Please HELP - Customer claiming to have received empty box
Hi, today I received this weird claim from a FBA order:
“I just ‘received’ this order and it was an empty box. You did not include the iPod. I opened it in front of two witnesses and I have photographs. This is outrageous. If you don’t immediately refund me in full, I will (a) take legal action against you for a full refund, and (b) I will tweet your details to my 100,000 Twitter followers exposing what you have done. refund me immediately. This is appalling.”
I am sure that I included the item so either something happened at amazon warehouse or it is simply a scam. (Which from his message looks like it, who opens parcels with witnesses and taking photographs? I dont believe him on this first impression)
He already left negative feeback which for my sales volume puts me already facing suspension due to high ODR.
How to proceed here? Surely Amazon must weight the parcel for shipping right? This way they know it was not an empty box.
Should I reply to the customer or handle directly with seller support?
Thanks
Daniel
Please HELP - Customer claiming to have received empty box
Hi, today I received this weird claim from a FBA order:
“I just ‘received’ this order and it was an empty box. You did not include the iPod. I opened it in front of two witnesses and I have photographs. This is outrageous. If you don’t immediately refund me in full, I will (a) take legal action against you for a full refund, and (b) I will tweet your details to my 100,000 Twitter followers exposing what you have done. refund me immediately. This is appalling.”
I am sure that I included the item so either something happened at amazon warehouse or it is simply a scam. (Which from his message looks like it, who opens parcels with witnesses and taking photographs? I dont believe him on this first impression)
He already left negative feeback which for my sales volume puts me already facing suspension due to high ODR.
How to proceed here? Surely Amazon must weight the parcel for shipping right? This way they know it was not an empty box.
Should I reply to the customer or handle directly with seller support?
Thanks
Daniel
14 replies
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
Interesting reply “This is outrageous. If you don’t immediately refund me in full, I will (a) take legal action against you for a full refund, and (b) I will tweet your details to my 100,000 Twitter followers exposing what you have done. refund me immediately. This is appalling.”” from that response I would presume it to be a con
If the item was FBA the customer should be going back to Amazon as it’s fulfilled by Amazon, it is not your liability here. Amazon will reimburse you and send the customer another unit free of charge but you will see another order at the same value so there is no loss to you.
This is a very difficult one to prove, we’ve get a large number of Amazon Prime deliveries to our premises for staff and we noticed in March & April the Amazon Prime label on some parcels was cut open and retaped with clear tape but the items inside were not of significant value so presumably were not stolen during transit but clearly at some point had the contents had been checked. In any event as an FBA order the customer should report back to Amazon.
I would raise a case on Seller Central under fulfilled by Amazon / Other issue, with the order number explain in brief
Seller_0pkMTMROIPEmY
I would add, do not refund as Amazon are likely to send a replacement unit or issue a refund and will reimburse you the full order value.
Seller_pRtZKnwFtS3PQ
Stand your ground, threaten legal action when appropriate (when you have evidence) and this happened to us with a very similar quote from the buyer as your buyer has quoted to you
Seller_MaCn7NvTI3GGw
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If this is an FBA order you should request feedback removal.
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Again, if this is an FBA order politely reply to buyer and ask them to contact Amazon Customer Support, explaining the items are kept and dispatched by Amazon directly.
Freephone (within the UK): 0800 279 7234
International: +44 207 084 7911 - charges may apply
Seller_QlN0mmCAFPtjZ
Seems a bit convenient that he opened the box with two witness’s present . Tell him you prefer 3 witness , two is just not enough to convince you .
Seller_lNgEGYaL9wEaf
Feedback was removed on my request (the instant bot operated request) which is a peace of mind!
I have requested him to contact amazon support (as seller support also advised me to do).
I also told him that I will report the item as stolen at the police since with the number this is strong evidence of guilt for someone holding on its possession and it also communicates with the iTunes so for sure a record of some kind is recorded in the computer.
Anyway, I see that the order has been refunded! Wondering if it will be from my account or from Amazon.
Seller_lNgEGYaL9wEaf
I have received the refund initiated message… they are deducting from my account!
Will open another case with seller support.
Seller_DZN91J2W23FWV
Another issue is that if the item was returned by a different buyer as an empty box and then shipped to the other customer, had this happen before, obviously only applies if you have had returned that went back into inventory.
Seller_QOwDDuKmoItYH
Amazing isn’t it that they say ‘they opened in front of 2 witnesses’
As they are weighed and Amazon will probably know the weight of the box and do a test to see if this ‘could’ be the case then hopefully all will be well. Good luck and keep us updated. 
Seller_lNgEGYaL9wEaf
Hi, the outcome is that Amazon has indeed refund the buyer (at their expense, but I guess only because it is FBA).
My gut feeling is that they have not investigated using weight information and so on, they simply refunded.
