Today, we are excited to announce the next version of United States Postal Service Shipping Labels on Etsy. Now, instead of going through a third party to generate labels, we will connect to the USPS directly.

A direct integration with the USPS means an improved shipping labels experience that is quicker and smoother. It also means we will be better able to promptly and thoroughly address any potential issues you may have with shipping labels.

For the most part, the shipping label purchase experience is the same, with no changes to shipping rates or services. However, there are a few improvements, which are listed below.

Along with the changes to shipping labels, we will also be implementing a new parcel insurance provider, Shipsurance. Rates for insurance and the process for filing claims will be the same as they were before, with even lower rates for some destinations.

What’s new?

New insurance provider

Parcel Insurance for USPS Shipping Labels on Etsy is now provided by Shipsurance Insurance Services, Inc. Rates are exactly the same as you were paying before, and even lower for some international destinations, with restrictions removed on jewelry shipped to certain ZIP codes. If necessary, you may continue to file claims as usual for U-PIC parcel insurance purchased with any labels created before the change.

For details on rates, restrictions and how to add parcel insurance for your shipping labels, see this Help article.

Save your custom package types

Now, in addition to Priority Mail and Parcel Select, the dimensions of your package will be requested for all domestic and international mail classes, excluding Flat Rate options. To make this easier and save you time, if you use calculated shipping on Etsy, all of the package details for your orders will automatically import into the shipping label purchase page. Just review those details and click “Confirm and buy.”

If you don’t use calculated shipping, you may save your dimensions as a custom package type so that you are not required to enter them every time you purchase a label. Learn more here.

Including dimensions for all of your packages will greatly reduce the chance that a package will be returned to you or marked “postage due” when it arrives at its destination. It will also decrease the amount of time that packages spend in sort facilities and customs. We know this may require you to adjust your workflow, this change will improve your shipping experience in the longer term.

Label appearance

Labels will now look a bit different. We have increased the font size for shipping addresses on the labels and adjusted the hierarchy of some of the elements on the label.

We have significantly updated the appearance of international labels and customs forms according to new international customs guidelines. Customs forms will print as either one or three pages, depending on the mail class and destination country. Shipments to Canada, Australia and Puerto Rico will always be one page, regardless of mail class. To learn more about these and other, smaller changes see our new FAQ.

How do I get started?

When you purchase your next shipping label, you’ll be guided through a brief tour with short explanations of some of the updates mentioned above. By purchasing your next label, you agree to the new terms of use for Shipping Labels. Check out the terms of use for more information.

Any shipping label that you purchased previously that has not expired is still valid and can be used. If you need to file a claim for a package insured using U-PIC parcel insurance, you may continue to do so as usual. Learn how to file a claim for U-PIC insurance here.

What’s next?

We will be slowly ramping up these changes over the next couple of weeks and will post an update when these changes are live for everyone.