Sold an item and buyer said it wasn't in the packaging.

[jasb01]

I sold an item on 4th December. The buyer collected the parcel on 7th December from their local EVRI collection point. The buyer has since said that there was nothing in the packaging; they claim the item was missing. They also claimed that the packaging was intact.

I am an honest individual and had put the item in the box and secured it. I have photos of the item in the box. The buyer is refusing to send back the packaging. I have photos and proof of delivery/tracking information, and am trying to appeal, can't find the option on the seller dashboard to appeal a closed case. 

Ebay have refunded the buyer, I am now without the item and £300 down. I have spoken to Ebay 5 times, and there is no resolution.  7th December at 2:30pm, 12th December 9am, 9:20am, 4pm and 21:45am. They are trying to escalate this. I feel totally cheated and sad. 

What can I do?

[nigel_paul_wright7557]

Sadly your photo's mean nothing.

You could have removed the item after taking the pictures.

Might be a scam or somewhere along the route the item has been removed and package redone up.

[jasb01]

Hi, I feel really impacted by this and feel so cheated.

The buyer is also refusing to return the packaging, and Ebay are happy that the buyer doesn't return the packaging. I have politely requested photos of the packaging.  

[**peaseblossom**]

I'm sorry this has happened to you.   I don't know if this is relevant to your case but we have seen an increase of what seem to be courier theft of items in transit.    Unfortunately ebay  don't have a process that covers this but you can appeal the case here:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/selling/managing-returns-refunds/appeal-outcome-case-seller?id=4369

Others things to consider are some household insurances cover personal possessions outside the home, you could try that.    Or if you used your credit card when you originally bought the item , depending on how long ago that was, you could ring your CC company and see if they can do a chargeback.

Best of luck.

[sml192]

What type of case did the buyer open and how did you respond to it?

If they opened an 'Item not received' claim or a 'Return request' citing 'Arrived damaged' then as it was sent using Simple Delivery you should have been protected by eBay with no action required by yourself.

If they opened a 'Return request' using 'Missing parts or pieces' or 'Item doesn't match description or photos' then that would have put the onus on you and you should have accepted the return.  The buyer would then have needed to return the empty packaging in order to receive a refund.  

[jasb01]

Thank you very much for your message. It’s sad that there is so much crime around at the moment.

I have tried the appealing link but the option to appeal does not show up on my dashboard.

The case was closed but it doesn’t seem to appear on my seller dashboard. I have been through the loop of clicking about 20 times now, just to check I haven’t missed anything.

I asked eBay why I couldn’t appeal on the dashboard and when I rang them to query this, they said I can only appeal by ringing them. But that doesn’t give me the option to formalise anything in writing.

They’ve asked me to wait a few business working days. But at the moment I don’t trust the process and it’s all making me feel really anxious.

Sent from my iPhone

[greenendhouse]

I thought simple delivery took care of all this?

[jasb01]

They opened a refund request, and I asked them to return the item/packaging.

They must have rang eBay and that’s when EBay intervened, raised a case and then refunded the buyer without my input or knowledge or the option to even put my case forward.


Sent from my iPhone

[jasb01]

Should I try and contact simple delivery? 

[department28]

Hi - Simple Delivery is just the name eBay use for their postage - it isn't a separate business. Unfortunately, it sounds like you missed the deadline to resolve the situation quickly. A seller only has 3 days to respond once the buyer has opened the refund request. You don't have to wait for the buyer to answer your messages - it is all done automatically, so if you don't respond in time, eBay will automatically refund the buyer using your funds - which is what seems to have happened to you.

If the appeal link does not work, I'm not sure what else you can do, except keep on ringing eBay. It is not a nice situation to be in, so I hope someone will be able to help.

[suelel1968]

Try to speak to Ireland CS by calling Saturday morning. You should not be left in this position, but it seems you have to make a fuss. Let us know how you get on 

[neovass0]

   It may be a dishonest buyer, which is an eternal problem unfortunately, but as someone has already said, courier theft seems to be an issue at the moment, as there are several threads about empty parcels turning up.  This happens every year in the run up to Christmas, but really doesn't get the attention it should. The delivery company usually denies there is an issue as standard. 

[jasb01]

Hi,

I did call them on the day they opened the request and the eBay call handler says I need to request a return and wait for them to return the packaging and then get in touch with eBay again. So that’s exactly what I did, but then then I am assuming the buyer rang eBay and then eBay refunded them with the money.

I need to read up on simple delivery. I think eBay may not have followed the process.




Sent from my iPhone

[dancewithadingo]

Good Morning Jasb

This is indeed an awful experience for you. A couple  of points, keep  pursuing it with eBay and if you pester them enough it's possible they may refund you.  That said don't hold your breath.

As regards your worry about your buyer not returning the packaging,it doesn't serve any purpose in having it back.

Finally never use Evri to send stuff, switch your settings and carrier straight away to Royal Mail.

As a postscript there is no point in photographing the wrapping process.  

Good luck in recovering this money. Keep onto eBay.

[cobwebcottage]

Hello @jasb01 ,

I am really sorry that this has happened to you and as soon as I saw that it was a gold and diamond ring that you sold, those of us who have been on Ebay for a while could have predicted the outcome that it would 'go missing'.

It is a known scam with high end items, especially jewellery and mobile phones, and along with your low feedback and no other items for sale, it shows that you rarely buy or sell on Ebay so you could be an easy target.

There isn't any proof that the courier opened the box and removed the ring and also that they would not know what was inside the package. So I dont agree with this theory and it wouldn't matter which courier you use as this has also happened with RM Special Delivery packages.

The only person who knows what is inside the box is the buyer. Buyers also know that you cannot prove that it has been 'lost' or stolen' and will have to refund them as Ebay will back them as they do not have any proof either that the ring was in the box.

It isn't going to help you now but going forward, consider using an auction house to sell valuable items. The no fees on Ebay is tempting although it is not risk free.

[papso22]

When ebay told you get the buyer to return the item (or box), you should have provided a paid for return label.

If you didn’t,  that's why the buyer got ebay to force the refund.

[jasb01]

I did.

Sent from my iPhone

[jasb01]

I will keep trying with calling eBay, I’ve not used eBay much and I don’t think I will now in the future.

It took me 6 years to decide to part with that ring and I purely sold it due to financial reasons.

I hope whoever stole it needed it more than I needed the money.




Sent from my iPhone

[zobth92]

No-one seems to have asked this question and sorry if it's obvious. Have you checked that the buyer has been refunded from your funds?

If the buyer claimed the package was damaged in transit, eBay should refund from their own funds under Simple Delivery, if this is how the item was sent and it is eligible. Sometimes emails from eBay aren't clear on what they mean.

[tooley42]

Similar happened to me today. I set a two piece lounge wear set. The buyer stated only the trousers were in the parcel and not the top!!! I know for a fact I packed the two pieces together and sent then in a clear bag and then a grey nail bag. she said the parcel had not been tampered with.

I’ve had to accept to refund now as I have no choice.

why on earth would I send part of a set…. I have my doubts to be honest and think she kept the top, didn’t like the bottoms . I don’t accept returns normally and I feel she’s been dishonest and wants a refund from me and that’s the only way to do it.

I know, FACT I packed both items . I remember trying to get the top to lay flat in the bag .