How to complete an Etsy order with no tracking

Before you start

• An order that genuinely fits one of Etsy's exceptions
• Seller access to Shop Manager
• A sentence for the buyer about how the item is reaching them

Steps

1. Open the order

   In Shop Manager, select Orders & Shipping, then select the order in the New tab.

   You should see the order with Complete order on it.

2. Open the completion panel

   Select Complete order.

   You should see the ship date, carrier and tracking fields.

3. Choose the no-tracking route

   Select "This order doesn't have tracking".

   You should see a reason list instead of the carrier and tracking fields.

4. Give the reason

   Select the reason that fits from the list of options. Etsy documents digital items, customised additions, local pickup, and oversized or heavy items as the exceptions.

5. Complete the order

   Select Complete order.

   You should see the order in the Completed tab with no number attached.

6. Optional: Tell the buyer how it arrives

   Send an Etsy Message with the collection time, the hand-delivery date or the freight arrangement.

If it goes wrong

Using the exception because the number is late

The exceptions are about the shipment, not your paperwork. If a tracked parcel is going out, complete the order with the number instead, even if that means waiting until the drop-off.

Looking for the oversized weight limit

Etsy states the oversized and heavy exception without publishing a threshold. Do not borrow a carrier's limit and treat it as Etsy's, because there is no number to cite.

The tracking requirement still stands

Etsy's rule is that "Adding tracking information is required to complete an order for US sellers" (help.etsy.com, checked 13 September 2026). The reason list is the documented way out, not a general opt-out.

What happens next

Expect the Star Seller shipping measure to feel it, because Etsy counts "95% of orders ship on time, with valid tracking or a shipping label purchased on Etsy (when required)". Purchase Protection is the bigger exposure: with no tracking there is nothing to verify, and the cover runs only to $250 in any case. For anything heavy enough to tempt the exception, a tracked ground service is usually available.