When Your Online Order Never Arrives

Most shoppers have good luck when making purchases online. Online shopping is an easy, convenient way to purchase goods. Online sellers like Amazon and your favorite retailers make online shopping safe and easy. But what do you do if your online order never arrives?

Consumer protections available to you can help resolve your issue. When you can’t fix the problem on your own, please seek advice from a consumer protection lawyer.

What if My Online Order Never Arrives?

If you have a problem when you shop online, contact the online retailer or site owner. Whether you received the wrong item or experienced a non-delivery, contacting the online store is an excellent first step.

Under federal law, if the seller doesn’t provide a date that the order will be shipped, the seller must believe it can ship within 30 days. If the seller can’t ship within the expected time (or 30 days if it made no promise), the seller must notify you. You can consent to the delay or cancel order the order.

Why You May Not Have Received Your Order

Your online order may fail to reach you within the expected timeframe for several reasons, including the following:

• The delivery service provider delivered it to the wrong address
• Someone stole your order after the delivery
• The seller never shipped the item
• The order ended up in the wrong city

It can be a frustrating experience waiting for a package that never arrives—regardless of the reason.

Use the Tracking Number

The tracking number may help locate the item. It provides useful information and can help determine why you never received your order.

Use the tracking tool from the online retailer or shipping company to learn information about the package’s whereabouts. It shows information about your online order, including the following:

• Shipping date
• Shipping progress
• Current location of the package
• Previous tracking updates
• Expected delivery date

Whether the online seller or delivery service provides notifications depends on the business practices of the particular seller or delivery service.

Notify the Seller

If you fail to receive an online order, notify the seller. When you inform the seller of the missing package, they can report it to the post office (USPS) or private delivery service. Most reputable online retailers and sellers are more than willing to make things right. They typically provide a refund or resend the item.

What Can I Do About Online Marketplace Fraud?

It’s one thing to experience a shipping error and never receive your online order. But if you experience an online scam, you can take action to help stop the online scammers:

• Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• Report fraud to consumer rights agencies like the Better Business Bureau
• Change passwords to your online accounts
• Create a credit fraud alert
• Freeze your credit
• Be on the lookout for follow-up scams

If the scammer stole additional money from you, contacting your local law enforcement agency is helpful.

How Do I Dispute a Charge?

When an online seller is unwilling or unable to help with an online order purchase, you may dispute the charge. You don’t have to pay for online purchases you never receive. First, ask the company for a full refund. If that doesn’t work, you can dispute the charge.

The cardholder’s issuing bank or the seller initiates the chargeback process after a disputed transaction. With a chargeback, funds return to the debit or credit card.

Disputing Credit Card Charges

Using a credit card for purchases offers protection against fraud if you have problems with your order. Federal law gives you 60 days to dispute credit card billing errors. The 60-day period begins the day the credit card company sends you the first credit card statement showing the error. You must dispute the bill in writing. However, some credit card issuers allow you to dispute your bill online or over the phone.

Disputing Debit Card Charges

Disputing debit card charges from your bank account differs slightly from disputing credit card charges. Fewer consumer rights are available for getting a refund when you pay for online purchases using a debit card from your bank or credit union.

Using a debit card allows scammers to charge your bank account directly. You could be liable for the charges based on when you report the theft to your bank. You may not get a refund. Contact your debit card company because some will voluntarily offer protections not required by law.

A Lawyer Can Help You With Your Online Order

If you can’t resolve an online shopping order dispute, speak with a consumer protection lawyer. They can explain your legal rights and may be able to help resolve your online order issue.