Should I contact the courier about a missing item inside a parcel?

Usually the retailer should be contacted first because the courier may only know that a parcel was delivered, not whether every item was packed inside it.

Can I get a refund for an item missing from a delivered parcel?

If you paid for an item and it was not delivered, you can ask the retailer to investigate and provide the missing item, a replacement, redelivery or refund depending on the evidence.

Missing Item From Parcel? What to Do in the UK

Q: What should I do if an item is missing from my parcel?

Save the order confirmation, item list, packing note, parcel label, packaging photos and photos of the items that arrived. Contact the retailer in writing and ask them to check their packing, dispatch and parcel weight records.

Q: What if the retailer says the item was packed?

Ask the retailer for the packing record, dispatch evidence, parcel weight evidence and any investigation notes. Explain what arrived and what was missing, and attach photos of the packaging and contents.

Updated 30 May 2026 by ParcelClaim Research Team | Missing item from parcel guide

Quick answer: If a parcel arrived but an item was missing from inside, photograph the packaging, parcel label, packing note and contents straight away. Save the order confirmation and list the exact missing item. Ask the retailer to check its packing, dispatch and parcel weight records. If you paid for an item that was not delivered, ask for a refund, replacement or redelivery.

This guide is for cases where a parcel was delivered, but one item was missing from inside the package. It is slightly different from a whole missing parcel, or a split order where only part of the order has arrived.

It can happen with clothing, trainers, phones, accessories, cosmetics, health products, electronics, toys, household goods or multi-item orders from retailers such as Amazon, ASOS, H&M, Zara, Boots, Argos, Currys, John Lewis, M&S and Very.

Missing item from parcel vs part of order missing

Situation	What it means	Best guide
Missing item from parcel	The parcel arrived, but an item that should have been inside was missing.	This guide
Part of order missing	Only some of the order arrived, possibly because the retailer split delivery.	Part of order missing
Whole parcel missing	No parcel arrived at all.	Parcel not delivered refund
Parcel arrived damaged/opened	The packaging looks torn, opened, wet, resealed or tampered with.	Parcel damaged on delivery

What to do straight away

Try not to throw away the packaging until the issue is resolved. The box, parcel bag, tape, label, weight and packing note can all matter.

Take photos of the outside packaging. Include the label, seams, tape, corners and any damage.
Take photos of the inside packaging. Include tissue paper, air bags, dividers, plastic bags, tags, leaflets and the packing note.
Photograph what actually arrived. Put the received items together and photograph them clearly.
Save the order confirmation. Screenshot the item name, quantity, size, colour, model, price and order number.
Check for split delivery. Look for separate tracking numbers or dispatch emails.
Contact the retailer in writing. Keep everything in email, chat or account messages where possible.

Do not throw away the parcel label yet. If the retailer asks for evidence, the label, tracking number, packaging and parcel condition may help show whether the item was missing, mispacked, damaged in transit or sent separately.

Evidence to save

The stronger your evidence, the easier it is to challenge a retailer that simply says the parcel was delivered or the item was packed.

Useful evidence

Order confirmation
Item list, size, colour or model
Dispatch email
Packing note or invoice
Parcel label photo
Outer packaging photos
Inside packaging photos
Photos of received items
Parcel weight if shown
Retailer chat or email records

Weak evidence on its own

Only saying “it was missing”
No photo of the packaging
No packing note photo
No list of what arrived
No order screenshot
Throwing away the label
Only relying on tracking status

What to ask the retailer

The retailer should be able to check its order, packing and dispatch records. The courier usually cannot confirm what was inside the parcel unless the package was damaged or weighed during transit.

Ask the retailer to confirm:

whether the missing item was packed in the parcel;
whether the item was sent separately;
whether there is another tracking number;
whether the item was cancelled or out of stock;
whether a partial refund was already issued;
what the parcel weight was at dispatch;
whether the weight matches the full contents;
whether the parcel could have been opened, damaged or resealed in transit;
whether they will refund, replace or resend the missing item.

What if the retailer says the item was definitely packed?

Ask them to explain what evidence they are relying on. A warehouse scan or packing note may help them, but you can still ask for a proper investigation if the item did not arrive.

Useful point: A delivered parcel does not automatically prove every item you paid for was inside it. The key question is whether the specific missing item was delivered to you.

If the parcel looked damaged, opened, wet, torn or resealed, read our parcel damaged on delivery guide as well.

Simple wording for a missing item complaint

You can start with short wording like this:

Subject: Item missing from delivered parcel — request for refund or replacement

Hello, my parcel has arrived, but one item is missing from inside the package.

The missing item is: [item name / size / colour / model / quantity]. The items I received are: [list received items].

I have kept the packaging, parcel label, packing note and photos of the contents. Please check your packing, dispatch and parcel weight records and confirm whether the missing item was included, sent separately, cancelled or out of stock.

If the item was not delivered to me, please confirm whether you will provide a refund, replacement or redelivery.

This is starter wording only. If the retailer refuses, a stronger tailored letter should challenge the specific evidence they rely on.

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If the retailer refuses

If the retailer refuses to refund or resend the item, ask for the refusal in writing. Then challenge the exact reason they gave.

If they say the parcel was delivered: explain the dispute is about the missing item, not just the parcel delivery.
If they say the item was packed: ask for the packing record and parcel weight evidence.
If they say contact the courier: remind them the courier may not know what was inside the parcel.
If the parcel was damaged: send packaging photos and ask for a damage investigation.
If the order was split: ask for the separate tracking number and delivery date.

For escalation, use our refund refused guide, chargeback guide or Section 75 guide.

Missing item FAQs

What should I do if an item is missing from my parcel?

Save the order confirmation, packing note, parcel label, packaging photos and photos of the items that arrived. Contact the retailer in writing and ask them to check packing, dispatch and parcel weight records.

Should I contact the courier?

Usually contact the retailer first. The courier may know that a parcel was delivered, but not whether every item was inside the package.

What if the retailer says the item was packed?

Ask for the packing record, dispatch evidence, parcel weight evidence and investigation notes. Send your packaging and contents photos in response.

Can I get a refund for a missing item?

If you paid for an item that was not delivered, ask the retailer to investigate and provide the item, a replacement, redelivery or refund depending on the evidence.