Is carrier tracking enough proof of delivery for a chargeback?

Carrier tracking on its own is weak proof of delivery in a not-received chargeback, because it records a scan, not who held the parcel. Stripe wants the full delivery address, and Klarna says a tracking link alone is not enough and asks for a signature on physical orders above EUR 750.

What does a tracking page prove?

A tracking page records an event in the carrier's system and little else. It says a scan happened at a place and time, and it does not say who held the parcel afterwards.

That gap matters when a cardholder tells the bank nothing arrived. A record that shows only "Delivered, front door" with a ZIP code gives the issuer, the cardholder's bank, very little to weigh against that claim.

Open a recent delivered order and look at what your tracking record shows beyond the status line.

What delivery evidence do Stripe and Klarna ask for?

Both ask for more than a status. Stripe's guidance for physical goods says proof of delivery must include the full delivery address, not only the city and postcode.

Klarna says a tracking link alone is not enough on a goods-not-received dispute. It expects a proof of delivery attachment, and for physical orders above EUR 750 it asks for a signature.

Photos and signatures add to the record:

• Photos. FedEx picture proof of delivery is free for residential parcel shipments in the US and Canada, and unsigned deliveries need no login to view. FedEx does not say how issuers treat the image, so use it to back up the address.
• Signatures. A signature ties a named person to a date, which a scan cannot do. Klarna's EUR 750 line is a useful guide to where one lender draws it, and merchants shipping goods above that value on any payment method should consider paying for signature confirmation.

Check which of your carriers offer photo proof, and save the photo with the order once the parcel is delivered.

Why do carrier claim windows matter?

Carrier claim windows can close before a cardholder's dispute window does. UPS asks for a claim within 60 days of the scheduled delivery. USPS accepts lost-mail claims after 15 days, or 7 days for Priority Mail Express, and no later than 60 days from mailing, while FedEx allows 9 months for lost or undelivered shipments.

The cardholder's window can run much longer. Visa reason code 13.1 is the code for merchandise or services not received, and it lets the cardholder dispute within 120 days of the processing date or 120 days from the last date they expected delivery, capped at 540 days from processing. A buyer can dispute after your chance to claim against the carrier has closed.

UPS adds one more limit. Packages the driver was told to release, whether through release at address, signature release or a My Choice apartment release, are not eligible for lost-package claims. If you offer release options to cut failed deliveries, you give up the carrier claim as well as the signature, so review those settings on your UPS account.

What should the evidence file hold?

The file has to be complete before you submit, because Stripe allows evidence to be submitted once and it cannot be edited afterwards. For each shipped order, keep:

• the carrier's delivery record;
• the full delivery address;
• a signature or photo where one exists;
• the customer's order confirmation showing the same address.

Open the carrier claim as soon as a parcel is overdue and keep talking to the customer in parallel, since the carrier's window closes first. What the bank expects under this code is set out on the page for Visa reason code 13.1. Check this week that your team can pull all four records for any order in a few minutes.

Takeaway: what to do this week

1. Switch on signature for your highest-value shipments. Klarna's EUR 750 line is a useful guide.
2. Save the delivery photo with the order. Where your carrier offers photo proof, store it on the day of delivery, before anyone disputes the order.
3. Calendar carrier claim windows. UPS and USPS give 60 days, so open a claim as soon as a parcel is overdue.
4. Build the full file before you submit. Stripe takes evidence once, so include the full address and every record you hold the first time.

Sources: Stripe Docs, "Dispute evidence best practices"; Klarna Docs, "Merchant evidence gathering"; FedEx, "Picture proof of delivery"; UPS, "File a claim" (page modified 25 February 2026); USPS, "Filing a claim"; FedEx, "Claims"; Visa Core Rules and Visa Product and Service Rules (18 April 2026), Table 11-92; Stripe Docs, "Respond to disputes". All checked 24 October 2026.