Start with the seller or marketplace if you want a refund or replacement. The seller accepted the order and is normally the party that can cancel the sale, refund the merchandise, or send a replacement. A carrier can open a trace or investigate delivery, but it usually cannot refund the purchase price.

For U.S. orders, the federal rule that matters most is the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. It addresses the seller's shipment promise. It does not guarantee a cash payment every time a carrier delivers late.

This is general consumer information, not legal advice.

What the FTC shipping rule requires

The FTC rule requires a seller to have a reasonable basis to expect it can ship an online, mail, or telephone order within the time it advertised. If no shipping time was given, the default period is generally 30 days. The federal rule text explains the notice and refund requirements.

If the seller can't ship within the promised time, it generally must notify you about the delay and obtain your consent to a revised timing or cancel the order and refund payment for the unshipped merchandise. An open-ended delay is not informed consent.

Several common claims are not supported by the rule:

• It does not create an automatic $10 to $50 payment for a late package.
• It does not require every carrier to compensate a delay of seven, 14, or 30 days.
• Its 30-day default concerns the seller's shipment time, not a universal guarantee that every package will arrive within 30 days.
• It does not automatically make a seller responsible for a carrier delay that occurred after the seller shipped on time.

A stated arrival date can still matter under the seller's terms, marketplace policies, or contract. Check whether the order said ships by, estimated delivery, or guaranteed delivery. That wording can change which remedy is available.

First, identify what went wrong

Your next step depends on the package's status:

A carrier tracking page is evidence, not necessarily a promise of compensation. Save the entire scan history, not only the latest status.

Save evidence before filing a complaint

Create a small record before contacting support. Include:

• The order confirmation, receipt, and amount paid
• A screenshot of the advertised shipment or delivery date
• The product page and shipping terms, if they are still available
• The tracking number and dated tracking updates
• Your shipping address as entered at checkout
• Emails, chat transcripts, and case numbers
• Photos of the packaging and item if it arrived damaged
• Customs notices or address-correction messages for international orders
• Evidence of a specific loss, such as a canceled event or spoiled goods

Don't send your full card number by email or marketplace message. A seller normally needs the order number and transaction details, not your complete payment credentials.

Choose a realistic remedy

Ask for one clear outcome rather than a general apology.

• The order hasn't shipped: Request cancellation and a refund for the unshipped merchandise, or ask for a definite revised shipment date that you can accept.
• You still want the item: Request a replacement with new tracking and a firm shipping date.
• The late item is no longer useful: Ask whether the seller will cancel the order or explain the return process. Don't refuse delivery without knowing how that affects your refund.
• The package arrived late but is usable: Request a shipping-fee refund or credit only if the seller, marketplace, or carrier policy provides one. A courtesy credit may also be discretionary.
• The item never arrived: Request a refund or replacement from the seller and ask the carrier to open a trace or claim.
• The item arrived damaged: Report it promptly and keep the item, packaging, and labels until the claim is resolved.

A carrier's claim generally addresses the shipping service, loss, or damage. It usually isn't a substitute for the seller's refund of the merchandise price.

Shipping delay complaint email template

Use the version that matches your situation. Replace the bracketed text and attach your evidence.

Subject: Order [number] missed its [shipment or delivery] date - resolution requested

Hello [seller or support team],

I placed order [number] for [item] on [date]. The order confirmation or listing stated [ships by or arrives by] [promised date]. As of [today's date], [the item has not shipped / tracking number shows the following delay: describe the latest scan].

Please [cancel the order and refund the amount paid for the unshipped merchandise / provide a replacement with a new tracking number / explain the remedy available under your shipping policy].

If the order has not shipped within the promised time, send the delay notice required by the rule and ask whether I accept a definite revised date. I don't agree to an open-ended delay.

Please respond in writing by [date]. My order details and tracking screenshots are attached.

Thank you,

[Name]

[Email or phone]

[Order number]

A specific response date is useful, but there's no general federal rule requiring every seller to answer within 48 hours.

Amazon late-delivery complaint template

For a third-party Amazon Marketplace order, use the seller-message option connected to the order so the platform retains the communication. If Amazon sold or fulfilled the order, use the customer-service route in Your Orders.

Subject: Late Amazon order [number] - request for resolution

Hello,

Order [number] for [item] was placed on [date]. Amazon showed an estimated or guaranteed delivery date of [date]. Tracking number [number] now shows [status and latest scan], and the package has not arrived.

Please confirm whether the order is delayed, lost, or eligible for a replacement or refund under the current order policy. I am requesting [refund of $amount / replacement shipment] because [brief reason].

Please respond through Amazon's messaging system by [date]. If the seller cannot resolve the problem, I will use the buyer-protection process available through the order page.

Thank you,

[Name]

Amazon's A-to-Z process is a marketplace policy, not a federal right. Eligibility, waiting periods, and filing windows can depend on the order and the policy Amazon displays. Don't rely on an old blog post claiming that every late Amazon package qualifies for a particular payment.

How to complain to USPS, FedEx, or UPS

USPS

Separate a postage or service refund from a claim for a missing or damaged package.

For an eligible USPS service, review the USPS domestic refund instructions. USPS says refund requests are normally processed within two to three business days unless more information is needed. Eligibility depends on the mail class and extra service, so an ordinary late delivery is not automatically refundable.

For a package that is missing or damaged, review the USPS domestic claims instructions. USPS states that certain domestic claims may be filed immediately and no later than 60 days after the mailing date. It also says claim decisions usually take five to 10 days. If a claim is partly paid or denied, the page describes a 30-day appeal period.

Those deadlines don't apply to every USPS service or every type of delay. If you're the recipient, ask the seller or sender whether the person who bought the postage must submit the claim.

FedEx and UPS

Use the carrier's official tracking and claims route, then save the case number. Ask these questions:

1. Is the shipment eligible for a service-guarantee or postage refund?
2. Does the guarantee apply to this service, account, and shipment?
3. Is the shipper or account holder required to file?
4. What is the filing deadline and what documents are needed?
5. Has the carrier opened a trace for a stalled or missing package?

FedEx and UPS remedies are controlled by the service and account terms. They aren't created by the FTC shipping rule. A carrier may offer a shipping-charge refund without owing the value of the merchandise, and exclusions can affect eligibility.

When a credit-card dispute may help

If you were billed for merchandise you never received, the FTC's guidance on billing errors for things you never got may apply to a credit-card transaction.

To preserve the federal billing-error process:

• Send a written dispute to the billing-inquiries address shown on your statement.
• Send it within 60 days after the statement containing the error was first sent.
• Identify the transaction, amount, order, promised date, and your attempts to resolve the issue with the seller.
• Include copies of the receipt, tracking history, and seller correspondence.
• Keep proof of delivery for your dispute letter.

The card issuer generally must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days unless it has already resolved it. It must resolve the dispute within two billing cycles, and no more than 90 days, after receiving the letter. During the investigation, you generally don't have to pay the disputed amount or related finance charges.

This process is for a credit-card billing error, not an automatic refund for inconvenience. If the package is merely late and you still want it, contact the seller first. Debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, payment apps, and other payment methods don't necessarily follow the same federal credit-card procedure. Contact those providers promptly and follow their stated dispute process. Some card issuers may extend the 60-day period for delayed shipments, but don't rely on an extension.

Credit-card dispute wording

Subject: Written billing-error dispute for merchandise not received

I am disputing a charge of $[amount] from [merchant] posted on [date]. The transaction was for [item], order [number]. The promised delivery date was [date], but the merchandise has not arrived.

I contacted the merchant on [dates]. The responses were [brief description], and the tracking information currently shows [status]. Please investigate this as a billing error for merchandise not received. Copies of the order confirmation, tracking history, and correspondence are enclosed.

Name: [name]

Account information requested by issuer: [last four digits only, if requested]

Transaction date and amount: [details]

Deadlines that actually matter

There is no single 60-day deadline for every shipping complaint. Use the deadline tied to the remedy you're pursuing.

Set reminders for the marketplace, carrier, and card issuer separately. One carrier's deadline doesn't carry over to another.

Escalation path when the seller doesn't help

Escalate in this order, adjusting it to the package's status:

1. Seller or merchant: Send the written complaint and request a specific remedy.
2. Marketplace: If the purchase used Amazon or another platform, open the platform's buyer-protection or order-help process after following its required seller-contact steps.
3. Carrier: Request a trace, delivery investigation, or service-guarantee review. Ask whether the sender must file.
4. Card issuer: If the merchandise was never received and you paid by credit card, send the written dispute before the 60-day period expires.
5. Regulatory or legal help: For suspected deceptive conduct or a significant documented loss, preserve the order terms and consider a complaint to the appropriate regulator or advice from a local legal-aid or consumer-law service.

Keep communications factual. State the date, tracking status, policy language, and remedy you want. Threatening a carrier with an invented automatic-compensation law can weaken a complaint.

How to handle common explanations

Weather caused the delay. Ask whether the carrier has applied a service exception and whether the seller still met its own shipment promise. Weather may affect a carrier remedy, but it doesn't by itself answer whether the seller sent the order on time.

The address was incorrect. Compare the tracking record with your order confirmation. If the address was entered correctly, ask who requested the correction and what resolution is available.

Customs is holding the package. For an international order, ask the seller who is responsible for customs documents, duties, and the next filing step. Don't assume that an Incoterm such as DDP automatically decides every consumer remedy.

Tracking says delivered. Check the delivery location, household members, neighbors, and any carrier photo or location note. Report nonreceipt promptly to both the seller and carrier. Don't claim nonreceipt if you have the package.

International orders and seller location

The consumer protections here are aimed at U.S. buyers. An international purchase may involve the seller's country, the delivery country, customs rules, marketplace terms, and the shipping contract. The FTC rule may not be the only rule that matters, especially when the seller is outside the United States.

Save the invoice, stated delivery terms, customs messages, and applicable marketplace policy. Ask the seller to identify who is responsible for the shipment at each stage rather than assuming the carrier or seller must pay a fixed amount.

Frequently asked questions

Does U.S. law require a refund for every late delivery?

No. The FTC rule primarily requires sellers to address missed shipment promises. A carrier-delivery delay after a timely shipment may instead be governed by the seller's policy, marketplace rules, or the carrier's service terms.

Should I complain to the seller or carrier first?

Start with the seller for a refund or replacement because the carrier generally can't refund the merchandise price. Contact the carrier at the same time when a trace, delivery investigation, or postage claim is needed.

Is there a standard compensation amount?

No. There is no general federal $10-to-$50 payment for a delayed package. Any shipping refund, credit, replacement, or other payment depends on the applicable policy, service guarantee, insurance, or documented legal remedy.

Can I dispute the charge if the package is late?

If you paid by credit card and never received the merchandise, a written billing-error dispute may be available. Follow the issuer's process and the 60-day deadline described by the FTC. A late package that later arrives may not support the same dispute as merchandise that was never received.

Save the order confirmation and tracking history now, then send the seller a short written request with one remedy and a response date.