A marketplace order that never arrives doesn't automatically end with a refund. Your next move depends on what went wrong, the marketplace's policy, and how you paid.
For U.S. shoppers, the safest sequence is to verify the order, contact the seller through the platform, open a marketplace case, and protect any credit card deadline. Start early. A seller conversation and a card billing dispute are separate tracks.
This guide covers general U.S. consumer information, not legal advice. Platform terms and payment procedures can change.
Start by naming the problem
First, identify both the problem and the payment method. A marketplace buyer-protection policy may control the order, while a card issuer handles a separate credit card billing-error investigation.
| Problem | Start here | Detail that matters |
|---|---|---|
| Order never arrived | Check the delivery estimate, tracking, and seller messages | The platform may measure its case window from an estimated or actual delivery date |
| Wrong, damaged, or incomplete item | Photograph the item, packaging, and shipping label | Return instructions and condition evidence may affect the remedy |
| Credit card shows a charge for goods not received | Contact the seller, but protect the written-dispute deadline | The date the first statement with the error was sent matters |
| Unordered package | Check your marketplace account and card statement | First confirm whether there is a matching order or charge |
The payment rail matters. The federal process discussed below is specifically about credit card billing errors, not every type of digital payment.
Build the record inside the marketplace
Sign in through the marketplace app or a website you type yourself. Check the seller name, order number, delivery address, estimated delivery date, tracking history, and charge. Also rule out a household purchase, gift, or subscription renewal.
Then message the seller through the platform's own system. State the order number, what happened, and the remedy you want. Ask whether the seller will refund, replace, or investigate the shipment.
Keep the conversation in one place. A phone promise is harder to prove later.
Sometimes there are two chats, one tracking page, a seller promise, and a statement that arrives while you're still waiting. Keep all of it. Keep it in date order.
Follow this order of operations
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Verify the delivery facts. Check whether the estimated date has passed, whether tracking says delivered, and whether the shipping address is correct. If the order is marked delivered but missing, tell the seller exactly what the tracking page says.
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Send one clear seller message. Include the order number, purchase date, delivery status, and a specific request. If the seller says a replacement is coming, note that promise, the expected date, and whether the original charge will be refunded, because a vague response does not show what was agreed.
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Use the platform's case process. Do this before the platform's stated window closes. Etsy says a buyer may be able to ask Etsy to step in after the issue remains unresolved and 48 hours have passed since the buyer first messaged the seller. Its Purchase Protection guidance also lists situations that may not qualify, including late or missing items caused by buyer delay or refusal to pay charges owed at delivery.
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Protect the credit card deadline. If you paid by credit card and believe the charge is a billing error, send a written dispute to the issuer before the 60-day period expires. A call can start the conversation, but the FTC's credit card guidance says to follow up in writing for the law's full protections.
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Track every response. Save the seller's answer, the platform decision, and the issuer's letters. Tell each party about any refund or credit so the records stay accurate.
The credit card billing-error clock
Turns out, the relevant date usually isn't the promised delivery date. For the U.S. credit card process described by the FTC, the clock starts when the issuer sends the first statement showing the billing error.
| Event | Timing described by the FTC |
|---|---|
| First statement with the error is sent | This starts the dispute period |
| Written dispute reaches the issuer | Within 60 days |
| Issuer acknowledges the dispute | Within 30 days, unless the issue was already resolved |
| Issuer resolves the dispute | Within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days |
That is a credit card rule. It is not a universal marketplace refund deadline.
Send the letter so the issuer receives it within the 60-day period. Identify the charge, explain why you believe it is wrong, and attach copies of useful records. Keep a copy of the letter and anything showing when the issuer received it.
The FTC's billing-error instructions and sample letter are useful starting points. During the investigation, the FTC says you don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges. Follow the issuer's instructions for any part of the bill you aren't disputing.
Some issuers may extend the 60-day period when a shipment is delayed. Ask your issuer about that possibility, but don't rely on an extension when you can send the dispute on time.
Platform protection has its own rules
Thing is, a platform's buyer guarantee is a company policy, not the same process as a credit card billing dispute. Eligibility, evidence, delivery scans, return conditions, and reporting windows can all affect the result.
| Platform policy | What the published guidance says | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Etsy Purchase Protection | A buyer may ask Etsy to step in after messaging the seller and waiting 48 hours if the issue remains unresolved | The program has eligibility conditions and exclusions |
| eBay Money Back Guarantee | The policy includes timing tied to estimated or actual delivery or collection dates and allows an appeal within 30 calendar days of an eBay decision | Read the current transaction and case terms for the exact issue |
| Amazon A-to-z Guarantee | Country-specific help pages describe different processes and conditions | The available Amazon UK page and Amazon France page should not be treated as U.S. deadlines |
Use the policy attached to your own order account. Don't copy a deadline from a search result, another country, or an older screenshot.
A platform can deny a claim under its policy while the card issuer separately reviews a billing dispute. If one party refunds you, update the other promptly.
An unordered package is a separate problem
An unexpected parcel isn't automatically the same as an order that never arrived. Check your marketplace order history, household accounts, gift purchases, recurring orders, and card statement before deciding what happened.
If you find a matching credit card charge, ask the issuer how it wants the transaction classified and dispute it promptly if it fits the billing-error process. The FTC material linked above describes the written process for credit cards; it doesn't establish the same procedure for debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, or peer-to-peer payments.
If there is no matching order or charge, contact the marketplace through its verified app or website. Don't use a payment link or phone number printed on an unexpected package until you've confirmed who sent it.
The sources here don't establish a universal rule telling every shopper to keep, return, or pay for an unsolicited item. The facts and applicable law can differ.
Keep an evidence file
Save these records before the listing, message thread, or tracking page changes:
- [ ] Order confirmation, item listing, checkout terms, and receipt
- [ ] Estimated delivery date, tracking history, and delivery status
- [ ] Photos of the item, packaging, shipping label, and visible damage
- [ ] Seller messages, promised remedies, and response dates
- [ ] Platform case number, decision, and appeal information
- [ ] Card statement showing the charge and the date the first statement was sent
- [ ] Refund confirmations, replacement details, and any account credits
Use copies when sending documents. Keep original packaging until the seller or platform tells you what to do with it.
If the first answer is no
Ask the seller or platform to explain the decision in writing. Request the specific policy condition involved, such as a delivery scan, a late report, a return issue, or an eligibility exclusion.
If the credit card issuer denies the dispute, read its written explanation carefully. Ask what records supported the decision and whether the response identifies an appeal, reconsideration, or complaint process. Keep the request factual and tied to the order timeline.
Do not let a pending marketplace conversation make you miss the card deadline. You can continue both conversations, but the dates and descriptions should match.
Questions shoppers often have
Do I have to contact the seller before disputing a credit card charge?
Contacting the seller is a sensible first step, and it creates a useful record. However, the FTC's cited credit card timeline is tied to the first statement showing the error, so waiting for a reply can put the 60-day window at risk.
Does Etsy or eBay guarantee a refund?
No automatic refund is established by the policies cited here. Etsy describes situations in which Purchase Protection may apply, while eBay's policy has its own reporting, decision, and appeal rules.
Is the same 60-day process available for a debit card?
Don't assume it is. The FTC guidance used here addresses credit card billing errors. Ask your bank or payment provider for the procedure and deadline that apply to the payment method you used.
What should I do first if the order is missing?
Open the order through the marketplace's official app or website, record the delivery and charge details, and message the seller. If you paid by credit card, check the date the first statement with the charge was sent before you wait for a response.
Open the order record and latest statement now. Write down the delivery date, first-statement date, and platform deadline, then send one factual seller message and a written card dispute if the credit-card window is close.