If you're based in the US, you can purchase and print USPS shipping labels directly from your Etsy shop. Labels can be purchased for both domestic and international addresses.
Be sure to review the USPS guidelines for shipping hazardous materials and electronic devices before shipping.
What shipping services are available?
Etsy and the USPS offer a selection of methods for sending parcels and tubes to both domestic and international addresses, as well as lettermail and flats for domestic addresses. Some methods that are available come with insurance coverage included and shown at time of purchase.
For sending items within the US, USPS offers the following shipping insurance options:
- Includes $100 insurance: Ground Advantage®, Priority Mail® and Priority Mail Express®
- Doesn’t include insurance: Media Mail® (restrictions apply)
Depending on the international destination, USPS offers the following shipping insurance options:
- Includes $200 insurance: Priority Mail® International and Priority Mail Express® International
- Doesn’t include insurance: First-Class Mail International®
When you purchase a USPS international shipping label, the necessary forms will be provided to you. It’s your responsibility to ensure the required information is completed.
Learn more about what can and cannot be sent in the mail.
How much do shipping labels cost?
The cost of a shipping label will depend on the origin, destination, weight, and dimensions of the package.
When you purchase USPS shipping labels for your Etsy packages, you may receive discounted volume shipping rates. Aside from Etsy’s standard fees, there are no additional membership fees to use shipping labels purchased on Etsy.
When you purchase a shipping label on Etsy, you can preview the cost after you add the package details. The cost of each purchased shipping label will appear separately in your Payment account.
If you record a different size or weight of your parcel than USPS when purchasing labels from Etsy, USPS will refund you the difference if you overestimated, or charge you if you underestimated.
Cubic pricing
Cubic pricing is available for qualifying Priority Mail® and Ground Advantage® products purchased through Etsy. Cubic pricing is based on a package's size and distance traveled rather than its weight. This can be beneficial for sellers who ship heavy, small items.
Savings on shipping packages rated with cubic pricing on Etsy will range depending on shipping service, package details, and destination. Maximum savings applies to Priority Mail® Cubic (20-pound package, tier 1, zone 8).
To qualify for this pricing, a package must:
- Weigh less than 20 pounds;
- Measure up to 0.5 cubic feet for Priority Mail® and 1 cubic foot for Ground Advantage®;
- Have sides less than 18 inches.
To calculate how many cubic feet a package is, multiply its length, width, and height in inches, then divide by 1,728.
How can I manage my shipments from home?
After purchasing your USPS shipping label on Etsy, you can print it at home.
When you’re ready to ship, you can schedule an at-home pickup from USPS. USPS can pick up multiple orders at once. At least one order must be shipping via a USPS premium service.
USPS will specify the pickup date, and they’ll pick up your package(s) when your mail is normally delivered.
To manage your shipments:
- Choose Shop Manager.
- Choose Orders.
- Choose the Completed tab.
- Select Request a pickup at the top of the page.
- Choose the pickup location and verify your address and phone number.
- Enter Additional notes for the postal carrier. If you choose Other as the pickup location, this will be required.
- Select Request pickup.
You can cancel a pickup via Etsy before 3 a.m. ET on the pickup day by selecting Cancel pickup in the banner at the top of your Completed tab. If it’s after 3 a.m. on the pickup day, contact your local USPS post office.
Pickups cannot be edited, but you can cancel and schedule a new one if needed.
The weight limit per package is 70 pounds. This is the same limit as a USPS shipping label purchased on Etsy.
If you need to change your pickup address, edit your return shipping label address prior to scheduling a pickup:
- Choose Shop Manager.
- Choose Settings.
- Select Shipping settings and Shipping label options.
- Enter your new address under Shipping From.
- Scroll down to choose Save.
This service is available for orders where you’ve purchased a USPS shipping label on Etsy and selected a USPS premium service.
- Ground Advantage®
- First Class International® via Global Postal Shipping
- Priority Mail®
- Priority Mail Express®
- First Class International® Parcel Service
- Priority Mail® International
- Priority Mail Express® International
- Media Mail®
- First Class Flat
- First Class Letter
How do I request a refund or file a claim?
If you bought a label by accident or no longer need it, you can request a refund for unused, unscanned labels within 30 days of purchase. You can purchase a new label at a later time. Learn how to request a refund for a shipping label.
For refunds related to late delivery when using Priority Mail Express®, you may be able to file a claim directly with USPS. You may also be able to file a claim with USPS if your package was automatically insured.
If you insured your package through Shipsurance, learn how to file a claim.
How do I set USPS as my default shipping carrier?
After you’ve purchased a USPS shipping label on Etsy, you can set USPS as your default carrier if you plan to use USPS regularly. That way if you also use Fedex, we’ll prioritize USPS every time you purchase a label.
To set USPS as your default carrier when you purchase shipping labels:
- On Etsy.com, choose Shop Manager.
- Choose Settings.
- Choose Shipping settings.
- Select Shipping Label Options.
- Select USPS under Preferred Shipping Carrier.
How do I use USPS SCAN forms?
When shipping a large quantity of orders, a SCAN (Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice) form can save you time. The form has one barcode that mail carriers can scan to process all of your packages at once.
What types of shipping labels are eligible for SCAN forms?
Only certain shipping labels are eligible for SCAN forms:
- International shipping labels: must be purchased on the same day (before midnight) the SCAN form is created, and cannot already be included in another SCAN form
- Domestic shipping labels: must have a shipping date on or after the SCAN form creation date, and cannot already be included in another SCAN form
Before you can access SCAN forms, you must opt in to using them.
To opt in:
- Sign into Etsy.com and go to Shop Manager.
- Select Settings.
- Select Shipping settings.
- Select Shipping label options.
- Go to USPS SCAN forms and select Use SCAN forms.
You will also be prompted to opt in by selecting Create USPS SCAN Form on the Orders page.
After you make a bulk shipping label purchase, you’ll see a confirmation window confirming that the purchase was a success. To print a SCAN form for the labels that were contained in that purchase, select Print a USPS SCAN form in the confirmation window. Your form will download and you can print it.
To create a SCAN form in your Shop Manager:
- After you’ve purchased all the labels you need, open your Shop Manager.
- Choose Orders.
- Check the boxes next to the orders you want to include in your SCAN form.
- Select Create USPS SCAN form.
- Your form will download and you can print it.
To see all your purchased labels, select Purchased labels from your Completed orders tab.
Can I get refunded for a label in my SCAN form?
You can request a refund for a label in a SCAN form, but this will invalidate the SCAN form and that form can no longer be used.
Other labels already on that form cannot be added to another SCAN form. These labels will now need to be scanned individually at the post office.