Yes, often, but not automatically. If an online order never arrives, start by documenting the problem and contacting the seller. If the seller won't resolve it, you may have a marketplace claim, a payment dispute, or a small-claims option.

The best route depends on how you paid, what the seller promised, and what the tracking record shows. A carrier investigation or an FTC report does not automatically put the purchase price back in your account.

What controls a non-delivery refund?

There isn't one universal non-delivery refund process. Different rules and private policies may apply:

Situation First route Main issue
The order hasn't shipped or is past its promised date Seller or marketplace The order confirmation and stated delivery terms
Tracking has stopped or shows a carrier delay Seller and carrier Whether the parcel is lost, delayed, or still moving
Tracking says delivered but you have nothing Seller, carrier, and payment provider Proof of delivery, address, signature, and delivery location
The charge wasn't authorized by you Bank or card issuer's fraud department This is an unauthorized-transaction claim, not a non-delivery claim
The seller has disappeared Payment provider and marketplace Dispute deadlines and proof of the transaction

The FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule concerns seller shipping practices. It isn't a guaranteed refund program, and it doesn't mean you should wait for a generic 30-day milestone before contacting the seller or protecting a payment-dispute deadline.

For a payment dispute, the FTC's guidance on credit-card billing errors explains the federal written-dispute process when goods weren't delivered as agreed.

What to do when an online order never arrives

1. Preserve your evidence

Put the records in one folder. Save:

Keep the original files when possible. Dated screenshots may help if the seller later changes the listing or tracking page.

2. Contact the seller in writing

Use email, the seller's message system, or both. State what happened without accusing the seller of fraud unless you have evidence of fraud.

You can adapt this template:

I paid [amount] for order [number] on [date]. The promised delivery date was [date], but the order has not arrived. Tracking number [number] currently shows [status]. Please investigate and refund the amount charged to my original payment method by [date]. If you believe the order was delivered, please provide the available proof of delivery and delivery location.

Give the seller a reasonable response date. Seven calendar days is a practical example, not a universal legal deadline. If the seller offers store credit or a replacement but you want a refund, say so before accepting anything. If you agree to a new delivery date, keep that agreement in writing.

Don't rely on a phone call alone. If you call, record the date, the agent's name, the case number, and what the seller promised.

3. Use the marketplace's item-not-received process

Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee, eBay's Money Back Guarantee, AliExpress disputes, and similar programs are private platform policies. They aren't one shared U.S. consumer law.

Open the claim from the order page and follow the marketplace's current instructions. Deadlines and eligibility can vary by seller type, shipping method, country, and order category. Save the case number and every document you upload.

A platform case doesn't necessarily pause a credit-card or PayPal deadline. If a payment deadline is approaching, protect it instead of waiting indefinitely for marketplace support.

Don't close a platform case just because the seller promises to refund you. Close it after the money has posted, or after a replacement has arrived and you have decided to keep it.

4. Ask the carrier to investigate

For a parcel lost in transit, the seller or sender may be the party authorized to file the carrier claim. Ask the seller to open an investigation if the carrier won't accept a claim from you.

For a package marked delivered, check:

A carrier claim is separate from a purchase refund. Carrier service guarantees and claim procedures may be governed by the carrier's terms and may deal with the sender rather than the buyer. They don't by themselves decide whether the retailer or payment provider owes you a refund.

For certain domestic USPS claims involving damage or missing contents, the USPS claims page says a claim may be filed immediately and no later than 60 days after mailing. USPS also lists 30-day periods for appealing a claim decision. Those deadlines don't mean every undelivered retail order qualifies for a USPS payment.

Credit-card refunds and chargebacks

If you paid with a U.S. credit card and the merchant didn't deliver the goods as agreed, ask the card issuer about a merchandise-not-received billing error. To preserve the federal Fair Credit Billing Act process:

  1. Send a written dispute within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent to you.
  2. Send it to the issuer's billing-dispute or billing-inquiries address. That address may differ from the payment address.
  3. Include your name, account information, disputed amount, order details, promised delivery date, and a short explanation.
  4. Attach the order confirmation, tracking record, and your written communications with the seller.
  5. Pay all charges that aren't disputed and follow the issuer's instructions during the investigation.

The FTC says the issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved the matter. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days after receiving your letter.

During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges. You still need to pay undisputed charges.

People often use "chargeback" to describe any payment reversal. Card-network chargeback procedures and issuer policies can have different deadlines and evidence requirements from the federal billing-error process. Don't assume that a frequently quoted 120-day period applies to every card or transaction.

If more than 60 days have passed, contact the issuer anyway. The FTC notes that some issuers may extend the dispute period when a shipment is delayed, but an extension isn't automatic. Explain when delivery was promised and ask which dispute route remains available.

Debit cards, prepaid cards, and buy now, pay later

The federal credit-card billing-error procedure isn't a universal guarantee for debit cards or prepaid cards.

Contact the bank or card provider immediately and ask about its merchandise-not-received dispute process. Network rules and account agreements may offer a route, but the deadline and protection can differ from a credit-card claim.

Buy now, pay later providers have their own dispute and payment-pause rules. Notify the provider before the next installment if the order never arrived, and keep paying any amount the provider says isn't under dispute.

Describe the transaction accurately. An authorized purchase that never arrived is different from a charge you never approved.

PayPal purchase protection

PayPal's process is separate from a credit-card billing dispute. For an eligible purchase, open the issue through PayPal's Resolution Center and select the non-delivery reason that matches what happened.

PayPal's U.S. Purchase Protection terms include a 180-day period from the payment date for opening a dispute. The terms also state that, when applicable, a dispute must be opened within 30 days of delivery or fulfillment, or within 180 days of payment, whichever is sooner. Check the terms tied to the transaction and file as soon as the delivery problem is clear.

Submit:

Don't seek double recovery. If you open both a PayPal case and a card dispute, tell each provider and follow its instructions. If one provider refunds you, notify the other.

What if tracking says "delivered" but the package is missing?

A delivered scan makes the dispute more fact-sensitive, but it doesn't end the process.

First, verify the address and check common delivery locations. Then ask the seller and carrier for available proof, such as a delivery photograph, signature, GPS-related information, or the name of the person who accepted the package. Tell the seller in writing that you didn't receive the order and ask for an investigation.

If the carrier confirms delivery to the wrong address, that evidence can support your request. If the package was correctly delivered and then stolen from an exposed location, a refund may be less certain. The outcome may depend on the seller's policy, the payment provider's rules, and state law.

When disputing the payment, explain the facts precisely: "I authorized the purchase, but I didn't receive the merchandise." Don't describe an authorized transaction as stolen-card activity.

Deadlines that matter

Route Deadline or timing What to remember
Seller refund request As soon as the promised date passes or tracking shows a problem Use a written request and keep the response
Marketplace claim The deadline shown in the order or current platform policy A marketplace case may not pause a bank or card deadline
Credit-card billing error Written dispute within 60 days of the first statement showing the error Use the billing-inquiries address
Credit-card investigation Acknowledgment within 30 days and resolution within two billing cycles, no more than 90 days, under FTC guidance Pay undisputed charges
PayPal Applicable PayPal terms; the U.S. terms include a 180-day payment-based period for eligible disputes An earlier transaction-specific rule may apply
USPS claim Service-specific; some domestic damage or missing-contents claims have a 60-day outer deadline Not every retail non-delivery qualifies
Small claims court State-specific statute of limitations Don't wait for a platform or carrier process to expire

If the seller and payment provider both refuse

Send one final written escalation to the seller with the order number, evidence, and the result you want. If you're still within the credit-card deadline, send the formal dispute to the issuer rather than waiting for another customer-service promise.

You can report a suspected scam to the FTC. A report may help identify a pattern, but it doesn't itself reverse your charge or order a merchant to pay you.

Small claims court may be an option when the amount justifies the filing fee and effort. Before filing, check your state's court rules and confirm:

A marketplace may not be the proper defendant, and proving a claim against an overseas seller can be difficult. Use the court's own instructions rather than relying on a small-claims limit or success rate from another state.

If you bought from a UK seller

The main rules above are for U.S. purchases. For a UK purchase, Citizens Advice explains Section 75 protection for qualifying credit-card purchases where the total cash price is more than GBP 100 and no more than GBP 30,000. It may apply even when only part of the purchase was paid by credit card.

Section 75 isn't a U.S. rule, and debit-card chargeback procedures are different. Consumer rights and deadlines elsewhere in Europe also vary by country, so don't transfer the U.S. 60-day credit-card deadline to another jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to wait 30 days before asking for a refund?

No. Start a written record when the promised delivery date passes or tracking indicates a problem. A seller or carrier may ask for additional time under its process, but that request doesn't automatically extend a credit-card dispute deadline.

Can I dispute a charge if the seller says the carrier delivered it?

Yes, you can ask your card issuer or payment provider about its non-delivery process. Give the facts and include the delivery evidence. The provider will decide under its rules. A delivered scan can make the claim harder, but it isn't a reason to misstate what happened.

Will reporting the seller to the FTC get my money back?

Not directly. FTC reports support enforcement and consumer-protection work. Use the seller, marketplace, card issuer, PayPal, or court process for your individual refund request.

How long can a credit-card non-delivery dispute take?

Under FTC guidance, the issuer generally has up to two billing cycles and no more than 90 days after receiving a proper written dispute to resolve it. Seller, marketplace, PayPal, and debit-card timelines can be different.

What should I do if the seller refunds me after I file a dispute?

Tell the card issuer or PayPal promptly and keep proof of the refund. Don't accept or keep duplicate credits for the same order. Check your account for the posted refund before treating the matter as closed.