What to Do If Your Package Never Arrives

Few things are more frustrating than a package that never shows up. The good news is that most missing parcels are found, refunded or replaced, as long as you take the right steps in the right order and do not miss any deadlines.

Here is a calm, practical plan, starting with the simplest checks.

Step 1: Read the tracking properly

Open the tracking from your order page and, if possible, on the carrier's own website using the same number. The two sometimes show different levels of detail.

"Label created" or "awaiting pickup" for days: the seller may not have shipped yet. Contact them.
No movement for a while on an international order: often normal. Parcels wait for flights and customs, and tracking can go quiet for a week or more. See shipping, customs and import fees for why.
"Delivered" but nothing is there: move straight to the checks in Step 2.
"Returned to sender" or "delivery failed": there may be an address problem or an unpaid customs charge. Contact the carrier and the seller.

Double-check the delivery address on your order confirmation as well. A missing apartment number or an old address saved in your account is a surprisingly common cause of "lost" parcels, and the carrier may be able to correct it if you call quickly.

Also check the delivery estimate the seller gave you. If you are still inside that window, the parcel is late only in your head, not yet in reality.

Step 2: If it says "delivered" but you have nothing

Look around: behind planters, in side doors, garages, mail rooms, parcel lockers and with the building manager.
Ask neighbors and anyone else in your household.
Check for a delivery photo in the tracking or carrier app. It may show a different door.
Wait a day. Carriers sometimes mark parcels as delivered slightly early, and they turn up the next day.
Contact the carrier and ask for the GPS location of the delivery scan, if they offer it.

Step 3: Contact the seller in writing

The seller is usually responsible for getting the item to you. Message them through the store or marketplace so there is a record. Be short and specific:

Hello, my order number 12345, placed on 3 October, has not arrived. Tracking shows no updates since 10 October. Could you look into this and send a replacement or a refund? Thank you.

Give them a reasonable chance to respond, a few business days is fair, but keep an eye on any marketplace deadlines while you wait.

In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires sellers to ship within the time they state (or within 30 days if they state none) and to let you cancel for a refund if they cannot. See the FTC's guide to the rule. Other countries have their own distance-selling rules.

Step 4: Open a marketplace dispute or claim

If you bought on a marketplace, use its process next. Most offer some form of guarantee for items that do not arrive. Common points:

Know your deadline. Many marketplaces only allow claims within a set window after the expected delivery date or after shipment. On AliExpress, for example, there is a buyer protection countdown on the order page; our guide on how to buy safely on AliExpress explains it.
Do not confirm receipt of something you have not received.
Attach evidence: tracking screenshots, your messages with the seller, and any carrier responses.

Step 5: Dispute the charge with your card or PayPal

If the seller and marketplace do not resolve it, or you bought from a standalone shop that has gone quiet, contact your payment provider. In the US, credit card users can dispute charges for goods that were not delivered, within time limits. The FTC page on disputing credit card charges explains how. PayPal and many debit card issuers have their own processes.

Describe what you ordered, when it was due, what tracking shows and what you did to resolve it with the seller. Our guide to the safest ways to pay online explains why some payment methods make this much easier than others.

Step 6: Consider whether the shop was fake

If the tracking number never worked, belongs to a different city, or the website has disappeared, you may have bought from a fake shop. Dispute the charge immediately and report it. In the US you can report fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Preventing porch theft next time

Use a parcel locker or pickup point. Many carriers and retailers offer them.
Ship to work or a trusted neighbor if nobody is home during the day.
Add delivery instructions, such as a hidden spot or a side door.
Require a signature for expensive items, where offered.
Turn on delivery notifications so you can bring parcels in quickly.
Consider a lockable parcel box or a doorbell camera if theft is common where you live.

Watch out for fake "delivery problem" messages

When you are waiting for a parcel, a text saying "your package could not be delivered, click here to reschedule" can seem perfectly timed. Scammers send these messages in huge numbers, knowing many recipients are expecting something. Do not click links in unexpected delivery texts or emails. Go to the carrier's site directly and type in your tracking number. The FTC explains how to recognize and avoid phishing.

A simple timeline

When	What to do
Past the estimated date	Check tracking on the carrier site; message the seller
A few days with no helpful answer	Open a marketplace claim before its deadline
Claim refused or no marketplace	Dispute with your card issuer or PayPal
Signs of a fake shop	Dispute immediately and report it