How do I handle an Etsy buyer asking to change the shipping address before shipping?

Hi! The safest move for Etsy seller protection is to only ship to the address that’s on the Etsy order/receipt—so if the “new” address is meaningfully different (different street/city/state, different person, etc.), I’d cancel/refund and ask them to place a new order with the correct shipping address.

If it’s a small fix (like an apartment number, a typo, or formatting) and you’re using Etsy Shipping Labels, you can usually edit the “Ship to” address while you’re buying the label (before you purchase it). In that case, I’d also reply in Etsy Messages confirming the exact corrected address in writing, then ship with tracking and keep everything tied to the order.

A few quick guardrails that keep you out of trouble:

• If the new address is in a different country: cancel/refund and have them reorder (that’s the cleanest/expected workflow).
• If you already bought a label: don’t just ship it anyway—refund/void that label (if possible) and redo it, or cancel/reorder.
• If anything feels off (rushy, “my friend’s address,” completely different name, etc.): treat it as a fraud risk and cancel + repurchase.

If you tell me whether you’re buying postage through Etsy Shipping Labels (and whether the new address is same country), I can tell you which path is best for your exact situation.