To get a shipping label, you basically choose a carrier or platform, enter your shipment details, pay for postage, and then either print the label or have it printed for you.

How to Get a Shipping Label

(Quick Scoop guide)

1. Decide where you’ll create the label

You can get a shipping label in several ways.

  • Directly on a carrier site
    • USPS: Use Click-N-Ship on USPS.com to create and pay for labels online.
* FedEx: Use the FedEx website or mobile app to create a label.

* DHL, Canada Post, etc.: Each has its own online label tools or apps.
  • Through an online marketplace or store
    • Platforms like Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Etsy, and others often generate labels for you once an order is placed, then give you a PDF or QR code to print or scan in-store.
  • Through shipping software
    • Services like PitneyShip and similar tools let you create and print USPS and other carrier labels from one dashboard, often with discounts.

2. Gather the info you’ll need

Have these details ready before you start.

  • Sender (your) name and full return address.
  • Recipient’s full address, including apartment/suite if any.
  • Package weight (use a scale if possible).
  • Package dimensions (length, width, height).
  • Shipping speed/service (e.g., Ground, Priority, Express).

Think of the shipping label as your package’s “boarding pass”—if anything is wrong, it might not get to the right place on time.

3. Create the label step by step

On USPS (example)

  • Go to USPS online shipping (Click-N-Ship).
  • Enter your and the recipient’s address, package weight, and size.
  • Choose a service (USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, etc.).
  • Pay for postage with a card or account.
  • Download the label as a PDF and print it, or choose an option to print at the Post Office via Label Broker or have USPS deliver a printed label to you.

On FedEx (example)

  • Use the FedEx website or mobile app to enter shipment details and pay.
  • The app can generate a barcode/QR code on your phone.
  • You can:
    • Print the label at home, or
    • Take the QR code to a FedEx location; they scan it and print the label for you (small print fee may apply at some locations).

On a marketplace / e‑commerce platform

  • In your order management page, look for “Print shipping label” or “Create shipping label.”
  • Confirm package details and shipping speed.
  • Pay postage (if it’s not already included).
  • Download and print the label, or use the QR/barcode flow at the carrier’s store if available.

4. If you don’t have a printer

You can still get a shipping label even without a printer.

  • USPS Label Broker / Label Delivery
    • Create or receive a label/ID online, choose “Print later at Post Office.”
    • USPS emails you a Label Broker ID or QR code.
    • Take your packaged item and the code to a participating Post Office or Label Broker kiosk; they print and attach the label for you.
    • Or pay for Label Delivery Service so USPS prints and mails the label to your address.
  • FedEx print in-store
    • If you have a QR code in your email or app, go to a FedEx Office/Ship Center or participating partner location.
    • Show the QR code; a team member prints the label and attaches it (or gives it to you) for your package.
  • Other carriers’ mobile labels
    • Many carriers (like DHL via Post & DHL app in some countries) let you buy postage in an app, then show a mobile code at a drop-off location to get a label printed or applied.

5. Attach the label correctly

Proper placement prevents delays and mis-sorts.

  • Print on plain paper or label stock and keep the label flat and readable.
  • Place it on the largest, flattest side of the box.
  • Don’t cover key parts (barcode, addresses) with tape glare or folds.
  • Remove or fully cover any old labels or barcodes before shipping.

6. Quick HTML table of options

Below is an HTML table summarizing common ways to get a shipping label.

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Method</th>
      <th>Where to do it</th>
      <th>Printer needed?</th>
      <th>What you get</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>Create on carrier website</td>
      <td>USPS Click-N-Ship, FedEx online, etc.[web:1][web:3][web:9]</td>
      <td>Usually yes (unless using QR/in-store print).[web:1][web:3]</td>
      <td>PDF label to print, sometimes QR code for in-store printing.[web:1][web:3]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Mobile app label</td>
      <td>FedEx app, DHL/Post app, others.[web:3][web:7]</td>
      <td>No, if you print at store.</td>
      <td>QR/barcode on your phone that store staff scan and print.[web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Marketplace-generated label</td>
      <td>Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Shopify dashboards.[web:2][web:8]</td>
      <td>Not always (often supports QR/in-store printing).</td>
      <td>Downloadable label file and/or QR code.[web:2][web:8]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Shipping software</td>
      <td>PitneyShip and similar tools.[web:5][web:6]</td>
      <td>Usually yes.</td>
      <td>Carrier-compliant labels, often with discounted rates.[web:5][web:6]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>No-printer options</td>
      <td>USPS Label Broker, FedEx in-store print, DHL mobile labels.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
      <td>No.</td>
      <td>Label printed at post office or carrier location using your code.[web:1][web:3][web:7]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

7. Little gotchas to avoid

  • Guessing weight or dimensions (this can cause extra charges or returns).
  • Using the wrong service type (e.g., choosing ground when you promised 2‑day delivery).
  • Leaving old barcodes visible on reused boxes.
  • Smudged, low‑quality, or partially covered barcodes that won’t scan.

TL;DR

  1. Pick a carrier or platform.
  2. Enter addresses, weight, and size.
  3. Choose a service and pay.
  4. Print the label or use a QR code to get it printed in‑store.
  5. Attach the label flat and clearly, then drop off or schedule pickup.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.