Package marked delivered but not received: what to do

A "delivered" status with nothing at the door is stressful. Start with the checks below: they often find a package that was left somewhere unexpected. At the same time, keep the carrier's and the shop's reporting deadlines in mind, so a lost package can still be claimed.

1. Save the delivery details

Before anything else, save what the tracking shows: the delivery date and time, the place it names, the delivery photo or signature if there is one, and any delivery messages you received. Take screenshots: this evidence can disappear from the tracking page later, and the carrier or the seller will ask for it.

2. Read the delivery event closely

The full event often says more than the word "delivered": a time, a place ("front door", "mailbox", "parcel locker", "with neighbour", "reception"), the name of the person who signed, or a photo. Open the event in the carrier's app or website to see everything it records.

• •
  Delivered to a pickup point or locker: some carriers report the drop-off at a shop, post office or locker as delivered. Look for a notice card, an email or a text message with a pickup code.
• •
  Delivered to a neighbour or reception: the event, a card or a message from the carrier may say where.
• •
  A different address, city or person: check the delivery address on your order. If it is right, and the proof of delivery shows another address, a place you don't recognise or a photo of another door, report that to the carrier and the seller straight away instead of waiting.

3. Look around, and ask around

• •
  Check the mailbox, porch, back door, garage, behind plants and bins, and any safe place you have set with the carrier.
• •
  In apartment buildings, check the mailroom, the parcel lockers and the front desk.
• •
  Ask the people you live with and your neighbours on both sides.
• •
  Check whether the order was split: the package marked as delivered may contain only part of the order, or the rest may still be on its way under another tracking number.

4. Allow a little time, but not past a deadline

Couriers sometimes scan packages as delivered shortly before they actually drop them off, or at the end of their round, and a package left with the wrong neighbour may be brought over later. If the event is only a few hours old and everything else looks right, waiting until the next day is reasonable. If the carrier's instructions or a buyer protection deadline say to report sooner, report sooner.

5. Contact the carrier

If the package still hasn't appeared, report it to the carrier through its website or app. Most carriers have a form or a help request for packages marked as delivered but not received; have the tracking number, the delivery address, the date and your screenshots ready. The carrier can check where the delivery was recorded and ask the courier.

6. Contact the seller

The seller is often best placed to pursue a shipping claim, because the seller paid for the shipping and is the carrier's customer. Tell the seller what the tracking says and what you have checked. If you bought on a marketplace or paid by card or a payment service, check the buyer protection rules and their deadlines; a "delivered" status doesn't necessarily end your right to a refund or replacement. Your options depend on the shop, the carrier and the country.

Make it less likely next time

• •
  Choose delivery to a pickup point or parcel locker when it is offered, especially for valuable orders.
• •
  Add delivery instructions or a safe place in the carrier's app if it allows it.
• •
  Turn on delivery notifications, so you know the moment a package is out for delivery and when it is delivered. Trackful's Android app sends a notification when a package's status changes, including "out for delivery", "ready for pickup" and "delivered".