Scammed - Buyer claiming I sent him biscuits! - Best way to proceed?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I sold an item a few days ago and because I re use-boxes - I packed it in a box that originally had biscuits in.

The buyer has now messaged me to say that I sent him biscuits - not the item.

What's the best way to proceed with such a claim?

It's a £5 item  (plus £3.50 for P&P) but why would I bother trying to pull a scam like that when I know eBay would give them the money back.

[vintique*violet]

Has he opened the box to check inside? 

I had this once - packaged item wrapped in floral tissue paper with more protective wrapping and outer cardboard box - received a message with a photo of the item still in the floral tissue... " I think you have sent me the incorrect item as this is floral and the one I purchased had animals."... I asked them to take off the tissue paper and unwrap it as it definitely was the correct item... They did and just like magic , the animal one appeared ... We both had a good laugh 😉 

[rainbowtrax]

Tell the buyer to open the box. Sounds like he's seen the biscuit box and not thought to look any further. Once he's found the item, you should be able to get him to close the case.

[sml192]

Either they haven't looked inside and think you have sent them a box of biscuits or they may just be unhappy with the fact that you used a box that originally contained a food item.

Have they opened a return request or just messaged you? 

[thesmi42]

Does the buyers phone number appear on the Order details? If so, contacting them that way should make it quicker to resolve.

[Anonymous]

He followed up with another message to say I could have them back if I pay the postage

I’ve replied and said to open the box as the item is in it – the photo he sent shows the box closed – so you could be right in thinking he may not have opened it yet

The biscuits were originally inside a sealed foil packet so it’s not like the box wasn’t clean, it offered the item more protection than a padded envelope would have, I also wrapped the item in bubble wrap so that it wouldn’t rattle or move in the box

The item was delivered at 11:52, tracking photo shows the postman with 2 parcels and his door open - he messaged at 3:04 to say I sent biscuits.

He hasn’t opened a case yet but I have noticed another seller left him feedback months ago which says he claimed not to have received an item despite them having proof of delivery

I guess at this point it’s a 50-50

[sanzibar17]

The buyer is obviously an idiot. Next time use a suppository box.😂

[signs_and_vintage]

I had this once, I wonder how some people 'live life' at all.

I wasn't feeling very charitable that day - in fact I'd gone out of my way to the supermarket, to double box an item that arrived to me in its outer box only.

'Open the box' was my admittedly curt reply.

Never heard back.

[Anonymous]

The buyer has replied with just: "ok lol"

I get that he may have thought he was being scammed so took a photo of the box, but I would have then opened it to see what was in it before messaging the seller,

I can probably think myself lucky that he didn't leave a negative feedback without opening the box

Thanks to everyone who replied, hopefully my next sale will be a stress free one

[robbtyke132010]

I once had a buyer request a return on a DVD because the  COVER was not as shown - I replied that the cover is reversible as stated on both the headline information & accompanying information. He actually sent the DVD back - I reversed the cover for him & re-sent. He was very happy.

[wil_san_tech]

Stick around selling on eBay for 15 years and you'll get worse than this. I've had it 4 times. 2 opened cases. 1 case wanted a refund and to keep the "alcohol wipes" which had a £70 lens inside the box. 1 had me worried because I put a £1000 projector in a grill box. None had the sense to open the packaging.

[tressygirl]

I can add to this list and say I've experienced this too.

Using good sturdy reusable boxes, I used a box originally holding chocloates to receive not a message but a Return case for item not as described.

Asking the buyer had they opened the box which was taped all round with wide parcel tape and looking very much NOT like a new box of chocs, buyer had not , and hadn't thought too!

I still use reusable boxes, but use a red thick sharpie pen to cross out all info of previous contents even writing a note on some.... Thank you for buying from me,  please find your *****  inside!

Nowt as strange as folk!  🤔

[johnwash1]

OMG, new fear unlocked.  I always use repurposed boxes.  Some from the supermarket, some from friends.  I've even been known [looks around carefully and lowers voice] to go down the road late at night checking blue bins for clean useful...

[susapric-68]

@ sanzibar17 drop mic comment

[the-nutwood-collection]

I sell ribbon, and an eBay squander bug buyer purchased one metre of 10mm wide ribbon.  Obviously, I'm not going to box this, so I place the ribbon - in it's plastic bag - inside the folded packing slip.

I get a SNAD.  Reason - 'There was only a packing slip in the envelope'.  The fool hadn't unfolded the packing slip.

[signs_and_vintage]

We could all club together and get some custom packing tape made (I've always been tempted for my business, but it isn't cheap and just feels so frivolous... at the end of the day even if the buyer has a £500 item it's what's in the box that usually counts!).

It could say 'THIS IS A BOX - IT IS NOT YOUR ITEM - OPEN THE BOX FOR YOUR ITEM' and repeat...

[johnwash1]

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@signs_and_vintage wrote:

We could all club together and get some custom packing tape made (I've always been tempted for my business, but it isn't cheap and just feels so frivolous... at the end of the day even if the buyer has a £500 item it's what's in the box that usually counts!).

It could say 'THIS IS A BOX - IT IS NOT YOUR ITEM - OPEN THE BOX FOR YOUR ITEM' and repeat...

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You'd then get negs saying "Seller is patronising git".  Wrestling with a pig is a no win.

[robbtyke132010]

They will not be able to spell "patronising" - perhaps just "seller is a git".

[signs_and_vintage]

I hadn't really thought this through anyway, had I?

"I AM RETURNING THIS ITEM AS IT OBVIOUSLY GOT DAMAGED IN THE POST IT HAS BEEN RESEALED WITH SPECIAL TAPE PROBABLY BY THE POSTMAN I WANT A REFUND NOW"

[robbtyke132010]

Send him a real box of biscuits...