If the promised shipping or delivery date has passed, contact the seller rather than waiting for tracking to change. Save the exact promise shown at checkout, check the latest scan, and request a specific outcome: a definite revised date, a replacement, or cancellation and a refund.

For U.S. merchandise orders, the federal rule to check is the Federal Trade Commission's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. It generally requires a seller to have a reasonable basis for its shipping promise. When no shipping time is stated, the seller generally must ship within 30 days after receiving a properly completed order. If it cannot meet that deadline, it generally must send a delay notice and provide the options required by the rule.

That rule does not make every late package eligible for compensation. A carrier's estimated arrival date, a seller's delivery guarantee, a lost-package claim, and a credit-card billing dispute are different matters.

Find where the shipment stalled

The tracking status usually points to the next useful step:

An estimated arrival date can change. Save the wording that applied when you ordered because a seller's definite promise, a guaranteed service, and a carrier estimate are not interchangeable.

Save the evidence before you call

Keep screenshots or copies of:

Use the carrier's official website or app. Do not rely on a link in an unexpected text message or email. A tracking number that shows only label creation is different from a parcel the carrier has scanned into its network.

Check whether you can clear the delay

Read the full tracking message before contacting support. Some holds can be resolved when you:

Do not pay duties or redelivery fees through an unfamiliar payment link. Open the carrier's website separately and enter the tracking number there.

Send the seller a clear request

The seller is usually the party that can authorize a refund or replacement, especially when it purchased the shipping label or carrier insurance. Send a short written message:

Order number: [number]
Promised shipping or delivery date: [date]
Tracking number: [number]
Current status: [status]
The order has not arrived. Please confirm whether it was handed to the carrier, provide a definite revised date, or explain how I can cancel for a refund. If the shipment is considered lost, please arrange a replacement or refund.

Ask for a case number and find out when you should expect a response. If you bought through a marketplace, keep the conversation in that marketplace's messaging system. That preserves the record if you later use its complaint or guarantee process.

What the U.S. 30-day rule actually covers

The FTC's Business Guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule and the text of 16 CFR section 435.2 are the main references for covered U.S. merchandise orders.

In general:

  1. The seller must have a reasonable basis for a stated shipping time.
  2. If the seller gives no shipping time, the default is generally 30 days after receiving a properly completed order.
  3. If the seller cannot ship within the promised or applicable period, it must send a delay notice with the information and options required by the rule.
  4. Depending on the length and terms of the proposed delay, the seller may need the buyer's consent to keep waiting. Do not assume that silence always counts as consent.
  5. If the buyer cancels under the rule, the seller must issue the required refund.

The 30-day period generally concerns shipment, not a universal promise that the package will arrive within 30 days. It also does not automatically require a carrier to pay a buyer when the seller shipped on time but the parcel arrived late.

A seller's own delivery promise, service guarantee, or refund policy may provide additional rights. Keep a copy of the checkout page and order terms.

Match the remedy to the problem

Problem What to request Main limitation
The seller has not shipped by the promised time A delay notice, a definite revised date, or cancellation and a refund The FTC rule covers qualifying merchandise orders and shipping representations
The seller shipped on time but the carrier is late A carrier trace, replacement, refund, or shipping-fee remedy under the seller's policy There is no automatic federal payment for every late arrival
The package appears lost Ask the seller to open a carrier investigation or claim Eligibility, insurance, and deadlines depend on the service
The package is damaged Photograph the package and contents and request a replacement or claim Keep the packaging until the seller or carrier responds
Tracking says delivered but you have nothing Check the delivery area and request a delivery investigation A delivery scan can make the claim more evidence-intensive
Customs is holding the parcel Ask for the exact missing document or charge and submit it through an official channel Responsibility for duties and documents depends on the order terms

When a carrier trace or claim makes sense

Contact the carrier when tracking shows an address problem, customs hold, delivery exception, or apparent loss. Ask what action is required and whether the shipper must open the investigation.

A carrier claim is not necessarily the same as a consumer refund. The shipping account, label, or insurance may belong to the seller, and the carrier's coverage may apply only to eligible loss or damage. Ordinary lateness does not automatically produce a payment.

For USPS, the domestic claims page says an eligible item that arrives damaged or with missing contents can be claimed immediately, but no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Other USPS services and claim categories have different filing periods. USPS says a claimant can appeal a denied or partially paid claim within 30 days of the decision, with a second appeal available within 30 days of the appeal denial.

If the seller ignores you, use the marketplace's formal complaint or guarantee process when the order qualifies. If a carrier claim is appropriate, include the tracking record, receipt, proof of value, and photographs.

Carrier and marketplace policies vary

Carrier terms depend on the service, destination, shipping account, and contract. Be cautious with online tables that promise one deadline or compensation amount for every shipment.

Customs holds need a separate check

A customs delay does not always mean the parcel is lost. It may be waiting for:

Ask the seller or carrier for the exact reason, submission deadline, and approved upload method. If the seller promised delivery by a particular date, notify it even if customs caused the delay. Responsibility can depend on the shipping terms and the countries involved.

U.S. consumers should not automatically apply the U.K. Consumer Rights Act 2015, European consumer rules, or a foreign carrier's compensation schedule to a U.S. purchase. An international order may be governed by the seller's location, the destination country's rules, the sales contract, and the carrier's terms.

A credit-card dispute is a separate path

A credit-card dispute may be available when merchandise was not delivered as agreed and the seller will not resolve the problem. It is not a guaranteed refund and is not the same as reporting an unauthorized transaction.

The FTC's guidance on goods you never received and its credit-card dispute guidance say that a billing-error dispute should be sent in writing within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent. Use the billing-inquiries address printed on the statement, not only a customer-service telephone number.

Include:

The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved it. It must resolve the investigation within two billing cycles, with a maximum of 90 days under the FTC guidance. You generally do not have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges during the investigation, but continue paying amounts that are not in dispute.

The Fair Credit Billing Act process applies to credit cards. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, and payment apps can have different procedures and deadlines. Contact those providers promptly instead of assuming the same 60-day process applies.

If the parcel arrives after you file a dispute or claim, update the seller, carrier, or card issuer so the record stays accurate.

Reduce avoidable delivery problems

For a time-sensitive order:

  1. Check whether the date is estimated or guaranteed.
  2. Find out what remedy applies if a guarantee is missed.
  3. Save the delivery promise before completing checkout.
  4. Use a complete address, apartment number, and reachable phone number.
  5. Allow extra time for holidays, severe weather, and customs.
  6. Check whether the seller ships from another country.
  7. Respond quickly to signature, address, and customs requests.
  8. Verify unexpected tracking messages through the official carrier site.
  9. Use a pickup location or signature service when theft or misdelivery is a concern.
  10. Choose a payment method whose dispute process you understand.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait before contacting the seller?

Contact the seller as soon as the promised shipping or delivery date has passed, or sooner if tracking shows an exception. There is no universal requirement to wait 24, 48, or 30 days before asking for help.

Does the U.S. 30-day rule mean my package must arrive within 30 days?

Usually, no. The federal rule generally sets a shipment deadline when no shipping time was provided. It is not a blanket arrival guarantee for every order.

Can a carrier owe me money for a late delivery?

Not automatically. Compensation depends on the service guarantee, insurance, declared-value coverage, and carrier terms. Ask the seller whether it purchased a service with a refund guarantee.

Who should file a claim for a missing package?

Start with the seller. The seller may be the account holder, label purchaser, or insured party and may need to open the carrier claim. You can still report the delivery problem directly to the carrier.

Can I cancel because the seller is delayed?

For a covered U.S. merchandise order, the FTC rule may require a delay notice and a cancellation and refund option when the seller cannot meet its shipping representation. If the parcel was already shipped on time, the answer may instead depend on the seller's policy, delivery promise, and applicable state law.

This is general consumer information, not legal advice. For an expensive order, a cross-border dispute, or a seller that refuses a refund required by its terms or the applicable rule, keep the records and contact the relevant state consumer-protection office or a qualified attorney.

If your promised date has passed, save the checkout promise and tracking screen now, send the seller the written request above, and set a date to follow up if there is no response.