Investigate a parcel marked delivered but not received

A tracking page marked delivered does not, by itself, resolve a customer's report that the parcel is missing. The customer may be describing a wrong-location delivery, a handover they cannot identify or another genuine discrepancy.

Treat the report as a case requiring evidence. Do not accuse the customer, expose delivery information publicly or promise a replacement before the facts and available resolution are understood.

Confirm the shipment identity

Check the order reference, carrier and tracking number against the accepted order. Make sure the delivered event belongs to the parcel in question.

Record the event time and any location or recipient information supplied by the carrier. Avoid assuming that a similar name or another parcel from the same day proves receipt.

Keep the investigation in the order's support record so different helpers do not start separate, conflicting enquiries.

Ask the customer for a limited check

Explain what the carrier has recorded and ask whether another household member, reception desk or authorised recipient may have accepted it, where that is relevant.

Phrase this as a practical check, not a demand that the customer prove innocence. Do not ask them to search unsafe places or confront neighbours.

If the customer confirms no receipt, record that clearly and move the investigation forward.

Request the carrier's delivery evidence

Use the official support process to ask for the available proof of delivery and clarification of the handover. Requirements and evidence vary by service.

Do not invent a signature, GPS record or photograph that the carrier has not supplied. A request for evidence is not evidence itself.

Record the case reference and the applicable next response point. Escalate through the provider's supported route if the initial answer merely repeats the tracking status.

Compare the evidence carefully

Check whether the location, recipient detail or photograph actually corresponds to the order. A blurred doorstep photograph may be inconclusive rather than proof of correct delivery.

Protect information about other people if the carrier supplies an incorrect recipient or location. Share only what is needed to resolve the case.

If evidence is contradictory, state the contradiction in the case summary instead of choosing the version that closes the ticket fastest.

Keep the customer informed

Tell the customer what has been requested, what has been confirmed and when you will update them again.

Avoid unsupported promises such as “the courier will find it today.” Also avoid silence while waiting for another party.

If the parcel was needed for a particular date, acknowledge that context when discussing the available resolution. The customer's practical problem may continue even while the carrier investigation remains open.

Decide the remedy through the proper process

Use the applicable terms, consumer obligations and facts of the case. This guide is an investigation workflow, not a universal rule about refunds or replacements.

Do not make a carrier's internal claim outcome the only basis for considering your responsibilities to the customer. Seek appropriate advice where the obligation is uncertain.

If a replacement, refund or another agreed action is authorised, record the owner and completion evidence separately from the carrier claim.

Reconcile any later recovery

Sometimes the parcel appears after a replacement or refund decision. Handle that situation through a clear, respectful agreement rather than an improvised demand.

Update stock, payment and shipment records as appropriate. Do not count an item as returned before it is physically received and inspected.

Keep the original case history intact so later staff can understand why more than one parcel or payment action exists.

Learn without overgeneralising

Review whether address collection, carrier choice or handover instructions could reduce similar incidents. One case does not prove that an entire destination or customer group is unreliable.

Track evidence-supported causes rather than assigning every delivered-not-received report to fraud.

The useful outcome is a documented resolution with the customer kept informed. A delivery scan starts the investigation; it should not end it when the person expecting the parcel says it has not arrived.