What is a shipping label?
A shipping label is the prepaid postage and routing sticker for a package. It tells the carrier who sent it, where it goes, which service you bought, and the barcode to scan. It is not the box, and it is not the tracking website — those come after.
What is on the label
- Sender and recipient addresses.
- Carrier and service name (for example USPS Ground Advantage or UPS Ground).
- A barcode the sortation equipment reads.
- Usually a tracking number. See how to read a shipping label.
Online label vs counter postage
At a retail counter, a clerk sells postage onto the package. An online shipping label is the same idea with a commercial rate you print yourself. That is why cheap shipping labels are usually PDFs from software, not stamps from a drawer.
What a label is not
- It is not a pickup appointment (unless you separately schedule one).
- It is not insurance beyond what that service includes.
- It is not valid if you cover the barcode or reuse it on a different box.
How you get one in Oshippy
Enter addresses, confirm pack details, compare USPS and UPS, pay, download the PDF, attach it, drop off. Walkthrough: how to print shipping labels at home.
Keep reading
Frequently asked questions
Create a shipping label
Compare USPS and UPS and download a print-ready PDF.