Buyer Refused Item Seller Received Empty Package

[ghoulishgirls]

I sold a $90 dress to a returning customer and shipped it via priority mail on March 1st. The customer opened an INR on March 20th saying she never received the dress, but the tracking showed it as refused. She never contacted me before this. 

The first item I sold her was sent to the same address and everything was fine. She repeatedly told me she never refused it and there must be a mistake. She wanted a refund immediately, but I asked her to wait until I get the dress back.

I opened a case with USPS on the phone, a missing mail search online, and I spoke with her post office to speed the process up. I tried to keep the INR case open for as long as possible (so there would be time for the dress to show up), but the customer asked eBay to step in. 

eBay closed the case in my favor, since the tracking showed it as refused, but I made it clear that I was still going to refund her if I got the dress back. 

I filed an insurance claim (even though the insurance only went up to $50). I won $60 but I refunded her in full, because I figured the dress was officially lost at this point. 

I didn't even realize it because there was no notification, but she also opened a case with PayPal (after the eBay case closed). The refund closed the PayPal case and I thought that was the end. 

Today I received the empty package the dress was shipped in, with an official USPS stamp on the label that says "package recieved without contents". The package (a polymailer) was clearly cut open straight along the top, it does not look like an accident.

Maybe the post office refused the package because it came empty? I'm not sure what to think. Has this happened to any of you? 

[couldabeenworse]

Did the tracking ever show it "Out For Delivery" or "Delivered"?

[vintagemoth12]

Does this mean that the dress had been removed before she refused it? Or do you think it was removed after she refused it? This is confusing. What could have happened? I am sorry this happened to you. 

Are you thinking she removed the dress and then refused it? I wonder if that is even possible? I don't know how a refusal takes place. 

I know I am asking more questions that I am helping you but since no one has responded I thought I would.

[ghoulishgirls]

I'm not sure what happened exactly. All I have to go off of is the empty package and the USPS stamp on the label saying "package received without contents".

It definitely looks like someone cut the package open and removed the dress.

[ghoulishgirls]

It went from "out for delivery" to "refused".

[ed8108]

Since ebay ruled in your favor,

buyer opened a case with PayPal .

You refunded buyer which closed the PayPal case.

You subsequently received the return of the orig package, stamped package received without contents.

Could buyer have received the package, returned it to USPS, as refused, no contents. USPS stamped it package received without contents, and after a long delay ,it was returned to you ,the sender ?

[ghoulishgirls]

That's definitely a possibility. I wanted to give the customer the benefit of doubt since they bought from me before, but now, I'm not too sure. 

[dtexley3]

Typically USPS stamps the package as "no contents" BEFORE it's given to the customer. 

Take the tracking number to the post office and ask for a detailed tracking report, it will have quite a bit more information than what shows in the online tracking.

[tunicaslot]

My best guess - item was delivered to the wrong house - who ever lives there is not a nice person -opened the package to see what it was - removed the dress as it was to their liking - put return to sender and dropped the poly envelope into a mailbox.