Received an empty package, return for refund?

[quintcrystal]

I contacted the seller about it and they told me to open a case, so I did. Well it’s been a week and they never responded to the case so I escalated to eBay. ebay closed the case in my favor almost instantly but want me to ship the empty box back. I’m quite hesitant to go to the post office because of the pandemic and I live with my elderly parents, do I have to do it? I’ve never done this before but I think they’re willing to provide me a label so at least there’s that.

My question is who’s paying for this prepaid label? If it’s the seller, why on earth would they want to lose even more money (item price + original shipping + return shipping) instead of just item price + original shipping? It was shipped priority so I’d be sending an empty priority mail box.

[pburn]

Okay, first off, you can schedule a pickup with USPS instead of going to the physical post office.

https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm

As far as I'm aware, there's no way for a buyer to tell who paid for the return label.

I had a return recently, and I received a return label on maybe Friday or Saturday. I was going to print it out on the following Monday, but, by the time I got around to it, I had already been refunded the total cost of the purchase--meaning I didn't have to return the item--and eBay had closed the case. You might want to wait a few days and see if that happens in your case--keeping in mind you still HAVE to meet the return-shipping deadline established by eBay in your return case.

On the original package you received from the seller, did the USPS mailing label give any indication as to the weight of the item?

It is possible that when the seller receives the empty box back, they'll claim you did not return the item--just the empty box. The seller could also refund you only 50% of your purchase price for (essentially) the same reason. In either case, you may have to appeal the decision if eBay sides with the seller.

eBay does tend to favor the buyer in these situations, so you may end up receiving the full refund from either the seller or from eBay.

Keep us updated on what happens!

[kensgiftshop]

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@quintcrystal 

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The seller will be paying to have the box shipped back.

Once you have the package ready to ship back, you can schedule a pick up on usps.com so you don't have to go to the PO, or ask your mail carrier if they'll take it when they deliver your mail.

[nkmipgolf]

Wear a mask, wash your hands, 6 ft social distance and you will be fine. It's the invincable party animals you want to avoid, not the postal worker. He may need it for insurance proof .

[alseyf-73]

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@quintcrystal wrote:

I contacted the seller about it and they told me to open a case, so I did. Well it’s been a week and they never responded to the case so I escalated to eBay. ebay closed the case in my favor almost instantly but want me to ship the empty box back.

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You have 10 calendar days (actually 240 hours from the hour and minute your return label was issued) to get the first scan on your return label, @quintcrystal, so you could wait a few days to work that into your schedule.

And it's about the same chance that a pickup at your address, or a drop into a blue mail collection box, will not get an immediate scan, but the label will eventually get a scan. And that is the first goal, so it's best to stand in line to get a scan at the post office or satellite station.

Then, a few minutes after tracking shows that the label was delivered, eBay will force a full refund; your seller won't have any chance to examine the return or only issue a 50% refund. However, there's a chance that the label won't be delivered or cannot be delivered: In that case, you need to contact eBay and ask eBay to step in again to force a full refund.

[needitlikea0inthehead]

go to USPS and request your regular postal carrier pick up your package with your regular mail delivery.  That is how I mail everything.

[aldente28]

Why would you have to go to the post office?

You have a prepaid label. You can drop mail into those blue mailboxes - well, you could until last week when the new Postmaster General started removing them.

[ed8108]

You need to return what you received.