When a customer says their package was stolen, act fast and stay consistent. Check the evidence, give the customer a clear next step within a day, and then follow a written rule for when you reship or refund. Most theft claims are honest; a simple process lets you resolve those quickly and focus your attention on the few that are not.
Package theft is common: depending on the study, tens to hundreds of millions of US packages are stolen each year (see our porch piracy statistics). This playbook is part of our order protection guide.
What should you check first?
- Delivery scan: date, time and, if available, the GPS location.
- Delivery photo: does it show your package at the right door?
- Address on the order: typos, missing apartment numbers or old addresses.
- Protection on the order: if the customer bought protection, your claim rules apply.
- Claim history: earlier theft claims from the same customer or address.
What should you tell the customer?
Reply within one business day. A good first reply:
Sorry your order hasn’t turned up. The carrier marked it delivered on [date] at [time]. Could you check with neighbors, anyone else at the address and your building’s mailroom? Packages often turn up within a day. If it hasn’t appeared by [date], reply here and we’ll [reship it / process your claim].
It is calm, specific and sets a date. It also resolves the many “stolen” packages that were simply left at the wrong door.
When should you reship or refund?
Make the decision rule-based, not mood-based:
| Situation | Suggested action |
|---|---|
| Protected order, no history of claims | Resolve after the waiting period: reship, refund or store credit |
| Unprotected order, first claim | Your policy: goodwill reship or credit, or decline politely |
| Delivered to the wrong address | Ask the carrier to recover it; reship if it doesn’t turn up |
| Repeat claims from the same address | Ask for more detail; consider signature required for future orders |
When you reship, consider signature confirmation or a pick-up point for the replacement, so the same thing does not happen twice. See reship and store credit for the trade-offs.
How do you spot abuse?
Most claims are genuine, but watch for:
- Repeat claims from the same customer, address or payment method.
- Instant claims right after a delivery photo shows the parcel at the door.
- High-value first orders followed by a theft report.
- Inconsistent details between the claim and the tracking history.
Your policy should limit claims per customer, for example two in any 12 months, and reserve the right to decline suspected fraud. Keep a simple log of every claim so patterns are easy to see.
How do you fund the cost?
Carriers rarely pay for theft after a delivered scan, so the cost lands with you. Retailers absorb billions in refunds and replacements each year. An optional shipping protection fee lets the customers who want cover pay for it, and with a self-funded app you keep that fee to cover claims. Use the shipping protection calculator to see if fees would cover your theft rate.
What should you put in writing?
Publish a short stolen and lost package policy: what is covered, the filing window, the evidence you need and how you resolve claims. Our policy guide and template gets you there in minutes.
To add protection and a claims page to your store, see Sam Shipping Protection.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to refund a stolen package?
It depends on your terms and where you sell, but customers will see it as your responsibility, and carriers rarely pay once a package is scanned as delivered. A written policy that says when you cover theft keeps every answer consistent.
Can I file a claim with the carrier for a stolen package?
Usually not successfully if the package was scanned as delivered, because carrier liability covers the carrier's own failures. Wrong-address deliveries are different, so check the delivery location first.
How do I spot fraudulent stolen package claims?
Watch for repeat claims from the same customer or address, claims filed within minutes of a delivery photo showing the parcel at the door, and high-value first orders followed by an instant theft report. Limit claims per customer in your policy.
Part of our guide: Order protection →