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Precious metals travel through the mail every day, and almost every package arrives safely. When one doesn't, this article explains exactly how PeerMetals handles it: what to do, how long each step takes, and who is responsible for the loss in each situation.
Lost in transit, not insured: The buyer is refunded (minus the processing fee) and the seller is not paid for the order. The seller can file a claim with the carrier for its built-in coverage.
Lost, stolen, or damaged, with Shipping Insurance: The buyer is refunded (minus the processing fee) as soon as PeerMetals confirms the problem. PeerMetals files the insurance claim, and the seller is paid once the claim is approved. If the claim is denied for any reason, the seller absorbs the loss.
Tracking says "Delivered," but the buyer didn't get it (not insured): The order stays marked as delivered. PeerMetals reviews the case and decides whether the buyer is refunded.
Damaged in transit, not insured: The seller is responsible unless the package met our Packaging Guidelines. If it did, PeerMetals reviews the case and decides.
Returned to sender because of a wrong or incomplete address from the buyer: The buyer pays to reship it, or is refunded minus original shipping and the processing fee.
Seller shipped on their own label: The seller is responsible for any loss, theft, or damage.
Processing fees are never refunded. Every refund described in this article covers the order total minus the processing fee.
Many "missing" packages turn up within a day or two. Before opening a case:
Check tracking on your order page. Tracking updates automatically throughout the day, but USPS scans can lag, especially on weekends and holidays.
If tracking says "Delivered," check your mailbox, porch, parcel lockers, your building's mailroom or front office, neighbors, and anyone in your household who may have picked it up. USPS sometimes scans a package as delivered shortly before it actually arrives, so wait until the end of the next delivery day.
Message the seller through PeerMetals messages. They may have extra information from the carrier.
Don't verify an order you haven't received. Verifying tells us the order arrived safely and releases payment to the seller.
Open a case from your order page by selecting Report a Problem. Include photos, screenshots, and anything USPS has told you.
Delivered but not received: Report within 3 days of the "Delivered" scan. Orders are verified automatically 3 days after delivery, and once an order is verified the Report a Problem option is no longer available.
Damaged in transit: Report within 3 days of delivery. Include clear photos of the item, the inside and outside of the package, the packing materials, and the shipping label. Keep everything until the case is closed.
Stuck in transit: You can report a package as lost once tracking hasn't moved for 5 business days, or it's 5 business days past the estimated delivery date.
If you miss a window or don't see the Report a Problem option, contact support. Late reports are handled at PeerMetals' discretion.
A package is "lost in transit" when tracking stops moving and it's never scanned as delivered.
The seller files a USPS Missing Mail search. When a package stops moving, PeerMetals contacts the seller and asks them to file one. The seller is the mailer, so USPS expects the search to come from them.
We wait for USPS, up to 14 days. Most searches finish within 14 days of being filed, and many "lost" packages are found and delivered during this time.
If USPS can't find it, the order is resolved as follows:
Not insured: The buyer is refunded the order total minus the processing fee, and the seller is not paid for the order. The seller can file a claim with USPS for the coverage built into the label. USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail labels include up to $100 of coverage.
Insured: See Section 6 below.
When USPS scans a package as delivered, the carrier considers the shipment complete, and USPS usually denies claims on packages it shows as delivered. Because of this, these cases work differently from packages lost in transit.
What the buyer should do:
Report the problem on PeerMetals within 3 days of the "Delivered" scan.
Contact your local post office and file a USPS Missing Mail search. Share the service request number in your PeerMetals case.
Check any security camera footage for the delivery time shown in tracking.
If you believe the package was stolen, file a police report and share the report number in your case. Your homeowner's or renter's insurance may also cover stolen packages.
What the seller should do:
Respond to the case and share any proof of shipment, such as packing photos, video, or the drop-off receipt.
File a USPS claim if our support team asks you to. As the mailer, you're the only one who can.
How PeerMetals decides (orders without Shipping Insurance): The order stays marked as delivered, or we may place the order on hold while we review it. PeerMetals makes the final decision on whether the buyer is refunded. We look at the following to make this determination:
The delivery scan: date, time, location, and whether it matches the shipping address on the order
Signature confirmation, if it was added
The buyer's account history, including past orders and past delivery claims
The seller's account history and shipping record
USPS search results, police reports, photos, and other evidence either side provides
Other data points about the order
If PeerMetals decides the buyer should be refunded, we also decide, based on the circumstances of the case, whether the refund is charged to the seller or covered by PeerMetals.
If the order has Shipping Insurance, it's handled as described in Section 6.
Report within 3 days of delivery, with photos of the item, the package inside and out, the packing materials, and the shipping label. Don't throw anything away until the case is closed.
Not insured, and the packaging didn't meet our Packaging Guidelines: The seller is responsible, and the buyer is refunded. The seller may be asked to accept a return of the damaged item.
Not insured, and the packaging did meet our guidelines: The seller files a damage claim with USPS, and PeerMetals reviews the case and decides the outcome.
Insured: See Section 6.
PeerMetals offers Shipping Insurance through our partner Cabrella. It covers packages that are lost in transit, damaged in transit, or stolen after delivery.
Adding insurance:
Buyers can add insurance at checkout. It costs 1.45% of the item value (minimum $2.90). Maximum coverage is $1,500 for USPS Ground Advantage and $3,000 for USPS Priority Mail.
Sellers can add insurance to an order before it ships. The cost is deducted from the seller's payout balance.
Insurance only works with shipping labels purchased through PeerMetals.
If an insured package is lost, stolen, or damaged:
The buyer reports the problem using the timelines in Section 2.
Once PeerMetals confirms the loss, theft, or damage, the buyer is refunded right away (minus the processing fee). The buyer doesn't have to wait for the insurance claim.
PeerMetals files the claim with Cabrella. Claims are typically reviewed within 5–30 business days.
The seller is paid for the order once Cabrella approves the claim.
If Cabrella denies the claim, for any reason, the seller is responsible for the loss. The seller won't be paid for the order, and any amount already paid out will be recovered as a negative balance on the seller's account.
Seller requirements for insured packages. These rules protect your claim, and not following them is the most common reason a claim is denied:
Double box: Pack the item in an inner box, then place it inside an outer box with padding. Attach a copy of the shipping label to the inner box as well.
Weekday drop-off: Drop off insured packages Monday through Friday.
Signature confirmation: Required on insured orders of $1,000 or more, and adult signature is required on insured orders of $2,500 or more. PeerMetals adds these to your label automatically.
Keep proof: We strongly recommend recording a video of you packing and sealing the package, showing the item and the label.
Buyer's mistake (for example, a missing apartment number or a typo in the shipping address at checkout): if the package is returned to the seller, the buyer can either pay for a new label to have it reshipped, or be refunded minus the original shipping cost and the processing fee once the seller receives the return.
Seller's mistake (the label doesn't match the address on the order): the seller is responsible for the loss, including reshipping costs or a refund to the buyer.
Pleasefo double-check your shipping address bere you check out. Address changes after a package ships usually aren't possible.
Some sellers are approved to ship with their own labels or carrier accounts instead of a PeerMetals label. When a seller ships on their own label, the seller is responsible for loss, theft, and damage until the package is delivered. This includes packages marked "Delivered" but not received when the seller didn't add the signature confirmation or insurance the buyer paid for. PeerMetals Shipping Insurance can't be attached to labels bought outside PeerMetals.
Payment for an order is normally released after the order is verified, either by the buyer or automatically 3 days after delivery.
When a case is opened on an order, PeerMetals may place the order on hold, which pauses the seller's payment until the case is resolved. A hold doesn't mean the seller is at fault.
If a case is decided against a seller after they've already been paid, the amount owed is added to their account as a negative balance.
For buyers:
Add Shipping Insurance to valuable orders, and consider shipping to an address where someone can receive the package.
Double-check your address, including apartment or unit numbers.
Watch tracking and collect your package promptly after it's delivered.
For sellers:
Always ship with a PeerMetals label, so your package has tracking and can carry insurance.
Follow our Packaging Guidelines and record your packing process.
Ship within your stated handling time, and file a Missing Mail search promptly if we ask you to.
For high-value orders, consider adding insurance and signature confirmation yourself if the buyer didn't.
If your package is missing or damaged and you're not sure what to do next, our support team is here to help. Visit our contact page and include your order number.
