Can't mark order complete without having to insert a tracking number

[digikidsStudio]

I sell digital items.  Etsy has recently insisted that I mark my orders "complete" even if this means that my customers now get a very confusing "your order has shipped message".  So I have been doing this but now today when I go to mark the order complete the tracking number is required.  There is an option to select no tracking number and a reason which include " digital items" but it still makes me select the "shipping carrier" and so after selecting OTHER I hit " Mark 1 order complete" and I get a red text message stating that a tracking number is required.

I am at a loss of what to do.  Is this a bug??

[xinkblot]

Yes! Big issue here  - I can't close out any orders for digital items. Can we please get this corrected so my customers don't get confused when weeks from now they get a shipping notice.

[digikidsStudio]

off topic, but Do you know anything about the star seller program?  Since personalized digital files aren't actually shipped and don't have a shipping label/tracking number... does that mean that we will never qualify?

I still don't understand why Etsy doesn't have an order complete option for the digital seller that isn't the same SHIPPED message with little delivery van ... it's SO confusing.  

[OneEyeCatStudio]

You know I've read a work around but it didn't concern me and I've forgotten it. It was something about writing words in the box?
Hopefully someone will see this and post it for you.

Or, if you look through the star seller threads you might find it. Sorry I cannot be more help.

okay, I looked around and maybe this is it

https://community.etsy.com/t5/All-About-Shipping/How-do-you-mark-quot-in-person-quot-delivery/m-p/13...

[digikidsStudio]

I finally I selected other and then wrote "digital" in the explanation.  It worked.  I also had to select other for carrier and then type in other.  As of this evening though I only need to write other in the carrier and the DIGITAL option is being accepted.  

I guess it's just a matter of being patient while Etsy solves all the glitches.

[WisdomOfClouds]

I have a similar problem. I am being told 'The number you entered isn't a valid UPS tracking number' even though it certainly is. I tried changing the delivery company and then I get the rather unhelpful 'There was an error marking this order as complete.'

If I cannot mark this as complete, it is going to register as not being shipped on time. Can anyone help?

[AlisCraftStudio]

@WisdomOfClouds This is a known issue and it looks like they're working on it: [INVESTIGATING] Issues with Tracking - Welcome to the Etsy Community

[WisdomOfClouds]

Looks like its working now

[WitticismsRus]

@digikidsStudio  @WisdomOfClouds  @xinkblot 

Etsy changed this to a peer to peer support forum a while ago. If you are all having this issue you should all contact support directly to report it to them if you haven't already. Today is when the required tracking thing started and if it's buggy then they need to know. They can't fix it if they don't know its buggy. 

Edit to add- this help center article has some info about how to mark them completed by selecting other then it says you can type in why there is no tracking or something like that.   https://help.etsy.com/hc/en-us/articles/4403214309783?segment=selling

If it's not working like that then etsy needs to know.

[digikidsStudio]

Oops... It's been some years since I've been on the forums so I had no idea!  They just get harder and harder to reach huh?! lol

Thanks for letting me know

[KensingtonAntiques]

I have been marking our orders shipped with usps and have added the tracking info.  Etsy's tracking app is not accurate and is not updating.  We had an item delivered 2 days ago that is still marked as pretransit  in their tracking app.  It happened last week too.  We were going to lose our Oct. star.  Etsy found that the item was shipped and forced the tracking to to update manually to restore our star rating.  This is just another glitch in their system along with the digital issue reported here.

[PsychicDevyn]

I have this issue too! PLEASE fix this etsy! I sell psychic readings. I just send the message and mark the order as complete! I don't have a tracking! Marking each order complete is such a nuisance

[digikidsStudio]

So lame in the first place that we even have to send a SHIPPING message for an item that isn't shipped!   You'd think with the thousands of digital items that aren't instant downloads there would be an alternative message that gets sent ... like " Your file is on it's way.  It's been sent to xxxx@xxx.com" 

[PartiesbytheBundle]

Same! Even when marked as "digital" for reason not having tracking #. Well this is just awesome. Thanks, Etsy. Now you can dock us for shipping late as well.

[digikidsStudio]

Seems like we might be out of luck anyway for the star seller.  My rating is showing as 0% for shipping I guess cause I don't use Etsy shipping labels or include a tracking number... once they figure out all the glitches I wonder if the DIGITAL option will be valid towards star seller rating

[digikidsStudio]

So it turns out that for personalized Digital files Etsy would like us to use the instant download feature and then upload a "space holder" file.  This is the only way we will ever be considered for the Star seller badge.... and the only way to opt out of the shipping message/tracking number.

Unfortunately I think listing items that we personalize for the customer as an instant download is just going to open a whole other can of worms   

[WaxingMoonDesigns]

I was having this issue today with an order that was part digital and part items that needed to be shipped. It would not allow me to mark the order complete without a tracking number. Since I was shipping First Class Large Envelope, there was not tracking included. I found that the glitch was only happening on the Etsy site, not the Etsy mobile seller's app. I was able to mark the order shipped on my phone instead of my desktop.  

[GoodBuyYellowBrickRd]

I just called Etsy and was able to use a work around.  Under shipping carrier, choose Other, then you can write "digital" or in my case "stamps" in both the tracking box and the "other carrier" box.  They added me to a long list of other people who are having this issue.  Hopefully it will be resolved soon.

[MalignDesigns]

Thanks so much for this!!! Stamps solution was just what I needed

[MarlenesMarket]

This is very frustrating. They used to have a N/A carrier option that they removed. I chose "Other", then typed "Digital" and still had to enter a tracking number so I added 4 zeros (that was the minimum amount of numbers I had to enter) and it worked.

[digikidsStudio]

So it turns out that for personalized Digital files Etsy would like us to use the instant download feature and then upload a "space holder" file.  This is the only way we will ever be considered for the Star seller badge.... and the only way to opt out of the shipping message/tracking number.

Unfortunately I think listing items that we personalize for the customer as an instant download is just going to open a whole other can of worms   

Files are such a huge part of the Etsy market place yet there seems to be no support for us in place and we are constantly having to do workarounds ... oh well

[LulusLogoShop]

Hi there, thanks for sharing that. Do you know if by adding the 4 zeros it counts as on-time shipping, fulfilling that star seller bucket?