How to report a lost or damaged parcel

If a parcel is well past its estimated delivery date, or arrives broken, you may be able to get a replacement, refund or compensation. Who you should contact depends largely on whether you bought the item or posted it yourself.

First, work out who should act

You bought the item

Start with the seller. You paid them, and they arranged the delivery with the courier. Consumer protections in many countries put responsibility on the seller until the goods reach you. If the seller doesn’t help, check any protection offered by the marketplace, or your card or payment provider.

You posted the item

You have the contract with the courier, so you can normally make the claim. Couriers often accept claims only from the sender, or need the sender’s authorisation. If you sent a gift and the recipient reports damage, you may need to work together.

Confirm that it is really lost

• Read the latest scan, and check whether a gap in tracking is normal for your service.
• On international items, check with the destination country’s post.
• If it shows as delivered, look through what to do when a parcel is marked delivered.
• Check the courier’s own timescale: many require you to wait a set number of days before opening a claim.

Damaged parcels: keep everything

Don’t throw anything away, and try not to use or repair the item. Before anything else:

1. Photograph the outer box from several angles, including the label.
2. Photograph the inner packaging and how the item was protected.
3. Photograph the damage itself, up close and from further away.
4. Keep all packaging until the claim is settled. The courier may want to inspect it.

Report the damage promptly. Time limits for damage claims can be much shorter than for lost parcels.

What to prepare

• Tracking number, and your original receipt or booking confirmation
• Sender and recipient addresses
• Date of posting and service used
• Description of the contents and packaging
• Proof of value, such as an invoice, receipt or screenshot of the order
• For insured items, proof of the cover you purchased

Making the claim

Use the claim form or contact route on the courier’s official website. Our courier directory links to each one. Keep your claim reference and copies of everything you send.

Compensation can be limited. Standard services often have low limits, and some items may be excluded. Check the courier’s terms, especially for valuable items.

If your claim is rejected

• Ask for the reason in writing, and check it against the courier’s published terms.
• Use the courier’s complaints or escalation process.
• Check whether an ombudsman, regulator or consumer body covers postal or delivery complaints in your country.

How to word your complaint

Keep it factual and put the key details first:

Say what you want to happen, and keep to one issue per message. A clear timeline is far more useful than a long account.

If you’re in India

• Online orders: raise it through the seller or marketplace first. Keep the ticket number.
• Courier or post: use the complaint process on the official website. See our Speed Post guide for India Post items.
• Still unresolved: the National Consumer Helpline takes complaints on 1915, in 17 languages. Include your earlier complaint references.
• Fraud: if you were tricked into paying, report it to the 1930 cybercrime helpline as soon as possible, or use cybercrime.gov.in.