"Received Without Contents" package

Got a package today, and it was stamped with "Received Without Contents" USPS ground advantage. It was empty and opened.. It was a self seal manila envelope that seller did basically nothing to secure beyond the self seal. This seller has no feedback at all I'm their first purchase.

Do I have any recourse on this? From what I've read some have said to go through Ebay and that it's the seller responsibility to file the claim with USPS. Although since it got the delivery scan, I can't file an item not received case. The item was currency so I'm not getting my hopes up that USPS would even find it and also not ruling out it was placed in a blue box empty to begin with.

aale5367

1469 View listings

Posted 6 months ago·Last reply 6 months ago

4 comments

kensgiftshop

·6 months ago

389 View listings

@aale5367

Go to your purchase history and click return item and select, the item doesn't match the description as the reason.
The seller will have 3 days to accept the return and pay return shipping or refund without returning.
If they don't, return to the case on day 4 and ask Ebay to step in.

aale5367

OP6 months ago

1469 View listings

Thank you for the quick answer. I'm assuming if they accept return request I would just send back the envelope.

@kensgiftshop wrote:
@aale5367

Go to your purchase history and click return item and select, the item doesn't match the description as the reason.
The seller will have 3 days to accept the return and pay return shipping or refund without returning.
If they don't, return to the case on day 4 and ask Ebay to step in.

kensgiftshop

·6 months ago

389 View listings

@aale5367 wrote:
Thank you for the quick answer. I'm assuming if they accept return request I would just send back the envelope.
@kensgiftshop wrote:
@aale5367

Go to your purchase history and click return item and select, the item doesn't match the description as the reason.
The seller will have 3 days to accept the return and pay return shipping or refund without returning.
If they don't, return to the case on day 4 and ask Ebay to step in.

Yes, if they want to pay return shipping, you ship back exactly what you received.

They might want to open an insurance case with USPS and if they do, they need to refund you.

phillyb1rd

·6 months ago

1789 View listings

You received the correct answer, but due to eBay policies there is a nuance to the situation you describe that buyers have missed to their detriment and might be helpful to emphasize. EBay uses the carrier's "delivered" scan as their proof of delivery. So if you select for your claim that you want a refund because you did not RECEIVE your item, but there is a delivery scan, normally you will lose the claim and eBay will close your case in favor of the Seller, even if all you got was an empty envelope. You must be sure you select that you want to RETURN the item (I think you can select "missing parts" as a reason), not that you didn't receive it. The Seller then has the option to simply refund you. And yes, if they send you a label to return it, go ahead and send the empty envelope back because if they send a label they don't have to refund until the return package is shown delivered to them.