Carriers have the responsibility of delivering packages safely and on time. Nonetheless, many factors arise that can lead to lost packages. In fact, an estimated 1.7 million packages are lost or stolen every day.
If a package is lost in transit, consumers hold the business or shipper accountable rather than the shipping carrier. Lost or damaged packages can harm a brand’s reputation and customer experience.
Around 15% of online orders delivered to urban areas are lost due to logistics issues or theft. Preventing missing packages is key to maintaining customer satisfaction and protecting revenue.
Your company can minimize the cost impacts of missing packages by performing regular parcel audits to identify service failures, as well as overcharging, and undue billing for late and damaged deliveries.
The shipping carrier you choose, such as UPS, bears the ultimate responsibility for ensuring the secure delivery of your package. Therefore, reporting missing packages and filing a claim with the carrier helps you recover the shipping costs.
This article describes properly submitting a UPS claim for lost or damaged packages to get the full reimbursement you deserve as a parcel shipper.
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Steps to Report a Missing Package and File a Claim with UPS
If your customer’s package is lost or damaged, it can ruin their purchasing experience. As a merchant, it is your duty to assist them throughout the claims process, so keep them updated by sharing necessary information (such as the tracking number).
Here’s how you can start a claim for packages that have been lost or damaged:
1. Determine the Package Status
First, check the status of the package for any updates. You can track UPS packages’ status by visiting ups.com and entering the parcel tracking number.
If the tracking shows that the package has been delivered, but the recipient has not received it yet, wait another day before taking any further action. This is because sometimes UPS drivers prematurely mark a package as delivered.
UPS suggests waiting 24 hours before filing a claim if the package isn’t delivered by the expected delivery date and time.
2. Contact UPS
If it appears that the shipment is delayed or arrived damaged, you can contact UPS and request a trace on the package. UPS makes it easy for merchants and customers to file claims and track their progress through its online reporting tool.
For domestic UPS shipments, you must send a notice of claim within sixty days after the delivery of the package, or the date of scheduled delivery.
Once you request a package trace, UPS will initiate investigations and try to trace where it went missing. You can check the package status online. If UPS is unable to locate the lost package, the claim payment is issued.
3. Gather Documentation
When filing a claim with UPS, you must collect all necessary documentation for the missing package. Depending on the type of claim (namely, lost package, damaged package, uncollected C.O.D. packages) and the value of your package contents, you’ll need to provide certain documentation to strengthen your claim. These include invoices, receipts, photo documentation of damaged items, packaging material, cushioning, and shipping labels with the tracking number.
For damage claims, the receiver must keep the damaged items and packaging materials until the issue is resolved. Damaged materials may be collected and inspected by UPS.
Note that if sufficient supporting information is not provided, the claim investigation is closed due to insufficient merchandise description.
4. File a Claim Online
If the package was lost during transit or damaged, UPS may be liable to reimburse you for the value of the shipment.
For domestic UPS shipments, as mentioned above, a notice of claim must be sent within sixty days, but the claim itself must be filed within nine months after delivery of the package (or in case of failure to make the delivery, within nine months after the date of scheduled delivery).
Once you’ve made inquiries and gathered all the necessary documentation, here’s how you can file a claim in a few clicks:
- Visit the UPS website and log in to your account. If you have not yet set up an account with UPS, you will need to do so before you can file a claim.
- Enter your UPS tracking number.
- You’ll need to provide the recipient’s contact information, the package tracking number, and details to submit a claim online. The online claim form asks a few basic questions. It also requests supporting documents such as invoices and purchase orders for proof of value and photos of the damaged items to identify the merchandise.
- Finally, click on the “Submit” button to file your claim.
5. Follow Up on the claim
You should be able to view the claim status and the claim number from the claims dashboard.
UPS may ask for additional documents to determine the package’s value. It’s important to respond promptly with any requested evidence. After UPS confirms the potential value of the package content meets their guidelines of UPS terms of service, it will issue payment to the shipper.
Most UPS claims are resolved within 2-10 business days after you file your claim unless more time is needed for research and inspection.
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Filing the claim is your responsibility; failing to do so could mean leaving money on the table.
However, dealing with damaged, lost, or stolen packages can be time-consuming. For this reason, many shippers need help tracking and following up with lost and damaged packages and claiming the money they are eligible to receive.
Sifted Logistics Intelligence handles the entire process, from tracking orders to identifying reimbursement claims. Our software audits carrier invoices so you can easily identify opportunities to submit refund claims and focus on other vital areas of your business.
Identify opportunities to easily claim UPS refunds and cut shipping costs. Get a demo with Sifted today!
