Your international order is late, lost, or damaged. Don't jump to arbitration. The practical first move is a written refund request to the seller. If that goes nowhere, dispute the charge with your credit card issuer. Say a lamp you bought overseas froze in tracking two weeks ago. The seller keeps saying "please wait." Do you need a maritime lawyer? Turns out your bank is often the better starting point.
What Controls a Consumer International Shipping Dispute
Two facts decide your fastest route: what the seller promised about shipment, and how you paid. The FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule covers many U.S. sellers that take orders by mail, phone, or online. If the seller doesn't state a shipment time, the rule generally requires shipment within 30 days. If it can't ship in time, the seller must tell you and offer a refund or cancellation. A specific date the seller gave controls instead. The FTC business guide explains the notice and refund rules.
Credit cards add a second layer. Federal billing error rules let you dispute a charge in writing with your card issuer. The FTC says the issuer must receive your dispute within 60 days after it sends the first statement with the error. The issuer must acknowledge in writing within 30 days unless it fixes the problem. It must resolve within two billing cycles or 90 days. You don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges while it investigates. See the FTC's billing error guide.
USPS shipments follow postal claim rules. Domestic damage or missing contents claims must be filed no later than 60 days after mailing. Appeals have 30-day deadlines. International mail has its own inquiry and claim process. Use the USPS domestic claim instructions and the International Mail Manual 920 or 922 pages.
For ocean carrier charges, the Federal Maritime Commission accepts complaints about charges that may violate the Shipping Act. A small claim route exists for claims of $50,000 or less. That route is not a general refund tool against a foreign seller. Start with the FMC complaints and assistance page if a common carrier charge is the issue.
What Does Not Control the Dispute
Incoterms, Hague-Visby liability caps, Rotterdam Rules, and arbitration clauses are mostly business-to-business tools. They matter to exporters, importers, freight forwarders, and carriers. They usually don't give a U.S. consumer a direct claim against an ocean carrier. Thing is, the seller's refund policy and your card issuer's dispute process will decide most consumer cases.
If the seller is outside the United States, enforcement gets harder. You can still send a written demand. You can still file a card dispute. But a foreign court judgment or arbitration award may be impractical for a single order. Keep the claim focused on the money you paid and the evidence you have.
Step-by-Step: Resolving a Missing, Late, or Damaged International Order
- Save the order record. Keep the confirmation email, product page, promised delivery date, tracking number, photos, and all messages.
- Write to the seller. Ask for a refund, replacement, or cancellation. If no shipment date was promised, mention the 30-day rule. Set a clear response date.
- Check the carrier. For USPS international mail, file an international inquiry. For domestic USPS claims, file within 60 days of mailing for damage or missing contents.
- Open a credit card dispute if the seller won't fix it. The issuer must receive your written dispute within 60 days after it sends the first statement that shows the error. Include the order record and your seller messages.
- Follow up with the issuer. It must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days unless it already resolved it. It has up to two billing cycles or 90 days to decide.
- Escalate to the CFPB if the card issuer mishandles the dispute. The CFPB complaint process accepts credit card and money transfer complaints. Companies generally respond in 15 days.
- Use the FMC only for carrier charge issues. If a common carrier charged you in a way that may violate the Shipping Act, the FMC has a complaint route. For claims of $50,000 or less, a small claim may be filed.
Deadlines and Evidence You Should Keep
| Route | Key deadline | Best evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Seller refund request | None fixed, but act fast | Order confirmation, promised date, messages |
| Credit card billing dispute | 60 days from first statement with error | Statement, receipt, tracking, seller messages |
| USPS domestic claim | 60 days from mailing for damage or missing contents | Tracking, mailing receipt, photos, claim form |
| USPS international inquiry | Check current International Mail Manual time limits | Mailing receipt, customs form, tracking |
| FMC charge complaint | Check current FMC process | Carrier invoice, bill of lading, charge details |
Some card issuers may extend the 60-day dispute period when a shipment is delayed. Get any extension in writing. That point comes from the FTC's consumer guidance. Don't assume an extension exists. Ask.
Damaged Goods, Delays, and Non-Delivery
Damaged goods need photos and a carrier inspection if possible. Report the damage to the seller and carrier quickly. Then file the card dispute if the seller won't refund. The same records help both routes.
Delays are trickier. A tracking update that says 'in transit' is not proof of delivery. If the seller promised a date and missed it, the FTC rule may require notice and a refund option. If the seller never promised a date, the 30-day rule usually applies.
Non-delivery is the cleanest card dispute. You paid, and you didn't get the goods. Keep the tracking page, the seller's non-response, and your written dispute. To be honest, this is where a credit card dispute has a clear federal process. If you paid by debit, wire, or another method, ask your bank what dispute route it offers.
When Arbitration Makes Sense
For a single consumer order, arbitration usually doesn't make sense. The amounts are small. The process is slow. The carrier may not have a contract with you. Business-to-business shipping disputes are different. That's where arbitration clauses, FIATA bills, and Hague-Visby limits show up.
If your contract says you must arbitrate, read the clause before filing a court case. But don't let a seller's generic terms scare you out of a card dispute. Your card issuer follows federal billing error rules, not the seller's shipping contract.
FAQ
How long do I have to dispute a credit card charge for an international order? The issuer must receive your written dispute within 60 days after it sends the first statement with the error. Some issuers may extend the period when a shipment is delayed. Get any extension in writing.
What if the seller is in another country? You can still request a refund and file a card dispute. Enforcement against a foreign seller may be difficult, so the card dispute is often the practical route.
Should I file a police report? If tracking shows delivered but the package was stolen, a police report can support your claim. It does not replace the seller refund request or card dispute.
Does the FMC handle refunds from sellers? No. The FMC handles certain complaints about common carrier charges under the Shipping Act. It is not a general consumer refund agency for foreign sellers.
Next Step
Send a written refund request to the seller today. If the seller stalls or refuses, open the card dispute before the 60-day window runs out. Keep every record in one folder.