Operations
Tracking Says Delivered But Customer Didn't Get It — Here's What to Do
This is one of the most stressful situations a Shopify store owner faces. The carrier tracking says delivered. The customer says they got nothing. If you reship immediately, you lose the product to potential fraud. If you refuse, you risk a chargeback. Having handled these disputes since 2015, here is the process that protects your store without punishing legitimate customers.
Why this happens — and how often it is fraud
The honest answer: it goes both ways. Some customers genuinely did not receive their package — a neighbour took it, a driver misdelivered it, or it was stolen from a doorstep. Others are exploiting the grey area to get a free product or a refund on something they actually received.
The carrier-confirmed delivery with no proof of doorstep photo is the most disputed scenario. Protect yourself with a consistent process applied to every claim — not a gut feeling on each one.
Step 1 — Ask the customer to check the basics first
Before opening a carrier investigation, send a short response asking the customer to:
- Check with all household members and neighbours
- Look around the building entrance, mailroom, or parcel locker
- Check if the carrier left a collection card
This step filters out the majority of genuine non-delivery cases immediately. Most customers find the package once they look properly.
Step 2 — Open a carrier investigation
If the basics check out and the customer still reports nothing, open a formal investigation with the carrier. Most carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx, Australia Post) allow you to file a trace request that retrieves GPS drop coordinates and delivery photo evidence.
This step does two things: it gives you documented evidence for a potential chargeback, and it deters fraudulent claims — most scammers drop the claim once a formal investigation is mentioned.
Contact the carrier directly or through your ShipStation or Aftership account if you use either platform.
Step 3 — Send a Non-Receipt Affidavit for high-value orders
For orders above your risk threshold (typically $50 to $100 depending on your margins), require the customer to sign a Non-Receipt Affidavit before you reship or refund. This is a simple form stating they confirm they did not receive the package.
This step alone eliminates most fraudulent claims. Genuine customers sign without hesitation. Scammers typically disappear or escalate immediately, which gives you grounds to deny the claim if they later file a chargeback.
Step 4 — Decide: reship, refund, or deny
After completing steps 1 to 3, make your call based on the evidence:
Reship or refund when:
- The carrier investigation confirms a delivery error
- The customer signed the affidavit and investigation is inconclusive
- The order value is below your risk threshold and the customer has order history with you
Deny when:
- The carrier GPS confirms delivery to the correct address
- The customer refused to sign the affidavit
- The account shows a pattern of similar claims
How to respond if the customer files a chargeback
If a chargeback is filed after you deny the claim, your documentation is your defence. Submit the carrier investigation result, the delivery confirmation, and the signed or unsigned affidavit to your payment processor's dispute portal. A denial supported by a formal carrier investigation and a refused affidavit wins most disputes. Log every step in your helpdesk and submit within the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
- Am I legally required to reship if tracking shows delivered?
- No. Carrier confirmation of delivery is generally sufficient to defend a chargeback. You are not obligated to reship, though your refund policy may create exceptions.
- What if I do not have a Non-Receipt Affidavit template?
- A simple statement works. The customer signs that they confirm they did not receive the shipment for order number X dispatched on date Y. Keep it plain and easy to return via email.
- How many reshipping claims before I should flag a customer account?
- Two claims in 12 months is a reasonable threshold to flag for manual review on future orders. Note it in your helpdesk against the customer profile.
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