For a missing, damaged, or misdescribed online order, start with the seller in writing. Save the listing and your evidence before you return anything.
If the seller doesn't fix the problem, use the marketplace's buyer-protection process. A payment dispute is another route, not a guaranteed refund, and the payment method decides where you file.
U.S. buyers don't have one universal deadline. The clock may come from the retailer, marketplace, payment provider, card issuer, warranty, or state law. A complaint by itself won't force a refund.
Choose the route that matches the problem
Name the problem before choosing the process. A damaged item is not the same as a wrong charge, and neither is an unauthorized transaction.
| Problem | Start here | Keep these records |
|---|---|---|
| The order never arrived | Seller, then marketplace protection | Order record, promised delivery date, tracking |
| The item is damaged or not as described | Seller's return or replacement process | Listing, photos, messages, return instructions |
| The charge is wrong or duplicated | Merchant, then card issuer if needed | Statement, receipt, refund promise |
| The transaction was unauthorized | Bank or card issuer immediately | Statement, account alerts, fraud report |
| A PayPal payment is unresolved | PayPal's dispute process | Transaction page, listing, seller communications |
1. Save proof before you contact anyone
Product pages change. Capture the price, delivery estimate, seller information, and promised specifications while you can still see them. Keep the original emails, too.
| Save this | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Order confirmation and receipt | Establishes the purchase, price, and date |
| Product listing and promised specifications | Shows what the seller offered |
| Photos of the item and packaging | Documents damage, defects, or the wrong product |
| Tracking and delivery records | Helps prove delay, non-delivery, or misdelivery |
| Every message and support case number | Creates a clear contact history |
| Refund or replacement promises | Shows what the seller agreed to do |
Write the timeline before details start to blur. Include the order date, delivery date, date you reported the problem, each response, and the remedy you want.
Keep the screenshots and emails. Keep the shipping label and tracking number.
2. Ask the seller for one remedy
Contact the retailer through its account page, the marketplace message system, or a verified support channel. State what went wrong and ask for one clear remedy: a refund, replacement, correction, or delivery update.
Short messages work better here. A clean timeline gives the support agent something usable.
Subject: Order [number] - request for [refund or replacement]
I received [item] on [date]. The problem is [brief description]. The listing stated [relevant promise], but [explain what happened].
Please provide [specific remedy]. I have attached [photos, tracking, or other evidence]. Please confirm the next step in writing.
Give the seller a reasonable response window. Set a reminder for the platform or payment deadline yourself; waiting for a reply won't extend it.
3. Open the marketplace case if needed
If the seller goes quiet or offers an inadequate solution, open a case from the order page. Add the listing, photos, tracking information, and message history.
Use the platform's return label when it provides one. Photograph the package before shipment and keep the carrier receipt.
To be honest, a refund promise is not money in your account. Leave the case open until the credit appears unless the platform tells you to take another step.
Platform-specific starting points
Turns out, the order screen is often more useful than an old help page or search result. Check that screen first; it may show the deadline tied to your order.
| Platform | Where to begin | Important limit |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | Open Your Orders, then choose the return, refund, or problem option | For eligible Marketplace transactions, Amazon's linked A-to-z terms say to contact the seller first. The regional page linked here says that, in some cases, buyers must allow the seller more than 48 hours before applying. Terms for another region can differ, so check the terms and case screen for your order: Amazon's A-to-z Guarantee. |
| eBay | Open Purchase History and report the problem | Under eBay's Money Back Guarantee policy, an item-not-received report generally starts after the estimated or actual delivery or collection date passes and must be made within the stated window, generally 30 calendar days after that date. The seller generally has 3 business days to respond. An appeal may be available within 30 calendar days of eBay's decision. Other issue types use different rules. |
| Walmart | Open your order history and select the return or refund option | Check whether the item was sold and shipped by Walmart or by a Marketplace seller. The applicable return instructions may differ. |
| AliExpress, Shein, or Temu | Use the order's in-app return, refund, or dispute option | Deadlines, return labels, and eligible reasons can vary by country, product, and order. Save the listing before opening the case. |
Read the case screen closely. The platform may require a return, a message response, or an escalation before its displayed deadline.
4. Use the payment dispute route when it fits
A payment dispute can help when the seller or marketplace leaves the problem unresolved. It isn't an automatic refund.
PayPal
Open the transaction in PayPal's Resolution Center. Choose the reason that matches the problem, then attach the listing, delivery records, photos, and seller messages.
PayPal's deadline isn't one number. It depends on the issue, payment type, country, and current Purchase Protection terms. Open the case promptly, and watch for a separate deadline to escalate it to a claim.
If PayPal was funded by a credit card, ask both providers how they handle overlapping cases before opening a second dispute. Keep the facts consistent.
Credit card billing errors
Federal billing-error protections cover certain credit card disputes, including some cases where goods were never received. The FTC's billing-error guidance says to dispute a covered error in writing within 60 days after the first statement containing the error was sent.
Your notice should identify the account, transaction, amount, date, and reason for the dispute. Send copies, not irreplaceable originals.
For a covered dispute, the issuer generally must acknowledge the letter within 30 days unless it has already resolved the problem. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles and no later than 90 days.
During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges. Keep paying the undisputed part of the bill.
Thing is, a defective or poorly described product may fall under a card-network or issuer procedure rather than the federal billing-error category. Ask the issuer which dispute type applies.
Debit cards, prepaid cards, and bank transfers
Don't apply the credit card 60-day rule automatically to a debit card, prepaid card, ACH transfer, or wire. The protections and deadlines differ.
Contact the bank or payment provider immediately. Ask for its written dispute procedure, and record the date, representative, and case number.
Report an unauthorized transaction as fraud. Don't describe an ordinary return disagreement as unauthorized.
5. Escalate without losing the paper trail
Keep each escalation tied to the same order, payment, and case history. Use this order unless a payment deadline requires faster action:
- Follow up in the existing case thread and restate the remedy you want.
- Ask the marketplace or payment provider to review the case.
- Report a financial-company problem to the appropriate regulator.
- Consider a state consumer-protection office or small claims court for a serious unresolved loss.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint system covers financial products and services such as credit cards, money transfers, and bank accounts. Companies generally respond within 15 days. The system sends email updates, lets you check the complaint status, and gives you 60 days to review the company's response and provide feedback.
A CFPB complaint is not a chargeback. It doesn't guarantee that a retailer will issue a refund.
The Better Business Bureau is a private organization, not a government agency. Its complaint process may create another communication channel, but it can't force a seller to pay.
A state attorney general's consumer-protection office may accept reports about deceptive conduct or repeated problems. It may not handle an individual refund request or act as your lawyer.
Small claims court can be a last step. Filing limits, fees, service rules, and the correct court vary by state, so check them before filing and keep the complete evidence file.
Make the complaint easy to review
Put the order number near the top. Then state the promised condition or delivery date, what happened, and the exact remedy you want.
Name the policy you rely on, but quote only the relevant part. If the seller promised a refund, ask for the refund date, amount, and transaction reference instead of accepting a vague assurance.
Protect your account while you do this. Don't send your full card number, Social Security number, or account password to someone who unexpectedly contacts you about a refund. Use the retailer's app or website, and verify the address before signing in.
If a return is required, follow the instructions exactly. Use tracked shipping, keep the receipt, and don't discard the item until the seller or platform confirms that it is no longer needed.
Questions about online purchase complaints
Can the CFPB make Amazon or another retailer issue a refund?
Usually not. The CFPB complaint route is aimed at financial companies and financial products. Use the retailer or marketplace process for the product dispute, then contact your card issuer or payment provider if the payment issue remains unresolved.
Is the 60-day deadline required for every chargeback?
No. The 60-day period applies to certain credit card billing errors and written-notice requirements. Debit cards, PayPal, bank transfers, unauthorized transactions, and card-network disputes can follow different procedures.
Should I start with PayPal or my credit card issuer?
Check which provider processed the payment and which deadline is closer. If PayPal was funded by a card, ask both providers about their rules before pursuing overlapping cases. Describe the facts consistently.
What if the seller says the refund was issued?
Ask for the refund date, amount, and transaction reference. Monitor the original payment account. If the credit doesn't appear, return to the seller, platform, or payment provider with those details.
Set a reminder for the earliest displayed deadline and keep every case number in one note. If the first route fails, the next reviewer will have a clean record.