Item delivered, buyer says package empty

[davesempourium]

Item delivered, buyer says package was empty

What should I do?

Thanks in advance 🙂

[**peaseblossom**]

You will have to refund the buyer (via a case opened by the buyer) and claim from the courier for yourself.   

[237ben]

Be sure to tell the buyer they must initiate a 'not as described' claim at their end and (they might think this odd, but...) you do need the box returned in order to get their refund, as this will allow you to take it up with your chosen courier.

If you initiate the refund from your end, the buyer will not be obliged to do anything more. If the buyer claims 'item not received' (as they so often do) then that will be contrary to any tracking information held by the courier.

[simas-stuff]

Who was it sent by? Was the package damaged in anyway and if so ask for photos of the damage. If it was sent by royal mail and was damaged whilst progressing through their system they would have put it in a clear mailer stating the item was damaged. Also royal mail would know the weight of the item at all points through their system. So if it was sent & damaged  by royal mail and it did not arrive in a clear poly mailer , then your buyer may be telling a porky.

[davesempourium]

Thank you - Yes they've marked it as item not received, whereas their message said they received an empty package, and they're demanding a refund.

[davesempourium]

Thank you so much, yes sent by Royal mail - the buyer marked it as not received, but their messages says package arrived empty. I just wonder how realistic it is to communicate with Royal Mail about something like this. I don't want negative feedback, so I'm guessing my only option is offer the refund.

[jckl1957]

They would need to open an 'item not as described' case.  If you have uploaded tracking, and it shows the item has been delivered, then Ebay will eventually close the 'not received' case in your favour,

I would definitely challenge the buyer.

Send them a scan/photo of the proof of posting showing the weight of the package so they can see you did not send an empty package.

Ask them to send a picture of the Royal Mail plastic bag that any opened/damaged item would have been delivered in, as mentioned by @simas-stuff 

Personally, I would worry less about getting a negative and more about getting to the bottom of this.

[pg_kicks]

If the tracking has a picture double check yourself to see if there is any visible damage or extra tape, also ask your buyer if they signed for it as damaged. 

Don't just refund without them opening the correct case either. 

[ear2fear]

I am right in thinking that if a case is opened through eBay that the buyer can't then open another case about the same item? If that is the case, then wouldn't seller be better to just wait until case closes in their favour (which it will if tracking was provided). That would also mean buyer is unable to leave negative feedback. It is very unfortunate if buyer really did receive an empty package but they should have taken more care to make sure they opened the correct case against the seller. 

[buffster1963]

As they have opened a not recieved case, they can still open a not as described case for the same item. 

[game_raid]

What generally happens is they will open an item not received case, they lose that because of the tracking then they are free to open a return under the INAD reason, they can't have two cases open at once.

[237ben · Accepted solution]

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@simas-stuff wrote:

Who was it sent by? Was the package damaged in anyway and if so ask for photos of the damage. If it was sent by royal mail and was damaged whilst progressing through their system they would have put it in a clear mailer stating the item was damaged. Also royal mail would know the weight of the item at all points through their system. So if it was sent & damaged  by royal mail and it did not arrive in a clear poly mailer , then your buyer may be telling a porky.

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This is usually the case, but not always. There are points in the system where there can be opportunity for a dodgy employee to filch the contents of a package.

That said, I’d still be suspicious and looking at the sort of follow-up enquiries suggested by yourself and  jckl1957 

[237ben]

Hmmm, the fact that they’ve opened an INR poses something of a quandary. A scammer would be far more likely to be very careful to open the correct sort of case, rather than one they know they’d most likely lose. Still, they might if they’re new and just chancing their luck for the first time. 

[jckl1957]

Those were my thoughts initially.

However, there  are always 'I got an empty box!' stories about, and the cynic in me thinks this buyer is possibly trying for a freebie!

[davesempourium]

Thank you everyone - I really appreciated all the advice and responses.

[pulsensqueez]

Hi, so what is the outcome of this case? now I am having a similar one, package was delivered, and buyer didn't say receive with empty, but he said the package left at front door and was opened, and all the items are gone. But the courier shows the photo of the package when delivered, and the package was good. so how to resolve this? I guess this is nothing to do with courier and seller, it is a matter of theft?

[*knight-rider*]

I agree, getting a common reason for getting a refund lately, trouble is, there's nothing you can do but deal with it and then take it up with the courier, which will probably argue it looks fine in the delivery photo and dispute thd claim.

[nuggett46]

Hi, I would have thought, under the circumstances that the photographic evidence from the courier proving that the item in questioin was indeed delivered in perfect, unopened condition within your dispatch time frame, you should be totally exonerated from any further resposibiltily, Your job is done. The theft was done after delivery was made to the designated recipient, and one would hope that ebay would be on your side as the seller, that you have completed your side of the transaction. It would be interseting to know the outcome.

[arkwebus]

While that is the logical route eBay will - if the buyer opens a Not as described case - simply refund if the seller does not.  EBay does not have any resources to carry out "investigations".  If sellers do not refund "willingly" eBay gives them a defect and does not refund the seller's fees

@nuggett46   @davesempourium