Bought an item and I never received it

[realestatemiller]

I bought a product and an empty envelope arrived.  I reached out to the seller and they said they would look into it.  They now have a message that they are out of the country until 12/21/2023. Funny thing is when I email them I get that message but I still see their products for sale??  

[lakefor94]

Go to your eBay Purchase History and open a return case.
Find the item in your Purchase History and press the big, blue 'Return this item' button. Select "Item is Not as Described" as the reason for the return.

If it requires you to upload a photo to the return case you will need to do that.

 
Seller will be required to provide a prepaid shipping label IF they want the item back before refunding. Send the item back with the prepaid return label.

When the return tracking shows delivered back to the seller, the seller will have 2 days to inspect and refund your purchase. If that does not happen, on day 3 there will be an "Ask eBay to Step In", option for you to click on. EBay will refund your money.

If seller does not send a return label within 3 days and the "Ask eBay To Step In" option is not available, you will have to contact eBay. Contact eBay thru Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/eBayForBusiness/
Using the instant messaging and explain that the seller has not provided a return label.

Under NO circumstances do you close the return before getting your refund, REGARDLESS of what the seller might tell you.

 
Come back here with any or all questions you might have throughout this process.

[ittybitnot]

I bought a product and an empty envelope arrived. 

@realestatemiller 

Since you got "something" you need to file an item NOT AS DESCRIBED complaint.  Choose wrong item sent or missing parts or pieces.  If you file item not received, you will lose since there is likely tracking on the envelope.  eBay does not care in these cases what was in the envelope. 

It does not matter what the seller's return policy is. Once you file the claim, they should send you a return label for that "envelope".  If they don't, you need to return to the claim after three or four days and escalate (ask eBay to step in and help).  

Do not fall for any "stalling" techniques.  Do not accept a partial refund, nor have the seller resend the item. Get your money back. 

[mtgraves7984]

They now have a message that they are out of the country until 12/21/2023.

@realestatemiller 

Don't worry. You'll have it resolved long before then. Open your Return request. Good luck.

[realestatemiller]

They requested me to send it back.  Out of the country.  I requested a shipping label because it was free shipping and it never moved beyond that.  I remember when it was much easier to reach out to eBay in a similar situation

[lamber9347]

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@realestatemiller wrote:

They requested me to send it back.  Out of the country.  I requested a shipping label because it was free shipping and it never moved beyond that.  I remember when it was much easier to reach out to eBay in a similar situation

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There is no reason nor need to reach out to eBay as the process is completely automated (and purposely done this way). It's unclear if you are simply asking the seller for a return label or if you actually opened a return case. Follow the advice from message 2 and use the system in order for you to get your money back. You need to fight fire with fire and always follow the policies. Best of luck to you....

[mtgraves7984]

They requested me to send it back.

@realestatemiller 

Great. Hopefully they'll respond to the Return request in the same manner. If not, escalate it to eBay through the case.

[lux.ra_14]

I received an empty envelope this week that was supposed to contain a small USB adapter. The envelope was sealed, and the only contents were a packing slip and a small bag that should have held the part.

Opened a return request and was quickly refunded. I've always been skeptical of empty envelope claims, especially when there's no apparent tampering. What I think actually happened in my case: Seller ran out of stock, and he shipped the empty envelope on purpose. Only cost him a first-class stamp instead of an out-of-stock defect.

[zgnisaer]

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@lux.ra_14 wrote:

I received an empty envelope this week that was supposed to contain a small USB adapter. The envelope was sealed, and the only contents were a packing slip and a small bag that should have held the part.

Opened a return request and was quickly refunded. I've always been skeptical of empty envelope claims, especially when there's no apparent tampering. What I think actually happened in my case: Seller ran out of stock, and he shipped the empty envelope on purpose. Only cost him a first-class stamp instead of an out-of-stock defect. 

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Um, a first-class stamp doesn't have tracking to prove the envelope was shipped, or that you received anything.

So the seller might as well have not shipped at all @lux.ra_14 if it was just shipped using a first-class stamp.

[deltilogical]

Hopefully the OP filed the IND.   The automated process should work out.  

I tape all my envelopes.  The security gummed envelopes are easily opened. 

For the seller to ship an empty envelope doesn't make any sense, there is nothing in it other than wasting the postage. 

However, as a seller, I can tell you, stupid things do happen.   

[mudshark61369]

@realestatemiller,

" They now have a message that they are out of the country until 12/21/2023. Funny thing is when I email them I get that message but I still see their products for sale??"

Go to the listing in question and click on See other items button.  If you see that message on their listings, do not worry.  File the dispute like @lakefor94 told you.  If the seller doesn't respond within 3 days by sending a return shipping label, on day 4 ask ebay to step in.  They will provide a refund and take it from the seller's account.

 Before asking ebay to step in leave appropriate feedback, but do not mention having to contact ebay to get a refund or call the seller names.

[lux.ra_14]

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@zgnisaer wrote:Um, a first-class stamp doesn't have tracking to prove the envelope was shipped, or that you received anything.

So the seller might as well have not shipped at all @lux.ra_14 if it was just shipped using a first-class stamp.

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True, but the item was $1.59 with free shipping. The stamp and lack of tracking is irrelevant, since it probably would have shipped that way anyway. Seller marked the item as shipped on eBay, and I effectively marked it as received by (correctly) opening a not-as-described case for the empty envelope. Appearing to not have shipped at all would not go over as well with a buyer or with eBay.

It's not implausible to believe the seller ran out and wanted to avoid an out-of-stock defect. Who knows how many he might already have? And how else to explain receiving an empty envelope with no sign that it had been opened along the way? I suppose the seller could be daft and just forgot to enclose the item -- even though he did include the packing slip and the small, zip lock bag the item should have been in.

Anyway, I was just speculating on how some empty envelope situations might occur. I always assumed buyer fraud when the envelope or box arrived unmarred, but there are clearly other possibilities. 

[an-36344]

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@lux.ra_14 wrote:

True, but the item was $1.59 with free shipping. The stamp and lack of tracking is irrelevant 

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Just today my two items $0.99 and $1.55 both with free shipping were delivered by USPS with tracking. 

But you wanted it on record with a return request* to report that the seller sent an empty envelope?

*What was the return reason @lux.ra_14 which you selected for the return request?

[lux.ra_14]

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@an-36344 wrote: *What was the return reason @lux.ra_14 which you selected for the return request?

Like I said above, not as described. That seems to be the usual advice given here for an empty envelope.

No tracking, so I could have claimed non-receipt, even though I received something in the form of an empty envelope. With that option, I would have had to wait several more days for the last delivery date to report the item as not received. Not expedient and an extra hassle for a $1.59 purchase.

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