I've been selling on eBay.co.uk for a few years now and have sold and posted hundreds of items. Throughout this time, I've been writing delivery addresses on the packages with marker pens and with bigger items, I print out a packing note, which I enclose in see-through envelopes, which I stick onto packages. The first method looks unprofessional and is more prone to mistakes. The latter cost more but both methods were time consuming.
Even though I'm not selling hundreds of items at a time (more like a couple every now and again) the time and effort I was putting into addressing packages added up and seemed rather tedious each time. There have also been many occasions where I've found the delivery address or addressee's name being long and difficult to spell, which made the task even more tedious, not to mention easy to misspell when writing it down. Eventually, I'd decided to make my eBay life just that bit easier by buying myself a DYMOLabelWriter 400 Turbo,
ironically, bought through eBay for around £70. I'd known about the DYMO brand and their portable handheldlabel printers, as well as these little desktoplabelprinters so knew they were good.
SETTING UP
Setting up was the same as any other printer with a USB connection. I installed the software on my PC, plugged the printer's power cable into the mains and then plugged the USB cable from the printer to my PC. Once the software was installed and my PC picked up the printer, it added a new printer icon for the DYMO to my printer list. Lastly, I loaded the roll of labels (included), which is quite easy to do and there's even a label on the inside of the printer with diagrams showing you how to load the labels properly.
USAGE
The DYMO Label software is very easy to use. Simply type or copy and paste what you want on the label and then press the Print button to shoot the label out of the printer. It's very quick to print and can shoot out a label in around a second. You can then tear it off of the printer, peel the label from the paper and stick it on whatever you want to label. Once installed, it's simply another Windows printer and I've even managed to print labels out of Microsoft Word, albeit, it requires a bit more page formatting.
The software does provide a lot more functions such as the ability to let you store addresses in the address book, format the font, generate barcodes, add graphics, different shaped text, etc. It can also let you import and export addresses, so if you had a lot of addresses listed in a spreadsheet, you would have the ability to print off all the addresses in bulk rather than have to copy and paste them in one by one.
I use the labels for addressing items for posting but I have also found other uses for the address labels. I have labelled boxes, computers, printers, drawers, folders, etc at work and at home and it has proved to be an excellent tool for helping me organise myself.
On top of being able to buy different sized labels, you are able to buy different shaped labels such as circular ones, which have a hole in the middle so that you can use them to label CDs. Images can be printed but complicated pictures don't look good when printed even if you can make out what they are. Basic shapes and pictures are okay though.
RUNNING COSTS
Unlike most printers, this label printer does not require any ink. The only consumable that I need to worry about procuring are labels. The labels do seem quite expensive.
For example, the 99012 address labels;
RRP: £18.88 but seem to cost around £15 for two rolls (260 labels per roll) plus postage, works out to around 3p per label if ignoring postage, which isn't too bad. However, shopping around can get you better prices and there's even bigger savings to be made if you buy the compatible labels in bulk, which can purchased on eBay. I've done so and the labels work without any problems or noticeable difference in quality. On eBay, I've found two rolls for £4.99 plus postage, which works out to around 1p per label if ignoring the postage.
SUMMARY
PROS
- Thermal, so no need for ink - Convenient and saves time - Makes addressing look more professional - Quick and easy to use - Compact - Compatible labels can be sourced for cost savings - Warranty extended to 3 years once you register the printer,
CONS
- Labels can be expensive (but you can buy compatibles)
VERDICT
Whether you're an eBay seller or work in an office, the DYMO LabelWriter 400 Turbo can save you time and make things look more professional. I think it's a brilliant piece of kit so I can highly recommend it. However, DYMO do a lot of other products. There's also a LabelWriter 400 (no Turbo), which I'm guessing is just slightly slower. They also have twin printers that print address labels and strip labels, as well as handheld label printers so there's plenty of choice.
Although the initial price of labels may scare you off, the running cost really isn't that bad as there's no ink to worry about and it does save you a lot of time in the long run as well as making everything that needs labelling look professional. Definitely well worth it for any eBay'er or any office that sends out post or just needs a lot of stuff labelled.
Oh, I also registered my printer with DYMO which extends the warranty to 3 years so definitely worth doing!
Thanks for reading!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
The Dymo LabelWriter 400Turbo is the most versatile label printer for any office or ... more
reception environment. Handles more than 17 standard label sizes up to 59 mm wide, including address, shipping, file folder, disk, video, name badge, cassette, ZIP disk...
Postage & Packaging: £4.95 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The Dymo LabelWriter 400Turbo is the most versatile label printer for any office or ... more
reception environment. Handles more than 17 standard label sizes up to 59 mm wide, including address, shipping, file folder, disk, video, name badge, cassette, ZIP disk...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The LabelWriter 400 Turbo prints at a speed of 55 labels per minute! This makes it the ... more
fastest printer in its class in the worldIt offers the same superior label quality and flexibility but with the power and speed to save you time and money Product D...
Postage & Packaging: £3.91 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
The LabelWriter 400 Turbo prints at a speed of 55 labels per minute! This makes it the ... more
fastest printer in its class in the worldIt offers the same superior label quality and flexibility but with the power and speed to save you time and money Product D...
Postage & Packaging: £4.00 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: qick and easy to use Disadvantages: hard to replace labels!
hoppopotamus 24.10.2006 (24.10.2006)
·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of DYMO LabelWriter 400 Turbo
Advantages: qick and easy to use Disadvantages: hard to replace labels!
hoppopotamus 24.10.2006 (24.10.2006)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of DYMO LabelWriter 400 Turbo
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May 2nd, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
