A webshop did not deliver: what you can do in the EU

You paid, the delivery date has passed and the parcel is not there. EU consumer law gives you clear rights in this situation. These steps help you get either the order or your money, in that order.

What the rules say

Under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), a shop has to deliver within the time you agreed, or else without undue delay and within 30 days of the order. If it does not, you can give it a reasonable extra period. If it still does not deliver, you can cancel the order and the shop has to refund what you paid without undue delay. If the date was essential, for example a present for a set day, or the shop says it will not deliver, you can cancel straight away.

Until the parcel is in your hands, it is at the shop's risk. If it gets lost on the way with the carrier the shop chose, that is the shop's problem, not yours.

Step by step

1. Check the basics. Look at the order confirmation, the tracking link and your spam folder, and ask the neighbours.
2. Write to the shop. By e-mail, so you have it in writing. Give your order number and set a reasonable extra period, for example 14 days.
3. Cancel in writing. If that period passes without delivery, cancel the order and ask for a refund of everything you paid, including shipping.
4. Use your payment method. Paid by card? Ask your card issuer for a chargeback. Paid with PayPal? Open a dispute. Paying afterwards? Tell the provider and do not pay. See which payment methods protect you.
5. Get free help for a shop in another EU country. The European Consumer Centres (ECC-Net) help consumers with cross-border complaints at no cost.
6. Report fraud. If the shop has disappeared or never meant to deliver, report it to the police in your country.

Warn the next buyer

Write a review of the shop on CheckShop, or use "Had a problem with this shop?" on its page. We pass the complaint to the shop and help find a solution. That is not binding, but shops often answer, and the next buyer can see what happened. Our page on disputes and complaints explains how it works.

And before the next order at an unknown shop: check it first. It takes a few minutes.