mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999
1 BEST ANSWER
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Ask your buyer for pictures. All sides of the package. Since they said it came to their mailbox, I assume you shipped USPS. It has been my experience that USPS always puts notes on a damage package especially when the contents are missing. I got one of those once and USPS had it well marked that it was damaged by them but they didn't know what happened to the contents.
If they do send you the pics, post them here so we can look at them too. We might spot something you don't.
Just let them know you need the pics to help determine where you go from here. And tell them the shipping documents show that the vest was in the package when you shipped it as it evidenced by the weight of the package.
Tell here without the pics you can't process her request. The pics are not at all hard to attach to an Ebay email.
She can use her phone, take the picture. Go to emails and prepare an email for you. Click on the pic icon on the email and find the pics on her device and attach them.
What I know from my experience over the years is a buyer reluctant to do this is likely not being truthful with you. So if she insists she can not give you pics, tell her to file a Return for Refund claim. Just tell her that you have no other way to process it since she can't provide pics.
BTW did you ever look at this buyer's Feedback Left for OTHERS? Often time that can tell you a lot. She may have tried to pull this before. And if done too many times and seller's report her, she may have lost her ability to be covered by the MBG which is why she didn't file a claim to begin with.
@linklu54 wrote:Sorry to keep going with this, but I'm pretty new here - if she files a Return for Refund claim, does that mean I would have to issue a refund?
No, not unless they return the vest to you. While a buyer is not required to send you pictures, in my experience most of them that won't are trying to hide something. So let them open a claim if they want their money back. Ebay will NOT force you to refund something unless they ship it back. And if they send you back an empty package, you can contact Ebay BEFORE doing anything so they can help you through what you need to do.
Keep in mind that if this buyer is simply trying to defraud you, they are NOT likely to open the claim in the first place because they know if they ship the item back, that proves they weren't truthful in the first place. All they are trying to do is bully you into giving them the vest for free.
As I said before, when a package is damaged that significantly within the USPS system, they put stickers and notes on the package. That is their procedure. Over the years I've received damaged packages and I have found USPS to be 100% consistent.
Keep in mind, letting your buyer know they need to file a claim is in your best interest and will likely result in the buyer just going away. They may try once or twice more to bully you into a refund without the claim. Just stay on target and respond simply, Please file a claim if you'd like to proceed with this.
