What size label eBay gives you
eBay produces the label in whichever print format your account is set to, and there are two in common use. Both contain the same 4 by 6 inch label design. The difference is the size of the page it is sitting on.
| Print format | Page size | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| PDF 4 x 6 | 4 x 6 in (288 x 432 pt) | The label alone, filling the page edge to edge |
| PDF letter | 8.5 x 11 in (612 x 792 pt) | The same 4 x 6 label placed on a letter sheet, usually with a fold line and instructions |
You choose between them in the shipping label screen under the print format setting, and the choice sticks for future labels. If you already downloaded the letter-size version, you do not need to buy the label again. The converter finds the 4 by 6 label on the letter page and crops to it.
Envelope dimensions
Envelope sizing is quoted height first in some catalogs and width first in others, which causes no end of confusion. The table below lists them as they are addressed, meaning width across the face you write on.
| Envelope | Inches | Millimeters | PDF points |
|---|---|---|---|
| #10 business | 9.5 x 4.125 | 241 x 105 | 684 x 297 |
| #9 | 8.875 x 3.875 | 225 x 98 | 639 x 279 |
| #6 3/4 | 6.5 x 3.625 | 165 x 92 | 468 x 261 |
| A2 invitation | 5.75 x 4.375 | 146 x 111 | 414 x 315 |
| 6 x 9 booklet | 9 x 6 | 229 x 152 | 648 x 432 |
| 9 x 12 catalog | 12 x 9 | 305 x 229 | 864 x 648 |
The points column is there because PDF geometry is measured in points at 72 to the inch, and it is what you need when you are checking a page size in a file rather than measuring a physical envelope. In Adobe Reader, File then Properties shows the page size directly.
Any of these sizes will work as converter output. Pick #10 from the preset list or type the width and height into the custom size fields, and the return address, postage, and recipient block are arranged to fit that face.
What the service will actually carry
Label size is separate from whether your mail piece qualifies. eBay Standard Envelope moves through USPS letter sorting equipment, so the finished envelope has to behave like a letter.
- Maximum weight: 3 ounces, including the envelope and any backing board.
- Maximum thickness: 0.25 inches.
- Size range: no smaller than 3.5 by 5 inches, no larger than 6.125 by 11.5 inches.
- The envelope must be rectangular and flexible enough to bend through sorting machinery. Rigid mailers get rejected.
A #10 envelope at 9.5 by 4.125 inches sits comfortably inside that size range, which is why it is the usual choice for the service.
Choosing envelopes to print on
Windowless
The address is printed directly on the envelope, so a window serves no purpose and a window film will jam or scorch in a laser printer.
Plain surface
Heavy security tint on the outside is fine, but avoid glossy or textured stock. Inkjet output beads on gloss and smears before it dries, which ruins barcodes.
24 lb rather than 20 lb
Heavier stock feeds straighter and shows less show-through from the contents. It also survives the sorting machinery better, which matters when the tracking on this service is already minimal.
Self-seal
Purely a time saver, and worth it at any volume above a handful per week. It makes no difference to printing.
Next steps
With the sizes settled, the remaining question is usually where to set them. The print settings guide covers scale and paper size in each PDF viewer, and the guide on centered labels explains what goes wrong when the label page and the envelope disagree.