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Yes. A shipping label is just a barcode and address data, so plain printer paper works: print it at full size, fold or cut it to fit the pouch or the box, and tape it flat. The one rule that matters is print scale. If your printer shrinks the label to fit the page, the barcode can become unscannable, so set scaling to 100 percent.
Three common ones:
Whichever you use, the label belongs on the largest flat surface of the parcel, never on a seam, an edge, or wrapped around a corner. Sorting equipment and handheld scanners need a flat, straight-on read.
Scanners read the barcode's geometry: the relative widths of the bars. When a printer shrinks a label to "fit to page," everything scales down together, and the bars can fall below the minimum width the scanner is tuned for. A perfectly good label at 90 percent scale can fail where the same label at 100 percent scans instantly. The paper type, ink color, and printer brand all matter far less than getting the size right.
So in your print dialog, set scaling to 100 percent or "actual size," and never check "fit to printable area" for a label. After printing, a quick sanity check is comparing the printed barcode against the size shown on screen: if it looks noticeably smaller, reprint. Some people keep one correctly printed label taped to the wall as a size reference, which sounds obsessive until it saves a batch.
Two real hazards here. First, inkjet ink runs when wet. A label printed on an inkjet and taped only at the edges can smear into illegibility in a rainstorm or a damp sorting facility. If you print with an inkjet, cover the whole label: a clear pouch or full tape coverage keeps water off the ink. Laser-printed labels are fused toner and hold up much better to moisture, which is one reason offices with laser printers rarely have label problems.
Second, tape over the barcode itself is a judgment call: one smooth layer of clear tape usually scans fine, but wrinkled or overlapping tape creates glare and distortion that defeat scanners. The safest approach is taping around the label's edges and leaving the barcode area clear, or using a pouch so no tape touches the printed area at all. If the tape job went badly, reprint the label rather than shipping a label you would not bet on.
| Attachment method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Clear adhesive pouch | Regular shippers; inkjet-printed labels | Costs more per parcel than tape |
| Clear packing tape, edges only | Occasional shippers; laser-printed labels | Inkjet ink can smear if water gets under the tape |
| Full tape coverage | Wet-weather shipments | Wrinkles and glare over the barcode |
Yes. LetterAgent provides your Xpresspost label as a PDF: quote, approve the exact price, pay once through Stripe, and you get the label file. It prints on any home or office printer on regular paper, Canada-only, for parcels up to 5 kilograms. Print at 100 percent scale, attach it with a pouch or tape as described above, and drop the parcel off. No thermal printer required.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
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