Received (mostly) Empty Box

[egarchow89]

Hi all I received a box today that was quite beat up and was supposed to have a box of trading cards in it. Instead all that was inside was newspaper.

The label lists the weight as 4 lbs but the actual weight was under 8 oz. This was sent through UPS.

A couple of questions:

First, if the item fell out and UPS retaped the box, wouldn't there be some kind of note on it? I honestly can't tell if the box has been retaped or not plus it seems like if the item fell out the newpaper would have too. And how likely is it that in UPS' possession the item would be stolen from the box?

Anyways, I am not even sure what to do in the resolution center. Do I select "Missing Parts or Pieces?" The entire item is missing so I don't want to get hosed on a technicality. Also the button says "return for refund," is that the only option here? I don't want to go to the trouble to send back newpaper if it can be avoided, and I don't want the seller to pay for return shipping if it can be avoided. Also, if I get the refund, how do I make sure I get my original shipping I paid back too?

I suppose a bunch of things could have happened, but based on there being newspaper in the box and no note from UPS about damage to the box, it really seems like the seller never put the item in the box, whether accidentally or on purpose, so I want to make sure I don't hit the wrong button and forfeit $230 for some crumpled newspaper. Thanks for any tips!

[chinohighcowboys1963]

Open  case for SNAD, and when eBay tells you to return item, send back the empty box.

[lintbrush*]

Use the Contact Seller - and pick Item Not As Described/Missing Parts.

You can type a little blurb about the arrival of the box - and that the only thing remaining was some newspaper.  If you can attach a picture of the beaten up box, then do so.

The seller will have 3 business days to offer a resolution.

They can choose Return for Refund (they pay return shipping), Refund (without requiring a return) or Partial Refund offer.  (Obviously you won't accept the last option)

If you file tonight, the seller will have until midnight Tuesday to resolve (many will do it faster - some not so much).  If they fail to respond, then Wednesday you can ask eBay to intervene.

[mscarlett1450]

4 lb. label on an 8 oz. package?  Sounds like a switched label to me.  I've accidently done that before. 

Fortunately for me my postal clerk caught it in time. 

I don't know why the package was empty and neither do you.  Did you think to contact the seller and ask before you went to the Resolution Center?  There's plenty of time to file a dispute if the seller won't help. 

[egarchow89]

Thank you for the help. The seller wanted my phone number to give to UPS, and now I have a message from UPS that they want to inspect the box. If this is for insurance purposes for the seller, I want to help, but (sorry for being paranoid but this is the internet after all) I am concerned that if UPS inspects the box and says it wasn't tampered with, does that have any effect on the case if this isn't an honest mistake by the seller? I can understand if the seller wants to make sure the box arrived empty, but at the same time if something is going on here I don't want to get hosed and get no item for $230.

[deep-garnet-red · Accepted solution]

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@egarchow89 wrote:

Thank you for the help. The seller wanted my phone number to give to UPS, and now I have a message from UPS that they want to inspect the box. If this is for insurance purposes for the seller, I want to help, but (sorry for being paranoid but this is the internet after all) I am concerned that if UPS inspects the box and says it wasn't tampered with, does that have any effect on the case if this isn't an honest mistake by the seller? I can understand if the seller wants to make sure the box arrived empty, but at the same time if something is going on here I don't want to get hosed and get no item for $230.

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No, that will not affect your case either way. If you received an empty box the seller has to refund you no matter what. What UPS decides will only affect whether the seller can recover the money.

[deep-garnet-red]

I'll add that there is no reason for you to have to wait for the seller to track stuff down. The item wasn't in the box. Tell the seller you want a refund. Don't let them stretch it out. Either they refund you straight out or you file the INR case.

[ejbgquick]

I will note a similar experience.  I got a box that was missing a portion of the materials.   From the way it was packed, it could have been one end of the box openned in shipment and things fell out.  This was reinforced by the fact that that end of the box was coated with clear shipping tape, other end was not.

I took pictures for seller (they made good and shipped me the missing parts) and I don't know if any resolution ever happened, but there was no note or writing on the box to indicate any issue happened

[deep-garnet-red]

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@deep-garnet-red wrote:

I'll add that there is no reason for you to have to wait for the seller to track stuff down. The item wasn't in the box. Tell the seller you want a refund. Don't let them stretch it out. Either they refund you straight out or you file the INR case.

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Oops...should read "file the SNAD case". An INR case wouldn't do any good in this situation because something is shown as received.

[sbuf1234]

what is an INR

[castlemagicmemories]

You open a not as described item case.

Seller will decide if they required a return or not.  

[muffetmedia]

Item Not Received.

(I also kinda wish people would stop using 'SNAD', as it's an outdated acronym. The current term is actually Item Not As Described. (Significantly or otherwise.) 😊

[chrysylys]

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@muffetmedia wrote:

(I also kinda wish people would stop ...

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... bumping old threads.

[muffetmedia]

If it's still active and users are still getting useful info from it, it's not an 'old' thread.