Shopify Package Stolen From Porch: 5 Checks, 3 Replies

This guide covers that ticket: what to open, what to write, and when a person should take over. It applies when tracking says delivered and the customer saw the parcel taken or thinks it was. If the parcel never arrived and nobody knows where it is, read our Shopify lost package policy guide instead. It's listed at the end of this article.

Stolen or lost: name the case first

These two tickets look alike, but they need different replies.

• Lost: the parcel never got a delivered scan, or it went somewhere else. You chase the carrier.
• Stolen: tracking shows delivered, and then the parcel was taken. You decide using your written policy.

"It says delivered but I don't have it" is not a theft yet. It could be with a neighbor, in a mailroom or at the wrong door. "My doorbell camera shows someone taking it" is a theft. If you can't tell which one it is, ask before you decide.

Who pays, in short

Who pays depends on what was in place before the order shipped: shipping protection, insurance, a signature requirement and your written rule. If none of these apply, the decision is yours. Set the rule first with our Shopify porch theft policy guide, listed at the end of this article, then use this article to apply it ticket by ticket.

The 5 checks to run in Shopify before you reply

Don't answer a theft ticket from memory. Open the order in your Shopify admin and go through these checks in this order. Each one changes the reply.

Check 1: Shipping address. Compare the address on the order with what the customer says. Look for a missing apartment number, an old address or a business address that is closed on weekends. If the customer typed the address wrong, the case is different from a theft at the right door. What it changes: a wrong address means you treat it as an address issue, not a theft.

Check 2: Tracking status and delivery date. Open the fulfillment on the order and check the tracking number, the carrier status and the delivery date. Then compare them with the date the customer wrote to you.

• Delivered yesterday, customer writes today: a normal claim.
• Delivered weeks ago, customer writes now: ask why it took so long before you decide.
• Theft reported before the delivered scan: the story doesn't match. Escalate.

What it changes: the timeline tells you whether the claim fits the facts.

Check 3: Shipping protection or insurance. Check whether the customer added shipping protection at checkout or whether you insured the parcel. Depending on the app you use, look at the order's line items, tags or notes. What it changes: if protection is on the order, the claim goes through that provider, and you use reply 2 below.

Check 4: Past claims from this customer or address. Open the customer profile from the order and look at their order history. Search your orders for the same shipping address. Tags like "reshipped" or "theft claim" make this fast. If your team doesn't tag these yet, start today. What it changes: a first claim and a third claim at the same address should not get the same answer.

Check 5: Order value. Compare the order total with the value limit in your policy, if you have one. Above that limit, a person on your team decides. What it changes: high value orders go to your escalation list, not to a template.

If something is missing: if any check is unclear, don't promise a refund or a reship yet. Ask for the one thing you need, like a photo of the delivery spot, a camera clip or a police report number. Say what happens once you have it. Keep it simple, so honest customers can send it in a minute.

Example: "Hi Sam, I'm sorry about your package. I checked order #1042: tracking shows it was delivered on Tuesday. To move forward, could you send a photo of where it was left, or a camera clip if you have one? Once I have it, I'll confirm the next step on this thread."

Three replies that close the ticket

Each reply follows the same structure: what you checked, what you decided, what happens next. That structure stops the back and forth.

Reply 1: you replace the order. Use it when: right address, delivered scan, first claim, order value under your limit, and your policy allows a replacement.

"Hi Sam, I'm sorry your package was taken. I checked order #1042: it was delivered to the right address on Tuesday. This is your first claim with us, so we're sending a replacement at no cost."

• Adapt to your store: add one line on how the customer will get the new tracking, matching the way your store sends it.
• Don't write: "this won't happen again" or "we'll always replace." You can't promise either, and the next agent will have to live with it.

Reply 2: shipping protection covers it. Use it when: check 3 showed protection on the order.

"Hi Sam, I'm sorry your package was taken. Your order #1042 included shipping protection, so the claim goes through them. Here's the link to file it. You'll need your order number and the delivery date. If anything gets stuck, reply here and we'll help."

• Don't write: a time frame for the provider's decision. You don't control it.

Reply 3: your policy says no. Use it when: right address, delivered scan, no protection, and your policy doesn't cover theft after delivery, or the customer has used up what the policy allows.

"Hi Sam, I'm sorry your package was taken. I checked order #1042: it was delivered to the address on file on Tuesday, with no shipping protection on the order. Under our delivery policy, we can't replace orders stolen after delivery. You may want to check whether other cover, such as your own insurance, may apply."

• Don't write: anything that sounds like you doubt the customer. Stick to the order facts and the rule.

Once the reply goes out, tag the order. Next month's check 4 depends on it.

The escalation list: when a person takes over

Some theft claims shouldn't get a template. Send the ticket to your team when:

• the order value is above your policy limit;
• the customer or the address has made a theft claim before;
• the customer mentions a chargeback, a dispute with their bank or legal action;
• the shipping address was changed after the order was placed;
• the story doesn't match the tracking, for example theft reported before the delivered scan;
• the customer asks for something your policy doesn't cover, like a refund and a reship together.

What to pass along with the ticket. A good handoff saves your teammate from redoing the checks. Attach:

• the order number and order value;
• the tracking status and delivery date;
• whether protection or insurance was on the order;
• the number of past claims for this customer and address;
• which rule on the list triggered the escalation.

Write the list down and share it. Every agent, human or AI, should follow the same line.

How Relay fits into a porch theft ticket

A porch theft ticket is the same work every time: read the claim, open the order, apply the rule, then reply or pass it on. Relay is an AI support agent that understands your product, answers customer questions, takes action, and knows when to bring in your team.

Relay works in four steps: Understand, Decide, Act, Escalate.

You stay in control. You set your rules and your permissions. Relay answers, refunds and resolves your Shopify tickets 24/7, following your rules.

Want to know what these tickets cost you today? Run your numbers with our Shopify customer support cost calculator, listed at the end of this article. You'll find more rule guides in the Policies category of our blog.

FAQ

What should I check before replying to a stolen package ticket? Check five things on the Shopify order: the shipping address, the tracking status and delivery date, shipping protection or insurance, past claims from the customer or address, and the order value. Each one changes the reply.

Should I ask the customer for proof of theft? Ask for one simple piece when the facts are unclear: a photo of the delivery spot, a camera clip or a police report number. Don't make it so hard that honest customers give up.

Which porch theft tickets should go to a person? High value orders, repeat claims, chargeback or legal threats, addresses changed after the order, and stories that don't match the tracking. Pass along the order details so nobody redoes the checks.

Can AI answer porch theft tickets safely? It starts with written rules and clear limits, like the five checks and the escalation list above. Relay follows your rules and knows when to bring in your team.

Stop answering these by hand.