What should I do if an Etsy international order is stuck in USPS tracking?

Hi! If an international USPS package is still stuck on the “Acceptance” (or only the first) scan for weeks, the most productive next step is to treat it as a USPS “international inquiry/trace” situation (not just Missing Mail) and, in parallel, manage the Etsy side by communicating clearly with the buyer and planning a refund/replace around the Etsy estimated delivery date (EDD) and Purchase Protection eligibility.

Here’s what you can do to get a real status update (USPS side):

1. Confirm what USPS service you actually used

• The next steps depend heavily on whether it was Priority Mail International / Priority Mail Express International vs First-Class Package International (or a consolidator/export label).
• With some international services, tracking can be spotty once it leaves the US, and sometimes you won’t see another scan until it reaches the destination country (or you may never see destination scans at all). Knowing the exact service helps set expectations.

1. Start/ask for an “International Inquiry” (trace), not only Missing Mail

• USPS has a specific International Inquiry Center process for certain international services. That inquiry can trigger a handoff check with the destination postal operator (when available).
• If you haven’t already done an international inquiry, call USPS and specifically ask whether your shipment is eligible for an international inquiry/trace and have them open one.

1. Go to (or call) the pickup/acceptance Post Office and ask for a supervisor

• Since you had a scheduled pickup and got an acceptance scan, the parcel entered the system—but it can still get “stuck” at the origin plant/container level.
• Ask them to do a tracking research request and confirm whether it received any internal/container scans that aren’t showing publicly.

1. Check if it’s actually in an export/consolidation stream

• If the label was bought through Etsy (or a shipping partner) for international, sometimes USPS tracking shows the early scans and then the parcel moves under a different tracking/hand-off process after export.
• Look in your Etsy order/shipping label details to see if there’s another tracking number or a partner carrier referenced.

Now, for when to refund or replace (Etsy side):

• Anchor your decision to the Etsy Estimated Delivery Date window. Once the EDD window has passed, buyers can become eligible to open a non-delivery case (after they’ve contacted you and waited 48 hours). If you’re already past the EDD by a lot and tracking is still frozen, assume the buyer may escalate soon.
• If you bought the label through Etsy (or you uploaded valid tracking and shipped on time) and the order otherwise qualifies, Etsy Purchase Protection may cover a refund for non-delivery/lost-in-transit so you don’t have to pay it out of pocket. In that situation, it’s often better to keep messaging responsive, don’t ghost, and be ready to support the buyer if they open a case (instead of rushing to refund before you know whether Etsy will cover it).
• If the order doesn’t look eligible for Purchase Protection (no valid tracking, shipped late vs your processing time, address mismatch, etc.), then you’re deciding between:
  • Reship now (best for customer experience, but you risk duplicates if the original suddenly moves), or
  • Refund (cleanest financially), or
  • Wait a short, clearly stated window (only if the buyer agrees).

A practical approach that usually keeps things calm:

• Message the buyer with a clear update + a firm next check-in date (for example, “If there’s no movement by X date, I’ll do Y”), and offer a choice: wait a little longer vs. replacement/refund.
• If it’s already been “weeks,” I’d typically stop asking the buyer to wait indefinitely. Either commit to a replacement/refund plan, or (if you expect Etsy Purchase Protection to apply) tell them you’ll support them through the Etsy Help request/case process so they get refunded without extra delays.

If you tell me (1) the USPS service name on the label and (2) whether you bought the label through Etsy, I can suggest the cleanest “refund vs replace vs Etsy case” path for your exact situation.