Your order never arrived: what to do and in what order
The FTC shipping rule, marked-as-delivered packages, porch theft, and how to get your money back when a parcel vanishes.
A missing parcel is one of the few consumer problems where the law is clearly on your side and the process is straightforward. The difficulty is usually the seller trying to make it the carrier’s problem, or yours.
The rule that decides most cases
The FTC’s Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires a seller to ship within the time it promised, or within 30 days if it promised nothing. If it cannot, it must notify you and offer a choice: agree a new date, or cancel for a full refund.
That is a federal obligation on the seller. It is not a courtesy and it does not depend on the seller’s own policy.
Your contract is with the seller, not the carrier. A seller that tells you to take it up with the shipping company is describing their internal process, not your rights. The seller chose the carrier and the seller bears the risk of non-delivery.
When it is marked delivered but is not there
This is the most common and most frustrating version.
Before escalating, spend ten minutes on the obvious: check every entrance, any parcel box or safe place, with neighbours, and with anyone else in the building. Carriers frequently mark delivered slightly early or leave items in unexpected places.
Then, in order:
- Request proof of delivery from the carrier. Many provide a GPS location and sometimes a photograph. If the coordinates are not your address, that settles it immediately.
- Report to the seller in writing, quoting the tracking number and the proof-of-delivery detail.
- Ask the seller to file a carrier claim. They hold the shipping contract; you do not.
- File a chargeback if the seller will not act.
Do not let this drift. Carrier claim windows are limited and sellers sometimes let the clock run.
Porch theft
If the parcel was delivered and then stolen, the position is less clear cut. Legally, delivery to the address may complete the seller’s obligation.
In practice most large sellers will replace or refund a stolen parcel, because the alternative is a chargeback they will probably lose and a customer they lose permanently. Ask, politely and in writing, and reference the value.
Filing a police report costs little and is sometimes requested by sellers, marketplaces or home insurers before they will act.
For anything expensive, choose a delivery option that does not leave the parcel unattended — signature required, a collection point, or a locker. It costs a small amount and removes the entire category of problem.
Marketplace purchases
If you bought through a marketplace, use its buyer protection programme first. It is almost always faster than a chargeback and the marketplace can act against the seller in ways your card issuer cannot.
Note the deadlines. Marketplace protection windows are often shorter than card dispute windows, so file there first and keep the chargeback in reserve.
What to keep
From the moment a delivery goes wrong, keep everything in one place: the order confirmation, the promised delivery date, the tracking number and its full history, every message with the seller and its date, and any proof of delivery you obtained.
You may never need it. If it goes to a chargeback or a state complaint, this file is the case.
The sequence, condensed
Seller in writing first, with a deadline. Carrier proof of delivery in parallel. Marketplace protection if applicable. Chargeback if the seller does not resolve it. State attorney general if the seller is a repeat offender.
Most of these end at step one, provided step one is in writing and states a date.
Sources
We link primary sources so you can verify anything on this page rather than take our word for it. Law changes — if a link is dead or the text has been amended, tell us.
- Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule — Federal Trade Commission
- 16 CFR Part 435 — Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise — Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- Report Fraud to the FTC — Federal Trade Commission
This guide covers US consumer law and was last reviewed on August 29, 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and change over time — check the linked sources before you rely on it.