If an international parcel misses a promised date, contact the seller in writing first. For a purchase from a U.S.-based seller, the federal Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule controls many shipping promises. It requires sellers to have a reasonable basis for stated shipping times and sets procedures for delays.
That rule does not make DHL, FedEx, UPS, PostNL, or Colissimo automatically pay compensation for every late package. A carrier claim depends on the service purchased and its terms. A credit-card dispute is a separate payment process.
This guide is for U.S. consumers. If the seller is outside the United States, the FTC rule may not apply, and the seller's contract, local law, and payment method may control instead.
First, identify which deadline was missed
“Delivery deadline” can mean several different things. Save the exact wording before arguing about a remedy.
| Promise or status | What usually controls it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Ships within 72 hours” | The seller's shipping representation and the FTC rule, where applicable | Ask when the order shipped and request the required delay options if the promise was missed |
| “Delivery by Friday” | The seller's advertised promise, order terms, or contract | Save the promise and ask the seller to honor its stated remedy |
| “Estimated delivery” | The merchant's or carrier's estimate | Ask for an updated date, but don't assume an estimate is a guarantee |
| A time-definite courier service | The carrier's current service guarantee and exclusions | Check whether the exact product, route, and shipment qualify for a refund |
| Customs release or import clearance | Customs procedures and the shipping arrangement | Ask who must supply documents or pay any verified charge |
The FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule generally gives a seller 30 days to ship when it made no shipping-time representation. That is a 30-day shipment period, not a promise that the package will arrive within 30 days.
A statement such as “ships in 72 hours” is different from a carrier's estimated arrival date. The FTC's business guide explains how sellers must handle a shipment they can't send on time.
What to do when an international package is late
1. Save evidence
Keep copies of:
- The order confirmation, invoice, and product listing
- The promised shipping or delivery date
- Tracking history, including customs scans
- Emails, chat messages, and telephone notes
- Proof of payment
- Customs notices and duty requests
- Photos of the parcel and packaging if it arrives damaged
- Receipts for documented expenses caused by the delay
Take screenshots of the promised date and tracking record. Online pages can change after the order is placed.
2. Check the tracking status carefully
A “label created” scan may mean the carrier has not received the parcel. “In transit” usually means the package is moving through the network, while “held at customs” points to a separate clearance issue. A “delivered” scan with no parcel requires an immediate report to both the seller and carrier.
Ask the seller or carrier for a specific explanation:
- Where was the last physical scan?
- Is the package waiting for information, payment, inspection, or a transport connection?
- Who must take the next action?
- Is the parcel considered delayed, missing, returned, or delivered?
- What is the case number and next review date?
A generic status such as “exception” isn't enough to decide whether you should wait or cancel.
3. Write to the seller
The seller is usually the best starting point because the seller accepted your order and made the shipping representation. Under the FTC rule, a seller that can't meet its shipping promise generally must notify the buyer and offer the choices required for the delay, such as accepting a revised date or canceling for a prompt refund.
You can send a message like this:
Order [number] was placed on [date]. The order confirmation or listing stated [exact shipping or delivery promise]. As of [date], the tracking record shows [status]. Please confirm the shipment's location and the resolution you will provide. If you cannot meet the promised time, I am declining the delay and requesting cancellation and a refund under your shipping policy and applicable federal requirements. Please reply in writing with the case number.
Don't describe a missed delivery estimate as a guaranteed legal violation unless the order terms actually use a guarantee. State the facts and ask the seller to identify the policy it is applying.
4. Open a carrier investigation or claim
Use the carrier account, shipping receipt, or claim process connected with the tracking number. Include the tracking record, proof of value, invoice, and any required photos.
Ask what type of case is appropriate:
- Late delivery
- Lost or stalled shipment
- Damage
- Missing contents
- Customs hold
- Incorrect delivery
There is no single international-shipping complaint deadline. Carrier claim windows can vary by service, country, account, and whether the problem is delay, loss, or damage. Don't rely on a general seven-, 14-, or 30-day deadline copied from a blog. Read the terms for the exact shipment and submit the claim promptly.
If the seller purchased the label, the carrier may require the shipper or account holder to open the claim. Ask the seller to do that rather than assuming the recipient can collect directly from the carrier.
5. Handle customs separately
A customs hold may require an invoice, importer information, product description, tariff classification, or payment of duties. Ask the seller and carrier which item is missing and who is responsible for providing it.
Verify a payment request through the carrier's official tracking page or account before sending money. A message that asks for payment through an unfamiliar link may be fraudulent.
If the seller promised a particular delivery time, a customs delay doesn't automatically answer whether the seller must offer cancellation or another remedy. Keep the customs explanation and take it back to the seller.
6. Protect your payment-dispute deadline
If the seller charged you for goods that were never delivered, or promised a refund that never appeared, contact your card issuer promptly. Don't wait for an open-ended carrier investigation if your card-dispute deadline is approaching.
DHL, FedEx, UPS, PostNL, and Colissimo
These carriers don't share one universal late-delivery policy. Identify the service before filing.
- DHL: Confirm whether the shipment moved through DHL Express, DHL Parcel, or another DHL service. Time-definite Express products can have different terms from economy or postal services. Check the service guarantee, route restrictions, and listed exceptions.
- FedEx: Identify the exact international product and the delivery commitment shown when it was purchased. Use the account or shipping receipt to determine whether a late-delivery refund is available and whether the shipper must file.
- UPS: Check the specific service guarantee and any suspension or exception that applies to the route. A tracking estimate is not automatically the same as a money-back promise.
- PostNL: Use the terms connected with the sending service and destination. Cross-border postal shipments may involve a local delivery partner, and the sender may control the investigation.
- Colissimo: Check the international product's current postal terms and the sender's receipt. Ask the merchant to open the case if the postal operator requires the sender to claim.
A carrier's response may offer an investigation without admitting that compensation is owed. Keep the case number, the date you filed, and the result.
Refunds, carrier compensation, and insurance
The possible source of recovery depends on what went wrong.
| Possible source | What it may address | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Seller | Cancellation, refund, replacement, or a remedy promised in the order terms | A late arrival may be treated differently from non-delivery |
| Carrier service guarantee | A transportation-charge refund when the exact service commitment applies | Exclusions and route suspensions can defeat the claim |
| Declared-value coverage or cargo insurance | Loss, damage, or another covered event | Ordinary delay is covered only if the policy says so |
| Credit-card issuer | A billing-error investigation for goods not received or another covered dispute | The written dispute deadline and card rules apply |
There is no general U.S. entitlement to a fixed dollar amount per kilogram for a late international parcel. Weight-based limits or declared-value payments may apply to a particular postal service, but they aren't a universal compensation formula.
Missed sales, storage charges, replacement shipping, and other consequential losses are also not automatically reimbursed. If you seek them, provide invoices and explain how the loss resulted from the shipment problem. The seller's or carrier's terms may limit those damages.
If the package eventually arrives and you keep it, the dispute becomes different from a simple non-delivery claim. Ask the seller about a shipping refund or other remedy based on the exact promise. Don't claim that the goods were never received if they were delivered.
How to dispute a credit-card charge
For a U.S. credit-card billing-error dispute, the FTC's credit-card guidance says the issuer must receive a written dispute within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
Send the letter to the billing-dispute address identified by the issuer, not merely to the merchant. Include:
- Your name and account information
- The transaction date and amount
- The order number and seller's name
- The promised date and actual tracking history
- Why the goods were not received as agreed or why a promised refund is missing
- Copies of your communications and supporting documents
The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved it. It must resolve the investigation within two billing cycles, and no later than 90 days, under the process described by the FTC.
Pay any undisputed part of the account on time. Card-network procedures can have different deadlines, and the issuer decides whether the facts qualify for a billing-error or chargeback process. A debit card, prepaid card, payment app, wire transfer, or bank transfer does not use the same credit-card dispute rules. Contact that provider promptly and ask for its applicable procedure.
The FTC also advises consumers about billing disputes for goods that never arrived. A card dispute isn't a guaranteed refund, but it can be an important escalation route when a seller will not resolve non-delivery.
When to escalate or consider legal action
Use this order unless the value or urgency requires a different approach:
- Send a written complaint to the seller. Ask for a clear remedy and response date.
- Request a carrier investigation. Save the claim number and the terms for the service.
- Dispute the credit-card charge if appropriate. Follow the issuer's written process before its deadline.
- Use a consumer-protection complaint route. A report to the FTC can help identify patterns of unlawful seller practices, but it isn't a private lawsuit and doesn't guarantee recovery of your money.
- Review legal options for a high-value dispute. Check the seller's and carrier's terms for arbitration, court location, liability limits, required claim notices, and filing deadlines.
Suing the carrier may be complicated when the merchant or a freight account holder purchased the label. You may not be the contracting party, and the carrier's terms may limit liability or require arbitration. For a consumer purchase, the seller may be the more direct party for a failure to ship as promised, while the carrier may be relevant for a service-guarantee or damage claim.
The UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 is not a general U.S. consumer rule. International sales conventions also don't create an automatic refund or fixed compensation amount for every parcel. Identify the seller's country, the destination, the payment method, and the contract before relying on a foreign-law argument. This is practical information, not legal advice; a licensed attorney in the relevant jurisdiction can assess a significant claim.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating an estimated arrival date as a carrier guarantee
- Confusing the FTC's 30-day shipment fallback with 30-day delivery
- Waiting for a carrier investigation while a 60-day credit-card deadline passes
- Filing a claim without preserving the original promise and tracking history
- Assuming the recipient can claim when the shipper controls the account
- Paying an unverified customs invoice
- Demanding lost profits without invoices or checking liability limits
- Using a UK or international rule as though it automatically governs a U.S. purchase
FAQ
Can I complain to DHL, FedEx, or UPS if the seller shipped the order?
Yes, you can report the tracking problem and request an investigation. However, the seller or shipping-account holder may have to submit the formal claim. Contact the seller at the same time.
Does a late international package automatically qualify for a refund?
No. A refund may come from the seller's delay policy, an applicable carrier guarantee, or a payment dispute. An estimated delivery date alone doesn't establish a carrier refund.
Is the FTC 30-day rule a 30-day delivery guarantee?
No. When the seller made no shipping-time representation, the rule generally gives the seller 30 days to ship. It doesn't promise arrival within 30 days.
What should I do if the seller says the carrier is responsible?
Ask the seller to state whether it is relying on a shipping estimate, a guaranteed service, or a delay exception. If the seller failed to ship as represented, the carrier's customer-service process doesn't replace the seller's duties under the FTC rule where that rule applies.
What should I do first?
Screenshot the promised date and tracking record, then send the seller a written complaint. Record the date of the first card statement containing the charge so you don't overlook a possible dispute deadline.