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Have you ever wondered who is responsible for tracking down a lost package from your Etsy shop? Is it the buyer’s duty—or will the task fall on you? The short answer is “it depends.”
Four Stages of Transit
When a customer reports a missing package, the first step is to check the package’s tracking. Did you know that eRank’s Delivery Status tool allows you to view the status of any of your Etsy shipments? This report displays the stage of the package—pre-transit, in-transit, out for delivery, or delivered—and is available for any paid plan level.
Click any shipment’s status to view its tracking on the carrier’s website. This tool is useful for those who process a high volume of orders on Etsy and want to keep tabs on their tracking.
Depending on which stage of shipment is displaying for the missing package, the next steps will vary. Keep reading to learn how to best provide customer service for each of the four stages.
Pre-Transit Package
Pre-transit means that you’ve printed the label for the package, but it has not yet been scanned by the carrier. When you print a shipping label on Etsy or enter tracking information, the platform notifies your customer that their order will soon ship.
If the status of a customer’s misplaced package is displaying “Pre-transit” and you know that you have shipped the package, what’s your next step? In this instance, both you and your customer can attempt to track down the (potentially) lost Etsy package.
When an order goes missing, eRank recommends that you make an effort to locate it for your customer. Going “above and beyond” to make things right in situations like this can turn new buyers into repeat buyers!
Click the order’s status button to view its complete tracking information on the carrier’s website. Did you print the shipping label and hand the package off to your carrier two or more days ago? If so, the carrier might have lost this package. It may be worth your time to contact the carrier directly.
Provide the carrier with the package’s tracking information so that they can attempt to locate it. You or your customer should also be able to file a missing mail help request on the carrier’s website. As you likely already have all of the information necessary to file a help request, ideally, this task should fall on you.
If the carrier is unable to find the package, it’s time to either refund your customer or send a replacement. Choose whichever option works best for your business. If possible, ask your customer which option they would prefer.
To print another shipping label, go to the “Orders” tab in the Etsy Shop Manager menu. Locate your customer’s order in the “Completed” queue. Click the small truck icon on the right, just above the chat bubble icon, and select “Get shipping labels” from the dropdown menu. Pack the order as you packed the original one and notify your customer that the replacement is headed their way!
If you purchased insurance for the lost package, file a claim on the carrier’s website. Be sure to include proof of insurance, proof of value, and documentation of your attempt to locate the missing package. Most carriers only allow you file a claim during a specific window of time—usually 15-60 days after the ship date—so confirm that you are within that window before starting the claim process.
In Transit or Out for Delivery Package
What if a customer complains of a lost package that the carrier last scanned as “in transit” or “out for delivery?” The same rules that applied to the previous scenario also apply here. Either you or your customer can take responsibility for tracking down the lost Etsy package. Again, eRank recommends going “the extra mile” for your customers whenever possible.
Please note that if a natural disaster or other unprecedented event affects your carrier’s ability to deliver mail, they will more than likely make a note of it on their website. If this is the case, eRank recommends allowing extra time for the carrier to deliver the package.
Check the tracking to see if the package has been scanned in the past few days. If not, then it’s time to call the carrier and/or file a missing mail help request. Perhaps the missing package ended up at an understaffed sorting facility. In this case, the carrier likely hasn’t loaded the package onto a truck for the next leg of its journey yet. Filing a help request will notify staff at the facility to track it down and send it on its way.
If the carrier cannot locate the package, they will likely declare it as lost. This means that it’s time to either refund or replace the item for your customer. As mentioned previously, if you insured the lost package, it’s time to file a claim.
Delivered Package
Finally, what if a customer claims their order is lost, but tracking shows that the order has been scanned as “delivered?” The resolution process for this situation differs from the previous two situations.
First, confirm your customer’s address. Does the address you have on file for them match the address they provide to you now? If not, either A) ask your customer to check at the address they originally provided for the package, B) refund them and ask them to input the correct address if they reorder, or C) send a replacement to the current address.
If the address they provide does match, their package may have been stolen. Either you or your customer may file a police report for the lost Etsy package. Some carriers provide a filing service via their website for this purpose. If your carrier does not, check your city’s website for the correct form. Alternatively, your city may require you call your police department’s non-emergency line to file a report.
Handle Lost Packages Like a Pro
Lost packages aren’t fun—but how you handle them makes all the difference. Taking ownership, keeping customers informed, and using eRank tools like the Delivery Status report can streamline the process and build buyer confidence.
To prevent issues, always use Etsy’s built-in shipping label system when possible, especially if you’re in the US, UK, Canada, or Australia. For other countries, choose tracked shipping options and enter the tracking into Etsy. This not only keeps buyers updated—it also helps qualify orders for Etsy’s Purchase Protection Program.
For more tips on packaging and shipping your Etsy orders, check out Mastering the Art of Packaging and Shipping on the eRank Blog Page.
