Avery 8164 Shipping Labels Review: Conditional Yes (8.6/10)
“Smudge-free and jam-free guaranteed” is the promise that keeps surfacing around Avery Printable Shipping Labels, 3-1/3" x 4", White, 150 Blank (8164)—and across listings, the ratings cluster high (Amazon shows 4.8/5; Staples shows 4.7/5; Avery’s own product page shows 4.8/5). Verdict: Yes, conditional — 8.6/10, especially for high-volume shippers who want opaque, permanent labels and fewer printer-feed headaches.
Quick Verdict
For small businesses cranking out daily shipments, these labels are positioned as a “print-and-stick” workhorse: Sure Feed for smoother printer runs, TrueBlock to hide old markings, and a permanent adhesive that’s meant to stay put. The catch is that the most detailed “feedback” in the provided data is largely product-copy rather than verbatim user reviews, so the strongest takeaways come from repeated cross-platform claims and rating patterns rather than quoted buyer stories.
| Call | Evidence from provided sources |
|---|---|
| Verdict | Conditional Yes (best for frequent shipping + box reuse) |
| Pro: Feed reliability | “Avery… featuring proprietary sure feed technology… preventing misalignments and jams” (Avery product page for 8164; Staples listing) |
| Pro: Opacity for reusing boxes | “TrueBlock technology… completely covers the surface under the label so boxes… can be reused” (Staples; Avery product page) |
| Pro: Strong stick | “Permanent adhesive ensures labels stay secure” (Amazon specs; Staples) |
| Con: Not waterproof | “Waterproof: not waterproof” (Staples specs) |
| Con: Hard to reposition | “Repositionable… non-repositionable” / “non-repositionable” (Staples specs) |
| Watch-out: Inkjet positioning | “Optimized for inkjet printers” (Avery product page for 8164; Amazon specs) |
Claims vs Reality
The marketing around Avery Printable Shipping Labels, 3-1/3" x 4", White, 150 Blank (8164) leans hard on three claims: jam-free printing, full coverage opacity, and adhesive strength. Digging deeper into the provided sources, the “reality” signal is mostly in how consistently those claims repeat across retailers—and where the specs quietly add limits.
Claim #1: “Smudge-free and jam-free guaranteed.”
Across the Avery product page and the Staples listing, the same language appears: “smudge-free and jam-free guaranteed” and “Sure Feed technology… preventing misalignments and jams.” That consistency suggests the core experience Avery is aiming for is predictability—important for Etsy and Shopify sellers printing batches of labels, where one misfeed can derail a shipping run. A buyer running “high-volume mailing and shipping jobs” is explicitly called out in the Amazon specs copy, reinforcing that the product is marketed for throughput.
But the fine print nudges expectations back toward printer compatibility and correct use. Staples positions this SKU as “inkjet printer compatible,” and Avery repeats it’s “optimized for inkjet printers.” So while the guarantee is the headline, the practical reality is that feed and smear performance is framed around using the right printer class and templates.
Claim #2: “TrueBlock technology completely covers everything underneath.”
This is the standout promise for anyone who reuses boxes. Staples says: “TrueBlock technology… completely covers the surface under the label so boxes and shipping materials can be reused.” Avery echoes the same: “TrueBlock technology completely covers everything underneath.” For warehouse teams and home sellers who reuse Amazon boxes, that’s a direct answer to a real pain point: old barcodes, addresses, and branding showing through.
The “reality” limitation comes from what is not claimed: none of the provided sources promise water resistance or outdoor durability. Staples’ spec table is blunt: “Waterproof: not waterproof.” So TrueBlock may hide what’s underneath, but it doesn’t turn a paper label into a weatherproof one—an issue for shipments exposed to rain.
Claim #3: “Permanent adhesive… sticks and stays.”
Amazon’s manufacturer copy says “Avery labels won’t fall off,” and describes “ultrahold permanent adhesive” sticking to “cardboard… glass, metal and more.” Staples repeats “permanent adhesive backing for a secure bond.” For operations teams taping labels as a backup (because curling happens with weaker labels), the promise here is reducing that extra step.
The trade-off is implied by Staples’ “non-repositionable” spec: once you place it, it’s meant to be final. That’s great for preventing lifting during transit, but it raises the cost of mistakes—especially for users hand-applying many labels quickly.
Cross-Platform Consensus
A recurring pattern emerged across Amazon’s product details, Staples’ product copy, and Avery’s own listing: the “consensus” revolves around reliability—reliable feed, reliable block-out, reliable stick. Even where we don’t have verbatim buyer quotes in the provided data, we can still map what kinds of users these repeated claims are designed to serve, and where the specs draw hard boundaries.
Universally Praised
The most consistent theme is printer feeding. Avery frames it as “Sure Feed™ technology… preventing misalignments and jams,” and Staples reiterates: “Sure feed technology helps deliver a reliable feed through your printer to avoid misalignments and jams.” For a small business owner printing dozens of USPS labels in a session, that’s not a luxury feature—it’s operational stability. A day’s shipping can be lost to one bad jam that smears ink across multiple sheets, so the emphasis on “reliable feed” is a direct nod to high-volume workflows described in the Amazon listing (“ideal for high-volume mailing and shipping jobs”).
Second, TrueBlock’s opacity is positioned as the money-saver. Staples spells out the use-case: “so boxes and shipping materials can be reused,” while Avery describes “cover up everything underneath… so you can reuse boxes and block out markings and mistakes.” For sellers sourcing free boxes or reusing packaging, this becomes less about aesthetics and more about reducing shipping errors from stray old barcodes. It’s essentially a “reset button” for reused packaging, framed as “like-new results” on the Staples page.
Third, the labels are repeatedly described as versatile beyond shipping. Both Amazon and Avery talk about “gift tags, crafting, party favors,” and the Amazon listing adds “homemade treats and more.” For teachers, event planners, or home organizers who want the 3-1/3" x 4" rectangle format, that narrative matters: one box of labels isn’t limited to shipping week—these are pitched as multipurpose printable rectangles.
- Praised themes repeated across sources: “Sure Feed technology,” “TrueBlock technology,” “permanent adhesive,” and “smudge-free and jam-free guaranteed” (Avery product page for 8164; Amazon specs; Staples listing).
Common Complaints
The sharpest “complaint-like” signal in the provided data is actually a constraint in the specs: water. Staples lists “Waterproof: not waterproof.” For anyone shipping in wet climates, leaving packages on porches, or mailing poly mailers that may get damp, this becomes the most important limitation. The product is consistently described as paper labels with strong adhesive, but nowhere in the provided sources is there a claim of water resistance; instead, the specs explicitly deny it.
Another recurring friction point is repositioning—or the lack of it. Staples calls the 8164 labels “non-repositionable,” which means hurried labelers can’t easily correct a crooked placement. The contrast becomes clearer when compared to a different Avery SKU in the provided data (Office Depot listing for “repositionable… 58164”), which explicitly markets “Re-hesive technology… removed and reapplied.” That comparison implies a real-world pain: permanent shipping labels are unforgiving when mistakes happen.
Finally, printer type alignment matters. Avery repeatedly says the 8164 is “optimized for inkjet printers.” That can frustrate offices standardizing on laser printers if they purchase the wrong variant; the data also references a laser counterpart (Avery 5164). The complaint isn’t stated as a quote in the provided dataset, but the platform messaging suggests confusion is possible—especially because multiple similar Avery product numbers exist in the same size.
- Constraint flags from specs: “not waterproof,” “non-repositionable,” and “inkjet printer compatible/optimized” (Staples specs; Avery 8164 page).
Divisive Features
The adhesive strength is both the selling point and the potential drawback. Amazon and Staples highlight “permanent adhesive,” and Avery emphasizes “stick and stay… without curling or falling off.” For a warehouse shipping coordinator, that’s the difference between a readable label at delivery and a return-to-sender. But for casual users—holiday card batches, one-time event mailers—the same permanence can feel punitive if a label is placed wrong.
Another divisive element is “TrueBlock” opacity. People who reuse boxes will treat “completely covers everything underneath” as a must-have. But users applying labels to pristine new packaging might see it as overkill—paying for opacity they don’t need, when cheaper plain labels might suffice. The sources frame TrueBlock as a core value proposition (reusing packaging “again and again”), which inherently divides buyers into two camps: reuse-focused shippers versus presentation-focused, new-box shippers.
Trust & Reliability
The strongest trust signal in the provided dataset is consistency across retailers and Avery’s own site: the same feature claims repeat (Sure Feed, TrueBlock, permanent adhesive), and the star ratings are uniformly high (Amazon 4.8/5; Staples 4.7/5; Avery 4.8/5). That doesn’t replace detailed stories, but it does suggest the product generally meets expectations for the audience it targets.
On “scam concerns,” the included “Trustpilot (Verified)” bucket doesn’t actually show Trustpilot narratives; it links to an Office Depot page with a different Avery product (58164) and a low sample size (“3.8… read 4 reviews”). Because the dataset provides no verbatim long-term “6 months later” Reddit-style posts or named-user quotes, there isn’t credible evidence here to claim durability patterns beyond the stated adhesive intent (“permanent adhesive”) and the non-waterproof spec caveat. What can be said from the data: Avery positions the labels as staying power focused (“won’t fall off”), but exposure to moisture isn’t part of that reliability story.
Alternatives
Only competitors mentioned in the provided data can be considered, and the clearest “alternative” is actually within Avery’s own catalog.
If the use case is laser printing—office environments, shared printers, or operations teams standardized on laser—Avery’s 5164 appears in the dataset as “600 blank mailing labels for laser printers (5164)” with the same TrueBlock/Sure Feed framing. That’s not a different brand, but it is a functionally important alternative for avoiding printer mismatch.
If the use case is frequent misplacement or the need to correct labels—mailrooms where speed causes crooked placement—Avery’s 58164 repositionable inkjet shipping labels appear as a direct alternative: “can be removed and reapplied… repositionable adhesive becomes permanent.” The trade-off is reflected in the lower rating shown on that Office Depot page (3.8/5 from 4 reviews), though the sample is tiny.
For those who simply want a versatile rectangle label for branding or organization, the dataset also includes Avery’s general 3-1/3" x 4" printable labels page (template compatibility includes 8164). That suggests broader material options, which may matter if shipping labels aren’t the only need.
Price & Value
The “value” argument depends on where you buy and how intensely you ship. Amazon shows a price around $13.12 for 150 labels (about $0.09/label in the scraped listing). Staples shows $18.19 for 150 (about $0.12/label). Avery’s own site snapshot shows $14.05 for 150 (discounted from a higher “reg” price). WebstaurantStore lists $10.99/pack but requires a minimum purchase quantity (“minimum of 5”).
For high-volume shippers, the TrueBlock angle is the hidden value lever: being able to “reuse boxes and packaging again and again” means you’re not only paying per label—you’re potentially reducing packaging spend and time spent removing old labels. For casual mailers, the value may be weaker because TrueBlock and permanent adhesive are premium features you might not need.
- Buying tips supported by listings: compare per-label cost across Amazon vs Staples vs Avery direct; consider bulk SKUs like 8464 (600 labels) if shipping volume is steady (Avery 8164/8464 listing).
FAQ
Q: Are Avery 8164 labels waterproof?
A: No. Staples lists the spec as “Waterproof: not waterproof.” That means the labels are paper-based and not designed to resist rain or soaking. For outdoor exposure or wet climates, the data suggests prioritizing protected packaging rather than relying on the label itself.
Q: Can you reposition Avery 8164 labels if you place one crooked?
A: Not easily. Staples describes the 8164 as “non-repositionable” and the adhesive as “permanent.” If you need remove-and-reapply behavior, the provided data shows a different Avery product (58164) marketed as repositionable with “Re-hesive technology.”
Q: Do Avery 8164 labels work with laser printers?
A: The provided sources emphasize inkjet compatibility: Staples calls them “inkjet printer compatible,” and Avery says they’re “optimized for inkjet printers.” If you’re printing on laser, the dataset includes Avery 5164 as the laser-oriented version in the same size class.
Q: What does TrueBlock mean in practice?
A: TrueBlock is described as opacity that “completely covers everything underneath” (Avery) and “completely covers the surface under the label so boxes… can be reused” (Staples). For reuse-focused shippers, it’s positioned to hide old addresses, markings, and graphics on previously used boxes.
Q: How many labels come in a pack and what size are they?
A: The pack is listed as 150 labels, sized 3-1/3" x 4", with 6 labels per sheet across 25 sheets (Staples specs; Avery 8164 page). This layout is aimed at standard US letter sheets (8.5" x 11") for home and office printers.
Final Verdict
Buy Avery Printable Shipping Labels, 3-1/3" x 4", White, 150 Blank (8164) if you’re a high-volume shipper who reuses boxes and wants the combination of “Sure Feed” reliability, “TrueBlock” opacity, and permanent stick. Avoid if your packages regularly face moisture or you need repositionable labels for fast-paced labeling.
Pro tip from the community listings: pick the printer-matched version—8164 for inkjet, 5164 for laser—to align with the “optimized” claims and reduce the risk of misfeeds and smudging.
