What to do first: capture the complete scan history and contact the merchant if it was a retail purchase. The shipper often has the strongest contract and invoice record, while FedEx also allows recipients to use the current claim flow in supported cases.
Scope: FedEx U.S. parcel and air-freight claims. International and non-U.S. shipments can use different contracts, deadlines and claimants.
Current official check:FedEx’s current claims page identifies recipient and shipper roles, lists supporting documents and publishes the applicable filing windows. Check that live page for the service used instead of relying on a remembered deadline.
Save the shipment record
Capture:
- tracking number
- ship date and service
- shipper and recipient details
- last scan, exception, and scheduled-delivery messages
- item description and quantity
- purchase invoice or sales receipt
- declared value, if any
- photos of packaging and damage, if the parcel arrived
- all case and claim numbers
Mask addresses and account numbers before sharing evidence outside the official process.
Read the tracking sequence, not just the latest label
Look for:
- a label created without a carrier acceptance scan
- repeated scans at the same facility
- customs, weather, address, or operational exceptions
- an attempted-delivery instruction
- a delivered scan with photo, signature, or location details
- a return-to-sender movement
A label-created status can mean the seller has not yet handed the parcel to FedEx. In that case, contact the seller first.
Ask for a trace or case
Use FedEx’s official tracking and support tools. Provide a precise description of the contents and packaging; this can help staff identify a parcel separated from its label.
Record:
- the support date and channel
- the case number
- the promised next update
- any document request
- the person or business responsible for filing the formal claim
Contact the seller for a retail purchase
The seller usually has the purchase contract with you and often bought the shipping label. Ask the seller to:
- confirm the correct tracking number
- start the carrier trace or claim when required
- explain the replacement or refund process
- give you a written case reference
Do not let a carrier claim deadline expire while the seller and recipient each assume the other is acting.
Build the claim packet
The exact requirements vary, but commonly useful documents include:
- proof of value, such as an invoice or receipt
- proof of payment where requested
- serial number or item identifier
- repair estimate for damaged goods
- photographs of the item, inner packaging, and outer carton
- shipper’s copy of the air waybill or shipping record
- signed statements or inspection records when requested
Keep damaged packaging until FedEx or the seller says it is no longer needed.
Understand declared value carefully
Declared value is not a promise that the declared amount will be paid. The applicable service terms can limit recovery based on:
- actual documented loss
- declared value
- service-specific maximums
- item type
- packaging
- prohibited or restricted contents
- whether additional requirements were met
For future high-value shipments, compare carrier declared-value protection with separate cargo or parcel insurance and read exclusions before shipping.
If the claim is denied
Request the reason and the specific missing evidence or service-guide provision. Then:
- correct factual errors
- supply missing documents
- ask the shipper to appeal if the shipper owns the claim
- use the seller’s refund or replacement process for a retail order
- use a payment dispute only when the merchant has not supplied the purchased goods and normal resolution has failed
Preventing future losses
- use a complete, validated address and return address
- place a duplicate address label inside the parcel
- package for the item’s weight and fragility
- photograph the packed item and sealed carton
- require a suitable signature option for valuable shipments
- use Hold at Location when unattended delivery is risky
- retain the receipt and service terms until delivery is complete
Distinguish a trace from a money claim
A trace asks where the shipment is and whether delivery can still be completed. A claim asks for a remedy under the shipping contract after loss or damage is established. Open the FedEx delayed-or-lost support path with the scan chronology first when location is uncertain, while preserving the invoice and shipment records needed if the case becomes a claim.
For a retail order, give the merchant the tracking number, last physical scan, promised date and FedEx case reference. Ask whether the merchant will replace/refund under the sales terms and file the carrier claim as shipper. Do not let parallel claims create inconsistent descriptions or values.
Make proof of value auditable
Use the purchase invoice, payment record, item description, serial number and evidence of any partial contents. Declared value, carrier liability and purchase price are different concepts; do not promise a payout from one field. The FedEx claims page identifies acceptable supporting records and current filing windows. Preserve original packaging for a damaged or missing-contents case when FedEx instructs, and save the submitted packet plus confirmation rather than relying on an upload screen that may later disappear.
Official sources used
- FedEx — File a Claim — Supports claimant roles, required documents, filing windows and the claims workflow.
- FedEx — Delayed or Lost Package Support — Supports opening the correct support path when tracking has stalled.