Jeff Albro: Printing PayPal Postage on the Dymo LabelWriter

Printing PayPal Postage on the Dymo LabelWriter

My business requires me to print many things... product labels, instruction sheets, packing lists, and shipping labels to name a few.

Shipping and postage is especially important to me. Anything I can do to speed a customer's shipment out the door is a good thing. I used to print up pre-paid paper shipping labels from PayPal, but this required cutting the label to size, and then taping it to the box with clear packing tape. It was a huge time waster.

So, I got a Dymo LabelWriter. It uses a thermal process to print black text on white self adhesive labels. No ink is required. I bought the 330 model. The 330 turbo, 400, and 400 turbo are also available, and I hear they are faster and quieter.

At first, I would just print address labels, and use stamps to pay for postage. Just highlight the address from a web browser, and paste into the Dymo printing program. The address would print out with the "from" and "to" addresses right on the label. The program would auto-size everything to fit easily.

As time progressed, I wanted to get confirmation receipt on my packages. PayPal offered this for free with Priority Mail shipping if paid for online.

The problem was the labels. PayPal suggested using Dymo Label 30384. The problem is, this is a multi-part label where portions of the label peel off. The fact is, the label that PayPal prints isn't supposed to have portions peel off, and trying to get that label in one piece onto a package is an exercise in insanity. Other PayPal users found the same thing.

The good news is that someone fixed the problem. There are third party manufacturers of these labels. They are 2 5/16" wide by 7 1/2" long and used to be called "X2375" labels. When I went back to eBay recently, I found out that Dymo is *finally* making the correct labels themselves. You need the "99019" labels. Search eBay for "99019 labels" and you can still buy the off-brand versions, or you can buy the Dymo version direct from Dymo or your local office supply store.

You will need to set things up correctly on PayPal though, by selecting the Dymo LabelWriter as your shipping label printer. You may have to fiddle with the version of Java on your browser, and make sure the printer is set to print in "landscape" mode in Windows. I print First Class and Priority Mail labels with it.

From the main PayPal window, click on "Print Shipping Label". The "to" and "from" addresses are already filled in. Select what type of shipping you want, and what kind of box you are using. Then enter the weight in pounds and ounces. You can then add insurance. When you are all set, click "Continue" and you will be taken to a confirmation screen with the cost of the postage displayed. Click "Pay and Continue" and a new screen will pop up with an image of your label. If everything is set of correctly, you can press print, and the label comes out of your printer. Just peel the back off and stick it to your package. If you have an "oops" you can cancel the label and get your money back (roughly 30 days later) or re-print the label.

I would try to do international shipping using PayPal's international shipping system, but I find it far too cumbersome. PayPal knows what I am shipping from the shopping cart system, but expects me to re-type it into their system for the customs labels. Instead, I use the Dymo application to print two address labels on one 99019 label. I then cut that label in two, and put one copy on the package, and one copy on the small green customs form. I haven't tried printing UPS postage on it yet.

When you have your Dymo LabelWriter working with PayPal, you will wonder why you ever printed those half-page labels on plain paper again.

Addendum: Currently, the Dymo LabelWriter does not work properly with PayPal Multi-Order shipping in the testing I have done. The "print label" button disappears. As usual, PayPal thinks it works fine. Hopefully this will be fixed at some point. If you want to try it, start out with trying to ship only a couple of packages, and understand you may need to apply for a refund and then print them using the standard method.