Label Gun Basics

Label guns can help you meet your inventory and dating needs

Label guns are useful for manufacturing, shipping and merchandising. They quickly and accurately apply information, such as the time, date or price, to goods. This information is essential for dating perishable goods, like food, or labeling incoming inventory. Label and pricing guns are used at supermarkets, warehouses, manufacturing plants and many other businesses to keep track of important item information.

Retail labeling guns can be automatic, semi-automatic, or completely hand operated. Whether a price label gun is automatic usually depends on the price and model. Automatic store labeling guns tend to be more expensive, but many come with a warranty and a more durable exterior.

1. Make sure the labeling gun you choose can handle the label size you desire. Labels often come in standard sizes, but there are exceptions. Most label guns only support one size of label.

2. Some guns come with labels, but make sure refills are available for both labels and ink, or you may be forced to buy a new gun when you run out.

3. If you work in fast-paced environment, or you just don't want to worry about ink smears, use fast-drying ink in your labeling guns.

 

Buy one-line guns from label gun suppliers

One-line guns use smaller labels and are only capable of printing one line of text. This type of pricing gun works well for the vast majority of applications, including expiration dating, inventory numbering, and other uses. One-line guns are often cheaper to operate than two-line because they require less ink and paper.
Try: Purchase a one-line price or labeling gun from Hubert, or check out the models available from iBuy Office Supply.

Choose two-line price guns for labels with more information or multiple codes

Sometimes you just need to fit more information on your pricing labels. Often, expiration dates will have a product code on the label in addition to the expiration date, allowing the item to be easily tracked and inventoried. Labels like this require two lines instead of one. A two-line label gun allows you the flexibility to add a second line when you need it without complicating things.
Try: Pick up at two-line labeler from Fixture Zone, or get one from Instawares Restaurant Supply.

Buy electronic labelers for more customized pricing labels

Electronic label guns provide more customization for your information needs. Most allow you to change the font, font size, box style and bold or italicize lettering. Some electronic label guns also allow you to make larger labels than the simpler mechanical models. This type of labeling gun works best for bar code labels, UPC labels, and complicated larger labels where you need more than just the label gun basics.
Try: Check out the electronic labeler from Business Supply, or buy one from Office World.

 

• It's best to choose a labeling gun that has a wide variety of ink and label styles available. That way, if you choose to have a red label sale or begin color-coding labels, you won't have to buy another label gun.

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