returned item not in parcel received back

[curio47]

sold an item worth considerable amount of money.  buyer not happy with item and requested a return.  we accepted the return but on receiving package there was nothing in the parcel.  the package was intact and hadn't been tampered with.  buyer has the item and ebay will be issuing a refund with the money held.  we have been scammed and ebay are refusing to do anything about it.  has this happened to anyone else and if so how did you deal with it?

[ruby*tuesday · Accepted solution]

Do come back here if you need any further advice with this.

[red_magpie]

Other sellers have told us that eBay's response to items being returned damaged, or even swapped for another one, was that as eBay didn't see the item the seller delivered, or the item the buyer returned, "they are not in a position to take sides and verify who has the valid complaint". EBay's idea of not taking sides was to find in the buyer's favour, and require the seller to refund them!

You can appeal eBay's decision here: https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-ebays-decision-return-missing-it.... Is there any postal information about the weight of the parcel or postage price charged, which could support your appeal?

The trouble is that eBay seems to give any possible doubt to the buyer. I suspect that this is because if eBay turned down a case that was genuine, the buyer could sue them for failing to honour their money back guarantee. EBay doesn't give any guarantees to sellers, so the safe and easy answer is to find in the buyer's favour and make the seller refund them.

The user agreement requires us to accept eBay's decisions on all disputes and refunds. EBay is unregulated, so there is no right to any independent appeal.

[ruby*tuesday]

Presumably there is a Weight Discrepancy?  You can Appeal giving all the evidence you can muster. Enter "Appeal Ebay's Decision about a Return" into Help and Contact at the top or very foot of the Page.

Do Report to Action Fraud and add the Crime Number to your Appeal. That has helped other Members in the past.