"Late" has a specific meaning in law, not just a feeling
A parcel that takes longer than expected is annoying, but whether it is legally late, with specific consequences for the trader, depends on rules that most shoppers never read until they need them. In the EU and the UK, there is a default maximum delivery period built into consumer law, used whenever the seller and buyer did not agree on a specific date. In the US, a comparable idea exists, but it comes from a rule aimed at mail, phone and internet orders specifically, administered by the Federal Trade Commission, rather than from a general consumer contract law.
EU: 30 days unless a different date was agreed
Under the EU Consumer Rights Directive, unless the trader and consumer agreed on a specific delivery date, the trader must deliver the goods without undue delay and, at the latest, within 30 days of the order being placed. If that deadline is missed, the consumer does not automatically get to cancel immediately; the process requires giving the trader an additional, reasonable period to deliver, and only if the trader still fails to deliver within that extra period can the consumer end the contract and get a refund. There is an exception for cases where the delivery date was essential, such as a specific event, where the consumer can end the contract immediately once the original deadline is missed, without waiting for an extra period.
UK: the same 30-day default, its own legislation
The UK's Consumer Rights Act 2015, in section 28, sets out an equivalent rule: unless a delivery time was agreed, the trader must deliver without undue delay and, in any event, no later than 30 days after the contract was entered into. As in the EU, missing this default deadline generally means the consumer can ask for a new, reasonable delivery date rather than cancelling outright, though the consumer can end the contract straight away if time was clearly essential to the purchase, or if the trader has refused to deliver, or if it becomes clear delivery will not happen in time even with an extension.
US: a 30-day rule aimed specifically at mail, phone and internet orders
The US equivalent sits in the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule. A seller who does not state a specific shipping time must have a reasonable basis for believing the order can ship within 30 days of receiving a properly completed order; if the purchase involves the buyer applying for in-house credit, the seller gets up to 50 days instead. If a shipment will be delayed beyond the promised or default period, the seller has to notify the buyer, give a revised shipping date or say that none can be given, and make clear that the buyer can agree to the delay or cancel for a refund. A delay of more than 30 days beyond the original deadline, without the buyer's active agreement, generally leads to an automatic cancellation and refund under the rule. Unlike the EU and UK rules, this one is specifically about shipping the order, not about the trader-buyer contract more broadly, and it is enforced by the FTC rather than through the same general consumer contract framework used elsewhere in the US.
What actually changes if delivery is late
- In the EU and the UK, check whether a specific delivery date was agreed at checkout; if not, the 30-day default applies, and the usual next step is to request delivery within a reasonable extra period before cancelling.
- In the US, look at what the seller stated about shipping time at the point of order; if nothing was stated, the 30-day, or 50-day for credit purchases, default under the FTC rule applies, and a delay notice from the seller should explain the next steps and the right to cancel.
- Across all three regions, a voucher code or coupon code used on the order has no effect on the delivery deadline that applies; the discount changes the price, not the delivery obligation.
- Keep the order confirmation, since it usually records whether a specific date was promised or the default period applies.
We track listed codes across 527 shops in 22 countries on daily-coupons.info, and the US site covers the same approach for US shoppers. None of this changes a seller's delivery obligations, which come from the applicable consumer law rather than from us.
This article gives general information, not legal advice. The exact delivery deadline and the remedy for missing it depend on what was agreed at the time of order and on the consumer law of the country involved.
Frequently asked questions
Can a seller just keep extending the delivery date indefinitely?
In the EU and the UK, no, not without consequence. Once the original or agreed period has passed, the consumer can set a further reasonable deadline, and if that is also missed, generally has the right to cancel and be refunded. In the US, under the FTC rule, a delay beyond 30 days past the original deadline generally requires the buyer's active consent or the order is treated as cancelled.
Does the 30-day EU or UK default apply to digital services too?
The 30-day delivery default under these rules is specifically about goods. Digital content and services are generally covered by other provisions in the same legislation, with different starting points, such as the date the contract was concluded rather than a delivery date.
What if the checkout page just says "delivery in 3 to 5 days" but it takes longer?
That stated estimate normally becomes the agreed delivery time, in the EU and the UK, in place of the 30-day default, and a serious delay against that stated period can be treated the same way as missing the default deadline. In the US, a specific stated timeframe is likewise what the FTC rule expects the seller to meet.
Who is responsible if a carrier, not the seller, causes the delay?
In the EU and the UK, the trader is generally responsible to the consumer for delivery being on time, since the contract is between the trader and the consumer, even where a third-party carrier caused the delay; the trader can separately pursue the carrier. In the US, the FTC rule places the shipping-time obligation on the seller in the same way.
