Every seller's first fifty parcels ship with A4 printouts and tape — the fiftieth is when the ₹4,000 thermal printer stops being optional. It's the single best ops investment under ₹10,000 — here's the setup that actually works.
What to buy
Any 4×6 direct-thermal label printer — TSC, Zebra (expensive), iDPRT, Retsol (value). Requirements: 203 dpi minimum, 4×6 label support, USB at minimum (Bluetooth/Wi-Fi if you print from phone). ₹4,000–8,000 covers the range.
Labels are the consumable
4×6 inch direct-thermal rolls — ₹350–500 per 500-label roll at wholesale. No ink, no toner, ever — the 'thermal' means heat-printed. Stock the rolls like inventory; running out mid-manifest is a special pain.
The driver dance
Windows: vendor driver, straightforward. Mac: CUPS or the vendor's Mac driver — the 'just works' experience varies by brand. Linux: CUPS + generic driver usually works. The fiddly part is paper-size config — set the label size to exactly 100×150mm and calibrate.
The print flow
Pakka Parcel generates a 4×6 label PDF at booking → print batch → apply. Batch printing a manifest's labels in one job is the point — 30 labels in ninety seconds beats thirty individual prints.
Pakka Parcel automates exactly this — the pipeline from order to AWB without the manual steps.
See how →The playbook
Buy a 4×6 direct-thermal printer
TSC/iDPRT/Retsol in the ₹4–8k range.
Stock 500-label rolls
₹350–500 wholesale — inventory, not stationery.
Configure 100×150mm paper
The calibration step everyone forgets.
Batch-print per manifest
All labels one job — the whole point.
