While a lot of e-commerce is about picking and packing ready-made products, custom labels mean that we make everything bespoke. The only constant is the base material of paper or polypropylene. From there, every order has unique shapes, sizes, designs and finishes.
Even basic label orders are complex, as there are multiple pieces of equipment your labels will be processed through before they are ready to go on your products.
Because of this, the best we can offer is a close estimate of when your order will be delivered. We actually deliver 96% of orders on time, but for customers requiring very urgent labels, please be aware that your order may arrive after the estimated date in some cases.
Typical reasons
There are some situations which increase the chance of an order being delivered slightly later than estimated, such as:
Whether the artwork meets specifications
We have print specifications where your order will be processed quicker if they are met. If they aren't met, there's no need to worry, as our graphics team checks all artwork before printing and can make free adjustments to meet the specifications where possible. If that isn't possible, we'll let you know and suggest what has to be changed before it's print-ready.
However, this activity can inevitably cause delays that cause the delivery estimate to be missed, particularly if substantial artwork adjustments are needed before it's suitable for printing.
How quickly the proof is approved
In some cases you may have to approve a PDF proof before we begin printing your labels. This means that the longer this takes, the longer it will be before we can print, and the longer it's likely to take before your order is delivered.
Mistakes during the order process
We regularly encounter mistakes that have been made during the ordering process. For example, the wrong size or finish, the incorrect quantity, artwork errors (such as spelling mistakes) and also incorrect email addresses and delivery addresses.
These things happen, and we will do our best to rectify the issue with minimal disruption. However, this can still result in a later delivery date than estimated.
Bespoke design requirements
With Fastlabels, you can benefit from our free in-house design service if it's needed. We can either create a label design for you from scratch, or amend existing artwork where possible. However, as you can imagine, this process often results in a later print date which results in the order being delivered slightly later as well.
Which type of label you choose
We usually take 1-2 working days longer to produce custom shape, metallic, and clear with white printing. This is due to the more complex manufacturing process.
Rest assured that we'll work as quickly as we can to get your order sent out on time, and usually we will. But if your order has an urgent deadline that's fast approaching, please bear these points in mind.
If you're worried about when the delivery date will be so you can be available to collect the order, we've got that covered. All orders are dispatched with FREE next-day delivery by DPD couriers. This includes tracking too, so you'll know the delivery date and time slot in advance.