InPost tracking status

InPost “Contact the retailer”: what it means

The short answer

Take action

Your parcel is usually going back, or has gone back, to the sender, because InPost could not complete the delivery or your collection time ran out. Only the retailer or marketplace can now arrange a redelivery or refund.

When to act: As soon as you see this status, file a complaint and we send it to the retailer or marketplace.

Also shown as: “Uh oh... your parcel is heading back to sender” · “It's back!”

What to do now

Check the tracking history for the reason: a parcel not collected in time, a full or faulty locker, or a failed home delivery.
If your collection time has only just run out, go to the locker quickly: InPost says the parcel may still be there until the courier removes it.
Check the retailer's returns policy for how refunds are paid once the parcel is back.
Keep tracking screenshots and your order number in case the refund is delayed.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to the seller, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

What does “Contact the retailer” mean?

InPost does not define the app label 'Contact the retailer', but it usually appears when a parcel is going back to the sender. InPost lists three reasons for a return: nobody collected it within 72 hours, it could not be delivered to the locker or shop (for example because of roadworks, a full or faulty locker, or missing address details), or a home delivery failed because nobody was in or the parcel was refused. On the website this shows as 'Uh oh... your parcel is heading back to sender' and later 'It's back!'.

InPost does not redeliver a parcel once it is on its way back. It says refunds and redeliveries are up to the retailer or marketplace. If your collection window has only just passed, InPost says the parcel may still be in the locker until the courier removes it.

Why does InPost show it?

The parcel was not collected within 72 hours
The locker was full, faulty or blocked by roadworks
The address details were missing or wrong
Nobody was home for a home delivery
The parcel was refused

How long does it last?

The parcel travels back to the sender, and the retailer or seller then decides on a refund or a new delivery. How fast the refund comes depends on the retailer.

Other InPost statuses

Off it goesNormal
It's close, stay tunedNormal
It's on the moveNormal
Locker full, we'll be backKeep an eye on it
Ready to collectTake action
Parcel was refusedTake action
Tracking not updatingKeep an eye on it
Parcel being preppedNormal

All InPost statuses →

Who is responsible for a late or missing parcel from InPost?

If you bought online from a business, the seller is usually responsible until the parcel reaches you. Under UK consumer law (the Consumer Rights Act), the goods stay at the seller's risk until you have them, unless you chose and booked the courier yourself. If you bought from a private seller on a marketplace such as Vinted, the platform's own rules decide refunds.

If you sent the parcel yourself, your contract is with InPost, under its terms. For labels bought in the InPost app or on its website, standard cover is the lower of the item's cost value or £50, and InPost Direct (formerly Yodel Direct) bookings include £50 cover.

Questions about “Contact the retailer”

What does 'Contact the retailer' mean on InPost?

InPost does not define it, but it usually means the delivery could not be completed or the parcel was not collected in time, so it is going back to the sender. The retailer or marketplace must arrange a refund or redelivery.

Can InPost redeliver my parcel after 'Contact the retailer'?

No. Once a parcel is on its way back, InPost does not redeliver it and says a redelivery or refund is up to the retailer. File a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to them.

Can InPost extend my collection time?

No. InPost says it cannot extend the collection window for individual parcels, but you can share your collection code with someone you trust.

Will I get a refund if my InPost parcel goes back?

Refunds come from the retailer or marketplace, not InPost. If InPost could not deliver it, a UK retailer still has to deliver your order or refund you. If you missed the collection window, check the retailer's returns policy.

Based on

InPost: Returned to sender explained
InPost blog: Track or Treat (what each tracking update means, 48 and 72 hour guidance)
InPost blog: Don't ghost your parcels (3-day collection window, no extensions)
InPost: Contact us (tracking not updated, return reasons)
Pango: InPost tracking statuses explained (secondary source)
legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act, section 29 (goods stay at the seller's risk until they reach you)
Vinted: Refund Policy (2 days to report an issue, lost parcel after 25 business days)
InPost: Terms of Service (compensation, 72-hour collection, refusing parcels)
InPost Direct (formerly Yodel Direct): Terms and Conditions (£50 cover)