I ordered something worth about $120 from an online retailer back in August and the tracking showed it was out for delivery, but it never arrived. The seller says it's the courier's problem, and the courier says they need me to wait 30 days before filing a claim. Do I have any rights here, or am I just out the money?
The retailer is actually on the hook here, not you - they're the ones who sold you the item and chose the courier, so the delivery risk falls on them. Push back directly with the seller and ask for a refund or replacement; don't let them hide behind "it's the courier's problem." If they won't budge, file a chargeback with your credit card company or payment service (PayPal, etc.), which is often faster than waiting around for a courier claim. The 30-day waiting period the courier mentioned applies to *their* internal process, but you shouldn't have to sit idle while they investigate - your dispute is with the business that took your money.
You usually have rights through the retailer, not the courier directly. Most online sellers are responsible for getting your item to you, so they should file a claim or issue a refund even if the courier lost it - that's between them and the delivery service to sort out. The 30-day wait the courier mentioned is pretty standard before they'll officially investigate, but your seller shouldn't make that your problem. Push back on the retailer and ask for a refund or replacement; if they won't budge, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company or payment method, which tends to get faster results than waiting around.
Don't wait around hoping the courier magically resolves this - the 30-day window they mention is just their internal process, not a legal requirement for you to do nothing. Since it's been a few months now, escalate straight to the retailer's customer service or chargeback option and be clear: you paid them for a delivered item, not a gamble. Most credit card companies and payment services will side with you if the seller refuses to help, so that's your real leverage if they keep dodging. The courier's claim process is between them and the retailer anyway - you're not supposed to be stuck in the middle.
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