On August 29, the USPS is increasing rates for First-Class Letters. But, we have good news—you’ll pay less than you would at the post office on retail rates when you purchase postage on Etsy. Etsy regularly works with shipping carriers like the United States Postal Service to get great shipping rates. In fact, you can save up to 30% compared to retail rates when you purchase USPS postage on Etsy.

What you can ship with First-Class Letters

First-Class Letters can be used to ship stickers, cards, and other small, flat, pliable items. Plus, they include tracking—giving you extra peace of mind and helping shoppers see when their order will arrive. You also get some extra protection: Any non-delivery cases opened against your shop will be automatically closed when you provide a tracking number that shows the order was delivered. There are some rules about what you can ship with this mail class, so check out Etsy’s Help Center for more info to decide if it’s right for you.

Why tracking is important

Offering tracking is more important than ever. Adding tracking can save you time by giving shoppers info about where their order is—helping you spend less time answering shipping questions. Tracking can also help you earn a Star Seller badge, making it easier for shoppers to identify shops like yours that consistently provide great customer service. Plus, tracking is now required for most orders $10 and over shipped from the US to shoppers in the US. To make adding tracking more affordable for small items, you can get discounted rates for First-Class Letters on Etsy so you can ship small items with tracking and still pay less than you would at the post office on retail rates.

How tracking works for First-Class Letters

Tracking for First-Class Letters is only available on Etsy and not offered through the post office. When you purchase a First-Class Letter label, you’ll see the associated tracking number on your orders page. We’ll also send shoppers an email with the tracking number and they can log into their Etsy account to see where their order is.

Additional USPS rate changes:

In addition to increasing the rate for First-Class Letters, the USPS is increasing a few other rates. You’ll see all the new rates reflected in prices on Etsy on August 29, 2021.

• First-Class Mail prices will increase 6.8%.
• Media Mail Rates will increase 10.8% on average.
• There are no changes to First-Class Package Service or Priority Mail package rates at this time.