Step-by-step fixes for every delivery problem: lost packages, packages showing delivered but missing, tracking frozen, wrong address corrections, filing carrier claims, and delivery exceptions.
Most delivery problems have a straightforward fix if you act in the right order within the first 24–48 hours. The difficulty is that carriers provide little guidance, and most online advice skips directly to "file a claim", which is often premature and can make the situation harder to resolve.
This category covers six of the most common delivery failures with specific step-by-step approaches: what to check first, when to contact the carrier, what to say when you do, and when to escalate. The lost package guide starts with the checks to run before you file a claim: the delivery photo, your neighbors' doors, the building mailroom and the latest tracking scan. USPS accepts a Missing Mail search request from 7 days after mailing, and a lost-package claim for Priority Mail or Ground Advantage only from 15 days after mailing, so the search comes first.
The tracking guide covers which stalled-status situations genuinely need action versus the ones that resolve on their own. Ground packages regularly go 2–3 days without a scan. International packages can go 10 days. Knowing the difference saves time and unnecessary phone calls.
Before filing a claim: most lost packages are at the wrong address spot, misdelivered, or still in transit. Work through the checklist first.
Read articleCheck the delivery photo, your neighbors within two houses and your mailroom, then contact the carrier if the package is still missing.
Read articleWhy tracking stops updating, how long a gap is normal for each service, and when a gap means you should contact the carrier.
Read articleEach carrier sets its own claim windows and paperwork rules. This guide covers timing, documentation and who can file with USPS, UPS and FedEx.
Read articleA Delivery Exception means something unexpected happened. Most clear in 1-3 days. Address exceptions need same-day action.
Read articleBefore the order ships, ask the seller to change the address. After it ships, a redirect depends on the carrier: USPS Package Intercept costs $19.45 as of October 2026, and only the sender can request it.
Read articleOfficial pages these guides rely on, checked in October 2026.
Check three places before contacting the carrier: around your front door including behind porch furniture, your building's mailroom or package room, and neighbors within two houses in each direction. Carriers occasionally deliver to the wrong address on the same street. If 24 hours pass and the package still has not turned up, contact the carrier to open a trace, not a claim.
USPS counts the wait from the mailing date on your receipt, not from the expected delivery date: 15 days for Priority Mail and Ground Advantage, 7 days for Priority Mail Express, and no later than 60 days. International inquiries open sooner, from 3 days for Priority Mail Express International and 7 days for Priority Mail International. These are hard minimums. USPS will not process claims filed earlier. Damage claims are the exception and can be filed immediately upon receipt.
Probably not. USPS ground packages on long routes can go several days without a scan during transit. UPS and FedEx scan more frequently but can still go 1–2 days without an update. Our guide to tracking that stops updating lists, for each service, how many days without an update should prompt a call to the carrier.
Yes, with limitations. UPS My Choice and FedEx Delivery Manager let a recipient redirect a parcel for a fee. USPS Package Intercept works differently: the fee is $19.45 as of October 2026, the request has to come from whoever posted the item, and a retail sender cannot nominate a different address, so the parcel returns to the sender or waits at a Post Office. The request must be submitted before the final delivery attempt. Success depends on how far along the package is in transit.
As of October 2026, USPS says it usually communicates a decision on most claims within 5 to 10 days, and up to 30 days for claims that need in-depth processing. UPS says to expect a resolution in 8 to 10 business days unless more investigation is needed. FedEx does not state a processing time on its claims page. The most common reason for delays is incomplete documentation at submission. Submit proof of value, proof of insurance, and evidence of damage or loss together upfront. Waiting to be asked adds days to the process.
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