Why won’t Etsy USPS letter labels show up on a SCAN form?

Question

I sell small, flat items and recently switched to buying USPS letter postage through Etsy instead of shipping everything as parcels. When I try to generate a USPS SCAN form in Etsy Shipping, the orders are selected and SCAN forms are enabled, but I still get a message saying there are no labels available.

Should Etsy USPS “letter” labels be eligible for SCAN forms, and if not, what’s the best way to confirm they were accepted by USPS when I drop them off?

Mustafa Aydemir · Answer

Hi! Nope—Etsy USPS “Letter” (and usually “Flat”) labels typically won’t appear on a USPS SCAN form, and that “no labels available” message is exactly what you’ll see when your day’s shipments are all letter/flats. SCAN forms are designed for USPS package services that feed into USPS Tracking with an acceptance scan, while Etsy’s letter postage uses a Pitney Bowes barcode/tracking workflow that isn’t handled the same way at USPS acceptance.

If you want the most reliable way to confirm USPS accepted your letter-mail when you drop it off, here are your realistic options:

- **For low-risk/low-cost orders:** Drop them in the slot or hand them over the counter and rely on the **Pitney Bowes tracking updates** that eventually show movement (often it updates at sorting facilities, not at the counter). Just know this is not the same as a USPS “Accepted” scan.
- **For “I need proof I mailed this” orders:** Ask USPS for a **Certificate of Mailing** at the retail counter (there’s a small fee). This gives you dated proof you presented the pieces to USPS, even though it’s not full tracking.
- **For higher-value orders where you need true USPS acceptance + tracking:** Upgrade that order to a **package service** (like Ground Advantage) so it has real USPS Tracking and can be included on a SCAN form / get an acceptance scan. Alternatively, use a USPS extra service like **Certified Mail** (often not something you can do through Etsy letter labels).

One extra tip: if your main goal is fewer “Where is my order?” messages, consider using Etsy letter postage only for items you’re comfortable treating as untracked mail, and bump anything expensive/time-sensitive to a tracked package so you get an actual USPS acceptance trail.