Guide
Last updated September 23, 2026
Late and lost deliveries are probably the single most common reason people end up writing a complaint at all. Almost everyone has stared at a tracking page that hasn't moved in days, unsure whether to wait it out or start typing. The good news is that this kind of complaint is usually simple to write well, because the facts do most of the work for you.
Four things: the order number, the delivery date or window you were promised, what the tracking page currently says, and when it last actually changed. That's it. A screenshot of the tracking history helps too, since carrier systems update inconsistently and a timestamped screenshot settles any dispute about what you were told and when.
A package running three days behind schedule is a different situation from one where tracking has gone silent for two weeks. For a late delivery, you're really asking whether it's still coming and what happens about the inconvenience if it does arrive late. For a package that looks lost, you're asking the company to either locate it or treat it as lost and act accordingly. Don't blur the two. Complain about lateness when the tracking data suggests the thing is actually gone, and you'll get a generic "please allow a few more days" reply that doesn't address what's happening.
It's tempting to explain how the delay ruined a birthday or a trip. Save that for one line, and only if it changes the ask, for example if you needed the item by a date that's now come and gone. What gets your complaint routed to someone useful is the timeline: when you ordered, what was promised, what tracking shows right now. A reader can act on a timeline. They can't act on frustration.
For a late delivery that's clearly still moving, ask for a revised delivery date in writing, plus a refund of shipping costs if the delay broke a stated guarantee. For a delivery that looks lost, ask for a replacement sent immediately or a full refund, pick one rather than both. Companies act faster when the ask is specific and singular. "Please sort this out" gets a form reply. "I'd like a full refund since tracking has shown no movement since the 14th" gets an answer.
Subject: Delivery Issue — Order #48213, Never Arrived
1. Order date, promised delivery window, and current tracking status.
2. How long tracking has shown no movement, with the exact date.
3. What you want: replacement or refund, stated as one option.
4. A deadline for a response before you escalate.
Give a reasonable window, something like ten business days, and say plainly what happens if it passes: a dispute through your card provider, a complaint to whatever body handles delivery issues where you live, or just taking your business elsewhere next time. You don't need the exact procedure to state that you'll pursue it. Just don't threaten something you have no intention of following through on.
You still have to gather the order number and tracking details yourself, nobody else has those. Once you've got them, DraftMyComplaints can turn a rough description into a letter with the right structure and tone already in place, ready to copy, email, or save as a PDF.
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