Buyer Claims Box Was Empty

[giaugie]

I have been selling on eBay for years and this is something new to me. I shipped out an item and packed it up securely as I always do with plenty of tape on all sides. Buyer sends me a message that the package I sent him was empty, nothing in it? The buyer sent me pictures of the empty box from above looking down and my shipping label. I requested that I need pictures of the box all around so I could see it and have not heard from the buyer. Is this a scam? Did It get stolen? Don't know where to go from here? Buyer wants a refund or the item sent again. Either way, sounds like a losing battle for me? Tracking says the package was left with an individual? I aske the buyer who received the package and have not gotten a response yet. The buyer is threatening me to report me to eBay and Pay-Pal.. I asked the buyer, do you think I would send you an empty box? Look at the weight on the label and check my feedback, I would never do this. 

[bonjourami]

Unfortunately, theres not much you can do, if the buyer opens a snad, you will be forced to refund. Was the pkg insured?

[vrie39]

Dear Buyer,

I am sorry you are unhappy with your purchase, please return for a full refund.

Thank you,

Seller

Rinse and repeat as necessary.

Granted you may get an empty box back...

[gracieallen01]

Ask your buyer to retain all the packing material and contents.  Tell them you will file a report with the USPS Postal Inspectors for 'rifling'.  The postal inspectors will probably want to see the packaging and materiaals because it is a felony to rifle the mails.

You may well have to refund anyway, but, then again, they may go away.  And, I would actually file the report - too many people are getting empty packages.

[johnrj1226]

Had a buyer claim a tri color printing ink cartridge  (new in box) would not work properly even after they cleaned the  cartridge jets.

I simply replied "return for refund" never  heard back from them.

Have done  the same on other items and never heard back from the buyer.

It seldom pays to get into a long verbal battle with anyone  'buyer " or  "seller" alike. 

[m60driver]

It is probably a scam.  Just refund and move along as it is not worth spending time upon and resistance, like asking for pictures, is futile.  Be happy that this rarely happens to you.  And do block the buyer. 

[toysaver]

Did the USPS send you any notice for a cost adjustment on the shipping label? 

If the USPS is allowed by Ebay to charge sellers accounts when the price paid for postage is too little or refund when it is too much they must be held accountable when the buyer claims the box is empty. 

[hollywoodreseller]

I experienced those type of buyers. if buyer opens case submit tracking number. if item states delivered then case is closed in your favor most likely. not sure why people who are not sellers are commenting. item was sent and buyer is trying to scam you most likely.

[shoptalkid]

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@giaugie wrote:

I have been selling on eBay for years and this is something new to me. I shipped out an item and packed it up securely as I always do with plenty of tape on all sides. Buyer sends me a message that the package I sent him was empty, nothing in it? The buyer sent me pictures of the empty box from above looking down and my shipping label. I requested that I need pictures of the box all around so I could see it and have not heard from the buyer. Is this a scam? Did It get stolen? Don't know where to go from here? Buyer wants a refund or the item sent again. Either way, sounds like a losing battle for me? Tracking says the package was left with an individual? I aske the buyer who received the package and have not gotten a response yet. The buyer is threatening me to report me to eBay and Pay-Pal.. I asked the buyer, do you think I would send you an empty box? Look at the weight on the label and check my feedback, I would never do this. 

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I experienced a similar situation years ago.  The buyer messaged me a picture of the label, but not of the entire package and said "i received this package empty".   I remained professional and  asked the buyer if there were signs of it having been tampered with,  to which the buyer said "no, it was just empty". Normally, if something is damaged in transit and if the label is still readable, USPS will put it in a special bag and deliver it.   So without calling **bleep** on them, I just let them know that I would never sent an empty package and remembered packing their items securely and taping the envelope shut so that only a pair of scissors could open it.  So if it wasn't tampered with, then the items should have been inside when they received it.  As to what happened to the items after the buyer opened it is another story and I suspect that is when something happened.   They replied with some insults and then just disappeared.    Needless to say I also blocked them.   

[doubledz-a2z]

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@m60driver wrote:

It is probably a scam.  Just refund and move along as it is not worth spending time upon and resistance, like asking for pictures, is futile.  Be happy that this rarely happens to you.  And do block the buyer. 

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By simply refunding sellers are making it very easy for buyers to claim an empty box and encouraging scams.    Ebay or the USPS for that matter cannot prove what a seller sent a buyer.  Even airspace.   And while the seller may actually be forced to refund, make sure you ask the buyer for pics of the package all around.  Make them go through some hoops to earn their refund.   It has become way to easy for buyers to take advantage of sellers.  

[dtexley3]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Ask your buyer to retain all the packing material and contents.  Tell them you will file a report with the USPS Postal Inspectors for 'rifling'.  The postal inspectors will probably want to see the packaging and materiaals because it is a felony to rifle the mails.

You may well have to refund anyway, but, then again, they may go away.  And, I would actually file the report - too many people are getting empty packages.

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DO THIS!   You can also go to the post office and request a copy of the intranet tracking report which will show the weight of the item at any APV sites the package may have gone through.  Send a copy of the report showing the weight and state the package was not shipped empty.  A USPS mail fraud report can be opened online, so do it right away.

If the buyer persists you will likely end up refunding, but at that point you open a fraud report with IC3.gov, file a police report with the police for your location and the buyer's location (it's a felony so be persistent).  Upload all the documentation to the return case and have eBay's CS call you.  Ask to speak to a supervisor and have them go over the evidence with you.  If the case has been closed against you, open an appeal with the same documentation.

[dtexley3]

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@hollywoodreseller wrote:

I experienced those type of buyers. if buyer opens case submit tracking number. if item states delivered then case is closed in your favor most likely. not sure why people who are not sellers are commenting. item was sent and buyer is trying to scam you most likely.

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This depends on if the buyer opens an Item Not Received (INR) or a Not as Described (NAD,INAD,SNAD).  Tracking will close an INR in the sellers favor.  Tracking will NOT help for a SNAD as the MBG applies to an "empty box" SNAD complaint.

[myboardid]

You can do all the reports, you can ask the buyer all sorts of questions, you can call the post office and the police, but in the end, if he opens a Not As Described case against you, you will be forced to refund his money.  If you do NOT accept that offer, eBay will take the money from you and give it to the buyer, then give you a HUGE defect on your account.   It stinks, but there is no way around it. 

[bonjourami]

Sad but true.

[moondogblues]

OP, even if you lose the case be sure and report the buyer to eBay. Too much of the 'empty box' thing from a buyer will get them on the radar.