So the package arrived but was empty and eBay still wants their money...what do I do?

[cow-lumbus]

Sold and item. My guess is the box was poorly taped and opened in transit and the item taken. The buyer received and empty box and I approved his refund request. Now Ebay wants their fee...any way to dispute this since the item was lost or stolen in transit via UPS?

Thx. 

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

1) I thought ebay credits you a fee if you approve the refund...but idk ... someone else will come along and provide the correct info...

2) Do you actually trust the buyer that the box was empty? Thats a very old scam.

3) uhh... tape the box better? Do you know you didnt tape the box well? I know every package i send out is not coming open unless someone deliberately puts in good effort because I tape the you know what out of my boxes.

4) hope it wasnt expensive... 

[inhawaii]

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@cow-lumbus wrote:

My guess is the box was poorly taped and opened in transit and the item taken.

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Just curious why you would say this?

None of my orders/packages are poorly taped.

What is the value of this item?

I would just refund the buyer and be done with it.  Go on with life.

It's up to you if you want to spend the time and effort to try and file a claim the the carrier.

[cow-lumbus]

Because the buyer showed me box in a photo and I can see my assistant didn't tape it well and it appeared to be easy to open. Buyer has great reputation and no reason to doubt him...it's most likely my assistants error and he agrees. $200 item but seems silly eBay wants their $20+ still. I see no way or place in the interface to dispute a lost item and I'm sure they will want me to file a claim with UPS first!

[cow-lumbus]

wow...you guys are useless. None of the info I asked to be answered. Just more questions about my package and a recommendation to "walk away". 

If there is an easy solution with eBay then answer it. It's not like I'm hiring a lawyer over $20.

If you don't know the answer to a simple questions then don't answer...shame on our guys. 

[wastingtime101]

I'd echo everything AJ said.

View payment transactions here. Since you voluntarily refunded through the return request, there should be a fee credit (minus 30 cent fixed fee).

A bad packing job is between you and your assistant. If fees weren't already eligible for a credit in this situation, eBay would not make an exception because of a mess up on your end.

[cow-lumbus]

I didn't voluntarily refund to accept anything other then telling the buyer I would not dispute it. For whatever reason he opened a request and eBay approved it with about 8 hours...somehow. 

The item was nicely packed in a box and shipped. If someone chose to open it and was not authorized I'm not sure reviewing how much tape was used or how it was applied is the correct answer or even defined as a mess up. Not sure eBay deserved money when my transaction didn't execute anymore then it did for the seller. You think It's win-some-lose-some for the seller but not for the buyer or eBay?

Person: Help...I was attacked and I'm not from around here? Can someone tell me where the hospital is?

Ebay Community: What were you wearing? Why were you out so late? Maybe. you should just go home and accept some people get attacked especially the way you were dressed. 

Fun place. 

[aeparts1]

I suggest taking the $20 fee out of your assistant's pay packet. They are the one that cost you much more than that fee. Make them pay for their poor work performance & maybe it won't happen again. Or fire them & take the fee out of their final pay packet.

Signed, Useless Guy

[johnrj1226]

1.  All buyers FB is 100% positive - so very little incite into their  character.

2.  You admit the items wasn't taped properly  - that is you job to see that it was - don't appear you  are a high volume  seller that would require an assistant  with only 3  FB as a seller from over 1  year ago, been an eBay member for 9+ years and the most recent  sale was on August 3 and zero current listings  - you just need to accept the consequences - eBay did their part.

3.  People will try to scam you. never used UPS to ship one eBay item so IDK what there procedures are BUT It is an SOP of the USPS if the package  is damages or partial opened to  apply stickers of the  issues and wrap the package in a clear plastic bag.  Would think UPS would  have a similar procedure for their own protection against  fake claims.  

4. Had a dud  that tried to run a game on me with returned item  in a partially opened envelope with and flattened  box inside with no content but with all the stickers - showed eBay the stickers and bag as received - I did not have to refund a nickle

[wastingtime101]

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@cow-lumbus wrote:

I didn't voluntarily refund to accept anything other then telling the buyer I would not dispute it. For whatever reason he opened a request and eBay approved it with about 8 hours...somehow. 

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That changes things. You did not voluntarily refund which forced eBay to step in. When eBay steps in you forfeit all fees. Had you voluntarily refunded, your fees would have been automatically credited.

As a nice "bonus" you also got an unresolved case defect on your account.

You can read specifically about fees here. Scroll down to the section that says "Refunds that don't qualify for seller fee credits"

You can read about the defect here.

Edit: I just read the 8 hour part. That also changes things.

Your recourse here is that the buyer got the request escalated to a case within 8 hours. You're supposed to be given 2 business days to respond. Since you were not given those 2 days, I would contact eBay CS and dispute the defect and request a fee credit. Go to the bottom of the defect page linked above to contact CS.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @cow-lumbus 

If you refunded the buyer through the ‘refund request’ … you should receive a reimbursement of your eBay fees automatically.  

If you waited around for the buyer to ask eBay to step in … then you forfeited your fees and received a defect.  ☹️

[gurlcat]

HOLY COW-LUMBUS!  I gotta say, I have gotten pretty annoyed by people replying about everything but what my actual question was about ....but I mean after at least "several" such replies --you freaked out after only TWO (and only 17 minutes), and both of them did at least attempt to answer your question, even if they also mentioned that this could be a scam (which is what I would have said if they hadn't already).  And that's very important information to know, whether you realize it yet or not.  A delivery scan means the ITEM was delivered, as far as Ebay is concerned.  So I don't even really believe that ebay refunded them.  They never do when there is a delivery scan; the default is to conclude that the item was delivered.  

So go ahead and spaz out on me now, but there is definitely something important you're not revealing.  

[stuff4divas]

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@cow-lumbus wrote:

Sold and item. My guess is the box was poorly taped and opened in transit and the item taken. The buyer received and empty box and I approved his refund request. Now Ebay wants their fee...any way to dispute this since the item was lost or stolen in transit via UPS?

Thx. 

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here is the ebay link for the info u need>

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/refunding-buyers-managed-payments-seller?...

[bearswatching]

How much money are we talking about?

[ajs_coins_and_alchemy]

@gurlcat 

Well good instict on the fact that he didnt reveal something but wrong arena.

The package was claimed to be empty, not claimed to not have been received. Empty box = NAD not INR. Ebay refunds for NAD regardless of delivery scan because a delivered item not as described is still not as described.

however you're right, he failed to reveal that he didnt actually approve the refund, ebay did. That was the key, and we didnt try to answer his question, we did answer his question. The problem was the important info was false... he had NOT approved the refund and THAT is why he didnt get his fee credit.

We answered the question, he just didnt like the answer, because his premise was false to begin with.