Why Your Return Says 'Delivered' But Your Refund Is Still Missing

You dropped off your Lululemon return two weeks ago. The tracking shows 'delivered' six days ago. But when you check your credit card? Nothing. You refresh your banking app again. Still nothing. Where's your money?

If you're stuck in this frustrating "return delivered, no refund" limbo, you're not alone—and more importantly, you're probably not dealing with a lost refund. There's actually a multi-step process happening behind the scenes between the moment your return gets scanned at the warehouse and the moment your money appears in your account.

The Gap Between 'Delivered' and 'Refunded'

Here's the truth that most retailers don't explain upfront: "delivered" and "refunded" are two completely different milestones in the return process. When that tracking status updates to 'delivered,' it simply means the package arrived at the warehouse loading dock. That's it. Your return hasn't been opened, inspected, or approved yet.

What happens next? Your package joins a queue with potentially thousands of other returns. A warehouse team member eventually opens it, verifies the item matches what you said you were returning, checks its condition, and enters it into the system. Then the return gets approved by the merchant's system, which triggers a refund request to the payment processor. The payment processor sends the money back through the banking network, and finally your bank posts the credit to your account.

This is how returns work everywhere for basically every retailer, though the speed varies. Each of these steps takes time, and depending on the retailer's size, return volume, and internal systems, that time adds up quickly. Smaller brands with streamlined operations often move faster than large department stores handling massive return volumes.

How Long Does a Refund Actually Take?

Most retailers process refunds within 5-15 business days after your return is delivered. But that timeline can stretch depending on several factors.

Speed depends less on the type of retailer and more on their specific systems and current return volume. Some brands process returns in as little as 2-6 business days when they have efficient operations and manageable queues. Others—especially during post-holiday rushes or major sales—might take the full 10 business days or longer.

What about in-store returns? Even though returning something in person feels instant, your refund still isn't. While the store processes your return immediately, your bank needs time to post the credit. Expect to wait 3-7 business days for the money to show up in your account, sometimes up to 14 days depending on your bank's processing speed.

Your payment method also matters for both online and in-store returns. Credit card refunds typically appear within 3-5 business days once the merchant processes them, but debit card refunds can take 5-10 business days or more because they go through different banking channels. PayPal refunds often process faster once the merchant initiates them, but you're still waiting on the merchant's processing time first.

So if you're wondering "how long does a Target refund take" or "what's the Lululemon refund processing time," the answer is usually the same: expect at least 5-10 business days from delivery (for mail returns) or 3-10 business days from when you return it in-store, then add more days for your bank to post it.

Why Your Return Delivered But Your Refund Hasn't

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Even with typical processing times, several factors can push your refund past that 10-day window:

1. High Return Volume Periods

‍Returns spike massively after the holidays, during end-of-season sales, and around major shopping events. If you returned something in early January or right after Black Friday, your return is competing with thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of others for processing time.

2. Item Inspection Requirements

‍Some retailers have inspection processes that take longer than others. Athleta, for example, accepts worn returns under their "Give-it-a-Workout Guarantee," which means they need extra time to determine if items are still resellable. If there's any question about an item's condition—whether it's been worn, washed, or altered—it might get flagged for additional review before the refund is approved.

3. Payment Processing Delays

‍Weekend and bank holidays don't count as business days. If your return was processed on a Friday, the payment might not even get submitted to your bank until Monday, and then your bank needs 3-5 days to post it.

4. System Glitches or Manual Processing

‍Returns that don't scan properly or have missing information sometimes get pulled into a manual processing queue. This is rare, but it happens—and it can add several days to your timeline.

5. Split Payment Original Orders

‍If you used multiple payment methods for your original purchase (say, a gift card plus a credit card), the refund gets split too. You might see part of your refund arrive while you're still waiting on the rest.

What You Should Do Right Now

If it's been less than 10 business days since delivery: Wait it out. This is completely normal, even though it's frustrating. Use this time to double-check that you're looking at the right account—if you returned something you bought on one credit card but you're checking a different card, that would explain the mystery. (And if manually tracking returns across multiple cards sounds exhausting, that's exactly why tools like Refundly exist—to do the monitoring for you.)

If it's been 10-14 business days: It's time to reach out to customer service, but stay patient. When you contact them, have this information ready:

• Your order number
• Return tracking number
• Date the return was delivered
• Original payment method

Start with email or chat support if available—it creates a paper trail. Be direct: "My return was delivered on [date], and it's now been [X] business days. Can you confirm the refund has been processed and provide the date it was sent to my bank?" Most retailers list their official return timelines on their customer service pages—check Nordstrom's return policy if you need reference points when speaking with support.

If it's been more than 15 business days: It’s time to find your money. Request to speak with a supervisor or manager. At this point, something has possibly gone wrong: your return wasn't properly logged, the refund wasn't processed, or there's a payment system issue. Stay calm but firm, and ask for a specific timeline for resolution. If they can't provide one, mention that you'll need to dispute the charge with your credit card company.  

Stop Playing the Waiting Game

You could create a spreadsheet tracking every return, set calendar reminders to follow up, and manually check your accounts every day. Or you could let technology handle it.

Refundly automatically monitors your returns by scanning your email confirmations and tracking your credit card through secure banking connections, using Plaid: a technology relied on by some of the biggest financial apps in the world including Venmo and Chime. The moment your refund posts to your account, you get an alert. No more wondering, refreshing, or waiting anxiously for money you're owed. The best part? Refundly is free and available in the Apple App Store now.

The Bottom Line

That gap between "delivered" and "refunded" is normal, but it shouldn't leave you in the dark. Most refunds arrive within 5-15 business days after your return reaches the warehouse, and now you know exactly what's happening during that time. If you're past that, reach out.

Here's something worth knowing: Refundly's research shows that up to 7.5% of refunds encounter errors or never arrive at all. In most cases, your money is on its way, but understanding what's normal means you'll catch it early when something's off and can take action quickly. And if you're tired of manually tracking returns across multiple cards and retailers, Refundly was built specifically to eliminate that stress. Think of it as your personal refund tracking assistant, so you can stop worrying and start shopping with confidence.

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