Create a Claim

Flexport requires the following when you file a claim with us (we will only file claims for orders with a Promise Delivery Date within the last 30 calendar days)

• Copy of the email received from the customer
• Images of the product (if damaged)
  
• An invoice showing the commercial value (cost of goods purchased or produced) for the units. If an invoice is not available, Flexport will default to 40% of retail value (with proof of retail provided).
  

You can create a claim in your Orders page by following the steps in this Help Center article.

 

Claim Submission Window

You have 30 calendar days after the promised delivery date to submit claims for damaged, lost in transit and delivered but lost orders. The "Submit Claim" button should appear 3 business days (5 business days during Peak Season) after the Promised Delivery date.

Claim Restrictions

• Flexport is unable to file claims for any restricted products and is only eligible for a $300 replacement value reimbursement.
• For eCommerce fulfillment, expect marking, creasing and light dirt on packages - products are expected to be able to withstand small falls and outer packaging.
• For any updates to product dimensions, we will only reimburse the difference in fulfillment fees and storage fees dating back 30 days from seller outreach disputing the dimensions. 

 

Types of Claims

Order Damages

If an order arrives damaged and if you are able to provide sufficient proof of this damage, Flexport will file a claim with the carrier on your behalf and credit you the wholesale value of the damaged product(s) as well as the fulfillment fee you were charged. 

Please note that product packaging should be able to withstand the rigors of shipping and handling without requiring any special handling per our Help Center article.

After you submit your case to our support team, we recommend you respond directly to your customer with a remedy that you deem fit which may include a refund and/or a re-shipment of a replacement item. If you choose to re-ship the order with Flexport, outbound fulfillment fees will apply.

 

Orders Lost in Transit

Sometimes an order will ship and the tracking shows that the order is stuck in a pending or "pre-shipment" status. Unfortunately, this happens from time to time due to carriers missing a scan. If you notice that the order has had 7 calendar days of inactivity in the same status (12 calendar days during Peak Season (e.g.11/15/2023 - 01/15/2024)), Flexport will treat this order as lost in transit. 

Like damaged orders, Flexport will file a claim with the carrier on your behalf (once we received proof of non-delivery from the customer) and credit you the wholesale value of the product(s) lost as well as the fulfillment fee you were charged.

Note: For international orders, orders without tracking movement for at least 21 days are eligible for lost in transit claims. Please submit a Support ticket in order to file a claim for an international order that meets these criteria should you not be able to do so on the Flexport Portal Order page. 

The most up-to-date information on orders, warehouses and carriers can be found in our seller-facing document here.

 

Delivered but Lost

In rare instances, a customer may claim non-receipt of a package despite the carrier's tracking indicating delivery. If the tracking information confirms Delivered, but your customer cannot locate their package within 48 hours of the delivery timestamp, please instruct your customer to perform the following steps:

1. Verify the accuracy of the provided shipping address.
2. Conduct a thorough search around the delivery location, including potential alternate delivery spots (e.g., nearby apartment entrances).
3. Check their mailbox or any designated mail storage areas.
4. Inquire with other household members to ascertain if anyone accepted the package on their behalf.

If, after 48 hours from the delivery timestamp, your customer remains unable to locate their package, and they can prove that the proof of delivery from the carrier indicates that the item was not delivered successfully or provide a detailed report (ie. mail locker audit) proving non-delivery, you may proceed to file a claim through the Flexport Portal. Upon approval, we will credit the product cost(s) and fulfillment fee for the lost order. Note: Flexport cannot be held responsible for items that are lost or stolen after successful delivery.

 

Missing Product

Sometimes packages arrive to customers with products missing. If this occurs, merchants can submit a claim informing Flexport of the missing product. Merchants must upload proof of both the missing product's cost along with details of the customer communication. When this claim type is properly submitted, we will reimburse the wholesale cost (or 40% of retail value) of the missing product and the order fulfillment fee. Note: If the order is delivered per the tracking information, but is reported by the customer as not having arrived, please file a delivered but lost claim.

 

Incorrect Product

If your customer receives an incorrect product in their package, merchants can inform our team of the inaccuracy directly through a Flexport Portal claim. Merchants can input the SKU that was sent (if known) and the SKU that is missing from the order. Merchants can also inform Flexport if this is a recurring issue, which will let our team know that further investigation is required. We will correspond directly with merchants through a ticket for updates on the recurring issue. Similar to other claims types, merchants must upload proof of both cost and customer communication. There are a couple scenarios:

• If the incorrect product that was sent is part of the merchant's inventory, we will reimburse the wholesale cost (or 40% of retail value) of the product that was sent + the fulfillment fee.
• If the incorrect product that was sent is NOT part of the merchant's inventory, we will reimburse the order fulfillment fee only. 

 

Late Deliveries

We strive to ensure all of our orders are delivered within our Delivery SLA (service level agreement). However, due to circumstances outside of our control (including but not limited to inclement weather and carrier delivery disruptions), we are not able to guarantee that all orders will be delivered on time.

When an order is impacted by unforeseen circumstances outside of our control, we will mark that order directly in the Flexport portal, as shown here:

If you believe that an order is delivered late due to shipping delays, please contact our support team.

 

What happens when a claim is filed?

When a claim is filed, you will receive an email notifying you of the claim when it has been reviewed. You can track the claim filed by viewing the claim under the order page. Email notifications are sent for pending, approved, rejected, and retracted claims.

 

What caused my claim to be retracted? 

Claims that have been retracted are those that were approved incorrectly. This could be due to our system automatically approving a claim that isn't valid, or because an item is restricted, among many other reasons. The retraction explanation is for the benefit of the seller, and this notice will appear on the seller's order page.

 

Can I get reimbursed for a replacement order I sent?

If the original claim is carrier related, a claim must be filed in the Flexport Portal and you will be credited the amount based on the claim type as we are unable to credit for replacement orders based on carrier claims.

 

Can I appeal a denied claim?

If we deny your claim and you have accurate information for us to review, you can submit an appeal email to our support team within 30 calendar days of an order's Promised Delivery.