3 min read If you’re running an eCommerce business, you already know how quickly shipping costs add up. When you’re fulfilling hundreds or even thousands of orders every month, every small fee matters..
You’ve worked hard to negotiate great rates with carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS (yes, even your NSA rates). But what you might not realize is that some platforms are still charging you extra, just for generating the labels.
Wait… I’m Paying to Generate My Own Labels?
Yep, it’s more common than you think.
Some shipping platforms and software providers charge what’s called a label generation fee. It’s usually just a few cents per label, but if you’re shipping at scale, those cents can quietly drain thousands of dollars a year from your bottom line.
Let’s break it down.
Say you’re shipping around 5,000 orders a month, and your platform charges $0.10 per label. That’s $500 every month, or $6,000 a year, gone, just to print labels using your own carrier accounts.
These fees are easy to overlook. They’re often buried in invoices or lumped into broader pricing plans with little transparency.
And over time? They add up. Fast.
Why It Matters More Than You Think
When you’re offering fast, affordable shipping or trying to keep free shipping viable, these hidden fees can make the difference between a healthy margin and a painful one. This is why SKULabs charges zero label fees.
That extra cost per order puts pressure on everything else from pricing and profit to your customer experience. As your business grows, so does the impact. Eliminating label fees helps keep your margins healthier and your operations more scalable.
How SKULabs Helps You Cut the Waste
At SKULabs, we believe you shouldn’t have to pay extra to use the rates you’ve already negotiated.
That’s why we offer direct API integrations with UPS, FedEx, and USPS, giving you access to your own accounts, with zero label generation fees.
Here’s what that means for your business:
- No per-label fees. Just pay what your carrier charges, nothing more.
- Use your own rates. Keep the discounts you’ve already earned.
- Shop rates in real time. Get the best deal for every shipment, every time.
- Simplify your workflow. Fulfillment and shipping all in one place, no more hopping between systems.
Real Savings, Not Just Hypotheticals
Let’s say you’re shipping 3,000 orders a month. If your platform charges just 8 cents per label, that’s $240/month, or $2,880/year just to generate labels.
That’s money that could be going toward customer acquisition, hiring seasonal help, or stocking up for peak season.
SKULabs puts that money back in your pocket by not charging any label generation fees.
Planning for the Long Haul
Shipping and fulfillment costs aren’t going down anytime soon. If anything, they’re getting more complex. That’s why it’s critical to tighten up your process now and cut out the waste where you can.
SKULabs helps you do that, without nickel and diming you along the way.
Looking Ahead
We’re always working on expanding our direct carrier integrations and platform partnerships to help our users save even more. If there’s a specific integration you’d like to see, or if you just want to chat about your current setup, reach out to us via live chat, or head over to our website to book a personalized demo.
We’d love to show you how SKULabs can make your shipping smarter, simpler, and more cost effective.
