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@mastersoftheshoeniverse wrote:

Okay so it won't let me edit my initial post, but here is what led to ebay deciding in my favour.

For future eference.....you only have 5 minutes to edit a post before it is fixed in stone.

 

Firstly, upon informing ebay that the buyer sent back an empty box, I was asked to sign a stat dec affirming that I received an empty box.  They e-mailed it to me, and I had to get it witnessed by a JP, take a pic of it, and then upload it to a link in the e-mail.

You were lucky.....generally ebay leaves it to you to find the Stat Dec form.  Again, for future reference, they are available online at several sites....Google is your friend in this case.

 

Separately, I contacted Australia Post via live chat, gave the tracking number, explained the situation and asked if the item was weighed whilst in transit back to me.  They said yes, and so I gave the other tracking number and asked if it was weighed whilst in transit to the buyer.  

 

Long story short, there was a massive difference in weight between the item I sent, and the item the buyer returned, proving that the buyer either sent me an empty box, or something very very light - but not the original item.

AP should be your first port of call when needing to compare 2 parcels....they are usually very helpful if you approach them politely.  Some people think confrontation is the only way to go....it isn't.

 

Australia Post was nice enough to put this information along with the tracking numbers, in a tidy little e-mail to me.  I took a screenshot and uploaded it with the stat dec, and a couple hours later this nightmare was over.

 

I do not know for certain what role the Australia Post information played in ebay's decision, because they don't exactly debrief you.  Maybe they just wanted the statutory declaration and would have decided in my favour regardless when they received it.

It never hurts to give that little extra information....shows that you have done your research.

 

But they explictly said that the buyer was not refunded, and they removed his feedback.  So some common sense won out.

Not just common sense.....you had all the proof needed to take it further if ebay did not come to the party.

 

I still haven't opened the box and I'm thinking about taking it to the police and seeing if they have any interest in pursuing the matter.  My gut says no, but it might be worth a try.  As previously mentioned, I don't want this buyer trying this scam with some other seller.

I am not sure that the police would be interested as you have not lost anything.  You might try Scamwatch or similar.....just to get the buyer's name on their radar.  They cannot do anything since you have not lost anything.

 

Thank you again everyone for your input.  It's nice to know there are people so invested in helping others.

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