An incorrect, unclear, or outdated shipping label is a primary reason for delays in marketplace orders. When a courier scanner cannot read your label, or the label does not match the contents of the parcel, the order gets stalled, marked as an NDR (Non-Delivery Report), or sent back as an RTO (Return to Origin). In e-commerce, most shipping label errors occur during the printing or packing stages-and knowing what to check before sealing the box can prevent almost all of them.
This guide outlines specific label-related errors that cause delays in orders for Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho, and explains how to rectify each one.
What Counts as a "Shipping Label Mistake"?
A shipping label error refers to any flaw in the label that prevents the courier or marketplace system from processing the parcel correctly. This includes:
- An unscannable barcode
- A label affixed to the wrong box
- Reusing an old label for a modified order
- A label printed in the wrong size or format
- Missing details required by the marketplace or courier
Any one of these errors can cause a delay for a specific order. When such errors occur repeatedly across dozens of parcels throughout the day, they form a pattern that harms your 'seller rating'.
Common Shipping Label Mistakes That Cause Delays
1. Printing the raw PDF instead of the cropped label Most marketplace label PDFs come with built-in extra white space and margins. When you print the file as-is-especially with your printer set to "Fit to Page"-the barcode shrinks and loses sharpness. A scanner unable to read a shrunken or blurry barcode will simply reject the parcel during pickup. The solution is simple: crop the label to its actual print area and print at 100% scale, never "Fit to Page."
2. Reusing an old label after order changes If the delivery address, courier, or item changes after you have printed the label, but you still ship using the old printout, the label and the actual parcel no longer match. This label mismatch is one of the costliest errors, as the issue often surfaces weeks later as a misrouting or a dispute-by which time there is no way to prove what actually happened. Always regenerate the label the moment any detail of the order changes, and destroy the old copy immediately.
3. Affixing the wrong label to the wrong box This often happens during busy packing hours when labels for two similar-looking parcels get swapped. Both orders usually end up at the wrong doorsteps, resulting in two returns instead of a successful delivery. The safest practice is to complete one parcel entirely-pick, pack, label, and seal-before starting the next, rather than printing a batch of labels and matching them to boxes later.
4. Taping over the barcode Sellers printing on plain paper often tape over the entire label-including the barcode-for protection. Glossy tape reflects light and confuses scanners, causing the same "unreadable label" issue associated with blurry prints. Tape around the barcode, never across it, and the scanning problem disappears.
5. Printing labels at the last minute Generating and printing labels right before the pickup cutoff leaves no time to fix printer jams, login issues, or slow page loads. A minor delay can cause the entire batch to miss the pickup. Instead of waiting for 15 minutes before the courier arrives, incorporate label printing into your morning routine.
6. Incorrect label size or format for the printer being used Thermal printers require a 4x6 inch format, whereas A4 printers require the label to be properly scaled on the sheet. Errors in this regard result in labels printing too small or too large, or having their edges cut off-a preventable cause of scanning failures at the courier level.
How the Label Format Differs Across Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho?
How to print shipping labels on Amazon: Amazon labels contain the AWB number, barcode, delivery address, and your return address, along with an additional barcode used by sorting centers. A common issue reported by sellers is that the label edges (margins) get cut off during printing. This usually happens when the printer is set to "Fit to Page" or the paper size is set to "Letter" instead of "A4." Set your printer to "Actual Size," select "A4," and preview the output before printing.
Flipkart shipping label format: Flipkart labels include a barcode, a manifest ID for pickup grouping, and-for many categories-a pre-attached "reverse label" (return label) for return shipments. Sellers sometimes accidentally cut off or discard this reverse label, which leads to problems later if the item is returned. Always keep both labels attached exactly as they were printed.
Meesho label printing guide: Meesho labels are designed for 'mobile-first' sellers and can be downloaded directly from the seller app as an image or PDF. Since the majority of Meesho orders are COD (Cash on Delivery), the labels clearly state 'Cash on Delivery' and display the order value, ensuring the delivery partner knows exactly how much to collect. Many Meesho sellers do not own printers; therefore, labels are designed to remain legible even when printed on standard printers at local shops-though it is crucial to ensure the barcode does not get cut off during printing.
SKU label errors that slow down packing: In addition to barcodes and addresses, errors related to SKU labels also cause operational delays. When identical SKUs or product variants are not sorted correctly, packers waste time matching the right label to the right item, and the likelihood of errors increases as order volumes rise. Grouping labels by SKU-or by a 'Master SKU' for products with multiple variants-allows all labels for a specific product to be printed and sorted together; this ensures that pickers handle the product in a single batch rather than making repeated trips throughout the day.
This is one reason why tools like Barmeto's 'Label Cropper + Pick List' exist. It enables sellers to upload PDF files of their marketplace labels in bulk, automatically crop each page to the correct size, and sort the labels by SKU or Master SKU before printing-eliminating the need to adjust each label manually.
Practical Ecommerce Packaging Label Tips
- Always print at 100% scale, never "fit to page," to keep barcodes sharp.
- Test one label a week by scanning it with your phone camera. If it doesn't scan clearly, fix the printer or the file before shipping a full batch.
- Keep your return addressupdated with the marketplace if you move locations - a mismatch here causes problems during returns.
- Protect labels from monsoon damage with a plastic sheet or waterproof label stock, since even light moisture can smudge inkjet prints.
- Finish one order at a time during packing to avoid wrong-label mix-ups.
- Generate labels earlier in the day, not right before the pickup slot, so a technical glitch doesn't cost you the whole batch.
For sellers managing dozens or hundreds of orders daily across Amazon, Flipkart, and Meesho, doing this manually for every label isn't realistic. Batch-cropping and SKU-wise sorting through a tool like Barmeto removes the manual part of this work, so the label leaving your desk is already sized, cropped, and grouped correctly.
Why Label Mistakes Delay Orders in the First Place?
Every marketplace closely tracks dispatch and delivery performance-such as Amazon’s Late Dispatch Rate, Flipkart’s Dispatch SLA, and Meesho’s Ready-to-Ship timing. A label that fails to scan at the time of pickup can mean the parcel is left behind entirely for that run, triggering a delay even though the order is packed and ready. Multiply this across batches, and a minor printing habit turns into a pattern of penalties that are difficult to trace back to the root cause.
Conclusion
Shipping label errors rarely seem critical at the packing table, but they later manifest as delayed orders, failed scans, RTOs, and low seller ratings. Most of these errors stem from a handful of habits: printing at the correct scale, never taping over the barcode, regenerating labels when order details change, and sorting labels by SKU before packing. Improving these habits-or using a tool like [Barmeto] to cut and sort labels in bulk-keeps your marketplace orders moving smoothly instead of getting stuck at the pickup stage.
