Retailer vs Courier Responsibility UK: Who Fixes a Missing Parcel?
Use this guide when a retailer says “contact the courier” after a parcel is lost, late, damaged, missing, left in the wrong place, or marked delivered but not received.
The retailer normally remains your first point of complaint.
Tracking, photos and signatures can help, but they do not replace retailer responsibility.
If you arranged your own courier, the responsibility can be different.
ParcelClaim builds a personalised letter that keeps the complaint with the retailer and asks for the right evidence, refund or replacement.
Create My Refund Letter One-time £2.99 · No subscription · Instant documentWhat this page is for
This page explains who should deal with the problem when a parcel delivery goes wrong. It is especially useful when a retailer tries to end the complaint by saying the courier has the parcel, the courier says delivered, or you need to make a courier claim yourself.
| Problem | Who should usually resolve it? |
|---|---|
| Parcel not delivered | Retailer, if it sold the goods and arranged delivery. |
| Parcel lost in transit | Retailer should investigate with the courier and resolve the order. |
| Tracking says delivered but no parcel | Retailer should provide delivery evidence or resolve the dispute. |
| Delivery photo is wrong | Retailer should get courier evidence and respond to the dispute. |
| Parcel left in unauthorised safe place | Retailer should prove safe-place authorisation and delivery location. |
| Parcel arrived damaged | Retailer should deal with damaged/faulty goods and courier claim separately. |
| You arranged your own courier | Courier responsibility may matter more because you chose the delivery service separately. |
Why the retailer is usually responsible
When you buy goods online, your contract is usually with the retailer. If the retailer offers delivery and chooses or contracts with the courier, the courier is normally part of how the retailer performs the order.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 also matters because goods remain at the trader’s risk until they come into the physical possession of the consumer or someone identified by the consumer. That is why a retailer should not simply say “the courier says delivered” without showing evidence that the parcel actually reached you or someone you authorised.
If the retailer picked the courier, the retailer should not leave you to fight the courier alone. The retailer can chase the courier, claim from the courier, or investigate internally — but your order problem is still with the retailer.
What Citizens Advice and GOV.UK say
Citizens Advice says that if the seller used a courier, the seller should chase the courier to find out what happened to your order. GOV.UK guidance for online and distance selling says businesses must deliver goods within 30 days unless another delivery time was agreed with the customer.
That means your complaint can usually say: “I bought this from you, you arranged delivery, and I need you to resolve the delivery failure.”
When should you still contact the courier?
It can still be useful to contact the courier for evidence, especially if the retailer asks for tracking screenshots or you need proof of a failed delivery. But that is different from accepting that the courier is solely responsible.
Contacting the courier may help you get:
- delivery photo;
- GPS or location data;
- signature or recipient name;
- safe-place note;
- depot or route scan;
- lost parcel confirmation;
- investigation reference; or
- proof the courier told you to contact the sender.
Use that evidence to support your complaint to the retailer.
When the courier might be your responsibility
The biggest exception is where you arrange your own courier separately. For example, if the retailer offers collection only, but you book a courier yourself to collect the item, the risk position can be different.
Responsibility may also become more complicated where you use forwarding addresses, freight forwarders, collection services, marketplace intermediaries, third-party lockers, overseas forwarding, or a delivery address that is not under your control.
If the retailer arranged the courier, complain to the retailer. If you arranged the courier separately, your complaint may need to focus on that courier or the service you booked.
If the retailer says “contact the courier”
Do not argue emotionally. Ask the retailer to explain its position and provide evidence. Your response should say that you bought the goods from the retailer, the retailer arranged delivery, and you need the retailer to investigate with the courier and provide a refund, replacement, redelivery or proper delivery evidence.
Short wording
“I bought the goods from you, and you arranged delivery. Please investigate this with the courier and provide the delivery evidence you rely on. If you cannot prove delivery to me or someone authorised by me, please arrange a refund or replacement.”
For a more targeted page, use retailer says contact courier.
If tracking says delivered but you have no parcel
A delivered scan can be evidence, but it may not prove the parcel came into your physical possession. Ask the retailer for proof of delivery, not just a repeated tracking link.
Request:
- delivery photo;
- GPS/location evidence;
- signature image;
- recipient name;
- safe-place instruction;
- neighbour delivery note;
- courier investigation notes; and
- the exact delivery address used.
Useful pages: Proof of delivery dispute, tracking says delivered but no proof, and delivery photo not my house.
If the parcel is lost in transit
If tracking has stopped, the courier says “contact sender”, or the parcel has vanished between depots, tell the retailer it needs to investigate with the courier. Ask for delivery by a final date, replacement, or refund if delivery cannot be completed.
Do not accept indefinite waiting. If there is no clear delivery date and no agreed longer period, the 30-day online delivery rule may matter.
Useful pages: parcel lost in transit and lost parcel complaint letter template.
If the parcel is damaged
If the item arrives damaged, broken, crushed, leaking or unusable, complain to the retailer first. The retailer may need to claim from the courier, but that should not prevent it from dealing with your damaged goods complaint.
Take photos of the outer packaging, inner packaging, delivery label and damaged item. Keep the packaging until the retailer confirms it is no longer needed.
Useful pages: parcel damaged on delivery and damaged parcel complaint letter template.
If the retailer says the courier investigation is final
Ask for a copy or summary of the courier investigation. Do not accept a vague line such as “our courier confirms delivery” if no photo, GPS, signature, recipient name, safe-place instruction or driver notes are provided.
A strong complaint asks the retailer to explain exactly why the evidence proves delivery to you or someone you authorised.
Evidence to keep
| Evidence | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Order confirmation | Shows the retailer, order number, item, price and delivery address. |
| Delivery option | Shows whether the retailer arranged the courier or whether you chose a separate courier. |
| Tracking screenshots | Shows delay, lost status, delivered scan or depot movement. |
| Retailer messages | Shows whether the retailer refused, delayed or pushed you to the courier. |
| Courier messages | Useful if the courier says contact sender or confirms investigation details. |
| Delivery photo/signature | Important for delivered-but-not-received disputes. |
| Safe-place instruction | Shows whether the delivery location was authorised by you. |
| Damage photos | Needed if the parcel arrived broken, crushed or leaking. |
| Payment proof | Useful for chargeback, Section 75 or escalation. |
Common retailer excuses
| Retailer says | What to ask for |
|---|---|
| “We are not liable because the courier has it.” | Ask them to investigate with the courier because they arranged delivery. |
| “The courier marked it delivered.” | Ask for proof of delivery to you or someone authorised by you. |
| “You need to claim from the courier.” | Ask why the retailer is refusing to resolve a delivery it arranged. |
| “The courier investigation is closed.” | Ask for the evidence and the investigation outcome in writing. |
| “You selected safe place.” | Ask for the instruction and proof it was left in that exact safe place. |
| “It is a delivery company issue.” | Say your order was with the retailer and you need refund/replacement or proper proof. |
When to escalate
If the retailer refuses to resolve the delivery issue, your next step depends on the problem and payment method.
- Retailer refusal response: use a stronger letter if they have already said no.
- Chargeback: useful for many debit or credit card payments where goods were not received.
- Section 75: may apply to qualifying credit-card purchases over £100 and not more than £30,000.
- Letter before action: a formal final step if the retailer still refuses and the value justifies it.
Create a retailer responsibility letter
Build a personalised letter that pushes back when a retailer says the courier is responsible and asks for refund, replacement or proof.
Start My Letter – £2.99 No subscription. Instant document.Retailer vs courier checklist
- Did the retailer sell the goods?
- Did the retailer arrange the delivery?
- Did you choose your own courier separately?
- Has the parcel reached you or someone you authorised?
- What tracking, photo, GPS or signature evidence exists?
- Has the retailer refused or pushed you to the courier?
- What outcome do you want: refund, replacement, redelivery, repair or proof?
- What escalation route fits your payment method?
Retailer vs courier responsibility FAQs
Is the retailer or courier responsible for a missing parcel?
For most online purchases where the retailer arranged delivery, the retailer is normally responsible for resolving the delivery issue with the customer. The retailer can then deal with the courier separately.
Can a retailer tell me to contact the courier?
A retailer can suggest checking courier tracking, but if the retailer arranged the delivery it should usually investigate with the courier and resolve the order problem with you.
When might the courier be my responsibility?
If you arranged your own courier separately, or chose a courier not provided by the retailer, the risk position can be different. This guide mainly covers ordinary online orders where the retailer arranged delivery.
Who is responsible if tracking says delivered but I have no parcel?
Start with the retailer. Ask it to provide delivery evidence showing the parcel reached you or someone you identified, such as photo, GPS, signature, recipient name or safe-place instruction.
Who is responsible if the courier damaged my parcel?
For most online shopping orders, complain to the retailer first. The retailer should resolve the damaged goods issue with you and can deal with the courier separately.
What evidence should I keep?
Keep your order confirmation, delivery address, tracking screenshots, courier messages, retailer replies, delivery photo, signature record, safe-place instruction, damage photos and payment proof.