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How to Track Parcels With a Free Google Sheet and a Barcode Scanner

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You do not need expensive warehouse software to track your parcels. For many small sellers, a free Google Sheet and a low-cost barcode scanner are enough to know exactly which parcels left the building, when they left and who took them to the courier. Here is how to set up a simple parcel tracking sheet in under an hour. Why Track Parcels Yourself? Couriers and marketplaces have their own tracking, but they only start once the courier scans the parcel. Your own log covers the gap in between: from the moment a label is printed to the moment the courier takes the parcel. When an order is flagged as late or a customer says nothing arrived, your sheet gives you a clear answer. What You Need A free Google account and Google Sheets A USB or wireless barcode scanner that works like a keyboard A computer or laptop near your packing area Most basic scanners act like a keyboard. When you scan a barcode, the numbers are typed into whichever cell is selected, followed by Enter. That i...
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A Simple Daily Dispatch System for 50+ Parcels a Day

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Sending five parcels a day is easy. Sending fifty or more is a different job. Without a clear system, parcels get missed, labels get mixed up and someone ends up racing to the depot just before it closes. A simple daily dispatch routine fixes most of these problems. Here is the system we use, broken into roles and stages. It works with a small team and needs nothing more than a label printer, a barcode scanner and a shared spreadsheet. Give Everyone a Clear Role Even in a small business, roles prevent confusion. In our setup: The manager prints the labels in batches and checks the final numbers. The packing team picks items, packs parcels and attaches labels. The storage manager keeps stock organised and flags low stock early. The driver scans parcels out, takes them to the courier and records the handover. One person can hold more than one role, but every task should have a clear owner. Stage 1: Morning Order Review Start the day by checking all new orders. Separate...
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How to Avoid Temu's "Suspected Logistics Issue" Flag

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If you sell on Temu, you may have seen a warning on an order saying there is a suspected logistics issue . It can be stressful, especially when you know you packed and posted the parcel on time. In most cases, the warning has a simple cause, and it can usually be prevented with a better dispatch routine. What Does the Warning Usually Mean? Marketplaces watch the tracking of every order. When you create a shipping label, the system expects the courier to scan the parcel within a certain time. If the tracking still shows no courier scan after that window, the order may be flagged as a possible logistics problem. In other words, the system cannot see that the parcel has actually left your hands. The exact time window and rules can change, so check your Seller Center for the current details. Common Reasons It Happens Labels created too early. Printing labels the night before or hours before the parcel leaves starts the clock early. Missing the drop-off cut-off. A parcel dropped ...
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Evri vs Royal Mail vs DPD: Which Courier Is Best for Small Sellers?

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Choosing a courier is one of the first big decisions for any small online seller in the UK. It affects your costs, your delivery speed, your customer reviews and even how much time you spend driving to drop-off points. The three names most small sellers compare are Evri , Royal Mail and DPD . There is no single "best" courier. The right choice depends on what you sell, how many parcels you send and where your customers are. Here is how they generally compare from a small seller's point of view. Evri Evri (formerly Hermes) is popular with marketplace sellers because it is usually one of the cheapest options for small and medium parcels. Strengths: Competitive prices, especially for light parcels Large network of ParcelShops and lockers for drop-off Collection services available for regular senders Widely supported by marketplaces and shipping tools Things to watch: Delivery speed and consistency can vary by area and season Drop-off points have their own cu...
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How to Start Selling on Temu UK: A Beginner's Guide

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Temu has grown into one of the busiest online marketplaces in the UK, and more local sellers are now listing their products on it. If you already sell on another platform, or you are thinking about starting your first online shop, Temu can be a good way to reach a large number of shoppers. But it also has its own rules, timelines and quirks that are worth understanding before you start. This guide walks through the basic steps, based on our own experience of selling on Temu UK, plus the things we wish we had known on day one. Step 1: Decide How You Will Sell Before you apply, think about how your business is set up. You can trade as a sole trader or as a limited company in the UK, and marketplaces may ask for different documents depending on which you choose. Have these ready before you start the application: Your business details (and company registration number if you have a limited company) Photo ID for the business owner or director A business bank account for payouts A U...
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