Royal Mail Label Only Delivered!

[oral_4926]

Hi- i sent a Halloween Dress via Royal Mail Tracked 48 only £5 + postage, the buyer claims to have received only the label on an empty plastic bag (not what i packed item in).  Buyer is claiming i have to sort this out with Royal Mail and hasn't asked for refund yet.  Although i am a new seller other family members sell regularly on here and they've never come across something like this before. Obviously my tracking says item has been delivered, should i just ask buyer to make claim through ebay and defend it on this basis or is that being unreasonable.  I would attach the picture sent by buyer but that shows their name and address so i assume i shouldn't.

[martmarg41]

Hi, a few questions to try and help.

1) Did you post at a Post Office?

2) If so your receipt should give a weight and a reference number

3) What did you pack it in?

4) Does the PO ref on their 'plastic bag' match your ref number?

[oral_4926]

It was posted via my dad's click and drop account (same address), so was a printed label which is the same one they have. Item was packed in a plastic bag far  bigger than one they say they received, covered with brown paper secured with parcel tape.

[martmarg41]

I'm sorry to say that you don't stand much chance of winning if they submit an INAD (item not as described) claim. You do not have any proof unfortunately that there was anything in the bag. 

It will be pointless agreeing to a return, you will be paying for return postage on an empty bag.

I suspect that you will just have to accept a full refund if requested. 😒😢

It will also be difficult to make a claim against RM stick. 

[*knight-rider*]

If they open a not as described case, it will cost you nearly a fiver for it, so personally, i'd just refund and forget it, because it's pointless paying for the return of an empty bag, if it was indeed really empty. Some things just aren't worth the stress 😉

[jucylucyevabeaver]

Hi

I I understand your concern. The buyer has sent photos? Then unfortunately this issue is yours. If the buyer states they only received the packing bag it's their word against yours.

. The buyer raises a complaint with eBay then you will have a defined date given by eBay to try to locate the item.  
. Postage can take upto 31 days to arrive. EBay's T's & C's.

. Did you have the item recorded or tracked? If so Royal Mail should have a photo of the delivery on their main site.

. If it was "normal post" you need to refund the buyer, then contact Royal Mail directly or Packlink (whoever you purchased your label with) to enquire where the package has gone. 
unfortunately this process can take 3/4 weeks to complete but if shows the buyer is not truthful then eBay can reverse the refund into your favour.

Personally, if this happened to me I would then "Block" the buyer on the eBay site,

its not worth the negative reviews/feedback just for £5!  

. Once blocked the buyer can longer view your page.
If you need help doing this please let me know. 

good luck 🤞 

At the moment there seems to be a onslaught of buyers "trying it on" no one has spare cash. 

[vintage-emporium-jedburgh]

On another planet af a time far in the future 

reporting these near impossible to protect against  claims .may just trigger some effort by the authorities to do something about these claims

[kath3735_wxmjn]

One of my first returns was a pendant on a silver necklace.  Wrapped securely etc and in a jiffy bag with lots of padding so not able to feel it was lumpy.  Buyer claimed  (INAD) it had arrived open and the pendant was missing, they had left the silver chain!  Sounded a bit dodgy to me because if someone (RM) was going to the trouble of opening a package i would have thought they would have taken the entire thing.  Anyway i refunded immediately but asked for all the original packing and chain back so i could investigate with RM.  Sent label of  course but they sent the chain, the packing but  not the jiffy bag even though i had asked for all of it.   Just did not believe them but even back then i knew there was no point in contesting it.  I normally get the item returned though (although i have not had many complaints) and happily pay the postage just so they cannot benefit fully from any potential scam.

[kath3735_wxmjn]

Ever the optimist!!!

[dancewithadingo]

Good Morning Oral

You say in your statement that you sent the dress tracked but looking at the two sold items on your site it specifies 2nd class post. A contradiction.  If you did send it 48 tracked then I would defend the action and ask the buyer to raise an official case through eBay.  

Again if you did send it 48 Tracked did you enter the tracking number on the sale details,after sending it? If not then do so now.  

If you simply sent the dress  second class then I would still ask for an INR case to be opened and would then refund the money in full.  After which I would report the buyer to eBay.

It sounds a very strange and unlikely story that you have been given. That said it is your word against their's unless you have the ace up your sleeve ie the tracking number.  That would nullify the claim.

Good luck.

[dch2112011]

It is unbelievable and outrageous - what I would do is simply nothing - let the buyer decide whether to open a case or not, that is their decision it needs no prompting from yourself. 

Report the buyer  - it might help and may stop the buyer  leaving feedback - see link below

Report buyer - abusive buyer policy 

[robbtyke132010]

Some good advice here - luckily it was a low value item sent to a low life scambag. Refund. Block Buyer. Move On.

[oral_4926]

Yes it was sent tracked because after it was sold ebay put funds on hold until delivery was confirmed, presumably as i am a new seller, so i felt i needed to send it tracked.  Tracking number was entered and ebay have now released funds as delivery is comfirmed.  I am not too bothered about refunding something of that value but it seems a bit of a loophole if you get confirmed delivery and someone can just claim there was nothing in the package. Worries me now about selling higher value items.

[dch2112011]

I wonder whether chancers target new accounts - if they do open a not as described case there are things you can do to try and avoid a refund  such as reporting to action fraud and supplying ebay the referance number, reporting the buyer is a good start

[johnwash1]

Since it's RM tracked, there will be a photo on the RM site:

https://www.royalmail.com/track-your-item#/

showing what the postie handed over.

If that too is nothing but a plastic bag then I can understand the buyer's frustration.

Either way, you now need to phone RM customer support (do it on a cordless, so you can get on with other things while you're on hold for GOK how long).  They;ll investigate and eventually you may get a cheque, covering what you sold it for plus the postage (I did myself recently and had to research how to pay in a cheque to my bank!!).  And if the buyer is telling porkies they may get in hot water.  If the substitution happened earlier, I guess RM will have difficulty finding the staff member responsible, but these things get logged and eventually when a pattern emerges...