To purchase Royal Mail postage labels through Etsy, you must be based in the UK and accept either Etsy Payments or Paypal.
What delivery services are available?
Royal Mail offers a selection of methods for sending letters, parcels, and tubes to both domestic and international addresses. All methods that are available come with some level of compensation coverage included and shown at time of purchase.
For sending items within the UK, you can choose:
- If a signature isn't required: 1st Class or 2nd Class
- If a signature is required: Royal Mail Signed For® 1st Class or Royal Mail Signed For® 2nd Class
- For time-sensitive mail: Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm
- For fully tracked services: Tracked 24® or Tracked 48®
Depending on the international destination, we offer:
- International Standard
- International Signed
- International Tracked & Signed
- International Tracked
- International Tracked Delivered Duty Paid (DDP)
When you purchase an international postage label, the necessary forms will be provided to you.
If you’re delivering to the US, you can purchase Royal Mail Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) postage labels. DDP delivery allows you to calculate and present tariff-inclusive prices on Etsy, which helps alleviate confusion and create a more straightforward shopping experience. Learn more about DDP delivery and navigating US tariffs.
How much do postage labels cost?
The cost of a postage label will depend on the origin, destination, weight, and dimensions of the package, as well as customs information for international orders. There are no additional fees from Etsy to use Royal Mail postage labels outside Etsy’s normal fees (i.e. transaction fees).
When purchasing a Royal Mail postage label on Etsy, you can preview its cost after you add the package details and customs information (for international orders). The cost of each purchased postage label will appear separately in your account.
VAT is not charged on Royal Mail postage purchased from Etsy.
What are Royal Mail QR codes?
If you’re delivering a domestic order in the UK through Royal Mail, Etsy can generate a digital QR code for your postage label. This QR code allows you to have your postage label printed directly from the post office rather than needing to do it from home.
This feature is only for the desktop and mobile web versions of Etsy.com and is not available on the Etsy Seller app.
- Purchase your Royal Mail postage label.
- Once your label is purchased, you’ll be given the option to view a QR code or print your postage label. The QR code option is only available for domestic Royal Mail postage labels.
- Take a screenshot of the QR code on your mobile device. Make sure that the screenshot is large enough to show the detail of the QR code and is not blurry or out of focus.
- Once you’ve taken your screenshot, select Done.
- Take the order you want to dispatch to any Royal Mail post office and present the photo of your QR code to scan.
- The post office will print the postage label for you and dispatch your order. Your tracking information will now appear on Etsy.
If you are purchasing multiple labels, you can request a QR code for each one.
What if I lose my QR code?
If you misplace your QR code, you can generate a new one through the following steps:
- In your Shop Manager, go to your Orders & Delivery and go to the Completed tab.
- Find the order you want to generate a replacement QR code for.
- In the order details, select Get QR code.
- Go to your Orders tab.
- Filter for your completed orders.
- Select the order you want the QR code for.
- Scroll to the label you purchased for the order.
- Select the “...” menu and choose Get QR code.
How do refunds and claims work?
To request a refund
If you bought a label by accident or no longer need it, you can request a refund for unused, unscanned labels less than 15 days old.
You can purchase a new label at a later time. Learn how to request a refund for a postage label.
To file a claim for lost or damaged items
For refunds related to late delivery, loss, damage, or if a signature was not obtained and should have been, you may be able to file a claim directly with Royal Mail. Be sure to do so as soon as possible – within 14 days for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm.