Save the original shipping promise, order, and payment evidence, and distinguish unshipped goods from delivery problems after dispatch. For merchandise orders covered by the FTC rule, examine the delay notice and cancellation option. Preserve separate payment-dispute deadlines and verify the refund actually posts.
Last updated: 2026-10-14
An order remains “processing,” support says “soon,” and tracking shows only a label. The useful question is what was originally promised and what the seller is now asking you to accept. Build that record before another round of vague delivery inquiries.
This guide concerns common U.S. merchandise orders covered by the FTC order rule. Digital services, travel bookings, and other transactions may follow different requirements.
Record shipping and delivery separately
Save the product page, checkout terms, order confirmation, and payment record from purchase. “Ships within two business days” and “estimated arrival Friday” describe different events. Do not rewrite them as the same promise.
The FTC’s online-shopping explanation describes shipment within the promised time or generally within 30 days when no shipping time is stated for an applicable order. This is not a universal thirty-day arrival guarantee. Check the rule for transaction scope and special circumstances.
Identify the stage that failed
| Evidence | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| No dispatch evidence | What shipping date was promised? |
| Label created only | Has the carrier actually accepted the package? |
| Carrier acceptance recorded | Is this a transit problem, and who investigates? |
| Marked delivered, not received | What delivery evidence and location are available? |
Tracking is part of the record, not a complete legal determination. Explain whether the problem is before dispatch or after carrier acceptance and retain the seller’s responses for the specific order.
Make the delay choice explicit
The FTC’s missing-goods guidance describes the choice between accepting a shipping delay and cancelling for a refund. Its business guide to the merchandise rule explains different delay and consent situations.
Read the revised shipping date, cancellation method, and response requirements. Silence does not mean the same thing in every delay scenario. If cancelling, identify the order, affected items, original promise, current status, and requested refund. Save the request and acknowledgment.
A concise message might state that you do not accept the proposed delay, identify the unshipped items, request their cancellation, and ask the seller to confirm the amount and payment destination. Follow the applicable order procedure rather than assuming a sample message satisfies every requirement.
Reconcile a refund, not just its status label
Suppose a hypothetical $100 order contains a delivered $60 item and an unshipped $40 item. Cancelling the latter calls for a calculation of the corresponding refund, including applicable allocation of tax, shipping, and discounts. It does not automatically make the entire $100 refundable while you keep the other item.
Distinguish requested, approved, processing, and posted. Gift-card credit and a return to your original card are different outcomes. Ask for an explanation if the amount or destination differs from the confirmed arrangement, and retain the payment entry showing what actually happened.
Preserve the separate payment route
A seller’s promise to respond does not automatically extend a card issuer’s dispute deadline or another payment method’s requirements. Contact the relevant institution promptly and track its process independently. A marketplace support window is not necessarily the same as a statutory billing-error window.
Keep the order, original promise, delay notice, cancellation request, tracking, and posted refund together. Use the credit-card billing-error guide when that payment process applies. If the item arrived and then failed, use the warranty-records guide rather than treating a repair claim as a shipping-delay case.
Sources and review
Sources reviewed:
- FTC — Shopping online? Know your retailer and your rights
- FTC — Billed for things you never got
- FTC — Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule business guide
General U.S. consumer education, not individualized financial, insurance, medical, tax, or legal advice. Examples are hypothetical; applicable law, plan documents, account terms, and current official notices control.
Frequently asked questions
Does no stated date mean delivery within thirty days?
No. The general thirty-day default concerns shipping under the applicable rule, not a universal delivery guarantee.
Does a tracking number prove shipment?
Not necessarily. Check carrier acceptance and subsequent tracking evidence rather than treating label creation alone as dispatch.
Does a promised merchant refund extend my card-dispute deadline?
Do not assume that. Merchant handling and card disputes are separate procedures; contact the issuer promptly and preserve both records.
