Parcel lost and Australia Post closed the investigation. What now?
Who to claim from when a parcel is lost or stuck with Australia Post or a courier, what the sender can get and when the Postal Industry Ombudsman helps.
AI-assisted research and reviewed for accuracy. Something out of date? Let us know.
If you bought it online, go back to the seller, not Australia Post. Consumer Affairs Victoria says the seller must sort out problems with Australia Post or its courier, and you're entitled to a refund if it still doesn't supply. If you sent the parcel yourself, Australia Post pays up to $100 plus postage without Extra Cover, claimed within 6 months of posting. If it won't fix it, the Postal Industry Ombudsman can investigate.
Rather not chase this yourself?
Ajust writes to the business, tracks the deadline and escalates if they don't fix it.
Who do you claim from when a parcel is lost?
It depends on whether you bought the item or sent it. If you bought it online, your claim is with the seller. If you posted it yourself, you are the sender and the Australia Post claim is yours.
Consumer Affairs Victoria says that if a seller claims to have posted your order, it is responsible for resolving any issues with Australia Post or the courier it used. If the seller still fails to supply the product, you are entitled to a refund of what you paid. Australia Post says the same thing from its side: if you bought online, contact the seller first, because it is best placed to send a replacement.
This is why buyers get sent in circles. For a domestic parcel that never arrives, Australia Post says it generally pays compensation to the sender, not the person it was addressed to. The sender can give a waiver so the compensation goes to you instead, but for an online order the seller is the one to deal with.
| Your situation | Who to claim from | What you can get |
|---|---|---|
| Bought online, sent with Australia Post | The seller | Delivery, a replacement or a refund if it still fails to supply |
| Bought online, sent with Aramex, DHL, CouriersPlease, FedEx or TNT | The seller | The same. DHL eCommerce says only the merchant can claim a lost parcel from it |
| You posted it yourself within Australia | Australia Post, as the sender | Up to $100 plus a postage refund, or up to the Extra Cover you bought |
| Someone posted you a gift | The person who sent it claims from Australia Post | Compensation goes to the sender unless they waive it to you |
Without Extra Cover, Australia Post pays up to $100 plus a refund of postage for a lost parcel; Extra Cover can be bought up to $5,000. Claims must be lodged within 6 months of the item being posted, and Australia Post says it won't pay without proof of lodgement, such as the postage receipt. It also says its compensation doesn't limit your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.
Australia Post says most late parcels arrive within 5 business days of the expected date, and asks you to submit an enquiry if a domestic item hasn't arrived within 10 business days. You need a free MyPost account and the tracking number to use its form.
Ajust's recommended channel for Australia Post is the Missing or lost item form or the Delivery issue form at helpandsupport.auspost.com.au, which gives you a case number to quote later.
Ajust has handled over 200 cases about parcels that were lost or stuck in transit.
- In these cases, the typical amount at stake is about $210.
- When Ajust secured a confirmed result in one of these cases, it typically took about 7 days.
- In Ajust's cases, an Aramex parcel that had sat at a depot for 64 days started moving after the complaint went to Aramex's CEO office.
If you bought online, the seller that arranged delivery is generally responsible until the parcel reaches you, so you can ask them for a refund or replacement as well as lodging a claim.
What should you do first?
Work out whether you're the buyer or the sender, then put the claim in writing to the right party.
Step 1: Gather the tracking number and the last scan
Screenshot the tracking history, including the date of the last scan and the expected delivery date, and save the case number and closing message from any Australia Post or courier investigation. If you bought online, find your order confirmation and payment date.
Step 2: If you bought it, ask the seller in writing
Send this to the seller, not the courier. The seller chose the courier and has the contract with it, so it can claim from the courier itself.
Subject: Order [order number] not received: replacement or refund
Hello,
On [date] I ordered [items] (order [order number]) and paid $[amount] by [card / PayPal / Afterpay]. You sent it with [Australia Post / Aramex / DHL / CouriersPlease / other] under tracking number [tracking number]. The last tracking update was on [date]: [last scan]. [The carrier's investigation closed on [date] without locating the parcel.] I have not received the order.
Under the Australian Consumer Law, a business that accepts payment must supply the goods within the time it specified or within a reasonable time. Consumer Affairs Victoria's guidance is that a seller who has posted a product is responsible for resolving any issues with Australia Post or the courier it used. Please do not refer me to the carrier: as the sender, you are the party that can claim from them.
Please send a replacement with new tracking, or refund $[amount] to my original payment method, within 7 days of this email.
If I do not receive a replacement or refund by [date], I will ask my [bank / payment provider] to reverse the payment and lodge a complaint with [NSW Fair Trading / Consumer Affairs Victoria / your state agency].
Regards,
[Your name]
[Phone]
Step 3: If you sent it, complain to Australia Post and keep the reference
Lodge the Missing or lost item enquiry, then a formal complaint if the outcome is wrong. Keep your postage receipt and the complaint reference number. The Postal Industry Ombudsman asks you to give Australia Post 10 business days to respond before you go to it.
What if they still won't fix it?
A buyer goes after the payment; a sender goes to the Ombudsman. If you bought online, your bank or payment provider can reverse the payment without the seller's agreement.
| Where | Who it's for | What it does | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card chargeback through your bank | Buyers who paid by card | Reverses the payment for goods not received, or not received within the agreed timeframe | 45 to 120 days from the transaction date, depending on your card provider |
| Postal Industry Ombudsman, 1300 362 072 | Complaints about Australia Post or StarTrack, after complaining to them first | Investigates lost or delayed parcels and complaint handling, but doesn't investigate every complaint | You must have complained to Australia Post within 12 months of the incident |
| State consumer agency (NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, Queensland Office of Fair Trading) | Buyers whose seller won't refund | Contacts the seller to try to reach an agreement. NSW Fair Trading aims to resolve most complaints within 30 days | None stated |
| Tribunal (NCAT in NSW, VCAT in Victoria, QCAT in Queensland) | Buyers whose seller still won't refund | Hears the claim and can order the seller to pay | NCAT: 3 years from when the problem arose, claims up to $100,000 |
The Postal Industry Ombudsman can only look at complaints about Australia Post and StarTrack. Its register lists no other postal operator, so complaints about Aramex, DHL, CouriersPlease, FedEx or TNT go through the seller, your bank or your state consumer agency. The Ombudsman also says that if the outcome follows the postal operator's terms and conditions, it is unlikely to investigate.
If Australia Post doesn't resolve it, it can be escalated to the Postal Industry Ombudsman. Ajust handles the escalation for you, and for online orders it takes the claim back to the seller and runs the chargeback dispute.
Tell Ajust what happened and we do the heavy lifting for you. Emails, calls, escalations until it's resolved. While you get on with your life.
Get help from Ajust
What doesn't work
- Going round between Australia Post and the seller. If you bought online, the seller is responsible for sorting it out with its courier. Write to the seller and stop there.
- Lodging an Australia Post claim as the receiver of a lost domestic parcel. Australia Post generally pays the sender, so ask the sender to claim or to waive it to you.
- Taking a private courier to the Ombudsman. The Postal Industry Ombudsman only covers Australia Post and StarTrack.
- Waiting out the clock. Australia Post claims close 6 months after posting, and card chargebacks 45 to 120 days after you paid.
- Throwing away the postage receipt. Australia Post won't pay compensation without proof of lodgement.
Common questions
Australia Post closed the investigation without finding my parcel. Is that the end?
Not if you bought it online: the seller still has to supply it or refund you, whatever the carrier found. If you sent it, make a formal complaint to Australia Post with your case number, claim compensation within 6 months of posting, and then take it to the Postal Industry Ombudsman if needed.
Does the Postal Industry Ombudsman cover Aramex, DHL or CouriersPlease?
No. The Ombudsman can only look at complaints about Australia Post and StarTrack, and its register lists no other postal operator. For a parcel lost by another courier, claim from the seller if you bought online, or use the courier's own process if you sent it.
The item was worth more than $100. Can I get the full value?
If you bought it online, yes: the seller owes you the full refund or a replacement. If you sent it without Extra Cover, Australia Post pays up to $100 plus postage. It also says its compensation doesn't limit any rights you have under the Australian Consumer Law.
How do I report a missing Aramex parcel?
Aramex says to enter your label number into its online parcel tracker and select "Submit online enquiry", then complete the form in full. If you bought the item online, write to the seller at the same time, since it chose Aramex and is responsible for resolving the problem with it.
The seller and the courier keep telling me to contact each other. What now?
Stop calling the courier. Send the seller one written request for a replacement or refund with a 7-day deadline, then go to your bank or payment provider. This is the point where most people hand it over: Ajust takes the claim back to the seller and runs the chargeback dispute for you.
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