Customer Saying received an empty box, item was not inside
I sell mobile phones and ship them daily via Royal Mail. A customer claims to have received an empty box and sent me a photo of the box,
I'm not sure if this is a scam. What should I do? How can I handle this situation? I'm concerned that if he opens a case, Amazon will issue a refund.
8 replies
Seller_ZJhFeE3tNKzfh
It may well be a scam. You can do the following...
- Supply the customer with any proof you have of delivery, including photos
- You could advise the customer you will need to open up a claim with Royal Mail on this as if the box is empty and was full when you sent it, then the postal worked etc will have to be investigated - they would have to provide a police statement normally.
A customer may open an A-Z and in all likelihood, you may lose. Again, all you can appeal with is any proof you have. There is the off chance the customer has used an amazon account to pull this scam (if it is) one to many times, and amazon find in your favour.
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
Does sound like a scam. Also, to add to above, send the customer the proof of the weight when sent, and ask if the box show evidence of being damaged or tampered with ?
It's easy for a customer to send you a pic of the empty box, but not the external packaging ! If a RM parcel gets damaged in transit they ALWAYS place inside a bag with a sticker on it apologising, so ask your customer to send you a photo of that !!!
Seller_q02IFWVcXV5xc
Surely if you're supplying mobile phones you have the advantage of being able to easily bar them at the slightest hint of the empty box scam,
I'd be suggesting this straight away to the buyer
Seller_ikLGTusumHaEm
We've had a similar situation, customer claimed the item was not in the package although it arrived sealed. She placed an A-Z claim and Amazon funded her refund, they informed us that our good track record shows we don't send empty packages.
Problem is, Amazon are educating and rewarding dishonesty
Seller_FhfzIInmoIaYS
Had an issue and this is the response I got. Sums up the Seller position -
“We value our customers' trust above all else--it is the foundation upon which Amazon was built.
In other words I think this means customers are permanent and sellers replaceable, something like that.
So if the customer says the box was empty it was empty.
Couldn’t you put tamper proof stickers on the box and the box to have a clear cellophane window ? (Do not remove the tamper proof sticker if you can’t see the phone). A photograph from the buyer showing a supposed empty box should therefore have the tamper proof sticker intact ?
Simon_Amazon
Hello @Seller_564jKc5fNVXE0,
Here Simon from Amazon.
How did this go in the end?
Did the Buyer file an A to Z claim?
Best,
Simon
