The Future of Shipping: Thermal vs. Laser, Part 1

Often, logistics managers and the marketing team are at odds with each other. The distribution center is all about efficiency. Ship out orders as quickly and as accurately as possible. For the marketing team, it’s all about delivering great customer experiences and reinforcing the retailer’s brand. Retailers find themselves with two groups that have distinctly different goals and objectives. Well, eFORMz, combined with DuplexPackSlip® thermal labels or laser forms, offers solutions that address the very different needs of both logistics and marketing.

Our innovative thermal labels and laser forms are designed to streamline shipping operations while providing retailers with opportunities to use the package they are already shipping to sell more products and services. Once the decision has been made to implement a Minisoft shipping solution the question naturally comes up: “Should I choose DuplexPackSlip® thermal labels or laser forms?”

First, the similarities:

• Order accuracy is 100% because the shipping label and packing list print together on the same label. Order mismatches are a thing of the past!
• Plastic pouches and folded laser paper packing lists are eliminated, saving on consumables.
• Only one printer is needed, either a two-sided thermal label printer or a duplex laser printer depending on which label or form solution is implemented.

Now, the main differences of thermals:

Thermal

DuplexPackSlip® thermal labels are generated on thermal printers with two thermal print heads. Both the front and back of the label print simultaneously. DuplexPackSlip labels are an all-in-one duplex shipping solution, which automatically marries a shipping/return label with a packing slip/invoice on the front and back sides of the same label. There are two two-sided thermal label printers available: the SATO GY412 and the Toshiba DB-EA4D.

Advantages

Application automation

• Applicators such as WardKraft’s Auto Peeler or Engineering Innovations Peeler are available to automatically peel the liner from the DuplexPackSlip label for quicker application of the label.

Print on demand

• Thermal printers have no delays to warmup before they print like laser printers. The label prints immediately.

Save on consumables

• Since the SATO GY412 and the Toshiba DB-EA4D use two thermal print heads, there’s no need to purchase laser toner.

Disadvantages

No color

• Thermal doesn’t print color, so any branding you have, like logos or other graphics, will have to be pre-printed on the label.

Label Size

• Thermal labels are 4 inches wide and 6 to 10 inches long. So there is not as much room  as on a laser form for packing lists with many line items.

No opportunities to dynamically sell more

• While offers can be pre-printed on the label, they won’t be dynamic or targeted.

Next week, we’ll take an in-depth look at the advantages and disadvantages of laser printing. Read part two here.