What To Do If You Didn‘t Receive Your Amazon Order (2023 Guide)
It can be incredibly frustrating when an Amazon order you‘re expecting never shows up. Whether it was lost in transit, stolen from your doorstep, or simply marked as delivered too early, nothing‘s worse than waiting for a package that never arrives.
So what should you do if your Amazon order goes missing? As an experienced Amazon seller, I‘ve dealt with this situation many times, both for my own orders as well as customers informing me they never received their purchase.
The good news is that Amazon has policies in place to help you either locate your missing package or, if necessary, get fully refunded. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share expert insights on exactly how to handle Amazon orders that never arrive, based on my years navigating seller support and managing deliveries.
Here‘s what we‘ll cover:
- Who to Contact for Missing Amazon Orders
- How to File A-to-Z Guarantee Claims
- What to Do if Tracking Shows Delivered
- Getting Refunds for Undelivered Packages
- Step-by-Step Guide to Requesting Refunds
- Pro Tips to Avoid Missing Packages
Let‘s get started so you can quickly resolve your missing order issue!
Who to Contact to Track Down Missing Amazon Orders
If your order doesn‘t show up by the estimated delivery date, there are a few steps I recommend taking to try locating it before immediately asking for a refund:
Carefully check the shipping address – Log into your Amazon account and pull up the order details to verify you didn‘t make a typo when entering the address. I‘ve had many packages go missing only to realize later I switched a couple digits on the street number.
Look for attempted delivery notices – Especially for high-value items requiring a signature, the carrier may have tried delivering when you weren‘t home and taken the package back to their facility. Check your front door, mailbox, etc for notices.
Inspect around the delivery location – I cannot tell you how many times I‘ve found packages wedged behind plant pots, under welcome mats, or even tossed over my fence! Take a close look around.
Ask neighbors – With the chaos of everyday life, neighbors sometimes accidentally take your packages or forget to bring them over after accepting them for you. Quickly check nearby houses.
Check if it was handed off to USPS – Amazon often uses UPS, FedEx, etc for the first leg of delivery before handing to USPS for final delivery. So your package may be waiting at your local post office if they couldn‘t deliver.
After exhausting those options and your order is still nowhere to be found, here are the best ways to contact Amazon for help:
Call Customer Service – I highly recommend calling (888-280-4331) rather than relying solely on messaging. A live rep can dig into the specifics of your situation quicker.
Use Live Chat – The "Contact Us" option in Amazon‘s Help menu connects you with a CS rep by messaging. Just be prepared for slower response times.
Email – You can reach Amazon CS at [email protected], but I‘ve found phone or live chat get you taken care of faster.
When reaching out, have your order number, approximate delivery date, shipping address used, and any other relevant details ready to provide. The more info you can supply, the faster Amazon can track down what went wrong.
Filing A-to-Z Guarantee Claims on Missing Orders
If it‘s been at least 3 days past your estimated delivery date and Amazon support cannot confirm your package‘s actual status or whereabouts, it‘s likely lost and you‘ll want to file an A-to-Z Guarantee Claim.
Here are a few things to keep in mind about this process:
Claims must be filed within 90 days of the expected delivery date, so don‘t wait too long.
Only items shipped and sold by Amazon itself are eligible for A-to-Z claims – not 3rd party sellers.
You‘ll need to provide as many details as possible – order #, delivery address, any communications etc.
Approval decisions typically take 1-2 days after submission.
To file a claim on a missing order:
Go to Your Orders and select the order in question.
Under Problem with your order?, choose File/View Claim.
Explain why you‘re filing, select "Refund through A-to-z Guarantee", and submit.
Pro Tip: Be sure to clearly state you never received the order in the explanation and confirm the address it was shipped to.
Once submitted, an Amazon rep will review your claim and make a final determination. If approved, you‘ll be issued a full refund for the missing items. From my experience, Amazon heavily weighs the buyer‘s side in these instances.
What to Do if Tracking Shows Delivered But Package Never Arrived
One of the most confusing situations is when your Amazon tracking information shows the order was successfully delivered, but you never actually received it.
Before taking any next steps, be sure to double check around the delivery location thoroughly just in case it was misplaced. I‘ve had packages show up a day later buried behind plants or in uncommon spots.
However, if you‘ve verified the package is nowhere to be found:
Contact the carrier to confirm if they actually delivered the package and get additional details. Sometimes they preemptively mark packages delivered before they arrive.
Speak to neighbors in case it was mistakenly delivered to a nearby address.
Check for porch thieves if you have security cameras that may have captured the delivery.
Report the incorrect tracking to Amazon so they can open an investigation and resolve the issue.
File an A-to-Z claim if Amazon support cannot determine what happened to your package.
Trust me, I know Amazon showing delivered when you don‘t actually have the package is massively frustrating. But their excellent customer support team will work hard to make it right.
Getting Refunds from Amazon for Undelivered Packages
If your order remains missing after contacting Amazon and you‘ve exhausted all other options, getting directly refunded by Amazon is the final resolution.
Here are some key notes about their refund process:
Refunds for undelivered packages can be requested once 3+ days have passed from the expected arrival date.
You‘ll need to provide information like your order #, delivery address, any communications with support etc.
Approval decisions are typically made within 2 days and refunds processed in 1 week.
Refunds go back to the original payment method used for the order. For gift cards, you‘ll receive an Amazon credit.
The key to smooth refunds is being responsive to any requests from Amazon for additional info to vet your request. Also be reasonable – occasionally refunds take longer than a week during busy seasons.
As long as you provide accurate details on the missing delivery, Amazon aims to process undelivered refunds without headache.
Step-by-Step Guide to Requesting a Refund from Amazon
If you need to request a direct refund from Amazon on a missing order, here is the full process:
Sign into your Amazon account and go to Your Orders – locate the missing order.
Under Problem with your order?, select Return or Replace Items.
Choose the reason code Missing, damaged or defective items.
In the Additional Comments box, explain why you didn‘t receive your order, steps you took to locate the package, who you contacted at Amazon, etc. Provide as much detail as possible.
Finalize and submit your return/refund request through the Online Return Center.
Once your request is submitted, Amazon will review and make a final decision. Tip: If not approved initially, politely reply and reiterate key details on your delivery issue or offer to provide additional information.
For approved claims, refunds are generally processed back to your account within 5-7 business days. You‘ll also have the option to reorder a replacement item if needed.
And that‘s it – those are the steps required to get back your hard-earned money from undelivered Amazon orders. While it can be a hassle, just follow this process and Amazon will make it right.
Pro Tips to Avoid Missing Packages in the Future
After going through a missing order experience, it‘s understandable to be anxious about potential issues down the road. Here are some of my top tips as an Amazon seller to avoid packages not arriving:
Leave detailed delivery instructions – Provide specific instructions to carriers on where packages can be left or when you‘re available to accept deliveries. This avoids misdeliveries.
Require signatures for expensive items – Signature confirmation means a delivery won‘t be left unless someone is present to accept it.
Use Amazon Lockers – Having packages shipped to a secure locker location prevents porch theft.
Insure high-value orders – Add insurance when shipping expensive or irreplaceable items for that extra coverage.
Invest in security cameras – Capture your doorstep and notify you of deliveries to monitor for theft.
Select attended delivery – Pay a small fee to have orders handed directly to you or someone else onsite rather than left unattended.
Method | Cost | Benefit |
---|---|---|
Detailed Instructions | Free | Ensure carriers know where to leave packages |
Signature Required | Free | Orders won‘t be left without someone present to accept |
Amazon Lockers | Free | Packages are secure and can be picked up on your schedule |
Insurance | Varies | Reimbursement for claims on lost/damaged high-value orders |
Security Cameras | $30-$300 | Monitor deliveries and capture porch thieves |
Attended Delivery | $2-$5 fee | Guaranteed hand delivery to you or someone onsite |
By taking a few minor precautions upfront, you can avoid the hassle of contacting Amazon about missing packages down the road.
Don‘t Sweat Missing Amazon Orders – You‘re Covered!
Having an order go missing can certainly be frustrating. As an Amazon seller, trust me when I say I know how annoying it is to deal with undelivered packages!
But hopefully this guide has shown that Amazon really does have your back if something goes awry. By following the steps provided, you can get the answers you need on where the package is or get fully refunded if it has gone missing in action.
Amazon‘s excellent customer support team will work hard to make sure you either receive what you ordered or get your money back. With all the mechanisms they have in place, you can feel fully confident shopping on Amazon.
So next time you have an order that never shows up, take a deep breath and simply follow the instructions in this article. Before long, you‘ll have the situation resolved and be back to enjoying the convenience of Amazon deliveries in no time!