Help. Buyer claimed empty package

[alienmel82]

I am fresh and new to eBay. I really need some advice please. I sold a bracelet. Packaged it. Insured it. Signature was required and it was through USPS priority mail. 

The buyer received item, signed for it, and then I get an email saying they opened a payment dispute with their bank. eBay says it's not with them.  The payment dispute states the item was not as described then in notes it states package was empty. 

I asked her in messages to please ship me back the item. And send pictures. If there's nothing in the package, it should be damaged right?  She said she will only communicate with eBay and will only send them pictures. 

Idk what to do.  😭

[shipscript]

@alienmel82 

First, take a measure of your buyer. Check how long the buyer has been on eBay and the nature of the buyer's feedback. Buyer feedback can only be positive, but there are sometimes indicators in the feedback a buyer leaves for others. It helps to know what you are dealing with.  This could be a buyer scam, or it could be postal theft or damage.

Message your buyer again to let her know that you can not file an insurance claim with the carrier if she fails to provide photos of what she received.  That will get that part of the conversation documented and place some burden on her.

You need to be able to make a claim with the carrier. If the buyer is withholding information that prevents you from making a claim, you have a uncooperative buyer and I would report the buyer here: 

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/resolving-buyer-issues/report-issue-buyer?id=4084 

When a buyer opens a dispute with their bank, the bank must communicate with eBay, who will take your side if all lines up, and may ask you to provide documentation. The fact that you insured the package with signature confirmation is in your favor, and the fact that the buyer will not allow you to pursue that insurance is a point against the buyer. You need to document your position and the buyer's uncooperative stance. 

[mr_lincoln]

Hi @alienmel82 

-How much money are we talking about here? 

-Since you are new and possibly selling a high value high scam item you may have been "had" by an experienced internet criminal who is in the process of stealing the item from you via the processes in place.  This can happen on pretty much any internet sales venue.

-The Buyer "should" have filed an Item not as described RETURN claim and sent back an empty package for a full refund.  The fact that they are NOT dealing with you or eBay but going through their credit card company leads me to believe it is a scam.

If they were a new Buyer they might post somewhere here that they received an empty package, and ask "what should I do???"