You ordered from a slick-looking online store, the order confirmation arrived, the goods didn’t, and now the website is either down or the support email bounces. Online shopping scams cost Australians tens of millions a year — but recovery is far from impossible if the operator has any Australian footprint.
The legal context
If the store has an ABN, an Australian registered company, or a director resident in Australia, the Australian Consumer Law applies in full. Statutory guarantees of acceptable quality, fitness for purpose, and supply within a reasonable time give you a clean refund right under the ACL. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the ACCC both publish warnings about specific operators — search before assuming the website is real.
Realistic outcomes
If the “store” is a Shopify front pointing to a Chinese dropshipper with no Australian entity, your only realistic recovery channels are your bank’s chargeback rights and the platform itself. A Letter of Demand to a faceless Hong Kong shell rarely produces results.
If, however, the store is run by an Australian (often exposed by the ABN lookup, ASIC search, or domain WHOIS), a Letter of Demand carries real weight because tribunal jurisdiction, default judgments and credit-file consequences become genuine threats.
The document approach
The letter should cite the specific ACL guarantees breached, attach the order confirmation and payment evidence, and demand a full refund within 14 days. It should also flag that you intend to refer the matter to the relevant state Fair Trading body and your card issuer.
What Claim Done delivers ($79)
A flat $79 gets you a properly structured Letter of Demand citing the ACL provisions, dated, signed-ready and tribunal-grade. AI-drafted from your facts, no subscriptions.
What to expect after
Lodge a chargeback with your card issuer immediately — credit cards in particular have strong dispute rights. Report the store to the ACCC’s Scamwatch, your state Fair Trading agency, and ReportCyber. Send the demand and start the 14-day clock.