In the ecommerce industry, shipping supplies are the key to both operational efficiency and cost savings.
Getting products out the door and into the hands of customers is the most vital and challenging part of ecommerce. That means every shipping decision you make has an effect on your success — right down to the adhesive on the labels.
You know having the right information on the front of the labels is important to your business, but have you thought about what’s on the back? When it comes to shipping and warehousing products, not all adhesives are created equal. There are many different label adhesive choices on the market and making the right choice can mean the difference between smooth operation and costly stoppage.
Choosing the best label adhesive for your processes, packaging, and environment will help save time and avoid costly shutdowns due to adherence issues.
Why choose adhesive labels for ecommerce shipping?
Cost-effective and widely available, adhesive labels are an excellent option for many ecommerce businesses. These types of labels can come both in cut sheets that run through laser printers or rolls that can be run through thermal/direct thermal printers. They can then be easily adhered to most packages, without the need for tape that can make using barcode scanners difficult.
For more information on the many types of labels and deciding which is right for your business, check out our complete Guide to Ecommerce Shipping Label Options.
Common types of shipping adhesives
Label adhesives can vary in many ways including material composition, application method, and strength of adherence. Here are some of the most common adhesive types and their uses:
- All Temp Permanent Adhesive
This is the most common type of label adhesive for warehousing and distribution. It’s affordable, easy to apply, and works great in almost any environment that isn’t extreme.
Because they are made to be permanent, removing a label with this type of adhesive usually results in the label being destroyed. It will also leave residue on the container that can only be removed with solvents.
- Removable and Repositionable Adhesive
Removable and Repositionable labels are much less common in a distribution environment. These labels use a specialty adhesive that make them completely removable, or both removable and repositionable. Upon removal, the label is not destroyed and the adhesive stays with the label, not the surface.
You’ll often see this type of label used on book jackets, glass, bins, and other surfaces where no residue is acceptable.
- Cold Temp Adhesive
Cold temperature adhesives are extremely valuable for companies that warehouse and ship refrigerated items. Without this specialty adhesive, labels will not stick to packages or shipping containers in an extremely cold environment.
Give your business the best advantage — work with an experienced supplier
There are many factors to consider when deciding the best type of label adhesive including cost, volume, application, and environment. Even after you’ve sorted through these variables to choose the right type of label for your business, you still have to choose a provider. Adhesives from different suppliers can have slightly different compositions or react to substrates in different ways. Because of this, it is possible for the same adhesive from different providers to work better with certain machines, types of corrugated boxes, and other substrates.
That is why working with experience puts you ahead of your competition. An experienced supplier can provide the expertise, market knowledge, and buying power you need to ensure cost savings and project success.
