Find out where the order is
A wrong shipping address is a small problem or an expensive one depending entirely on timing. Before you reply to the customer, check two things: the order's fulfillment status in Shopify, and the tracking status with the carrier.
Those two answers tell you which of the sections below applies. They also tell you what to promise the customer. "I've fixed it" and "I'll try to redirect it" are very different replies.
If the order hasn't shipped
This is the good outcome. Edit the shipping address on the order, void any label that's already been printed, and buy a new one. If a 3PL fulfills for you, confirm the change with them directly, because they may be working from a copy of the order made before your edit.
For the step-by-step version, see How to change a shipping address in Shopify.
If the package is in transit
Once the carrier has the package, the fix is an intercept: a paid request asking the carrier to stop the package and reroute it, hold it, or send it back. Intercepts are requested from the shipper's side, so you'll usually need to do this rather than the customer.
| Carrier | Service | Published fee (2026) | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | Package Intercept | $19.45 per package | Charged only if it succeeds; new postage may apply; domestic only |
| UPS | Delivery Intercept | $21 online, $27 by phone | Charged only if it succeeds; request before the first delivery attempt |
| FedEx | Delivery Manager / customer service | Varies by change | Fee depends on the type of reroute |
A few things decide whether an intercept works:
- Speed. Intercepts fail once the package is out for delivery. Submit the request the same day the customer contacts you.
- The service you shipped with. Untracked services can't be intercepted, and international shipments usually can't either.
- Your label provider. If you buy discounted labels through Shopify Shipping or a shipping app, the request and billing may run through that provider rather than the carrier directly.
Tell the customer an intercept is an attempt, not a guarantee, and update them when the carrier confirms.
If it was delivered to the wrong address
If tracking shows delivered, the carrier did its job: it went where the label said. Your options:
- Ask the customer to retrieve it. If it went to an old address, a previous employer, or a relative, they may be able to collect it or ask whoever lives there to forward it.
- Ask the current resident to return it. Some will, especially with a prepaid return label.
- Reship. Send a replacement to the correct address, and decide under your policy who covers it.
If it comes back undeliverable
When an address can't be delivered at all, the carrier returns the package to you, and you'll usually be billed for the return. UPS and FedEx may also charge an address correction fee if they fix the address themselves, roughly $25 per package in 2026, sometimes without much notice.
When it lands back with you, confirm the correct address with the customer before reshipping. Then charge the new shipping or absorb it, depending on your policy.
Who pays for a wrong shipping address?
Decide this before it happens, and put it in your shipping policy so your team isn't negotiating case by case. A common split:
- Customer typo, caught before shipping: free fix. It costs you almost nothing.
- Customer typo, caught after shipping: customer pays the intercept fee or the reship postage.
- Carrier or store error: you pay.
A line you can adapt for your policy page:
"Please check your shipping address before placing your order. We can update addresses free of charge until your order ships. After that, any carrier fees for redirecting or reshipping a package to a corrected address are the customer's responsibility."
Stop the next one before it ships
Every section above "If the order hasn't shipped" costs money. The cheapest wrong shipping address is the one fixed before the label prints:
- Turn on address validation or autocomplete at checkout to catch typos and missing apartment numbers.
- Show the shipping address prominently in the order confirmation email, so customers notice mistakes while there's still time.
- Give customers a way to fix it themselves within a set window. See How long should customers have to change their order?
Questions
Can I redirect a package that has already shipped?
Usually, if it's domestic, tracked, and not yet out for delivery. USPS, UPS, and FedEx all offer paid intercept or reroute options, requested from the shipper's account.
How much does it cost to intercept a package?
As of 2026, USPS Package Intercept is $19.45 and UPS Delivery Intercept is $21 online, both charged only if the intercept succeeds. FedEx fees vary by the change requested. Rates usually rise each January.
Can the customer redirect the package themselves?
Sometimes, through the carrier's own delivery-management account, but options are more limited for recipients. It's usually faster and more reliable for the store to request it.
What if the customer entered the wrong address on purpose?
Treat repeated or suspicious address changes with care, especially on high-value orders or changes to a different country. Hold the order and verify with the customer before shipping.
Should I refund an order shipped to the wrong address?
It depends on whose mistake it was and what your policy says. Many stores reship or refund once the original package is returned, rather than before.
