Reprinting USPS Shipping Labels: An Expert Guide

As one of the world‘s largest shipping companies, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has been delivering mail since before the Declaration of Independence was even signed. Today, this 240+ year organization transports over 140 billion parcels annually.

With such massive scale, shipping label mistakes are inevitable. Thankfully, USPS offers a seamless way to reprint labels. This guide will teach you how.

Key Statistics on USPS Shipping Labels

• USPS prints around 500 million shipping labels annually (USPS 2019 report)
• An estimated 15 million USPS labels per year need to be reprinted due to damage, errors, or changes
• 80% of online sellers use USPS to fulfill orders due to competitive pricing

As you can see, USPS shipping is extremely common, especially for ecommerce businesses. And lots of those labels end up needing a reprint.

Top Reasons You May Need To Reprint a Label

There are a few key reasons you might need to reprint a USPS label:

1. Original label was damaged – coffee spills, smudged ink, etc. make the barcode unscannable
2. Incorrect shipping address – wrong recipient name, street address, ZIP code
3. Sender address change – return address was entered incorrectly
4. Different service or options needed – upgraded to Express or added signature confirmation
5. Lower postage rate available – USPS offers promotions with lower pricing

Reprinting Labels on USPS.com

If you purchased your original postage on USPS.com‘s Click-N-Ship site, follow this process:

1. Visit USPS.com and log into your account
2. Under the Quick Tools menu, select "Shipping History"
3. Locate the order with the label that needs reprinted
4. Click the blue "Reprint Shipping Label" button
5. Confirm all details accurately show recipient address, service type, etc.
6. Select your printer and print the label

You‘ll want to reprint before midnight CST on the selected "Ship By" date for that label. After that point, you won‘t be able to reprint on USPS.com and will need to purchase brand new postage.

Tip: Save labels as PDFs for easier reprinting later.

Step-By-Step: Reprinting Labels Via Stamps.com

Third-party postage platforms like Stamps.com offer similar reprint options:

1. Go to your Orders page and select the "Shipped" tab
2. Locate the order with the label that needs reprinted
3. Click the "Reprint" link next to that order
4. A popup will show the label details – double check accuracy
5. Select your printer and click the "Reprint" button

Key difference – Stamps.com only gives you 24 hours from the initial purchase date to reprint a label.

So if you used Stamps.com or another third-party platform, make sure you reprint within that shorter reprinted window.

Avoid Common USPS Reprint Issues

When reprinting USPS labels, be careful not to make these common mistakes:

• Forgetting to update the ship date if you missed the original date
• Letting the label reprint deadline pass – make it sooner rather than later!
• Changing any details like recipient address or service type
• Using an expired label (past ship date) at the Post Office

As long as you reprint before the deadline and use the label on the correct ship date, you‘ll be in good shape!

Key Takeaways: Your USPS Reprint Cheat Sheet

Print this handy table out before attempting your first label reprint:

Understanding the specific reprint deadlines and procedures for USPS.com versus third-party tools is key. Apply those ground rules, and your package will be on its way!