So frustrated.

[kingskid3n1]

I purchased a center cap replacement for an infinity car for my mother in law as she lost one. Received my package today as delive

 

red. Went home to retrieve it and found an empty envelope with the shipping label on it in my mail box. Can't find anywhere to get ahold of ebay to report the issue. 

[stuff4divas · Accepted solution]

@kingskid3n1  you can open an item not as described case OR

Click on > https://www.ebay.com/help/contact_us?id=4002&st=10 to see the various options to contact eBay

If you decide to receive a call back, make sure your phone will not block the call back

[reallynicestamps]

However, this is not the seller's responsibility.

Either the carrier was at fault for delivering a damaged package, or you were the victim of a porch pirate.

Contact the carrier first and make a police report.

The police may not do anything because of the low value, but as a citizen you have helped your neighbours by letting the police know that porch pirates are working your area.

[kensgiftshop]

If it was stolen after it was delivered, that's not an Ebay or the sellers issue.

You need to file mail theft and a police report.

If it was received empty, the there should have been a note attached.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @kingskid3n1 

It's not unusual for hard objects shipped in paper envelops to become dislodged while going through postal equipment ... but it's not possible to know for sure how the item was lost.  Here's what to do:

• File a 'Return request' from your Purchase History ... choosing 'Item doesn't match description or photos' as the reason for the request.  
• If the seller doesn't provide either a prepaid shipping label OR a full refund within 3 business days ... then go back to the open request and ask eBay to step in.  eBay will do the rest.

[If the seller provides a shipping label ... then stick the torn envelope into another envelope or box, attach the shipping label, and ship.]

[house*of*paws]

---

@reallynicestamps wrote:

However, this is not the seller's responsibility.

Either the carrier was at fault for delivering a damaged package, or you were the victim of a porch pirate.

Contact the carrier first and make a police report.

The police may not do anything because of the low value, but as a citizen you have helped your neighbours by letting the police know that porch pirates are working your area.

---

A 'porch pirate' is unlikely to have access to a buyer's 'mailbox' ... which is where the OP said they found the package.  

Sellers are held responsible when a buyer receives an empty package/envelope.  Paper envelopes are easily torn by going through postal equipment.  [And I've had empty packaging delivered without any attached notice from USPS.  I don't know if they didn't notice the 'hole' OR didn't have stickers available.]

[reallynicestamps]

A lot of Americans seem to have mailboxes at the end of the driveway, which strikes me as very vulnerable.

Apartment mailboxes are better, provided the boxes have different keys for each box.

Even boxes on the door are vulnerable.

All the houses I have owned here in Canada have slots in the door,so mail arrives on the vestibule carpet.

But newer and rural areas have Community mailboxes, which are somewhat more secure.

[house*of*paws]

@reallynicestamps 

Where I live in California ... condos have mailboxes on the street (similar to your photo), with each box having it's own key.  [Packages too large for the mailbox are left at the individual units OR in a larger compartment in the mailbox (with the key to the compartment left in the owner's mailbox).]  

Apartments generally have locked mailboxes in the lobby of the building ... with larger packages left on the floor by the mailboxes OR the individual's door.

Larger packages are always a problem when left at doors at either condos or apartments ... especially overnight.  But the OP's envelope was found in a mailbox ... so my assumption is that the item was separated from the envelope prior to being delivered.  I doubt that any mail carrier would purposely steal a specialized car part from an envelope and still deliver the envelope.

[randallmorefield]

How much is the weight on the label? Should be a least 8-15 ounces. If it is only a couple of ounces then you were scammed with delivery conformation by the seller. File a "Item not as described" and send back the empty envelope in another envelope to the seller if it shows only a couple of ounces on the label.

[the_fancy_fox]

---

@house*of*paws wrote:

---

@reallynicestamps wrote:

However, this is not the seller's responsibility.

Either the carrier was at fault for delivering a damaged package, or you were the victim of a porch pirate.

Contact the carrier first and make a police report.

The police may not do anything because of the low value, but as a citizen you have helped your neighbours by letting the police know that porch pirates are working your area.

---

A 'porch pirate' is unlikely to have access to a buyer's 'mailbox' ... which is where the OP said they found the package.  

Sellers are held responsible when a buyer receives an empty package/envelope.  Paper envelopes are easily torn by going through postal equipment.  [And I've had empty packaging delivered without any attached notice from USPS.  I don't know if they didn't notice the 'hole' OR didn't have stickers available.]

---

Totally depends. Are the mailboxes locking or just the old type with a flag? 

Sellers are not responsible for porch pirates. Period. 

Problem is proving where the item disappeared. 

I would contact the PO and see if they will speak with the carrier. They may remember delivering an empty envelope. 

[the_fancy_fox]

---

@reallynicestamps wrote:

A lot of Americans seem to have mailboxes at the end of the driveway, which strikes me as very vulnerable.

Apartment mailboxes are better, provided the boxes have different keys for each box.

Even boxes on the door are vulnerable.

All the houses I have owned here in Canada have slots in the door,so mail arrives on the vestibule carpet.

But newer and rural areas have Community mailboxes, which are somewhat more secure.

---

I have seen thieves unbolt the whole box and steal it. It’s only held to the base with four bolts. 

[wastingtime101]

---

@reallynicestamps wrote:

Either the carrier was at fault for delivering a damaged package, or you were the victim of a porch pirate.

---

Porch pirates move fast. They take the whole package and run. They do not hang around and open to see what's inside. Besides, if a porch thief saw this little cap replacement they probably wouldn't even know what it was. It would look like junk and they'd leave it behind if they were inspecting before stealing.

More likely it's a case of improper packing on the seller's part. OP can always speak with their carrier or call their local PO to discuss the situation. If it was delivered torn open and empty and there was no USPS note on the package then at the very least they should discuss with their PO the lack of a damaged/missing contents sticker.

Personally, I would send the seller a message before opening a claim and give the seller a couple days to either voluntarily refund or send a replacement. But if no refund and no tracking within 2 days then file the return as suggested by several posters above.

[kingskid3n1]

It is the sellers fault when my package should have been in a box weighing atleast a pound and I got a 1 oz empty envelope. 

[kingskid3n1]

Guys this is not a case of porch pirates. I opened the envelope. Didn't know what it was so I opened it. After finding it empty I looked to see what order it matched and it was the center hubcap mind you that is 12 inches across and would NEVER have fit in that envelope. Not to mention the fact that this weighed 1 oz and the hub cap should be way more than that. This is clear fraud. 

[reallynicestamps]

While I hope this never happens again, it does show that it is necessary to give complete information when asking for advice.

a center cap replacement for an infinity car

I, for one, had no idea what you had purchased.  I think now that it was a hubcap for an Infiniti brand automobile?

found an empty envelope with the shipping label on it in my mail box.

To my eye, that looks like a torn cloth sack. Some pictures are not worth a thousand words.

And again what kind of mail box?  (Although that did turn out to be of no importance in this case.)

Explaining the marked weight and dimensions of the package and the probable weightand dimensions of the purchase would have made the actual problem clear.

It's not that the envelope arrived damaged and empty-- although you have to wonder why the carrier delivered it without the usual bagging and letter about damage in transit-- it's that the packaging could not possibly have held your purchase being too small and insecure.

I am old and cranky.