An order moves through five stages. Knowing which one you are at tells you what you can still do.
Paid — your payment went through and the order is confirmed. The seller can see it.
Processing — the seller has seen the order and is getting it ready to post.
Shipped — the seller has entered a courier name and tracking number. You can follow the parcel now.
Delivered — the courier says it reached your address.
Received — you have confirmed you have the item and checked it. The seller gets paid after this.
Delivered is not the same as Received
This is the part people get wrong. Delivered is the courier's word. Received is yours, and only you can set it.
A parcel can show as delivered while it is sitting with a neighbour, or while what is inside is not what you ordered. Your money stays held until you say Received, so take the time to open the parcel and check the item first.
What you can do at each stage
- Paid or Processing — ask the seller to cancel if you have changed your mind
- Shipped — track the parcel; raise a ticket if tracking stops moving
- Delivered — check the item, then either confirm receipt or raise a ticket
- Received — the return window is running; a return is still possible until it closes
Never mark an order Received because a seller asks you to as a favour. Once it is done, your money is on its way to them.