How should I respond to an Etsy customer complaining about delivery delays after tracking shows delivered?

Hi! I’d reply with empathy first, then calmly point to the tracking status and offer a clear “here’s what we can do next” plan. Something like this usually lands well and doesn’t sound defensive:

“Hi [Name] — thanks for reaching out, and I’m really sorry this has been frustrating (especially around the holidays). I shipped your order on [date] within my processing time, and the carrier tracking currently shows it as Delivered on [date/time]. That said, I completely understand that sometimes packages are marked delivered before they’re actually in hand. Let’s try a couple quick steps to locate it.”

If they still say they don’t have it, here are the steps you can offer (in this order):

1. Ask them to check common delivery spots (front/side/back door, porch box, garage, mailroom/locker, package room) and with household members.
2. Ask them to check with neighbors/building staff (sometimes it’s left with a neighbor, leasing office, concierge, or mail carrier hold area).
3. Ask them to confirm the shipping address on the order matches where they expect it to go (no need for them to send you their full address—just “yes, that’s correct” or “oops, it’s wrong”).
4. Have them contact the carrier with the tracking number and request the GPS delivery details / delivery scan info (many carriers can confirm where it was scanned as delivered).
5. Give a short waiting window if it was just marked delivered (it’s pretty common for it to show “delivered” and arrive later that day or the next business day).

Then close with a reassuring next step from you, for example:

“If it still hasn’t turned up after checking those spots and speaking with the carrier, please message me and I’ll help you with the next steps through Etsy. My goal is to make sure you’re taken care of.”

A couple of important “behind the scenes” tips for you (so you stay protected while still being helpful):

• Don’t imply you forgot/failed to ship if you didn’t—keep it factual: “shipped on [date], tracking shows delivered on [date].”
• Keep everything in Etsy Messages in case the order turns into a case.
• If the buyer escalates, you can encourage them to use Etsy’s case system so the situation is handled through the proper channel—especially when tracking shows delivered.

If you want, paste your draft reply (remove names/order details) and I’ll rewrite it in your tone—friendly, firm, and professional.