Returned item is empty!

Happy_bunny

I've had some aftershave returned from eBay, box is fine but missing the badge from the bottle and the aftershave is completely empty :mad: not possibly leaked but empty as in gone, not even a sniff left!

I have spoken to the eBay who advised the seller has returned the item via tracked and can therefore escalate the claim and will be refunded by paypal, leaving me with a negative balance.

Is there any way around this? am sat here fuming, looks very much like i've just lost £80 and all faith in eBay and paypal

Just feel like closing my eBay & paypal accounts, the way they treat sellers is shockingly abysmal!

Any advice of trying to chase the buyer for the money?

Myyrrddyn

Hi there, as long as the buyer has return the item and got a signature from you that it has been returned, this is all ebay needs to cover the return. Looks like you are out of pocket on this one. trust me it happens to us all now and then. I know it is not fair, you will just have to bite the bullet on this one.

hermum

Can you tell from the postage amount that if were a full bottle it would have cost more?

Happy_bunny

hermum wrote: »

Can you tell from the postage amount that if were a full bottle it would have cost more?

Annoyingly not as i sent it by S/D and they've returned it in heavier packing by recorded

Happy_bunny

Myyrrddyn wrote: »

Hi there, as long as the buyer has return the item and got a signature from you that it has been returned, this is all ebay needs to cover the return. Looks like you are out of pocket on this one. trust me it happens to us all now and then. I know it is not fair, you will just have to bite the bullet on this one.

Any chance of making an appeal to eBay? With photographic evidence of what's been returned?

Sure I've seen a scam like this on TV where people were arrested for trying to obtain money and goods by deception - Surely this is the same thing? For all i know the returned bottle isn't even the same one i sent as it was sent cellophane sealed :mad:

Alison_B

I stopped using Ebay because they won't deal with problems. I bought a computer game for my son and the description said new and unused although it had been opened for photographing. When the item was received it was full of scratches and the booklet that came with it was well used and creased. I contacted Ebay and Paypal about this but because he had sent it out by Recorded Delivery and had proof that it had been received, they refused to act.

Myyrrddyn

Happy_bunny wrote: »

Any chance of making an appeal to eBay? With photographic evidence of what's been returned?

Sure I've seen a scam like this on TV where people were arrested for trying to obtain money and goods by deception - Surely this is the same thing? For all i know the returned bottle isn't even the same one i sent as it was sent cellophane sealed :mad:

You can appeal but it will go on deaf ears. The only thing is to contact the police and get them to look into it. Try not to touch the bottle as they may need it for fingerprints. But this may end up on deaf ears as the police will look at this and tell you to go to the small claims court. To much hassle for the money involved.

alfiesmum

Alison_B wrote: »

I stopped using Ebay because they won't deal with problems. I bought a computer game for my son and the description said new and unused although it had been opened for photographing. When the item was received it was full of scratches and the booklet that came with it was well used and creased. I contacted Ebay and Paypal about this but because he had sent it out by Recorded Delivery and had proof that it had been received, they refused to act.

This is 'item not as described' ( or what ever it's called) surely? Paypal would have told you to return to the seller for a refund, no? I don't think they would refuse to act, it has nothing to do with the sellers method of delivery, recorded or not.

Happy_bunny

Myyrrddyn wrote: »

You can appeal but it will go on deaf ears. The only thing is to contact the police and get them to look into it. Try not to touch the bottle as they may need it for fingerprints. But this may end up on deaf ears as the police will look at this and tell you to go to the small claims court. To much hassle for the money involved.

I'm amazed! - Have i missed something? It seems that what your saying is that if a buyer returns any item by recorded - As required by paypal for the refund - yet decides to keep the contents, sending an empty box/packaging back and the seller signs for it there is no recourse for the stolen item? :eek:

Surely there must be something wrong here? what's to stop anyone deciding on a freebie 3DS based on the above? :mad: Obviously you have no way of knowing till the package is opened and the postie has gone!

alfiesmum

Have you contacted the buyer yet? Give them a ring, email or what ever. Pink shoes will do you a belter message to send them, I'm sure. She's good at that stuff. Be interesting to hear what they say.

Myyrrddyn

Happy_bunny wrote: »

I'm amazed! - Have i missed something? It seems that what your saying is that if a buyer returns any item by recorded - As required by paypal for the refund - yet decides to keep the contents, sending an empty box/packaging back and the seller signs for it there is no recourse for the stolen item? :eek:

Surely there must be something wrong here? what's to stop anyone deciding on a freebie 3DS based on the above? :mad: Obviously you have no way of knowing till the package is opened and the postie has gone!

yep, it has been done many times. There is a big flaw in ebays ruling on this. It happened to me a few months ago, ok only for a few quid. I complained to ebay and got told that if the buyer can prove goods have been returned, that is all ebay needs to refund the money.