eBay

shopkiger · ‎09-01-2019

I sold a sweatshirt a few days ago. The item was placed into a clear poly bag and shipped in another regular poly mailer. Today the buyer messaged me and said that she received an empty package and sent 3 photos of both the clear bag and the poly mailer empty with the poly mailer torn on the back. I've been reselling for 10 years and never had this happen before. How do I handle this one?

slippinjimmy · ‎09-01-2019

You give them a refund and if you shipped it via Priority you file a claim with USPS ($50 or $100 insurance is included). When you refund advise the buyer to retain the packaging and expect possible contact from USPS.

The easy way is to have them open an eBay claim (if they haven't already).

If you shipped First Class then forget the part about filing with USPS.

this*old*attic · ‎09-01-2019

The post office marks when packaging is damaged and contents appear missing. Not sure to what extent they look or try to look inside.

Did buyer mention anything like that?

daw365 · ‎09-01-2019

Yup, send these examples to your buyer:

and ask for another photo showing the sticker that the post office stuck on the torn poly mailer.

fashunu4eeuh · ‎09-01-2019

You will have to refund, but definitely contact the USPS to alert them of possible mail theft, file a rifled mail report and ask your buyer if they will save the packaging for the postal inspectors. The reason is this: of course most buyers are honest and upstanding. In the rare instance they may not be, this puts them on the radar of the postal authorities, which scammers hate. It might not get your item back, but mail theft is taken very seriously by the PO and they want to know.

ersatz_sobriquet · ‎09-01-2019

It would be very easy for ebay to require proof of contents missing sticker from USPS. Get on the stick ebay.

threshold.sales.group · ‎09-01-2019

Do not refund without the buyer filing an official request thru eBay. At this point there's no way to know whether the claim is valid or not, but just sending a message with any claim costs nothing and is all gain.

calntom · ‎09-01-2019

Tracking shows item as delivered, correct?

I would ask the buyer to add a picture of the sticker USPS put on the package that stated they received an empty package.

This just sounds like a typical claim of INR and tracking shows delivered.

2015mhfashions · ‎09-01-2019

Ask them to show you the damaged in transit sticker / Missing Contents, USPS does put these on packages, if not report them for abuse of MBG.

hyperrush · ‎09-01-2019

Thank you plant manager, your service sucks.

One sale a day, tomorrow the entire Galaxy!

ifyouloveit · ‎09-01-2019

FYI to all that mentioned that USPS puts a sticker on torn, damaged or empty packages. Not all the time. I recently received a package with the flap open, contents missing. No sticker, nothing. I know my carrier well, he was surprised too, he handed it to me personally.

heyyoufoundit · ‎09-01-2019

Mailman in my area admitted to stealing 1000s of pieces of mail. He was sentenced to probation, and a new job delivering packages for amazon!

https://denver.cbslocal.com/2019/08/29/postal-worker-stealing-mail-englewood/

aggrkat-0 · ‎09-01-2019

I once received an obviously opened package, without any type of sticker from USPS that there was a problem. It all depends on the vigilance of those at the PO or your mail carrier.

thevintagesilvershop · ‎09-01-2019

Well, it all depends. I had a package delivered recently and the buyer reported to me that (while she was out of town) her roommates said the contents of the package were stolen because the package was ripped open and left on the porch.

The buyer kept telling me that I was responsible for the cost of the theft. I kept telling her I wasn't responsible for porch theft and encouraged her to file a police report and mail theft report. I told her if she did that, Ebay might give her a courtesy refund.

Since I had delivery confirmation showing delivered, I told the buyer to open an INR case. She did open a case (but I don't know about the police report or mail theft report). I uploaded the tracking (which showed delivered) to the case and then called ebay to close the case, which they did without forcing me to refund the buyer.

Ebay then, out of their own pocket, refunded the buyer (about $29 - the Paypal transaction shows "Ebay refunded").

It all depends on the circumstances. In my case, I noticed the buyer was prone to leaving negative FB for other sellers for "not received" cases and the buyer reported to me that the contents were stolen off the porch. Had it been damaged in transit with items removed and the USPS stickers, I probably would have refunded her. But, buyer said "stolen from porch" and I did not feel responsible for neighborhood theft (especially for a OOAK item).

So, it just depends on cost, buyer's history, circumstances, whether you can replace or not, etc., etc. Ebay will have your back if it shows "delivered" as far as an INR. At least that's been my experience.