Playbooks / Online store / e-commerce seller
How to complain about a online store
Undelivered orders and refused refunds are chargeback territory first, review territory second.
What goes wrong most often
- Order never shipped and no refund issued
- Return refused despite a posted return policy
- Item materially different from the listing
- Subscription reactivated after cancellation
The evidence that decides it
- The order confirmation and shipping promise
- The listing screenshot
- The refund request and the reply
Give the order number, the promised ship date, and the days since.
The regulator most people never use
FTC and your state attorney general
The FTC Mail, Internet or Telephone Order Rule requires a refund when a seller cannot ship within the promised window. Your card issuer's chargeback window is usually 120 days.
Your state's channel is listed in the state complaint guides.
Where to post it
- TrustpilotOnline shoppers, and often the business's own website widget.
- GoogleEveryone who searches the business by name, plus everyone browsing the map for a nearby alternative.
- Better Business BureauCautious buyers who check a company before spending money, and BBB pages rank strongly in search.
- FacebookLocals, and the business's own followers.
Wording that survives moderation
Start from a review template, keep every claim tied to a document, and read the wording rules before you post. If it comes down anyway, there is an appeal path.