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Original poster

To ask for help re Ebay buyer saying item wasn’t in envelope

127 replies

Rainraincloud · 14/01/2021 23:22

What do I do here? Item was sent signed for with Royal Mail. Buyer sent me photos with the envelope looking like it had been cut open.
I don’t believe the buyer and will contact Ebay.
Buyer messaged asking for a refund.
Any advice apart from speaking to Ebay?
Thanks

OP posts:
sneakysnoopysniper · 15/01/2021 01:25

The posters who say its the sellers responsibility are correct. Its very unprofessional to accuse the buyer of lying, even when you suspect they are. Ebay and Paypal will side with the buyer so the correct thing to do it to send them a short message expressing regret and refund them without delay.

You then have two choices.

#1 if you are a business seller (and therefore registered for tax) you can claim refunds as a business expense to set against taxable profits. The transaction in your Paypal or Ebay account once marked refunded is your proof in the unlikely event you ever get asked for evidence by HMRC. This is by far the easiest option.

#2 If you are only an occasional seller (eg clearing out your garage or attic) and not registered for tax you will have to claim back from Royal Mail. This will be a form filling exercise and they may require evidence (in the form of receipts) of the value of the goods.

Original poster
Rainraincloud · 15/01/2021 01:26

Guiltypleasures001- thanks- do you have a link please on how to do this

OP posts:
MrsPerfect12 · 15/01/2021 01:34

If you print your postage via eBay and something like this happens, even if they side with buyer you don't have to return funds. They can track it's been posted and eBay take the financial hit. It's happened to me and I was surprised so always safer to do postage that way.

MissMarpleDarling · 15/01/2021 01:50

I genuinely received a wripped open envelope last week (was clearly a bday card). Last time it happened they put it in a clear bag saying sorry about your mail and to contact them if anything's missing (money was) but this time it was just posted through my door in a torn open envelope. I've had 2 parcels where box was opened but the stuff was still in it. Maybe the buyers telling the truth.

Thefeep · 15/01/2021 02:42

When I had a ripped envelope delivered it was in a plastic bag with some kind of sticker on it. The postie knocked the door and explained wHat I needed to do if anything was missing.

Mally2020 · 15/01/2021 07:25

Buyer isn't wrong, things haven't been signed for to our house due to covid, the postie or most companies have left at doorstep or posted and signed themselves

mygenericusername · 15/01/2021 07:34

I send 200 parcels a day. Around once every other month I used to have a similar problem.

Use Plastic bags and bubble wrap instead of paper and don’t call buyers liars. It doesn’t get you anywhere.

Freaksandgeeks · 15/01/2021 07:53

As you sent it via recorded signed for, won’t Ebay refund the buyer? If it hadn’t been signed for, you’d have to take a case up with Royal Mail. I had a case a while ago, where the parcel had been signed for, but the buyer swore she hadn’t signed it and it had been left on a bin, which had then been taken by the refuse collection. I wasn’t held liable and didn’t have to refund.

HOS8595 · 15/01/2021 07:55

eBay won’t side with you.

The buyer didn’t receive his item. They will give him his money back.

You will have to claim via Royal Mail.

smoothchange · 15/01/2021 07:56

I don't really understand why the weight being in the receipt is helpful here?

AaronPurr · 15/01/2021 07:59

@smoothchange

I don't really understand why the weight being in the receipt is helpful here?
Me either. I could understand if the buyer was claiming it was a different item, but the weight won't help in this situation as the item is missing.

Sorry OP but I agree with a lot of other posters Ebay is likely to side with the buyer, you'll have to fill in the forms and claim it back from Royal Mail.

Godimabitch · 15/01/2021 07:59

Royal mail are shite. We received a picture rolled up in one of those strong tubes. Posted signed for, cost her over a tenner. They didn't even knock on the door, rammed it into the bin breaking the cardboard tube and stuck a note through the letterbox and disapeared.

newyearnewme21 · 15/01/2021 08:02

Agree with @smoothchange- that will just demonstrate the item was in the envelope when you posted it, which you know it was- you posted it! If the item was removed by the post office or the buyer then that won’t effect the sending weight.

I sell on eBay a lot and occasionally this happens- there is no way of proving the buyer is lying, eBay almost always sides with them. For the sake of a tenner I’d let this one go.

donquixotedelamancha · 15/01/2021 08:06

90% of people claiming the post man has stolen their mail are lying/chancers/dishonest

87.2% of statistics are made up. Royal mail seem to me to be the best carrier but I bet most people have had items lost or damaged by them.

I'm sure some people defraud eBay sellers but there is no basis to assume that in this case. The law is clear: if you sell something to someone you must ensure they receive it.

AlexisCarringtonColbyDexter · 15/01/2021 08:16

@EndoplasmicReticulum

If Royal Mail deliver a ripped envelope they put it in another plastic bag with "sorry we mangled your mail" owtte on it.
Sorry but not always. Ive had several pieces of mail that were gaping open delivered by royal mail without that
Spiderysummer · 15/01/2021 08:18

Recently I have received a couple of letters that have been sliced open at the top. Nothing had been removed but then again there was nothing to take! I have also received very damaged packages with and without the plastic bag and sticker form the PO. Very hard to know if your buyer is defrauding you.

hiredandsqueak · 15/01/2021 08:22

I had exactly the same situation, a signed for delivery with an empty envelope that had been sliced open. Postie did put it through the letterbox and I wasn't trying to rip anyone off. Contacted the store (not ebay) and they sent a replacement. I wouldn't be so quick to judge especially if feedback looks good. I think there has been quite a few thefts from Christmas parcels from what i read online.

Redburnett · 15/01/2021 08:22

Just refund, block buyer in ebay and claim from RM. Simple. It is a waste of time trying to prove a buyer is dodgy, especially for a low value item.

DDiva · 15/01/2021 08:23

@Rainraincloud

TobyCarvery- Absolutely, my experience of postmen is that they are great and very careful. I just don’t believe that the postman delivered a cut open envelope. I think the buyer is chancing it. I have sent a few messages saying that I will speak to Ebay and that I will also send details of this to Royal Mail to investigate. I will phone Ebay tomorrow. Any more advice gratefully received.
What would you expect the postman to do with it if it was on his round to be delivered ?

Is there a reason you dont trust the buyer ? Why is your assumption they're trying it on target than thinking the item has been damaged in the post ?

Ohgoodness34 · 15/01/2021 08:25

A recent damaged delivery i received from Royal Mail.
I’ve had damaged envelopes before which havent had this sticker.. but they’ve been envelopes rather than parcels.. I guess some parcels are damaged in transit, the weather, letterbox etc but it’s a bit odd that it was cut rather than torn.

To ask for help re Ebay buyer saying item wasn’t in envelope
Clymene · 15/01/2021 08:26

I also think it doesn't matter if the thing was nicked by RM or the 'buyer' because eBay will find in their favour. Refund and get your money back from RM. I never sell on eBay anymore because I've had this happen a couple of times. eBay is full of dodgy thieves, safe in the knowledge they can always claim something didn't turn up and get their money back.

PinkyParrot · 15/01/2021 08:27

Would someone make this claim for a measly tenner's worth of stuff?

oblada · 15/01/2021 08:30

@Rainraincloud

SolongFurlough... exactly. The buyer has said things can’t be signed for due to covid and that it was put through the letterbox. I don’t believe him.
Thats definitely true here. We've had all sorts put through the letter box that should have been signed for. As the seller I think your responsibility only ends when the item is received by the buyer. I'd contact royal mail to refund unless they can prove the letter was delivered undamaged. Whilst it may be common practice not to sign for letters it doesn't discharge royal mail of responsibility if it should be signed for.
Dinocan · 15/01/2021 08:35

Envelopes do get ripped open in the post if it looks like they might have something valuable inside or money in a birthday card. I wouldn’t be certain the buyer is lying. I would refund and claim it back from the mail. Probably more likely to be compensated that way.

Dinocan · 15/01/2021 08:36

And I haven’t signed for a parcel since the start of the pandemic. All post is being left or put through letter box if it fits.

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