Preserve what you agreed to buy

Save the order confirmation, product description, advertised shipping information, return terms, and payment record. Listings can change after purchase. Record whether the issue is non-delivery, damage, a different item, or dissatisfaction with a product that arrived as described. These are not necessarily governed by the same rights, and the distinction helps make your first complaint specific.

Contact the responsible seller

Use the contact details on a verified order or account page. State the order number, what happened, and the outcome you request. Give relevant dates and attach supporting copies. If a marketplace has its own dispute system, check its instructions as well. Keep the complete conversation, including any agreed return method, collection arrangement, or promised refund date.

Understand payment-provider options

FTC guidance explains that credit-card billing protections can apply to goods ordered but not received, with procedures and deadlines that matter. Debit-card and other payment methods have different protections. Contact your provider promptly and ask how to preserve your rights. A merchant’s request to wait should not lead you to miss a separate payment-provider deadline.

Document returns and delivery questions

Photograph the item and packaging if condition is relevant. Keep tracking, return authorisation, postage receipts, and confirmation of delivery. If tracking says delivered but you have no parcel, ask the carrier and seller to investigate; a tracking entry may not explain where it was left. Do not send a return to a new address without confirming that instruction.

Keep each outcome consistent

Tell the parties when a refund, replacement, or payment reversal resolves the issue. Avoid pursuing duplicate reimbursement for the same loss. If the business does not respond, a consumer protection agency complaint or legal advice may be appropriate depending on the amount and circumstances. A complaint creates a record but does not guarantee repayment or replace a court response.

Keep this in mind

Your preparation list.

  • Save the listing and the terms at purchase.
  • State one clear problem and requested remedy.
  • Check deadlines for the payment method used.
  • Retain return tracking and final refund records.

Reference points: Federal Trade Commission, What to do if your online order never arrives (2021 and 2022 consumer guidance). Payment methods and facts affect available protections. Reviewed September 30, 2026.

General information for U.S. readers. Local law and your circumstances determine the appropriate next step.