If a U.S. order misses its promised shipping date, contact the seller first and keep the request in writing. Under the federal Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule, a covered seller must have a reasonable basis for the shipping time it advertises. If it can't ship on time, it generally must send a delay notice and give you a way to accept a revised date or cancel for a prompt refund.

That rule does not pay compensation for every late package. What you can get depends on whether the seller never shipped, the carrier missed an estimate, the package was lost, or tracking says delivered but you never received it. State law, marketplace terms, the seller's location, and the payment method can still change the remedy.

What the FTC shipping rule actually covers

The federal rule applies to many merchandise orders placed by mail, internet, or telephone. A seller must have a reasonable basis to ship within the time stated in its advertisement, checkout page, or order confirmation. If no shipping time is given, the rule generally uses a 30-day deadline after the seller receives a properly completed order.

The key word is ship. "Ships within two business days" is not the same as "arrives by Friday." The FTC rule mainly polices the seller's shipping representation. An arrival promise may also sit in the purchase contract, a marketplace policy, or a carrier service guarantee.

When a seller can't meet the original shipping time, it generally must notify you, give a revised shipping date, and explain the cancellation and refund option. If that revised date is more than 30 days beyond the original applicable date, or the seller can't give a definite date, the rule generally requires your express consent to keep waiting. Otherwise, you can seek cancellation and a prompt refund.

Read the FTC's Business Guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule and the text of 16 C.F.R. § 435.2 for the federal requirements.

The rule does not:

A seller's written promise, state law, or a separate guaranteed-delivery service may still give you additional rights.

Identify the type of shipping problem

Name the problem accurately. A refund request for a package that never arrived is different from a complaint about an order that showed up two days late.

What happened What it may involve Best first step
The promised ship date passed and there is no carrier scan The seller may not have shipped as represented Ask the seller for the actual ship date or request cancellation
Tracking shows movement, but the estimated arrival date passed A carrier delay, loss, or an estimate that was not guaranteed Ask the seller to open a trace and provide a written remedy
Tracking says "delivered," but you do not have the package A nonreceipt or misdelivery dispute, not just a delay Check the address, delivery photo, neighbors, and carrier records
The seller sent a later or indefinite shipping date A delayed-order notice under the FTC rule may be involved Decide whether to accept the delay or cancel for a refund
The item arrived after the promised date A late-delivery contract or merchant-policy issue Save the promise and ask what remedy applies

Don't describe an item as "never received" if it eventually arrived. Payment providers and marketplaces expect a factual explanation.

Step-by-step: how to dispute a shipping delay

1. Preserve the original promise

Save the order confirmation, invoice, checkout page, product listing, and shipping terms. Look for the exact wording:

Take a screenshot before the seller changes the listing. Record the time zone and the date you placed the order.

2. Build a short evidence file

Useful records include:

Keep original files and don't edit screenshots. A bill of lading can help with freight and some international shipments, but an ordinary parcel buyer will usually rely on the order record, tracking history, and correspondence.

3. Contact the seller in writing

The seller may need the carrier to investigate, but "the carrier is responsible" is not a complete answer to a buyer who purchased from the seller. Ask for a specific outcome and a date for the response.

You can adapt this message:

Subject: Delayed order [order number]: request for resolution

Hello [seller or support team],

I placed order [number] on [date]. The order confirmation stated [exact shipping or delivery promise]. As of [date], the tracking record shows [current status].

Please confirm the actual ship date and the next step. I would like [a cancellation and refund / a replacement shipped by a stated date]. If you cannot ship within the promised time, please send the applicable delay notice and explain my cancellation and refund options.

Please reply by [date]. I have attached the order confirmation and tracking history.

Thank you, [name]

A clear response date helps create a record. It's a request deadline, not automatically a legal deadline.

4. Use the platform and carrier routes correctly

For an Amazon order, keep communication in the order or seller-message system and use the help or claim option shown for that order. Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee is a marketplace process, not a federal refund right. Eligibility rules and deadlines can vary by marketplace and order, so don't import a deadline from an Amazon page for another country or from a third-party blog.

For UPS or FedEx shipments, check whether the service included a guaranteed delivery commitment or only an estimate. Carrier claims are controlled by the shipping contract and may need to be filed by the shipper or account holder. If the seller bought the label, ask the seller to open the trace or claim and give you the claim number. If you purchased shipping directly, check the exact service terms and file within that contract's deadline.

A carrier claim and a buyer's refund request are separate matters. A carrier payment to a sender does not automatically resolve what the seller owes you, and a tracking scan alone does not prove that a promised shipment date was met.

5. Protect a credit-card billing dispute

If merchandise never arrives, ask the credit-card issuer about its billing-error process. The FTC says a credit-card billing error generally must be disputed in writing within 60 days after the statement containing the error was sent. The issuer must generally acknowledge the dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved it, and resolve it within two billing cycles, but no more than 90 days. Some issuers may extend that 60-day window when a shipment is delayed, but don't count on an extension unless your issuer confirms it.

The FTC's consumer guidance on billing disputes for items you never received explains these protections.

Include:

State the facts plainly: "The merchandise was not received, and the merchant has not provided a refund or a confirmed resolution." Don't report an unauthorized transaction, and don't claim nonreceipt if the real issue is that the package arrived late.

The FTC guidance says you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount and related finance charges during a qualifying investigation, but you should continue paying undisputed charges. The 60-day billing-error rule is for credit cards. Don't assume it applies the same way to debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, payment apps, or cash.

6. Escalate without creating duplicate refunds

If the seller doesn't resolve the issue, use the marketplace's formal claim process before its stated deadline. Keep the claim number and submit one organized evidence packet.

You may also consider your state's consumer-protection office or small-claims process. Check the seller's terms for an arbitration clause, venue requirement, or limitation period before starting a court case. Those routes vary by state and by contract.

If a seller later refunds you after you open a card dispute, tell the card issuer. Don't seek payment twice for the same charge.

Common fact patterns

The seller promised to ship by June 10 but has not shipped

On June 12, the order still has no carrier acceptance scan. Save the original promise and ask the seller either to confirm shipment or cancel and refund the order. That's stronger than a complaint based only on a carrier's estimated arrival date, because the seller's own shipping representation is clear.

The order promised arrival by June 10 but arrived on June 12

The FTC shipping rule alone may not require a full refund simply because the package arrived late. Check whether the seller or carrier offered a guaranteed arrival service, then request the remedy promised in the order terms. You can also ask whether the shipping charge is refundable, but that depends on the applicable promise and policy.

The seller offers a new date 45 days later

Don't treat an open-ended delay as something you automatically accepted. Save the notice and decide whether you still want the order. For a revised shipping date more than 30 days beyond the applicable original date, the FTC rule generally requires express consent to the delay. If you don't agree, request cancellation and a prompt refund.

Tracking says delivered, but the package is missing

This is a nonreceipt dispute. Check the delivery address, building office, household members, neighbors, and carrier photo or signature record. Ask the seller and carrier to investigate immediately. If the seller relies on proof of delivery, compare the delivery time, location, signature, and photo with your address and instructions.

Evidence checklist for a platform or card claim

Before submitting a claim, arrange the documents in this order:

  1. The transaction: order confirmation, invoice, amount, and payment method.
  2. The promise: screenshot or text showing the shipping or arrival representation.
  3. The timeline: order date, promised date, actual ship date, scans, and delivery status.
  4. Your efforts: dated seller messages and carrier contacts.
  5. The requested remedy: cancellation, refund, replacement, or another remedy.
  6. The response: seller's explanation, revised date, refund confirmation, or lack of response.

A short timeline is usually easier to review than a long narrative. Use dates and exact wording rather than conclusions such as "the seller committed fraud."

Common mistakes that weaken a delay dispute

What a seller should be able to show

A carrier delay does not by itself prove that the seller complied with the FTC rule. If you escalate, a seller should be able to produce:

Proof of delivery addresses whether the package arrived. It does not necessarily answer whether the seller shipped on time.

Cross-border orders and customs delays

A U.S. consumer should not assume that the U.S. 30-day default applies identically to every foreign seller or international transaction. The seller's country, marketplace jurisdiction, purchase terms, customs arrangement, and payment method may all matter.

Ask:

Save customs notices and ask the seller to identify the missing document in writing. If the order was paid by credit card and never arrives, the issuer's billing-dispute process may still be available, subject to its rules and the applicable deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Does the FTC rule guarantee delivery within 30 days?

No. When a covered seller gives no shipping time, 30 days is generally the time by which it must ship the order. It is not automatically a promise that the package will reach you within 30 days.

Can I demand a full refund for any late package?

You can request one, but a late arrival does not automatically create a federal right to a full refund in every case. A covered delayed order that has not shipped may give you a cancellation and refund option. A package that arrived late may instead be governed by the seller's promise, carrier guarantee, marketplace terms, or state law.

Who should file a UPS or FedEx claim?

Check the shipping contract. The shipper or account holder often has to start the claim, so ask the seller to do it when the seller purchased the label. If you paid the carrier directly, follow that service's claim instructions.

Is a credit-card chargeback the same as a seller refund?

No. A seller refund is a merchant transaction. A card dispute is an issuer investigation in which the merchant may respond. Keep both processes accurate and tell the issuer if the seller resolves the charge.

Does the 60-day dispute period apply to debit cards?

Don't assume it does. The FTC guidance cited above concerns credit-card billing errors. Contact a debit-card, prepaid-card, bank-transfer, or payment-app provider promptly and ask which procedure and deadline apply.

Find the exact shipping promise and the date on the first statement showing the charge. Send the seller a written request, save the response, and calendar any marketplace, carrier, or credit-card deadline.