Shipping Label / Air Waybill (AWB) / Sea Waybill / Bill of Lading

Table of Contents

Get the latest e-commerce industry news, best practices, and product updates!

What is a Shipping Label?

A shipping label is a form of identification label that displays the relevant information, allowing the logistics company to deliver the product from source to recipient. Depending on the kind of transportation being used, this process is known as air waybill (AWB), sea waybill, and bill of lading. These contain details such as an address, name, weight, and tracking barcodes.

Significance of Shipping Label in E-commerce Logistics

A shipping label, air waybill (AWB), sea waybill, or bill of lading is a critical part of an e-commerce supply chain. Companies can describe and identify the products using shipping labels.

  • Cost and error reduction

A shipping label enables e-commerce businesses to cut down costs in the shipping process by streamlining the labeling of the products. Businesses can mass print the sea waybills, allowing them to label the products with speed and accuracy.  

  • Increased visibility and tracking 

A bill of lading provides real-time product visibility to the consumer, business, and delivery provider. The barcodes on the shipping labels also facilitate the real-time tracking of deliveries, resulting in improved efficiency, productivity, and better customer service.  

Prerequisites for Shipping Label  

A bill of lading includes information about all the packages, providing a snapshot of the delivery. The prerequisites of a shipping label or air waybill (AWB) include

  • Complete instructions

A shipping label should include detailed information from the point of origin to the unique barcode on it. The label should also convey the nature of the product, such as fragile or flammable, alerting the delivery agents to handle the product with care.

  • Position of the shipping label

The shipping label should always be placed on the top of the product. Another thing, the shipping label should be clearly visible, and barcodes should be usable after the label is attached to the package. 

Use Case of Shipping Label   

A shipping label ensures that there are no issues in product delivery. Without a label, there is a high chance of the product getting lost or it gets delivered to the wrong address. In both scenarios, the e-commerce business will incur financial loss and lose customer trust as well.

Read more

Get the latest industry news, best practices, and product updates!

Exclusive benefits to ace your e-commerce game this 2023 with Locad’s desk calendar!