The MLP Arena
TCB => Trader & Shipping Support => Topic started by: tulagirl on May 21, 2016, 06:40:16 PM
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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. :huh:
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I think you can file a report through ebay.
I belive they even have a phone number you can call.
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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 :/
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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
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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.
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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!
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Missing a piece or sending the wrong thing I can understand, but forgetting the entire item? That's a new one! XD
I sure hope it turns out to be an honest mistake and you're able to get the item in the end!
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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But a return? That doesn't make sense either since what would you be returning? Air?
Did you get on the phone with eBay customer service?
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If you can't get through to the seller, just file "Item Significantly Not as Described". If eBay insists on "a return", wait for them to give you a return label and send back the empty box. It may seem silly--and it is--but after that eBay will refund your money.
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If you can't get through to the seller, just file "Item Significantly Not as Described". If eBay insists on "a return", wait for them to give you a return label and send back the empty box. It may seem silly--and it is--but after that eBay will refund your money.
That is a bad idea. The seller will then claim YOU sent the empty box. In this case, you need to be on the phone to ebay. Tell them what happened, and ask for advice. I once accepted a return, and asked ebay 'what do I do if they send back an empty box or the item is broken in transit?' The ebay rep said I then have to call ebay directly and 'open a claim' that way.
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If you can't get through to the seller, just file "Item Significantly Not as Described". If eBay insists on "a return", wait for them to give you a return label and send back the empty box. It may seem silly--and it is--but after that eBay will refund your money.
That is a bad idea. The seller will then claim YOU sent the empty box. In this case, you need to be on the phone to ebay. Tell them what happened, and ask for advice. I once accepted a return, and asked ebay 'what do I do if they send back an empty box or the item is broken in transit?' The ebay rep said I then have to call ebay directly and 'open a claim' that way.
Even when a buyer actually does send back an empty box, eBay will side with the buyer. It's a really common scam.
However, I do hope you are able to communicate with the seller instead, OP. Given that they have 100% positive feedback, it's probably an honest mistake.
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If you can't get through to the seller, just file "Item Significantly Not as Described". If eBay insists on "a return", wait for them to give you a return label and send back the empty box. It may seem silly--and it is--but after that eBay will refund your money.
That is a bad idea. The seller will then claim YOU sent the empty box. In this case, you need to be on the phone to ebay. Tell them what happened, and ask for advice. I once accepted a return, and asked ebay 'what do I do if they send back an empty box or the item is broken in transit?' The ebay rep said I then have to call ebay directly and 'open a claim' that way.
This was my biggest concern. I did call ebay and they told me they would start a refund return request. The seller has three days to respond to this and take a return and give me a refund. I did tell ebay there was nothing in the box and they have written that on the request to refund: Item not as described. Item not inside box." I would have to return the empty box, but I have already contacted ebay about it so they would know. The thing is yes the seller can claim they sent it and I am not being honest, but the fact they are not responding to anything certainly doesn't look great. However, even though they have lots of items up for sale maybe they are out of town. I am really hoping they are not ignoring this situation.
The fact that the empty box I got is too small for the item that was to be shipped is so suspicious to me, I do feel that this could be the perfect scam, but I guess that is why I have to say the item isn't as described. "Yea sure its not there so that means it is invisible and that is not what I bought." shakes head Really we need something better in cases like this. I don't know how one could stop this kind of thing from happening or prove/disprove it either, but one thing is for sure-some new policies would be helpful.
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It would actually be a really foolish scam for a seller to try. eBay almost always sides with the buyer if the buyer is unhappy with their item. Even if, for example, the seller sells a pony with a haircut, takes pictures of the haircut, and says "This pony has a haircut", if the buyer then filed SNAD, eBay would likely still side with the buyer.
Basically, eBay wants to keep buyers happy and buying no matter what.
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Well, I feel bad for sellers that are scammed this way, but honestly I really hope I get a refund. It will be a while since its 3 business days. I hope they contact me and say something like, "I should never have let my child help me pack boxes. She/He messed everything up. I have your item and I will ship it to you today free here is the tracking number." I would much rather it end that way than me having to get a refund from ebay. I do need something though because, I am not into invisible doll collecting even if it does cut down on dust.
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I am not into invisible doll collecting even if it does cut down on dust.
I realize this is NOT a funny situation but that phrase has me in giggles.
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I got a refund today. Seller feels the item was stolen. I am never going to know what happened in this situation, but at least I have my money back to look for another doll like that one.
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I got a refund today. Seller feels the item was stolen. I am never going to know what happened in this situation, but at least I have my money back to look for another doll like that one.
Good that you got a refund with no argument. Send the seller photos of the box, find out if it is the same box they sent. (Christmas 2015, I sold three items to someone, it arrived completely repackaged in a different box with one of the three items gone). You mentioned the box was too small to hold the doll, so simple theft still doesn't make sense.
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I got a refund today. Seller feels the item was stolen. I am never going to know what happened in this situation, but at least I have my money back to look for another doll like that one.
Glad it was a quick resolution. :/
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Yes that was part of our agreement. I sent them photos of the box and then it occurred to me. They used a wine box. I wonder if possibly the fact that it was heavy and a wine box may have been a reason it was stolen. I guess I am still searching for some explanation which I am never going to get. I have agreed to keep the box should the post office want it since it involves theft.
I guess if the thief stole the doll thinking it was a bottle of wine boy were they going to be seriously disappointed. About the only thing they are going to get out of my precious antique doll is fermented kapok stuffing from the body. Or better yet perhaps the doll was haunted and will completely tear up their apartment while they are at work.
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Glad you got a refund Hun xxx
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I do need something though because, I am not into invisible doll collecting even if it does cut down on dust.
:lmao:
I'm glad you got the refund without any fuss from the seller!
About the wine box--I once got a bunch for free from a grocery store, but when I tried to ship one of them the postal worker told me they couldn't accept it because of the box. Even though there obviously wasn't any alcohol in it anymore and I'd taped over the company logos. I had to go home and sneakily cover the entire box in brown paper to get them to accept it.
Maybe the USPS started to repack it and lost the doll somehow?
The thing is, if it was a regular thief then why would they bother doing up a new box and sending it to you?
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What a frustrating situation! :( I'm happy that you got your refund though :hug:
. I do wonder if the box it was shipped in really did have anything to do with it..... :wonder:
I am not into invisible doll collecting even if it does cut down on dust.
I realize this is NOT a funny situation but that phrase has me in giggles.
same here!! :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: :blush:
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Hey look what I found. If you look under USPS and see what they do about boxes that are clearly alcoholic beverage boxes it makes me really feel this was the issue. I do believe that my item was opened and discarded as they thought it was alcohol. Or it was opened and then not placed back properly. So, I have forwarded this to the seller as I think its really important to know these things. I had no idea a wine box would cause such a stink and make my doll disappear. It just reminds me how important it is that before we ship we must make sure we know all the rules.
https://support.shippingeasy.com/hc/en-us/articles/203981689-Shipping-alcohol-with-USPS-UPS-and-FedEx
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yes I got more careful with packaging when I saw the restrictions and issues for certain types of packaging etc for Australia and some other countries. The wine box is most likely what caused the problem if the seller has all good feedback and no previous known problems. What a pain for you both :(
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This entire situation is insane. o.0 I understand about the post office not mailing certain items/certain boxes. I've seen it happen before. I've also seen a box get damaged at the post office so they put the item in a new box, thus the person receiving the item gets a box completely unlike what the sender sent, though it has the item in it.
BUT it makes NO sense if the post office saw the alcohol box and discarded the box with the item in it and then sent a new box with NOTHING in it!? What? >.< That is the wonkiest thing I ever heard! Was someone drunk at the post office or what!?
What I would assume in this situation, which is what usually happens when someone uses unacceptable shipping materials, is that the item is either thrown out (and thus the receiver never gets anything) or the post office sends it back to the sender.
This whole thing is so weird. I'm just glad you got your refund, tulagirl!
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Actually that isn't what happened. I think they opened the box because it was an wine box, dumped what was in it in the trash and taped it shut and mailed me the original empty box. That is even more insane. I have the original box. The PO didn't send me a different empty box. Still the whole thing is extremely wrong that they did not take the time to notice a doll is quite different than a bottle of wine. :pout:
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Ohh gotcha. I thought it was a different box since you said it was too small for the doll. Since it was the seller's original box after all, chances are you might have gotten the doll damaged if it did get to you, since the box was so small. :(
Post office is insane. You don't trash an item and deliver an empty box. Geez! They should have sent it back to the seller with a note about why it was undeliverable. -shakes head-
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where oh where is the logic, I'm shaking my head at that possibility Tulagirl. An alcohol-laced doll, oh my.
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Ohh gotcha. I thought it was a different box since you said it was too small for the doll. Since it was the seller's original box after all, chances are you might have gotten the doll damaged if it did get to you, since the box was so small. :(
Post office is insane. You don't trash an item and deliver an empty box. Geez! They should have sent it back to the seller with a note about why it was undeliverable. -shakes head-
Yea I thought the box was too small but the seller told me the horror that she laid the doll in the box with the head touching the knees which would have totally damaged a 1930's doll. You have to ship them flat and in bubble wrap, not bent over in a knot.. They also sent me a note today I could throw the box away that the po paid their insurance claim. Really? I am surprised by that actually. I still say this whole thing is a bit odd and I don't think I have the whole story and never will.