What do you write with and on? Ballpoint pen, marker and felt-tip pen in the office and warehouse
,
by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Every pen works on paper, but not on cardboard or tape. Which ballpoint, marker, or felt-tip pen to use for which surface — and when it's better to switch to stickers or a pricing gun.
You grab a pen from the desk, write the house number on the top of a box, and two days later the delivery driver sees a gray smudge. Or worse: you write neatly on the tape, the roll slides a bit, and the text is suddenly half off the seam. Almost everyone who occasionally sends something or looks for something in a pantry has experienced this – and almost no one ever consciously buys a pen for it.
It's not a complicated subject, but it does save time. Below, we list what writing tools work on which surfaces, what you can expect from a cheap ballpoint pen, and when it's better to stop writing manually altogether.
The three surfaces where things go wrong
Everything works on plain paper. The problem begins as soon as the surface is no longer paper. In practice, it almost always comes down to three things:
Uncoated cardboard — brown corrugated cardboard boxes absorb ink. A ballpoint pen scratches into it and leaves a thin, irregular line. A marker with a wider tip works much better here, although the ink bleeds slightly into the fibers.
Tape and smooth film — water-based ink doesn't adhere here. You write, it looks good, and an hour later you can wipe it off with your thumb. Only a permanent marker will stay put.
Plastic, grip bags, and plastic containers — same story as tape, with the added caveat that the text often needs to be removed later. In that case, you definitely don't want permanent ink.
That last point is often forgotten. A storage bin that you fill differently every season should be labeled with something erasable or with a sticker. A shipping box that leaves once can be permanent.
Ballpoint pen, marker or felt-tip pen: what do you choose for what?
What you do
What you grab
Pay attention
Packing slip, form, note
Ballpoint pen
Cheap per piece, buy per set
Address or order number on a box
Marker with a broad tip
Ink can bleed into the cardboard
Writing on tape or foil
Permanent marker
Let it dry before stacking
Temporary marking on plastic
Sticker or label
Permanent ink is difficult to remove
Pricing on products
Price gun with stickers
Faster and more legible than handwriting
Ballpoint pens: buy them by the ten, not by the piece
Ballpoint pens are consumables. They get lost, they disappear into bags, and there's always one too few at the packing table. Buying individual pens is therefore almost always more expensive than a set.
If you want one that doesn't disappear because everyone recognizes it: the Heart-shaped Ballpoint Pens 14 cm, 3 pieces cost €9.95. Not a serious argument, but a practical effect — noticeable pens are less likely to walk away.
Markers: the difference between permanent and non-permanent
For anything that isn't just paper, grab a marker. Important distinction: permanent means the ink is intended to stay on smooth surfaces. That's exactly what you want on tape, and exactly what you don't want on a whiteboard or a container you're reusing.
Two practical things you'll save with a marker. Put the cap on immediately – that's the only reason markers dry out. And lay them flat instead of upright with the tip pointing up, then the tip will stay saturated.
When you should stop writing
Manual writing works fine for up to about ten items. Beyond that, it becomes slow, and more importantly: it becomes illegible. Your own handwriting after fifty boxes is not the same handwriting as on box number one.
For the intermediate form — you don't want a device, but you do want something legible and removable — write on a sticker or label and stick it on the container or box. The ink will then be on the label, not on your packaging.
Four things to make your packing table calmer
One pen holder per workstation, not one for the entire building. Pens you have to fetch don't come back. A Desk Organizer with Phone Holder (€5.00) keeps pens, markers, and your phone in one place.
Choose two colors and stick to them. Black for everything the customer reads, a second color for internal designations. This way, you never have to guess what a code means.
Write on the top and on one side. If a box is at the bottom of a stack, you read the side.
Test once on your own tape. Not every tape accepts ink equally well. Five seconds of testing prevents an afternoon of vague addresses.
Briefly summarized
Paper: ballpoint pen. Cardboard: wide-tipped marker. Tape and film: permanent marker. Something that needs to be clean later: sticker or label. More than ten pieces at a time: consider a pricing gun. It's not a big budget and not a complicated choice, but it is the difference between a package that arrives and a package that goes astray.
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports, and with switches
· 3 min reading time
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports and with switchesYour desk needs three USB devices, but your laptop only has two ports. Or...
Power outages in autumn: emergency supplies you'll actually use
· 2 min reading time
Autumn Power Outages: Emergency Supplies You'll Actually Use October to December. Heating isn't in full swing yet, but the nights are getting long and cold. If a power outage strikes...
Choosing a power bank: capacity, charging speed, and weight compared
· 2 min reading time
Choosing a Power Bank: Capacity, Charging Speed, and Weight Compared Your phone dies when you're out and about. The classic emergency solution is a power bank. But what capacity do...
