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What should I do if an Etsy replacement order arrives and the original package is delivered too?
AAnonymous
• • 1 answer I sell physical items on Etsy, and a customer reported their package never arrived because tracking looked stuck in transit. After checking with the carrier and being told it was likely lost, I shipped a tracked replacement.
A couple days later, the original shipment updated as delivered, so it looks like the buyer may have received both the replacement and the original. They left a positive review but haven’t mentioned the extra item.
Should I reach out to the customer about the duplicate delivery, and if so, is it reasonable to ask them to return or pay for the extra item?
Answers
Hi! Yes, it’s totally fine (and usually a good idea) to message the buyer—just keep it light and “checking in,” not accusatory. It’s reasonable to ask if they received two packages and, if they did, to offer a simple option to return the extra item with you providing a prepaid return label. What I wouldn’t do is demand they pay for the extra one; that often backfires and can create an Etsy case or a bad experience even when the buyer did nothing wrong.
If you want to reach out, a good approach is:
- Confirm what actually happened: tracking can be wrong, neighbors/household members can bring things in, or the “replacement” might be the one that delivered.
- If they truly have both, give them choices that feel fair and easy.
Here’s a message you can copy/paste in Etsy Messages:
“Hi [Name]! I’m so glad your order arrived and thank you for the lovely review. Quick check-in: the original shipment that was stuck in transit just updated as delivered after I sent the replacement. Would you mind confirming whether you received one package or two? If two arrived, I can send a prepaid return label to get the duplicate back—totally up to you, just let me know what’s easiest.”
A few practical notes:
- If you ask for a return, you should cover return shipping (since the duplicate wasn’t their mistake).
- If they offer to pay instead: the clean Etsy way is to create a reserved/custom listing for the duplicate item (or an “extra item” listing) so any payment stays on-platform. Don’t push them into this—only do it if they suggest it.
- If the item is low cost or not worth the hassle: it can be smarter to let them keep it and treat it as a goodwill win (and adjust your “lost in transit” process going forward).
Bottom line: message them politely, confirm first, and if it’s truly a duplicate, asking for a return is fair as long as you make it easy (prepaid label). Asking them to pay is something I’d only do if they bring it up and you handle it through Etsy.
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