If an online order is late, first identify whether the seller missed a shipping promise or the carrier missed a delivery estimate. Save the exact wording from your order confirmation, product page, and tracking history before contacting the seller.

For many U.S. purchases, the Federal Trade Commission's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule can require a seller to notify you and offer cancellation with a refund when it can't ship as promised. The rule does not create an automatic compensation percentage for every late package, and its default deadline concerns shipping rather than delivery.

This is general U.S. consumer information, not legal advice.

Quick answer: what to do when an order is delayed

1. Check the original promise. Look for wording such as "ships within two business days," "ships by [date]," or "arrives by [date]."
2. Save evidence. Keep the order number, receipt, promised date, tracking screenshots, and messages with the seller.
3. Contact the seller in writing. Ask whether the package was physically handed to the carrier, request a firm revised date, and state whether you want to wait or cancel.
4. Request a remedy. If you no longer want the item, ask for cancellation and a refund. If you still need it, request a replacement or a delivery date you can accept.
5. Protect your payment deadline. If the seller does not resolve a non-delivery and you paid by credit card, check the card issuer's written billing-error process promptly.

A carrier's tracking page can show where a package is, but it usually doesn't decide whether the seller owes you a refund. Start with the seller that accepted the order.

Identify what "late" means

The wording in your order confirmation matters. A shipping deadline and a delivery estimate aren't necessarily the same promise.

When the seller made no shipping-time representation, the FTC rule's default is generally 30 days to ship. That is not a universal promise that the package must arrive within 30 days.

What the FTC shipping rule requires

The FTC's Business Guide to the Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule says a seller must have a reasonable basis for a shipping representation. If the seller says an order will ship within a particular period, it should have a reasonable basis to meet that period.

If the seller makes no shipping representation, it generally must have a reasonable basis to ship within 30 days after receiving the order. If it can't meet the promised date or the 30-day period, the seller generally must send a delay notice that:

• Explains that shipment will be late
• Gives a revised shipment date
• Tells you that you can cancel and receive a prompt refund
• Explains how to cancel or consent to the delay

For a first delay, the notice may explain that the seller will treat your silence as consent to the revised date. If you don't want to wait, clearly reject the delay and request cancellation.

For a second or later delay, the seller generally can't treat silence as consent. It needs your express agreement to the additional delay. If you don't agree, the order should be canceled and the required refund issued.

The rule doesn't make every package arriving after its estimate eligible for an automatic refund. It also doesn't require a standard 10 percent or 20 percent store credit. Those offers are voluntary unless a separate contract, guarantee, or applicable law says otherwise.

Work through the delay

1. Collect the timeline

Create a short record containing:

• Order date and order number
• Product name and price
• Seller's name and contact details
• Exact shipping or delivery promise
• Date payment was charged
• Tracking number and latest scan
• Any backorder, preorder, or delay disclosure
• Your messages and the seller's replies

Take screenshots instead of relying on a tracking page that may later change. An order-status page can support your record, but save direct email or support messages too.

2. Ask the seller specific questions

Avoid sending only "Where is my order?" Ask for information that helps you choose a remedy:

• Was the package physically handed to the carrier?
• On what date was it handed over?
• What is the current shipment or delivery estimate?
• Is the item available, backordered, or lost?
• Can the order be canceled before delivery?
• If it can't be canceled, will the seller provide a replacement or return instructions?

Use email, a support form, or another channel that creates a record. If you speak by phone, write down the representative's name, date, and promised action, then send a follow-up message confirming the conversation.

3. Decide whether to wait or cancel

If you still want the item, ask the seller to confirm a realistic revised date in writing. You can also ask for a replacement if tracking has stopped or the shipment appears lost.

If the delay makes the order useless, say so directly:

I do not consent to an additional delay. Please cancel order [number] and confirm the refund amount and processing date in writing.

Don't write "that's fine" or "I'll keep waiting" unless you actually agree to the new date. A vague response can make the record harder to interpret.

4. Contact the carrier when it helps

The carrier may be able to explain a missed scan, address problem, weather interruption, or delivery attempt. However, the carrier usually can't cancel your purchase or issue the merchant's refund. Ask the seller to open a carrier investigation if the seller bought the shipping label.

For USPS shipments, the USPS domestic claims guidance says a claim for an item that arrives damaged or with missing contents may be filed immediately and no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Eligibility and filing periods depend on the service and coverage. A carrier claim is separate from your request to the seller for cancellation or a refund, and an ordinary delay doesn't automatically qualify as a covered claim.

5. Escalate before a deadline expires

If the seller ignores you or refuses to honor a valid cancellation request:

1. Send one final written request with the order number, relevant dates, and the remedy you want.
2. Contact the marketplace if you bought through one, and check its dispute deadline.
3. If you paid by credit card, begin the issuer's billing-error process before its deadline.
4. For suspected deception or repeated non-delivery, consider reporting the conduct to your state attorney general or the appropriate federal consumer agency.

Don't wait for a marketplace or government response if a payment-dispute deadline is approaching.

Refund timing and store credit

If you cancel under the FTC rule, ask the seller to confirm:

• The cancellation date
• The amount being refunded
• The payment method receiving the refund
• The expected posting or mailing date
• Whether any separate shipping charge is included

The FTC business guide describes payment-method-specific timing for rule-required refunds. It states that a credit-card refund generally must be credited within one billing cycle after the seller receives the cancellation request. A refund paid by cash, check, or money order generally must be mailed within seven working days. Exceptions and other payment methods may have different requirements.

A store credit isn't the same as money returned to your payment account. If you prefer a refund, say that clearly. Before accepting credit, ask whether accepting it closes the cancellation or refund request.

When a credit card dispute may help

A credit card billing dispute may be available when merchandise was never delivered or wasn't delivered as agreed. It's a separate process from the seller's refund policy and from a carrier claim.

The FTC's guidance on billing errors and its credit card dispute guidance explain the basic federal process:

• Send a written dispute so the issuer receives it within 60 days after the first statement showing the billing error was sent.
• Use the billing-inquiries address on the statement, which may be different from the payment address.
• Identify the charge, explain that the merchandise was not received or was not delivered as agreed, and include supporting documents.
• Keep a copy of the letter and proof of delivery.
• The issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved it.
• The issuer generally must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, but no later than 90 days.
• Pay the undisputed portion of the bill while the investigation is pending.

The 60-day federal process described here is for credit card billing errors. If you paid with a debit card, prepaid card, bank transfer, payment app, or another method, ask that provider which dispute process and deadline apply. If a payment app was funded by a credit card, check both the app's rules and the card issuer's instructions.

A message you can send to the seller

Use the seller's exact promise instead of describing the order simply as "late."

Subject: Order [number] - delayed shipment and requested resolution

Hello [seller],

I placed order [number] on [date]. The order confirmation said: "[copy the exact shipping or delivery promise]."

The tracking page currently shows "[status]" as of [date]. Please confirm:

1. Whether the package has been handed to the carrier
2. The date it was handed over
3. The revised shipment or delivery date
4. Whether you can cancel the order and issue a refund

Choose one of the following:

• If you no longer want to wait: "I do not consent to an additional delay. Please cancel the order and issue a refund."
• If you can wait: "I consent to wait until [date], but not beyond that date."

Please confirm the resolution, refund amount, and expected processing date in writing.

Thank you, [Name]

If the order is time-sensitive, explain why. A needed gift, event, medication, or replacement item may call for a replacement or cancellation rather than another estimated date.

How to reduce problems before ordering

You can't control weather, carrier disruptions, or inventory failures, but you can make a later dispute easier:

• Save the product page and checkout estimate when the order is placed.
• Check whether the item is in stock, backordered, made to order, or a preorder.
• Separate processing time from transit time.
• Read the seller's cancellation, refund, and marketplace terms.
• Record the seller's identity when a marketplace uses a third-party merchant.
• Choose tracking and coverage appropriate for a valuable purchase.
• Avoid relying on an estimated arrival date for a time-critical order without a backup.
• Keep payment and order records until the item arrives and any return period ends.

Common questions

Does the FTC 30-day rule mean my order must arrive within 30 days?

No. When no shipping time is stated, the rule generally gives the seller a reasonable basis to ship within 30 days. It isn't a blanket delivery guarantee. If the seller can't ship on time, the delay-notice and cancellation rules may apply.

Can I demand a refund for any late package?

Not automatically under a single federal rule. Your options depend on the seller's promise, delay notices, merchant policy, payment method, contract terms, and applicable law. Make a written cancellation request if you no longer want the order.

Should I contact the seller or the carrier first?

Contact the seller first because it accepted the order and can usually arrange a replacement, cancellation, or refund. Contact the carrier as well when tracking shows an address issue, delivery attempt, damage, or possible loss.

What if the seller says the order shipped but tracking has not moved?

Ask for the date the package was physically handed to the carrier and request that the seller start an investigation. Keep the tracking history. A label-created scan alone may not show that the carrier has possession.

What if the seller is outside the United States?

The U.S. FTC framework may be harder to apply to an overseas seller. Check the seller's terms, the marketplace's protection program, and your payment provider's dispute process. Keep the same evidence and act before any payment deadline.

If the promised date has passed, send the seller a written request today, save the current tracking page, and note the date of your message. If a credit-card statement deadline is near, contact the issuer before waiting for the seller's reply.