Short answer: an order of $49.99 or less with standard shipping, going to a U.S. address in a #10 window envelope, can use TCGplayer's free tracked packing slip: the slip is the address, you add a stamp. Everything else (over $49.99, expedited, international, or too thick for an envelope) needs a shipping label. Details in how TCGplayer's envelope tracking works.
The decision, order by order
| The order | Ship it with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| $49.99 or less, standard shipping, fits a #10 window envelope, U.S. address | TCGplayer tracked packing slip + stamp | Free USPS scans; after a facility scan the order gets extra protection against "not received" claims |
| Same, but you ship in plain (no window) envelopes | Address label or printed envelope + stamp | The tracked slip only works through a window. No tracking. |
| $49.99 or less, but too thick for an envelope (box, bubble mailer) | Shipping label (Ground Advantage) | TCGplayer: orders that can't ship in an envelope aren't eligible |
| The buyer paid for expedited shipping | Tracked shipping label | They paid for a tracked service |
| Over $49.99 | Tracked shipping label | Free envelope tracking stops at $49.99; tracked shipping is required |
| Over $250 | Tracked label with signature confirmation | TCGplayer's signature rule |
| International | Label with customs | Not eligible for envelope tracking |
Envelope tracking is not delivery confirmation: TCGplayer says "Out for Delivery" is usually the last scan, and scans are not guaranteed. For a card you can't afford to lose, a tracked label is still the safer choice.
The tracked slip, in one minute
- Use TCGplayer's new Orders page and choose packing slip with tracking.
- Print on plain 8.5" x 11" paper at 100% (actual size), 300 dpi or more. Don't shrink it onto a 4x6: scaling breaks the barcode.
- Letter-fold it (bottom third up, top third down) into a #10 window envelope (4 1/8" x 9 1/2") so the address and the barcode show.
- Add a normal stamp. A toploader that won't bend adds the $0.49 nonmachinable charge. Use the PWE or tracked picker and the stamp guide.
- Custom or third-party packing slips can't carry the barcode, so this slip is the one that goes in the envelope.
Doing both in one batch
Most batches are mixed: twenty small orders for envelopes and a few bigger ones for labels. In TCG Speed Shipper:
- Upload TCGplayer's Export Shipping file. The shipping plan tells you how many orders qualify for the free tracked slip.
- Click + Add TCGplayer packing slips and add the slip PDF you printed from TCGplayer.
- Download. The tracked slips come out untouched, as full pages. Labels are made only for the other orders, with their slips behind them. Tracked slips don't count against your monthly labels.
Printing on plain paper? Pick 8.5x11 — 1 up (or Label + slip) and the tracked slips land in the same file as your labels, in batch order, so it's one print run. On 4x6, Avery 5160 or #10 envelopes, the tracked slips come as their own 8.5x11 file for your regular printer. When you make the TCGplayer tracking upload file afterwards, orders on a tracked slip are left out of it, so it never writes "Shipped" over the tracking TCGplayer made for them.
FAQ
Which TCGplayer orders can use the free tracked packing slip?
Orders of $49.99 or less that ship in a single #10 window envelope to a USPS-verified U.S. address, printed from TCGplayer's new Orders page. Expedited orders, international orders and anything that won't fit an envelope need a regular label.
Can I put my own address label on a tracked-slip envelope?
No. The address and the barcode must show through the envelope window, and the barcode only works on TCGplayer's own slip. Use the slip as the address, add a stamp and mail it.
Do orders over $49.99 still need a tracked label?
Yes. TCGplayer's free envelope tracking stops at $49.99. Orders above that need a tracked shipping service such as USPS Ground Advantage, and orders over $250 need signature confirmation.
Can I print tracked slips and labels in one go?
Yes. In TCG Speed Shipper, upload the TCGplayer shipping export, then add TCGplayer's packing slip PDF. Tracked slips are kept as full 8.5x11 pages in their own file, and labels are made only for the other orders.
Sources
- TCGplayer Help: How Does Envelope Tracking Work for My TCGplayer Orders? (checked November 1, 2026)
- TCGplayer: Introducing Free Tracking For Eligible Single-Windowed Envelope Orders (checked November 1, 2026)
- USPS Notice 123, Price List (checked October 31, 2026)