Efficiency, speed and error-free work is critical for ecommerce businesses.
That means error-free shipping, and efficient order and warehouse processes – steps that provide a basis for a superior customer experience that is critical to business growth in the crowded ecommerce market. You need a smooth operation that not only delivers customer satisfaction, but also maximizes your profit on every order.
Barcode printers can help. The right tool can increase efficiency and automate processes so employees can focus on customer experience rather than business processes.
Barcodes for Ecommerce
Barcode labels serve many purposes in ecommerce.
They are used primarily for shipping labels, but they can also serve for product labeling, inventory management, reordering, and equipment tracking. They can help manage stock on hand, and link physical inventory to digital product details and history.
With the right equipment and processes, your ecommerce business works faster, cheaper and more efficiently with fewer errors. With inefficient processes and equipment, your warehouse and shipping personnel must scramble to overcome problems, rather than focusing on the customer experience that is critical to your business success.
Let’s look at how you can select the right barcode printer for your ecommerce needs.
Preparation for a new Barcode Printer
Before purchasing a new printer for your ecommerce operations, it’s important to determine your requirements. We’ve collected a few quick and easy questions that can help identify your needs.
- What is your budget?
Face it, we are all on a budget, even for an upgrade or a new equipment purchase. You need to limit your equipment search and purchase to barcode printers in your price range.
- What is your expected volume of barcode printing?
Forecast your expected need before looking at printer options. If you are expecting a high volume of daily printing, then a low-cost desktop printer won’t cut it.
- What labels will you be printing?
Not all labels are created equal. There are many different label options when it comes to ecommerce. If you need a custom label, thermal transfer, or direct thermal shipping label option, then you need to find a printer that can accommodate those needs. Are you preparing to implement RFID tracking? You need a printer that can handle that.
- Where will the printer be located?
Consider the layout of your printing operations. If the warehouse and shipping personnel use the printer most often, it should be easy for them to use in a convenient location. If the orders and shipping labels are printed in an office before being sent to the warehouse, then look at printers that will work in an office setting.
Best Ecommerce Barcode Printers for 2019
Now that you have a good idea of what you need in a barcode printer, let’s look at a few of the top options on the market today.
- Honeywell PM43 Industrial Printer: With the widest range of connectivity options in its class, the PM43 was created for easy, fast integration and deployment. They offer superior performance in harsh environments, and have a fast production speed of up to 12 inches per second. Because the PM43 also supports all major 1D and 2D symbologies, it makes a great printer for shipping labels and warehouse/distribution operations.
- Dymo LabelWriter 450: A low price direct thermal label printer that can handle standard and widely available label stock, this is one of the most cost effective barcode printing solutions on the market. The print results are sharp, with fine-lines and graphics up to 600 x 300 dpi, but no options for color. The system does require a desktop computer and software.
- Zebra ZD500R: Another thermal barcode printer, the Zebra ZD500R also provides wireless RFID tracking technology using an embedded chip in the label. While RFID inventory tracking may not be necessary for some businesses, having the option to add it to shipping labels provides added value for you and your customers. This additional functionality does come with a higher cost, but the printer also handles low-cost direct thermal labels as well as RFID tags.
Keep in mind, we’ve covered only a few of the top options for barcode printers. Contact GO2 today to see a full line of available printers and to discuss your printing needs.
A Final Word on Barcode Printers for Ecommerce Distribution
Change isn’t easy, especially for a process driven industry like ecommerce.
But, sometimes change is necessary especially as your business looks to the future. Consider not only what you need to do to increase profitability and efficiency, but also what is holding you back.
If you have questions on the latest in barcode printers, or ideas on improving your ecommerce distribution business, then contact GO2 and talk to one of our experts.
