, bring it to the post office, and package it there? On days when I needed to ship multiple sets, that was tricky. I’d get confused about which item went in which envelope, have to write the contents on the envelope itself to remember which bag corresponded to which QR code, and carefully coordinate with the courier to avoid any mix-ups.
Luckily, I’ve never sent anyone the wrong order or made a serious mistake, but it was time-consuming, frustrating, and stressful. My label printer has made that a thing of the past. When an order arrives, I prepare it immediately: I take the necessary items off the shelf, put them in an envelope, and label them on the spot. Then, even if I have to wait until several more packages arrive to be mailed, I don’t get confused.
My label printer makes me a more attractive salesperson.
It’s all very simple and straightforward, like a transaction. I put my old clothes up for sale that no longer fit me. Someone buys them. I get the money. They get the clothes. That’s not to say there’s no customer service, although, of course, you can be an impersonal and rude seller if you want. I prefer to send cute packages that make the transaction more personal, and the printer helps with that, too.
Because I can pack them at home and take my time, my packages look better and more unique than ever. I can write short messages on the label, ensure the items are wrapped in tissue paper, or otherwise decorate my colorful mailing envelopes, all without the hassle of a post office line to rush me.