{"id":3364,"date":"2024-03-11T08:44:10","date_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/?p=3364"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:34:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T19:34:20","slug":"should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-print-labels-yourself-and-when-to-outsource\">When to print labels yourself and when to outsource<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you starting a small business and you aren&#8217;t even set on your branding or packaging yet? Or is business growth, combined with the cost of printer ink and label stock, making DIY printing no longer budget-friendly? We&#8217;re here to help you decide what is best for your situation:  printing your own labels or using a professional printing service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-palette-color-6-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Quick rule of thumb:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Print your own labels \u2192 best for small batches, testing, and flexibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Order professionally printed labels \u2192 best for larger quantities and a polished, consistent look<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a fledgling business or only sell a few products at a time, you don&#8217;t need large quantities of labels so printing product labels yourself is a great option.  Or if you want to test different labels on packaging to see how they look, DIY printing is a great place to start.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed alignleft is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Should You Print Your Labels Yourself or Use a Custom Printing Service\" width=\"1290\" height=\"726\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zK1dzHVrnfs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But, if you want professional labels or need large quantities, then you should seriously consider ordering <a href=\"\/custom-printing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">professionally printed labels<\/a>. And if you choose an experienced label company with strong customer service, you&#8217;ll have someone to guide you along the way as your business grows and you need more labels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-choose-a-label-company\">How to choose a label company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When choosing a label company, whether you want <a href=\"\/blank\/\">printable labels<\/a> or <a href=\"\/custom-printing\/\">professionally printed labels<\/a>, do your research. Your product label is the first thing customers see, so you want to make sure you buy quality labels that will hold their ink, remain legible, and stick and stay put.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter what label company you choose, there are things you should look into before investing your money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-research-before-ordering-your-labels\">Research before ordering your labels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Reviews and referrals<\/strong> &#8211; Everything you need to know about most companies is on the internet. If it&#8217;s not, then beware. And dig through the company reviews. See if the bad reviews are something petty or a real concern that should have you looking elsewhere.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dedicated customer service<\/strong> &#8211; Call the companies you&#8217;re thinking about working with. Tell them what you need and see what they recommend. Are they friendly, knowledgeable, and responsive? If not, it&#8217;s time to move on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pricing<\/strong> &#8211; Don&#8217;t sacrifice the quality of your labels, and therefore your products and business, to save a few dollars. For example, if a company&#8217;s quote is far lower than competitors, it&#8217;s likely they&#8217;re using cheaper materials or ink. Order samples before making a decision. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Design tools<\/strong> &#8211; Many printing companies offer editing tools to help customize your product labels. Find a company that provides free templates and easy-to-use <a href=\"\/blog\/5-best-product-label-software-programs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">design software <\/a>that makes customizing your labels a cinch.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Catalog size<\/strong> &#8211; Browse your prospective label companies&#8217; catalogs to make sure they have a large enough selection of sizes, shapes, and materials. You want to find a label company that can offer you thousands of different shapes, sizes, and material combinations. Many companies offer custom shapes and sizes but make sure to check if there are extra costs. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Extra charges<\/strong> &#8211; Always check the fine print. If you&#8217;re ordering custom labels, many printing companies have hidden costs for setup, plates, and dies. Find a company like Avery that doesn&#8217;t charge extra fees. Avery also offers custom sizes and shapes on select materials at no extra cost.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Turnaround time<\/strong> &#8211; How fast can you get your labels? For blank labels by the sheet, you should be able to get your labels in a day or two.  For custom labels, make sure and confirm lead times. Some printing companies require two to four weeks of lead time for custom labels. Others, like <a href=\"\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Avery<\/a>, can get your labels delivered in as few as three business days. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Minimum orders<\/strong> &#8211; Find a printing service that offers pricing flexibility with low MOQs where you don&#8217;t have to purchase large amounts every time you order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-after-your-research-is-done\">After your research is done<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.avery.com\/f_auto,c_scale,w_700\/web\/blog\/blog-whatwaytoprint-professionalprint\" alt=\"Custom printed roll labels and sheet labels are great for branding products and labeling packaging.\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:225px;height:225px\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve done your research, find the company that has everything you are looking for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The beauty of using a label company such as <a href=\"\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Avery <\/a>is that besides more than 80 years of experience as the inventor of self-adhesive labels, the company is a one-stop label shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can <a href=\"\/blank\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">order blank labels<\/a> that you can print yourself from home, <a href=\"\/custom-printing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">custom labels and stickers<\/a> digitally printed on industry-leading equipment, or both. The company also offers <a href=\"\/products\/labels\/usage\/all-labels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">in-store retail packs<\/a>, as well as our popular <a href=\"\/templates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free templates<\/a> that make personalizing your labels a breeze.  Even better, if you start your business printing your own labels with Avery, once you&#8217;re ready to move up to<a href=\"\/blog\/about-our-online-printing-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> professional printing,<\/a> all of your designs are saved online so you can easily order the same designs custom printed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-print-diy-labels-yourself\">When to print DIY labels yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.avery.com\/f_auto,c_scale,w_700\/web\/blog\/blog-whatwaytoprint-diyprint\" alt=\"A printer showing Avery printable labels being printed \" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:225px;height:225px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Printable labels are great for small quantities and on-demand printing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Printing your own labels is a great option for small businesses that are getting into product labels or need shipping labels for the first time. Being able to print one sheet of labels at a time is a perfect way to get started. You can find the right look for your products or projects without investing a lot of money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another big advantage of printing your own labels is that you can print them on-demand, as you need them. This is good for inventory control and helps to keep costs down for companies with small budgets.  Check out<a href=\"\/blog\/what-kind-of-printer-do-i-need-for-printing-labels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> What Kind of Printer Do I Need for Printing Labels?<\/a> for more information on label printing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if you sell smaller quantities of seasonal products, printing your own labels can be a more cost-effective route. But once you start needing a larger number of labels on a regular basis, it&#8217;s probably time to consider using professional printing services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pros-of-printing-your-own-labels\"> Pros of printing your own labels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You can print the labels as you need them <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It can be less expensive for short runs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Great for test runs and seasonal items<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideal for companies just starting with small distribution<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-choose-professional-label-printing\">When to choose professional label printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.avery.com\/f_auto,c_scale,w_700\/web\/blog\/blog-whatwaytoprint-professionalprint-rollpress\" alt=\"Custom printed roll labels being printed by Avery WePrint, the professional printing service offered by Avery\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:225px;height:225px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professional label printing is ideal for special materials, larger quantities, and a premium finish.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your business is growing and you&#8217;re struggling to keep up with demand, it might be time to consider professionally <a href=\"\/blog\/should-you-use-roll-labels-or-sheet-labels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">printed roll and sheet labels<\/a>. But make sure you check into their turnaround times. A few experienced label companies offer fast delivery in as few as three days but the majority outsource their printing,  and deliveries can take two to four weeks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, when printing yourself becomes a hassle or takes too much time or ink, it&#8217;s probably time to consider custom labels. Using a label printing service provides you with professional, expert guidance to help you <a href=\"\/blog\/how-to-choose-the-right-labels-for-your-products\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">choose your label sizes, shapes, and materials<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, labels applied to bottles of lotions need a different material than candle labels. Having an expert available to help you pick the right material can save a lot of future headaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-when-to-use-roll-labels\">When to use roll labels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-large is-resized is-style-default\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/img.avery.com\/f_auto,c_scale,w_700\/web\/blog\/blog-whatwaytoprint-professionalprint-rolls\" alt=\"\" style=\"object-fit:cover;width:225px;height:225px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Professionally printed roll labels are great for large label orders and hand or machine applications.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re applying labels at a rapid pace, it might be time to move up to <a href=\"\/custom-printing\/labels\/calculator\/rolls\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">custom roll labels<\/a>. You can purchase an inexpensive roll label applicator to save you time and money.  And if you already have your label designs saved with your printer, it&#8217;s a pretty simple process.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-pros-of-professional-printing-services\">Pros of professional printing services<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Less expensive for larger quantities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Superior printing and ink adhesion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More material and finish options like <a href=\"\/custom-printing\/labels\/material\/metallic-labels\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">metallic<\/a> and <a href=\"\/blog\/how-white-ink-underprint-makes-labels-pop\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">white ink<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expert guidance and help (Check customer service reviews for the label printers you&#8217;re considering. Make sure you order from a label company that will be there to help if you need it.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-your-reputation-matters\">Your reputation matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most important thing to remember is that your labels are the first thing everyone sees. If someone buys your product online and it shows up with a wrinkled, smeared label, chances are, even if they like your product, they won&#8217;t buy it again. First impressions are everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your product labels showcase your brand, share important legal requirements and represent your company. Don&#8217;t cut corners on your reputation when choosing a label company. We&#8217;re more than a printer, we&#8217;re a partner. Call us at <a href=\"tel:800-462-8379\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">(800) 462-8379.<\/a> to talk to our live, US-based Customer Care Center where agents are happy to help you with any label questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re still deciding, starting with DIY labels is a simple way to test your products, while professional printing becomes a smart next step as your business grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7160,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cloudinary_featured_overwrite":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4101],"tags":[4057,2202,92,91],"class_list":["post-3364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-product-labels-packaging","tag-blank-labels","tag-printable-labels","tag-roll-labels","tag-sheet-labels"],"blocksy_meta":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing for Your Business<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Avery Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/avery\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"968\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Melanie Neff\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Melanie Neff\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Melanie Neff\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2d8ec7d3c55bac4ff77cffcea4c95e15\"},\"headline\":\"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1445,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475525\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA\",\"keywords\":[\"Blank Labels\",\"Printable Labels\",\"Roll Labels\",\"Sheet Labels\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Product &amp; Packaging\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/\",\"name\":\"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing for Your Business\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475525\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00\",\"description\":\"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475525\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475525\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\\\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":968,\"caption\":\"Should you print your own labels or use a professional printing service\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Avery Blog\",\"description\":\"Tips, Tutorials &amp; Ideas for Makers and Organizers\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Avery Products\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475539\\\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1\\\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1.png?_i=AA\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/res.cloudinary.com\\\/avery-products-corp\\\/images\\\/f_auto,q_auto\\\/v1753475539\\\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1\\\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1.png?_i=AA\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Avery Products\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/facebook.com\\\/avery\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/Averyproducts\",\"http:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/avery\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/avery-products-corporation\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/avery\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UCg3Y4MPb-uK94D0iEc2u1_A\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/2d8ec7d3c55bac4ff77cffcea4c95e15\",\"name\":\"Melanie Neff\",\"description\":\"I\u2019ve been a writer for most of my life, starting in PR with the LA Clippers while in college at USC, before moving into journalism at USA Today. I covered everything from the LA riots and LA Raiders to flash floods and red carpet movie premieres\u2014basically, the usual glamorous stuff. Later, at The Los Angeles Times, I spent more than a decade covering college, professional and high school sports. I kept my NBA ties strong by working in PR for their summer league and writing for NBA.com. I also spent 9 unforgettable New Year's Days working in the press box for Rose Bowl games. When the newspaper industry started crumbling, I transitioned into covering commercial real estate\u2014until the recession came along and crashed that party too. (Honestly, that was probably a blessing. Writing about cap rates, capital stacks, bridge loans, and mezzanine loans was giving me a serious case of brain fog.) Enter Avery, swooping in to save the day. Now, I\u2019ve been with Avery for almost 15 years, where I\u2019ve been able to put my writing experience to use in new ways. I write website content, marketing emails, and blog posts\u2014basically, all the words that help businesses and consumers figure out how to label their stuff. When I\u2019m not glued to a screen, I\u2019m out exploring the desert landscapes around Las Vegas\u2014whether it\u2019s hiking (walking) through Red Rock Canyon, cooling off at Mt. Charleston, or making the trek to Area 51 (because who doesn\u2019t love a good conspiracy?). I avoid the Strip unless there\u2019s a rock band I can\u2019t miss or I have friends in town. At home, I enjoy cooking, playing with my furry friends and figuring out how to garden in the desert (spoiler: it\u2019s a lot harder than it sounds).\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\",\"www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/melanieneff\",\"mneff@avery.com\"],\"knowsAbout\":[\"labels\",\"stickers\",\"sports\",\"real estate finance\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.avery.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/mneff\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta property=\"og:video\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zK1dzHVrnfs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:type\" content=\"text\/html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:duration\" content=\"74\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:width\" content=\"480\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:video:height\" content=\"270\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:adult\" content=\"false\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:upload_date\" content=\"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"ya:ovs:allow_embed\" content=\"true\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing for Your Business","description":"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?","og_description":"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/","og_site_name":"Avery Blog","article_publisher":"http:\/\/facebook.com\/avery","article_published_time":"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":968,"url":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Melanie Neff","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Melanie Neff","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/"},"author":{"name":"Melanie Neff","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2d8ec7d3c55bac4ff77cffcea4c95e15"},"headline":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?","datePublished":"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/"},"wordCount":1445,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA","keywords":["Blank Labels","Printable Labels","Roll Labels","Sheet Labels"],"articleSection":["Product &amp; Packaging"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/","url":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/","name":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing for Your Business","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA","datePublished":"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-10T19:34:20+00:00","description":"Should you print your own labels or order professionally? Compare DIY vs. professional printing to find the best option for your business.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA","contentUrl":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/w_2560,h_968,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475525\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2\/blog-hero-whatwaytoprint-3000x1134-2.jpg?_i=AA","width":2560,"height":968,"caption":"Should you print your own labels or use a professional printing service"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/should-you-print-your-own-labels-or-order-custom-labels\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"DIY Labels vs. Professional Printing: What\u2019s Right for Your Business?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/","name":"Avery Blog","description":"Tips, Tutorials &amp; Ideas for Makers and Organizers","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Avery Products","url":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475539\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1.png?_i=AA","contentUrl":"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/avery-products-corp\/images\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1753475539\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1\/cropped-avery-logo-white-rgb-square-1.png?_i=AA","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Avery Products"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/facebook.com\/avery","https:\/\/x.com\/Averyproducts","http:\/\/instagram.com\/avery","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/avery-products-corporation\/","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/avery","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCg3Y4MPb-uK94D0iEc2u1_A"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/2d8ec7d3c55bac4ff77cffcea4c95e15","name":"Melanie Neff","description":"I\u2019ve been a writer for most of my life, starting in PR with the LA Clippers while in college at USC, before moving into journalism at USA Today. I covered everything from the LA riots and LA Raiders to flash floods and red carpet movie premieres\u2014basically, the usual glamorous stuff. Later, at The Los Angeles Times, I spent more than a decade covering college, professional and high school sports. I kept my NBA ties strong by working in PR for their summer league and writing for NBA.com. I also spent 9 unforgettable New Year's Days working in the press box for Rose Bowl games. When the newspaper industry started crumbling, I transitioned into covering commercial real estate\u2014until the recession came along and crashed that party too. (Honestly, that was probably a blessing. Writing about cap rates, capital stacks, bridge loans, and mezzanine loans was giving me a serious case of brain fog.) Enter Avery, swooping in to save the day. Now, I\u2019ve been with Avery for almost 15 years, where I\u2019ve been able to put my writing experience to use in new ways. I write website content, marketing emails, and blog posts\u2014basically, all the words that help businesses and consumers figure out how to label their stuff. When I\u2019m not glued to a screen, I\u2019m out exploring the desert landscapes around Las Vegas\u2014whether it\u2019s hiking (walking) through Red Rock Canyon, cooling off at Mt. Charleston, or making the trek to Area 51 (because who doesn\u2019t love a good conspiracy?). I avoid the Strip unless there\u2019s a rock band I can\u2019t miss or I have friends in town. At home, I enjoy cooking, playing with my furry friends and figuring out how to garden in the desert (spoiler: it\u2019s a lot harder than it sounds).","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.avery.com","www.linkedin.com\/in\/melanieneff","mneff@avery.com"],"knowsAbout":["labels","stickers","sports","real estate finance"],"url":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/author\/mneff\/"}]},"og_video":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zK1dzHVrnfs","og_video_type":"text\/html","og_video_duration":"74","og_video_width":"480","og_video_height":"270","ya_ovs_adult":"false","ya_ovs_upload_date":"2024-03-11T15:44:10+00:00","ya_ovs_allow_embed":"true"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3364"}],"version-history":[{"count":82,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28692,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3364\/revisions\/28692"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.avery.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}