When should I file an INR on a item possibly intercepted by the seller.

[sawblade5]

I bought 2 items from a new seller, the first Auction Item I won and bought from was 100 packs of Baseball Cards and thenthe next day I won another 89 packs from the same seller. He shipped the first item (100 packs) that day. The next day he shipped the 2nd item (89 packs), but the seller also filed a package research request on the first item. 

When I noticed he had done it I sent the seller a message about this he only responded by leaving a blank message with just a dot. A few days later the 2nd item did arrive and everything was there. So I let it go and gave the USPS a few more days for the first item to arrive. Now today the tracking shows that the first item has returned to the state the seller is in. I am wondering if the seller did a package intercept and ask for the USPS for the item to be returned. I wonder if the seller doesn't realize I bought 2 separate items from them. But the troll like dot only response of the first mess I sent the seller makes me wonder. As of right now I am 8 days past estimated delay window. 

When should I file a INR against the seller? 

What shall I add in the message so I don't lose the case? 

[inceptions]

Once the estimated delivery date passes, you can open an Item Not Received. You need to do that within 30 days from that date.

[kensgiftshop]

@sawblade5 

Open the INR now.

They will probably close the case since tracking shows it was delivered.

If they do, you need to call and have them check the tracking that shows it was returned to the seller.

[sawblade5]

It is open now, where's the number to call in case the item gets return delivered to the seller. I wonder how many sellers scam customers by doing this. You would think ebay has a method to keep this scam from happening. 

[kensgiftshop]

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@sawblade5 wrote:

It is open now, where's the number to call in case the item gets return delivered to the seller. I wonder how many sellers scam customers by doing this. You would think ebay has a method to keep this scam from happening. 

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Bottom right of the page is Contact Us link.

You'll have to go through the pages until you reach the call back option.

[bctk5292]

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

Open the INR now.

They will probably close the case since tracking shows it was delivered.

If they do, you need to call and have them check the tracking that shows it was returned to the seller.

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When you sell your items, do you mail them to yourself, delivered to your own zip code?

Can all the sellers do that @sawblade5 so it counts as delivered to the buyer, and keep the buyer's payment?

[inceptions]

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When you sell your items, do you mail them to yourself, delivered to your own zip code?

Can all the sellers do that @sawblade5 so it counts as delivered to the buyer, and keep the buyer's payment?

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You said when you checked tracking that you saw the item had "returned" to the seller's state. That is not what would happen if a seller sent the item to himself - it wouldn't leave the state. The item was returned because it was misrouted, or couldn't be delivered for some reason (address wasn't readable, correct, etc.), or the package was intercepted, etc. It's not likely the seller would pay the hefty price to intercept a package after it was in transit (not to mention that not all intercepts are successful). They need to show delivery to your zip code...not theirs.

Instead of imagining scenarios where your seller is a scammer, just do as instructed by your other responders.

[sawblade5]

It raised a big red flag when the seller only responds with an empty messafe with just a dot. 

[inceptions]

Regardless of how the message reply you received turned out to be just a dot (I won't offer reasons I can think of that don't involve a scam because you are looking for a scam here), the action you need to take is the same as has already been advised whether your seller is a scammer or not.