The hardest part of a stuck package is not the waiting. It is not knowing when to stop.
Wait too long and the marketplace closes your case. File too early and the bank denies the chargeback because the package is still moving. The trick is to run three clocks at the same time, and to know which one runs out first.
Three clocks are running
| Clock | Typical window | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier trace | 10–30 days | Whether the package is officially missing |
| Marketplace dispute | 30–60 days from delivery estimate | Whether the platform will refund you |
| Card chargeback | about 120 days from the charge | Whether your bank can reverse the payment |
PayPal gives you 180 days from the transaction, which sounds generous until you remember that a slow package can eat 60 of them before anyone admits it is lost. The card clock is the one people miss. Once 120 days pass, a clean case becomes a lost cause.
A week-by-week plan
Days 0–7: gather, do not accuse. Save the order confirmation, the tracking page, and the seller’s shipping message. Ask the seller for the local carrier and the local tracking number. If the tracking has not moved at all, ask whether the package was actually handed to the carrier.
Days 7–14: get a human answer. Call the local carrier and ask for a trace. Ask the seller for the handover receipt. If the tracking says delivered, request proof of delivery in writing. This is also the week to ask the seller, in the chat, for a refund or a reship with a deadline.
Days 14–30: open the platform case. Do not wait for a promise. Open the dispute in AliExpress, eBay, Etsy, Amazon, or whichever platform you used. Attach the tracking screenshot and the seller’s non-answer. A case number gets attention that a polite email never does.
Days 30–60: chargeback. If the platform rules against you or stalls, call your card issuer and file “item not received.” Attach the carrier trace, the platform case, and the seller chat. Do not file both at once; banks often pause when a platform case is open.
Past 60 days: stop negotiating. Ask once, in writing, for a final resolution date. If it passes, claim. Keep every message. A calm paper trail beats a furious paragraph every time.
What evidence actually wins
- Order confirmation with the date and the amount charged.
- Tracking screenshots with the date visible — not a cropped image of a status word.
- The delivery scan, if there is one, including the address it shows.
- Your written proof-of-delivery request and the carrier’s reply.
- The seller chat, especially any promise with a date in it.
- Photos of the label and the box, if the package arrived damaged or empty.
Screenshots without dates are weak. A bank analyst cannot tell whether “item not received” was taken yesterday or two months ago.
If it says “delivered” but you have nothing
Ask the carrier for the proof of delivery: signature, photo, GPS point, and the name of the person who signed. If the carrier confirms the package went to the wrong address, ask for that in writing. That letter is the strongest evidence you can put in front of a bank, because it moves the case from “buyer’s word” to “carrier error.”
Our delivered-but-nothing-arrived guide has the exact call script.
Chargeback basics, without the jargon
A chargeback is a request to your card issuer to reverse a payment. For “item not received,” most US issuers want to see that you tried the seller first and that the carrier has no answer. The window is typically 120 days from the transaction date, though some claims allow longer. PayPal disputes are separate and run up to 180 days.
Do not describe the problem as “bad shipping.” Say “I paid for goods and did not receive them.” That is the claim the network understands.
What not to do
- Do not close a platform case early because the seller promises a refund “off platform.” Once you close it, reopening is usually impossible.
- Do not accept “wait a little longer” without a date. Ask for a specific date and put it in the chat.
- Do not send extra money for “customs” or “redelivery” to a seller. That is a classic second-stage scam.
- Do not miss the 120-day card window while waiting for a cheap parcel to move.
Two messages you can copy
To the seller: “The package has had no scan since [date]. I need either a reship with a new tracking number or a refund by [date, 7 days out]. If I do not have one of those by that date, I will open a dispute and a chargeback.”
To the carrier: “Please open a trace on [number] and send me the result in writing, including the last scan location and the delivery address on file. This is for a payment dispute.”
Quick answers
Can China Post refund me? No. China Post’s contract is with the sender, not with you. Your refund comes from the seller or the platform.
Who is responsible when customs holds it? Usually the receiver, because clearance is their job. If the seller shipped with missing documents, the platform may still side with you.
How long should I wait before filing? Two weeks with no movement is enough to start asking in writing. Thirty days is enough to open a case. Do not wait for 120 days to pass.
If the package is still in the network, a trace is faster than a chargeback. If it is already gone, the clock decides. Use the tracking help page to check the last scan before you file anything.
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