Pipped at the porch: Parcels lost to the tune of $867 million
A massive wave of lost and stolen deliveries is costing Australians a fortune as packages vanish from doorsteps and transit routes nationwide, according to new research by Finder.
Â
A Finder survey of 1,006 Australians found nearly 1 in 5 (18%) have had a parcel go missing in the past year – the equivalent of 3.9 million lost deliveries nationwide.
Â
While 4% reported theft from their property, others faced logistical failures, with packages vanishing in transit (7%) being delivered to the wrong location (7%).
Â
These mishaps carry a heavy price tag, with the average lost parcel valued at $221, resulting in a staggering $867 million nationwide loss.
Â
Angus Kidman, money expert at Finder, said missed or stolen deliveries have become an increasingly common headache for Australian shoppers.
Â
"As online purchases surge, so do reports of parcels going missing before they ever reach the front door.
Â
"The problem isn't just annoying – it's costly."
Â
Kidman said the increase in home deliveries has made unattended packages an easy target for opportunistic thieves.
Â
"Tracking estimated delivery dates can help people plan ahead. Redirecting parcels to secure collection points, like your workplace or a parcel locker, is a safer option if no one will be home or the delivery date isn't clear.
Â
"Other measures, such as requesting signature-on-delivery, installing security cameras and providing clear instructions for couriers to leave packages in a secure location can also help protect your purchases.
Â
"If goods never arrive, you can also potentially claim a chargeback on the credit card used to pay for the goods."
Â
Residents of New South Wales and Victoria were the most likely to have a parcel go missing (20%), but for different reasons.
Â
Those in New South Wales were most likely to have a parcel delivered to the wrong address (10%), whilst those in Victoria and Queensland were more likely to report a package was lost in transit (9%).
Â
Gen Y was the generation most likely to have a package go missing (27%), followed by gen Z (22%).
Â
Not surprisingly, regional Aussies were less likely to have a package stolen from their address (1% vs 6%), but slightly more likely for it to go missing in transit (8% vs 7%).
Â
Australia's favorite home security systems have been revealed by Finder in the Customer Satisfaction Retail Awards 2025.
Â
Eufy dominated this year, taking out 3 awards including most loved, most recommended, and top value home security system.
Â
The most reliable home security system was secured by Ring.
Â
| Most Loved Home Security System | Eufy |
| Most Recommended Home Security System | Eufy |
| Top Value Home Security System | Eufy |
| Most Reliable Home Security System | Ring |
| Source: Finder Customer Satisfaction Retail Awards 2025 |  |
Â
Have you had a parcel go missing in the past 12 months?
| Yes, it was stolen from my address | 4% |
| Yes, it was delivered to the wrong address | 7% |
| Yes, it was lost in transit | 7% |
| No | 82% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,006 respondents, December 2025 | |
Methodology
- Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker is a monthly recurring nationally representative survey of more than 60,000 respondents.
- Figures in this release are based on 1,006 respondents from December 2025.
- The Consumer Sentiment Tracker is owned by Finder and operated by Qualtrics.
- The survey has been running monthly since May 2019.
Ask a question