Scam? Seller sent me an empty box :( Update Last Page

[tulagirl]

I bought two items off of ebay recently that were not pony related.  I got both boxes today. One of my shipments was fine, but to my shock and horror one seller sent me an empty box.  All that was in it was 4 packing peanuts and not the item I paid for.  It had not been opened.  The label from ebay  was straight across the middle with no cut marks.  One piece of tape at the bottom, no tearing on the box and no cuts.  I am so upset.  How could someone do something like this?  I contacted them and they have not responded yet.  This seller had 100% positive feedback too.  I am at a loss and concerned about how I am going to get my money back.

[LightingElectricDream]

I think you can file a report through ebay.
I belive they even have a phone number you can call.

[Haruna]

How weird! I wonder if they were really not thinking or maybe had a family member help them with part of it and messed up, since their feedback is 100% positive? (like, "Here are the labels, here are the boxes with the items; just tape them up!") Sometimes weird things happen when more than one person is working on a project.

If the seller doesn't get back to you within 24 hours of your message, I'd file an "item not received" case to make sure you get their attention. Hope you get your money or hopefully what you bought :/

[Ponyfan]

I hope that it was an honest mistake on the seller's part/someone who the seller told to pack up the items and not someone trying to scam you.

I've never gotten an empty box from a seller but one time I got the wrong item. I contacted the seller and it turned out she had accidently sent me the wrong item and she went above and beyond to fix the mistake. She sent me the right item quickly, paid for the postage to mail the wrong item back and even included a small extra.

Ponyfan

[chaosprincess]

That must have been so devastating to see I hope it was a mistake on the sellers part and you can make a report to ebay, but  keep your chin up  in the end you'll either the get the item or your money returned.

[Kittywhiskers]

I've never gotten an empty box from a seller but one time I got the wrong item. I contacted the seller and it turned out she had accidently sent me the wrong item and she went above and beyond to fix the mistake. She sent me the right item quickly, paid for the postage to mail the wrong item back and even included a small extra.

Ponyfan

Similar story here here. Bought a lot of two Sonic games, got two Spyro games instead. Took it up with the seller, and they apologized for the mix-up and sent me what I actually paid for. They didn't actually want me to send the other games back, so maybe they were just downsizing their game collection and weren't that concerned with money.

_{...And that's how my mom got her Spyro games!}

[Squirrelypaws]

Missing a piece or sending the wrong thing I can understand, but forgetting the entire item? That's a new one!

I sure hope it turns out to be an honest mistake and you're able to get the item in the end!

[Tak]

I would contact the seller first personally because life gets hectic. If they apologize and offer to resend at their cost that would be ok. If they don't have it in the mail with a valid tracking number and a pic of it in the box or they have any other response, open a case.

[northstar3184]

I would contact the seller first personally because life gets hectic. If they apologize and offer to resend at their cost that would be ok. If they don't have it in the mail with a valid tracking number and a pic of it in the box or they have any other response, open a case.

I agree with Tak.

[Taffeta]

When you say the ebay label, is this a shipping label printed and put on by the seller, or is Global Shipping involved?

I accidentally sent the wrong pony fashion to someone once. It was one I got at ponycon and it was a simple mistake as they were in the same place. Buyer refused tonreturn it even though I said I would cover the costs and send her the right one at my expense. Still upset by that, even though the mistake was mine. Sellers can and do make mistakes...so contact them first and go from there...

[tulagirl]

No global shipping this is a local seller for me. So far I still have no response from the seller at all.  My box did have a tracking number and it did say it was delivered, but it was empty.  I have not received any pictures, but that would not prove anything.  You can take a photo of an item in a box and before you close the box, pull it out and ship an empty box.  I know I have heard among sellers that buyers are doing this to keep their items and get refunds, but this is the first time I have ever had something happen like this.

[banditpony]

What was the weight on the package, did it match what the item should of weighed? Hopefully that could be used as proof they didn't send the item


This stinks, so sorry.

[tulagirl]

I thought that might work Bandit but think of it this way.  When you print out your ebay labels you put the weight on them and then pay.  You can ship the box empty and the USPS isn't going to say a word unless you under pay.  It really doesn't prove they sent it.  It only proves they knew the weight of the box with the item in it, but they could have been dishonest with the label since they did their own through ebay.  If it had been done at the USPS that would give proof, but it wasn't.  I have no idea how this happened.  I really hope they just send me my item.  So, far I have not heard a thing.

[banditpony]

Oh I meant if the box said 5oz and if the item weighed 1.5lbs. Then it'd give more proof to eBay the item wasn't in the box. A tracking number would tie the box to the transaction and eBay can look at the weight on their end I believe if it's not printed.

We had a weird issue recently that an item was delivered to our zip but in the wrong neighborhood. it wasn't addressed to us but it was made to look like it was a misdelivery. USPS and eBay really helped proving it for us. Someone had their account stolen.

I wonder if this is something similar with a stolen account.

Either way I hope this goes on for you. What a headache.

[tulagirl]

Oh I meant if the box said 5oz and if the item weighed 1.5lbs. Then it'd give more proof to eBay the item wasn't in the box. A tracking number would tie the box to the transaction and eBay can look at the weight on their end I believe if it's not printed.

We had a weird issue recently that an item was delivered to our zip but in the wrong neighborhood. it wasn't addressed to us but it was made to look like it was a misdelivery. USPS and eBay really helped proving it for us. Someone had their account stolen.

I wonder if this is something similar with a stolen account.

Either way I hope this goes on for you. What a headache.

Yes I understand what you mean, but it just doesn't apply when you pay and print your postage off of ebay and drop it off without going to the counter.  You can put on ebay your box weighs 5 pounds, pay and send an empty box.  The USPS doesn't put another label on the box that proves any weight of the box when they receive it.  The only label I have is the one from ebay not the counter label at USPS.  So, certainly they could have (I am saying its  possible that that it happened this way not that it did) sent the box with a label for the proper weight if the item was in the box, remove the item and ship the box empty.  Once they take the empty box to the post office and drop it off the only thing USPS does is make sure the postage is not less than it should be.  There is no proof with an ebay shipping label that the item was shipped in the box or not sadly. Had they taken in to the counter I would have known something was wrong with the weight because, this was a heavy very large item and the box is even too small for the item to fit in it.  It was for a 24 inch doll and there is no way you could fit a 24 inch doll in the box I received.  This is why I feel there is a scam going on, but I am open to anything else. I would rather like to think someone would not do something like this on purpose.

This is a top rated seller with over 2000 feedbacks all positive.  None of this makes any sense not even the fact there is no communication on their end.  Ebay started a request to return and they have not even responded to that yet.  I don't get this at all.