eBay

dr.kenzo.tenma · ‎01-03-2018

I am dealing with an empty box return on my seller account - i.e. sold an item, got an SNAD/INAD, paid for return, and got an empty box sent back to me. My refund deadline (that is, sixth business day since receiving "item" back) is end of today. I've spent those six days either on holiday or gathering information for an appeal. I've filed a police report, mail fraud report, and IC3 report, reported the buyer, and am in the process of getting a USPS report showing a 5-pound weight disparity between what I mailed and what was mailed back to me.

This is the first time I've really chatted with customer service and now I know why everyone is so frustrated. They are terrible - unhelpful, unempowered, and in some cases outright lying to me. I verbally conveyed that I filed those reports but have not yet provided that information to ebay, since I only just now received an "upload link." I realize the initial case will almost certainly go against me if escalated, but was hoping for some help on some specific questions on what to do next:

Should I refund? I plan to appeal, and was told that I can't appeal if I "voluntarily" refund. Is that true?
If I don't refund, and the buyer escalates and wins, this would be my first defect. My understanding is that a single defect has no impact on an account, regardless of number of transactions. Is that correct?
The rep says they will look at the messages exchanged between buyer and seller. I sent a nice note when the SNAD request came trying to help troubleshoot or provide replacement items, but did not recieve a response. I did not send a follow up note saying I received an empty box and did not upload copies of the various reports to the return because I didn't want the buyer to see them (not sure how that is beneficial to anyone). Was that correct? Does not sending a message asking about the empty box matter? I don't expect the buyer to respond in any way, given their behavior to date.

I know the odds are stacked against me on this, but again any specific assistance would be greatly appreciated. The item was just over $200 and I'm a longtime ebay user, around 250 sales worth $20,000 in 2017, if that matters.

emerald40 · ‎01-03-2018

@swenson8781 wrote:
@emerald40, yeah, that's true, and the case was SNAD in the first place, so label was issued by seller. Was just wishful thinking I guess.

Some things/issues are avoidable, but this one probably is not, or not as easily. I just hate seeing sellers backed into a corner with no way to resolve.

I do understand, but lying can remove all credibility for this seller now and in the future.

I can say that in all my years I have never received an empty box or envelope. So the epidemic of it happening on ebay is hard to swallow.

dr.kenzo.tenma · ‎01-03-2018

Buyer has not yet left feedback.

I did receive an empty box. I don't think this is common at all, and in fact I didn't think it really happened - this is the first SNAD I've had in nearly a thousand transactions, after all. I initially thought the buyer was going to part out the contents, cherry picking the most valuable, and send me back the (unsellable) rest - though I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on pieces being missing from the sealed new item, and at least then I could have possibly gotten replacements and salvaged something if they sent a partial item back.

It's an 8 pound item full of cardboard and plastic subcomponents, nothing electronic - so it wasn't a high-risk item.

emerald40 · ‎01-03-2018

@dr.kenzo.tenma wrote:
Buyer has not yet left feedback.

I did receive an empty box. I don't think this is common at all, and in fact I didn't think it really happened - this is the first SNAD I've had in nearly a thousand transactions, after all. I initially thought the buyer was going to part out the contents, cherry picking the most valuable, and send me back the (unsellable) rest - though I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on pieces being missing from the sealed new item, and at least then I could have possibly gotten replacements and salvaged something if they sent a partial item back.

______________________________________________________

Scammers rarely due as they do not want to leave a paper trail warning other sellers away.

It's an 8 pound item full of cardboard and plastic subcomponents, nothing electronic - so it wasn't a high-risk item.

duchess-at-speakeasy · ‎01-03-2018

You should have included all your documentation in your response to the case. Report numbers, photo of the box you received tracking number, etc. -- eBay needs to be able to see the "ammunition" you have obtained to defend your position. If need be, you could have obtained an extension of time to provide additional information. And, yes, the buyer should see it, too. He/she might just back off when faced with "official" documentation that may involve sheriff's deputies knocking on the door. ~~C~~

My Glass Duchess
Quoting Mom: In polite society, "hey" is for horses.

freeshippinglizzy · ‎01-04-2018

Refund immediately sue outside of eBay press charges

dr.kenzo.tenma · ‎01-04-2018

I would have to file a small claims suit in the buyer's jurisdiction, and I doubt it would be a slam-dunk case. Definitely not worth the time. I've probably spent too much time on this already.

robot-hands · ‎01-05-2018

$200 in my book is worth a fight and a potential un-resolved strike

You might "ask" the buyer if the address, name and all is correct for the police report you have to file.

See if that gets any action. Probably too late in the game though.

kias · ‎01-05-2018

This is such a bummer for you - so sorry it happened but it does happen. Curious - did you google earth their address? I always find it hysterical that the people who do these scams have the biggest nicest houses on the block. One time I wrote a scammer that did this to me - that her address was right on the way to my mothers house and that I was happy to file a small claims court case against her. I told her that the postal rep was present when I opened the package (I always do that anyway) and he saw that the package was empty. He would be more than happy to go to court with me because he'd get a paid day off. She would also be responsible for my damages - costs - to persue the case. She dropped the case immediately. Sometimes (sometimes) taking matters into your own hands works better than asking ebay reps in foreign countries. I try to resolve things to the best of my ability first.

vintagecraze50 · ‎01-05-2018

You have a lot going for you if you upload all those reports to Ebay. If the buyer does not counter respond with their own fake police reports etc, which a lot of these scammers WILL NOT DO because then that gets them on the radar, you have a good case in an appeal. You may want to speak to someone in the high value claims dept, not sure if 200 bucks warrants that but insist on speaking with someone from that dept. You do need to completely follow through with your police reports and do not give up. Some people get really worried if they are put on the police , mail fraud radar because mail fraud especially is a serious federal offense and if proven, prison and extremely steep fines. Good Luck.