A missing item from an Afterpay order doesn't automatically cancel the next installment. Start with the order record: the item may be in another shipment, backordered, or canceled. Then contact the merchant in writing. If the seller won't fix the problem, report the affected order to Afterpay and ask how the disputed amount affects your payment schedule.

This guidance is for U.S. shoppers. Afterpay's terms, fees, dispute labels, and complaint process can vary by country, account, and payment product.

Who handles which part of the problem?

Three parties may have different pieces of the record:

• The merchant handles fulfillment. It can confirm whether the item was backordered, shipped separately, canceled, reshipped, or refunded.
• Afterpay handles the payment account. It can review the transaction and explain what a dispute or refund does to your installments. It isn't the carrier and can't establish the contents of a package by itself.
• Your card issuer handles its own payment process. If you used a credit, debit, or prepaid card to fund an Afterpay payment, any issuer dispute follows that card's rules and deadlines. It isn't the same process as an Afterpay case.

A seller's promise to issue a refund doesn't necessarily stop an upcoming Afterpay payment. Wait for Afterpay to confirm that a payment is paused or adjusted before relying on that assumption.

Identify the delivery problem

The evidence you need depends on what went wrong:

A delivered scan is one piece of evidence, not an explanation for a missing product. Report the mismatch promptly and state exactly what you received and what was absent.

Steps to report missing Afterpay items

1. Check the order and payment details

Before opening a case, compare the merchant's order page with the transaction in your Afterpay account. Write down:

• Order number and purchase date
• Missing product name, SKU, quantity, and price
• Separate tracking numbers
• Promised or estimated delivery date
• Amount already paid and next scheduled installment
• Any tax, shipping charge, or discount that affects the missing item's price

Save screenshots now. If a second parcel is expected, give it until the stated delivery date, but contact the merchant if the status remains unclear or a backorder has no definite resolution.

2. Contact the merchant in writing

Email the seller or use its chat or support-ticket system. Keep the message focused on the missing item and ask:

• Was it shipped separately?
• Was it backordered or canceled?
• Can you provide carrier acceptance and delivery details?
• Will you reship the item or issue a refund through the original Afterpay order?

Include the order number and a short timeline. When only part of the order is missing, list the missing products rather than describing the whole order as undelivered. Request an itemized refund or a replacement, and ask the merchant to confirm the proposed remedy in writing.

If tracking says "delivered," explain why that scan doesn't fit the facts. The delivery photo might show another location, for example, or the parcel may have arrived without the item listed on the packing slip. Ask the carrier for an investigation or case number if the seller requires one, but continue dealing with the merchant because it is the party that can authorize a replacement or refund.

3. Report the affected order to Afterpay

If the merchant doesn't respond or refuses to resolve the issue, open the order in the Afterpay app or account. The option may be called Help, Report a problem, or something similar, depending on your market and account. If no order-level option appears, use Afterpay's official support channel and identify the exact transaction.

Choose the closest accurate problem type:

• Missing item or partial fulfillment when some products arrived
• Non-delivery when the order did not arrive
• Delivery dispute when tracking says delivered but you didn't receive the item
• Unauthorized transaction only when you didn't authorize the purchase at all

An order you authorized is not automatically fraud just because a product is missing. Using an inaccurate category can send the case down the wrong review path.

Attach the records that show both the order and the attempted resolution:

• Order confirmation and invoice
• Packing slip and package photographs
• Carrier tracking and proof-of-delivery details
• Merchant emails, chats, and ticket numbers
• A dated timeline of the order, delivery, and contacts
• The refund or replacement you requested

Keep copies outside the app. Ask for a case number and find out when Afterpay needs any additional information.

4. Ask what happens to the next installment

Treat the dispute and the payment schedule as separate unless Afterpay confirms an adjustment. Ask:

1. Is the affected amount eligible for a payment review or temporary hold?
2. What happens if an installment comes due while the case is open?
3. Should you make the scheduled payment to avoid account problems?
4. Can a fee connected with the dispute be reviewed?
5. How will a full or partial refund change the remaining installments?

Don't simply allow a scheduled payment to fail because a support case is open. If you can't make the payment, contact Afterpay before the due date and keep the conversation record. You can request a late-fee review, but a waiver isn't automatic; the applicable rules depend on your market and account terms.

5. Confirm that the refund changed the account

A merchant's "refund submitted" message doesn't by itself show that your Afterpay balance has changed. Look for:

• The merchant's refund confirmation
• An updated Afterpay order balance
• Fewer or smaller future installments
• A credit for an installment you already paid
• The destination and timing of any amount returned to your card

For a partial refund, confirm the exact amount. Ask how tax, shipping, and discounts were calculated. Store credit may not reduce the Afterpay balance, so make sure you know whether the merchant is processing a refund to the original order or offering a different remedy.

Keep the dispute open until the payment record reflects the change, or ask Afterpay to confirm the refund reference and revised schedule.

If the merchant or Afterpay denies the claim

A merchant may rely on a delivery scan. Request the details behind it and compare the address, delivery time, photograph, signature, and package description with your evidence. Respond in writing and identify each mismatch.

If Afterpay denies the dispute:

1. Request the reason for the decision and the evidence it considered.
2. Ask whether an appeal or further review is available, and note the deadline.
3. Send new or clearer evidence, such as a carrier case result or proof that the delivery photo shows another address.
4. Ask the merchant for a supervisor or formal complaint review.
5. Contact Afterpay through its official complaint channel and include the case number.
6. If a card funded the Afterpay payment, ask the card issuer whether its billing-dispute process applies and what deadline and documents it requires.

A credit-card billing dispute isn't guaranteed to succeed. Debit and prepaid cards follow different rules. Tell the issuer about any Afterpay review or merchant refund already in progress, and notify all parties before pursuing overlapping refunds.

The legal treatment of U.S. buy now, pay later accounts has also been unsettled. Consumer Reports described a 2024 CFPB interpretation that would give BNPL users some rights similar to credit-card users. The National Consumer Law Center later discussed uncertainty after the CFPB withdrew that interpretation. Those developments don't guarantee a refund or mean every credit-card protection applies automatically to an Afterpay transaction.

If the matter is still unresolved, check the current complaint options for the relevant U.S. consumer-protection agency or your state's consumer-protection office. A complaint can create another record, but it doesn't guarantee payment or a refund.

Deadlines, 120-day claims, and late fees

Act when the expected delivery date passes or as soon as you discover that an item is missing. Delay can make it harder to obtain carrier records, merchant responses, or a card issuer review before its deadline.

A 120-day Afterpay or Clearpay period is sometimes quoted online. A merchant guide from Adyen describes up to 120 days after the payment, cancellation, or expected receipt of goods or services for listed products and markets. The guide says its information includes Cash App Afterpay in the United States, but it isn't a universal promise for every U.S. account. The event that starts the period may also differ.

Afterpay publishes market-specific contracts. Its Australian customer terms and New Zealand terms shouldn't be used as the deadline or fee schedule for a U.S. account. Check the terms attached to your account and ask support which deadline applies to your transaction.

Don't rely on a fixed 14-to-30-day resolution promise, either. Timing can depend on the merchant's response, the evidence, and the type of dispute. Keep watching the next due date while the case is under review.

Evidence checklist

Keep one folder with:

• Order confirmation, invoice, and payment schedule
• Merchant and carrier status screenshots
• Photos of the package, label, damage, and contents
• Packing slip and a list of missing SKUs
• Merchant ticket numbers and written responses
• Carrier investigation or delivery-case details
• Afterpay case number and support messages
• Refund confirmations and updated account statements

Use month-day-year dates and name the remedy you want. "I want a refund for item X, priced at Y, because it wasn't in the package delivered on Z" gives the reviewer more to work with than a general complaint.

Message template for the merchant or Afterpay

Order number: [number]
Purchase date: [date]
Missing item: [name, SKU, quantity, and price]
Delivery status: [tracking result and date]
What I received: [brief description]
What I reported to the merchant: [date and response]
Requested resolution: [replacement or refund]
Attached evidence: [photos, tracking, invoice, and messages]
Please confirm the case number, the next step, and how the disputed amount will affect my Afterpay payment schedule.

Common questions

What if Afterpay tracking says delivered but my items are missing?

Check the delivery location, photograph, neighbors, building staff, and carrier details. Contact the merchant, request a carrier investigation if needed, and send Afterpay the specific proof-of-delivery discrepancy.

Should I stop making Afterpay payments?

Not automatically. Ask Afterpay whether the disputed amount or upcoming installment is on hold. Unless it confirms an adjustment, monitor the payment date and contact support before a payment fails.

Can I get a partial refund for missing items?

Ask the merchant for an itemized refund for the missing products. Afterpay may need the merchant to approve or submit that refund before the installment schedule changes.

Can my card issuer reverse an Afterpay payment?

Possibly. The answer depends on whether you used a credit, debit, or prepaid card and whether the transaction meets that issuer's dispute rules. Ask about the process and deadline, and disclose any refund or Afterpay dispute already in progress.

Will using Klarna or another BNPL service fix the Afterpay order?

No. A new payment plan doesn't cancel an existing Afterpay balance or resolve the missing-item dispute. Finish documenting the original order and follow up on its merchant and Afterpay case.