If an international order is late, missing, or stuck in customs, start with the purchase transaction, not a maritime claim. Save your records, ask the seller for a specific resolution, and use the dispute process for the payment method you used.

This is for U.S. consumers buying from domestic or overseas sellers. The seller's location, marketplace rules, customs status, and payment method can change the available remedy. It is general consumer information, not legal advice.

First, identify where the order failed

The next move depends on what actually happened:

What you see Best first action What it does not prove
The seller missed its promised shipping date Ask for a new date, or cancel and request a refund A carrier delay does not automatically excuse every seller obligation
Tracking shows the package is moving Ask the seller or carrier for the latest scan and a delivery estimate "In transit" does not confirm delivery
The package is held by customs Find out who must provide documents or pay an assessed charge A customs hold is not automatic proof of fraud or loss
Tracking says delivered, but you do not have it Check the delivery location and request a carrier trace A delivery scan alone may not resolve a missing-package claim
The item arrived damaged, incomplete, or wrong Photograph the package and contents and notify the seller This is different from an unauthorized card transaction

Keep those categories separate when you write to the seller, marketplace, carrier, or card issuer. A customs delay, a missing package, and a wrong item are different problems, and mixing them can send the claim down the wrong path.

What actually controls the dispute?

Four records usually matter more to a consumer than a ship charter or cargo arbitration clause:

  1. The order record. Check the advertised shipping time, promised delivery date, item description, return terms, and any statement about duties or taxes.
  2. The marketplace or payment platform policy. Buyer-protection deadlines and required evidence are company rules, not the same as legal billing-error rights.
  3. The carrier and customs records. Tracking scans, delivery photos, customs notices, and requests for information help show where the shipment stopped.
  4. The payment method. A credit card, debit card, prepaid card, payment app, and wire transfer can have different dispute procedures.

Rules such as the Hague-Visby Rules or a carrier's bill of lading may matter in a claim between a shipper and a carrier. They usually aren't the first route for a consumer seeking a refund from a retailer. A carrier's force-majeure explanation also doesn't, by itself, decide whether a card issuer must treat a charge as valid.

Gather evidence before contacting anyone

Create one folder for the order and save:

Screenshot the tracking page instead of relying on a live status that can change. A card issuer or marketplace may ask for the record as it appeared when you reported the problem.

Put the request to the seller in writing

Send a short message through the seller's official contact method and, if possible, by email. Include the order number, purchase date, amount, promised date, tracking status, and the result you want.

Ask for one specific resolution:

Don't accept an indefinite promise that the package is "still on the way." Ask what the seller will do and when it will respond.

For orders covered by U.S. consumer rules, the FTC's guidance on orders that never arrive says a seller must ship within the time it advertised. If it can't meet that promise, it generally must notify you about the delay and give you a chance to cancel for a full refund. An overseas seller may be hard to enforce against, so keep the payment-dispute route available while you wait for a response.

If customs is holding the package

A hold can come from document review, an inspection, duties or taxes, product restrictions, or an address or classification problem. Only the carrier, broker, or relevant customs authority can confirm the reason for a particular shipment.

Read the exact tracking message and save it. Ask the carrier or seller what is holding the package, who must provide any missing information, and whether there's a deadline. Request an itemized explanation of any duty, tax, brokerage, or storage charge.

Verify payment requests through the carrier's official website or a trusted customer-service number. Don't rely on an unexpected text or an unfamiliar payment link. Check the order terms to see whether the seller or buyer agreed to handle import charges. If the item is restricted or can't be released, ask the seller what refund or return option applies.

Shipping terms such as DAP or DDP can affect who arranges delivery and who pays import costs. They don't replace the order confirmation, the seller's return policy, or the payment provider's dispute process. A customs hold also doesn't automatically mean the seller can keep the entire purchase price. Get the seller's position in writing.

When tracking says delivered

Check the delivery address, mailbox, mailroom, front desk, household members, and nearby locations first. Some international shipments are handed to a local postal service for final delivery, so look for a second tracking number in the carrier record.

Then contact the seller and carrier promptly. Say you did not receive the package. Ask for delivery details, including the location and date of the scan, and request a carrier trace or investigation. Ask whether the sender must file the carrier claim. Keep the case number and every written response.

Carrier and marketplace claim windows can differ from the deadline for a credit-card billing dispute, so check both immediately. If you received a different or low-value item, report that as an incorrect or nonconforming order. Don't describe an authorized purchase as an unauthorized charge.

Choose the right payment dispute

Payment method What to do Key limitation
Credit card Use the issuer's written billing-error dispute process and attach your records The federal billing-error deadline is tied to the statement date
Debit card Contact the bank promptly and ask for its merchandise dispute procedure Don't assume credit-card protections or timing apply
Prepaid card Contact the card issuer as soon as possible Recovery options depend on the issuer and the transaction
Marketplace wallet or payment app Open the platform's dispute case and follow its evidence rules A platform deadline may expire while the seller is still responding
Wire transfer or similar bank transfer Contact the bank immediately and ask whether the transfer can be recalled Reversal may be difficult once the funds are received

An authorized purchase that never arrived is different from an unauthorized transaction. Describe the facts precisely. Calling the order "fraud" when you approved the payment can complicate the review. Reporting non-delivery, damage, or an incorrect item gives the reviewer the right issue to assess.

Credit-card billing errors: watch the 60-day deadline

The FTC's billing-error guidance says a credit-card billing error must generally be disputed in writing within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.

A practical sequence is:

  1. Check the statement date and calculate the 60-day deadline.
  2. Contact the seller, but don't wait for an indefinite investigation.
  3. Send the issuer a written dispute using its billing-error instructions. Identify the charge, amount, order, promised date, and problem.
  4. Include copies of the order confirmation, tracking records, seller messages, and refund request.
  5. Continue paying the undisputed part of the statement.
  6. Keep proof of delivery for your dispute letter or online submission.
  7. Review the issuer's decision and request a written explanation if it denies the claim.

The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless it has already resolved it. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days, after receiving the letter. During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance and other charges, but follow the issuer's instructions and pay all undisputed amounts.

If the 60-day period has passed, still contact the issuer and the seller. The issuer may have a separate voluntary process. Don't assume the statutory billing-error protections will remain available.

If the seller is outside the United States

An overseas seller may have different refund terms, governing law, and complaint procedures. Before escalating, check:

Use the marketplace dispute process if one exists. Contact the card issuer or payment provider even if the seller promises to respond later. Those deadlines can run on a separate clock.

For a U.S.-based seller, you can also consider reporting a deceptive or unresolved transaction to the appropriate consumer-protection agency. A complaint may help identify a pattern. It doesn't guarantee an individual refund.

Before the next international order

Before paying, save a copy of the listing and confirm:

A credit card can provide a clearer billing-error route than a wire transfer, but it still requires prompt action and good records. For a high-value order, weigh whether the savings justify the customs, return, and enforcement risk.

Open the order confirmation and the latest account statement today. Send the seller a written request, verify any customs message through an official channel, and protect the payment-dispute deadline while you wait for an answer.