Did the item never arrive, arrive cracked, or look nothing like the listing? You don't need letterhead.
A working complaint needs the order number, a plain statement of what went wrong, and one request, usually a refund or a replacement shipped by a named date. Send it in Amazon, eBay, or Etsy order messages. Those threads stay with the order.
Thing is, a separate email still matters for some Shopify shops that only list an email, and it gives you a dated copy for your records.
Keep the first message short and dated. Write once, then use the platform clock.
A sample complaint letter you can paste
Copy the block into the order chat or into an email, swap every bracket for your details, and skip any insults.
Subject: Complaint and refund request for order [order number]
Hello,
I am writing about order [order number], placed on [order date], for [item description], totaling [amount paid].
The problem is: [not delivered / delivered damaged / not as listed / does not work]. I attached [photos, tracking, listing screenshot].
I am requesting [a full refund of $X / a replacement by DATE]. Please confirm in writing by [date, 2-3 business days from today].
If I do not receive a response, I will open a case with [Amazon / eBay / Etsy] or dispute the charge with my payment provider.
Thank you,
[Your name]Put the order number on the first line. Do that even if the form already shows it. Reviewers skim.
What to gather first
Save four things before you type: the order number, a listing screenshot, photos or tracking, and the earlier messages. It's the whole complaint.
Write it so a later reviewer can use it
Write in this order. Nothing extra.
- Put the order number and the item name first.
- State one problem in concrete words. "The pitcher arrived cracked and will not sit on the base" is usable. A story about a ruined party is not.
- Name the marketplace program in one clause if it applies: Amazon A-to-z Guarantee, eBay Money Back Guarantee, or Etsy's listing-match rules. Don't invent a law.
- Ask for one remedy and a reply date. State the dollar amount you paid.
- Say you will open a platform case or contact the payment provider if they stay silent. Then stop writing.
Insults just get screenshotted. Stay polite.
When a letter helps, and when it wastes time
A direct note can fix a wrong size, a missing piece, or a tracking number that never moved, but only if the seller still answers, and another essay won't restart a lapsed waiting period so if you are staring at a tracking page that has said "label created" for two weeks and the seller keeps promising it will ship tomorrow, then that the courier lost it, then nothing at all, you already have the timeline you need.
You don't need a fourth speech about the frustration. Put the dates in order and ask for the money back.
Open the case if the wait is over.
Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Shopify paths
These are company policies and payment rules, not a single federal complaint form, and they differ by marketplace and by how you paid. Check the help page on your actual order.
| Where you bought | Contact the seller first | Usual next step | Limit that catches people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon marketplace | Yes, in many A-to-z claims you must have written already | A-to-z Guarantee claim in your account | Help text often wants more than 48 hours without a satisfactory fix; confirm in your own Amazon help |
| eBay | Yes. After you report a problem, the seller has 3 business days | Ask eBay to step in, then use Money Back Guarantee | Report inside the window in the eBay Money Back Guarantee policy, often 30 calendar days after estimated or actual delivery or collection |
| Etsy | Send a Help with order request | Open a case after 48 hours | Etsy-processed refunds must happen within 180 days of the transaction |
| Independent Shopify shop | Email or the shop's own return form | Merchant refund, then PayPal or card dispute | The shop's policy varies. Your card or PayPal rules still apply. |
Turns out plenty of buyers write a long letter and never open the claim form. The letter is evidence. The form is what can actually refund you.
Gift cards, local pickup, and very old orders can fall outside those programs. Read the eligibility lines for your order.
If the seller does not answer
Open the case with the same facts and attach the message you already sent. Don't rewrite it as a rant.
eBay can step in after those three business days. Use it if you still disagree about the refund, the return shipping, or whether the item matches the listing. Etsy wants that Help with order request on file.
Amazon's marketplace path is the A-to-z claim after the contact wait shown in your account.
A Shopify shop has no central marketplace court, so once the merchant ignores you, the live path is a PayPal claim or a card dispute. You should use that path next.
Silence is your cue to open the case.
Credit card and PayPal disputes
A platform case and a billing dispute are different tracks. You'll need the same facts on both.
For a U.S. credit card, the FTC explains how to challenge billing errors in writing. You generally have 60 days from the first statement that showed the error, though some issuers may extend that 60-day period when a shipment is delayed.
The issuer must acknowledge the dispute in writing within 30 days unless the problem is already resolved. It must finish within two billing cycles, and not more than 90 days after getting your letter. You don't need to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges during that investigation.
Send a follow-up letter even if you clicked a button in the app. Keep a copy.
People miss this, to be honest, because they wait for one more seller email and then the 60-day mark is gone. Put the statement date on a calendar. Put a reminder two weeks before day 60.
PayPal and debit claims use different buttons and different clocks, and item not received is not the same as significantly not as described. File the type that matches the facts.
Shopify merchants see some chargebacks take 30 to 90 days on their end. That's their paperwork time, not extra time for you to wait before you file.
Common questions
Should I mail a paper letter to an Amazon seller? Usually no. Use order messages so Amazon has the thread, then file A-to-z if they don't fix it.
What if the seller's replies are abusive? Save the screenshots. Use the platform's report tools for the harassment. Keep your order complaint about the item, the delivery, and the money.
Can I add extra money for my time? You can ask, but marketplace programs typically refund the transaction, not your hours. Ask for the amount you were charged unless a published policy on that order says something else.
Grab the order number. Paste the template, attach two photos or the tracking page, and send it. If the waiting period has already passed, open the case today instead of drafting a longer letter.