Question for the Ebay sellers

[KangaWoo]

Hi all,
I have been selling on Ebay for about 3 months now and so far it's been good.

My query is, I sold an item about 75hrs ago (bit over three days ago) and have not been paid or contacted. Now I know this happens a lot, and I usually let it go for 4 - 5 days before I send a friendly reminder.

I have included in my listings, requesting payment within 3 days from the end of the auction, or to make contact with me.

The item in question is a relatively expensive item ($200+) the winning bidder won it for a great price.
I have since been offered a fair bit more for the item from a member of a forum relating to the product I have.
So in a way I am hoping the Ebay bidder does not pay.

If I wait another 24hr and if I have still not been paid is it reasonable for me to just cancel the order? or can he then give me a neg rating?

I would in any other case be more patient, and send a friendly reminder, but I also feel I have done my part, I did request payment in 3 days, and I also feel I should not have to chase up the buyer.

I also would rather wear the cost of the listing etc. instead of making a case and having to wait.

Your thoughts/ suggestions?

 

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[smokeythecat]

Send one reminder. Give it another day or so, then cancel the sale and give a 2nd chance offer. I've had it done to me before. Last guy was a real jerk.

 

[KangaWoo]

Thanks Smokey, I will send a reminder tonight (Aus time) and wait 24hr from now.

I know the buyer doesn't realise, but it does put me on the back foot as I am a relatively new seller and trying to build up. I would use the funds for that item to get more stock for my little store immediately.

I would never buy an item of any price and not pay straight away, unless it was communicated to do so in order to buy multiple items to save on shipping.

 

[jerseyben]

Hi all,
I have been selling on Ebay for about 3 months now and so far it's been good.

My query is, I sold an item about 75hrs ago (bit over three days ago) and have not been paid or contacted. Now I know this happens a lot, and I usually let it go for 4 - 5 days before I send a friendly reminder.

I have included in my listings, requesting payment within 3 days from the end of the auction, or to make contact with me.

The item in question is a relatively expensive item ($200+) the winning bidder won it for a great price.
I have since been offered a fair bit more for the item from a member of a forum relating to the product I have.
So in a way I am hoping the Ebay bidder does not pay.

If I wait another 24hr and if I have still not been paid is it reasonable for me to just cancel the order? or can he then give me a neg rating?

I would in any other case be more patient, and send a friendly reminder, but I also feel I have done my part, I did request payment in 3 days, and I also feel I should not have to chase up the buyer.

I also would rather wear the cost of the listing etc. instead of making a case and having to wait.

Your thoughts/ suggestions?

Remember that your personal "terms and conditions" mean nothing. Ebay already has non paying bidders covered. Use the system in place to handle it and move on.

 

[trdhrdr007]

Pretty sure that under the new rules canceling an order for any reason is a defect. Open an unpaid item(UPI) case & let it run it's course. I'd suggest that in the future you set up your account so that eBay automatically opens a UPI after a set amount of time. I don't send invoices, friendly reminders, or anything like that. Let the eBay system deal with all that.

 

[toolmanbutch]

I have been selling on eBay for 12 Years. I have done 100's of thousands of dollars. The old saying of Buyer beware is now Sellers beware. If you do not document everything with words and pictures and in some cases shipping insurance, even pictures of your packaging, you may be the won who will lose. I will always list my item in an Action Format with it very close to it's value and I always have a handling charge to cover eBay and PayPal fees. In a Fixed format I list at what I want for it.
Toolman Butch

 

[Beachkid23]

By the third day if it's not paid for I send another invoice in the morning. Say by dinner time if it's not paid for I do a cancel order. Of course you have to wait the 4 days or whatever but a lot of times they pay for it. And sometimes they don't. I feel three days is a very reasonable cushion to pay for an item. I've been on eBay for probably 10 years and I've never waited three days to pay for something and I bought so why should I wait a week until somebody pays for their item. Three days then open a unpaid case.

 

[buzzhead]

My unpaid item case is set to automatically take over after two days. I never buy unless I pay immediately. I can't comprehend bidding on the item in the last seconds and take 2 days to pay the bill...


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[cyberdan]

Three days then open a unpaid case.

Kid, I could not have said it better. I think my ebay settings do this automatically.

This happened to one customer last month. He asked for a week to pay. I said OK but also told him ebay will start an unpaid buyer on him and I could not stop it. Well ebay sent him that notice and he came unglued and sent me a very wordy message how unhappy he was with me and to CANCEL the order. I reminded him what I told him earlier and he calmed down and finally paid.

For those of you that remember this was the package I sent to MD and the one that the seller returned to me because THERE WAS A GUN IN THE BOX.

 

[Tuberale]

Hi all,
I have been selling on Ebay for about 3 months now and so far it's been good.

My query is, I sold an item about 75hrs ago (bit over three days ago) and have not been paid or contacted. Now I know this happens a lot, and I usually let it go for 4 - 5 days before I send a friendly reminder.

I have included in my listings, requesting payment within 3 days from the end of the auction, or to make contact with me.

The item in question is a relatively expensive item ($200+) the winning bidder won it for a great price.
I have since been offered a fair bit more for the item from a member of a forum relating to the product I have.
So in a way I am hoping the Ebay bidder does not pay.

If I wait another 24hr and if I have still not been paid is it reasonable for me to just cancel the order? or can he then give me a neg rating?

I would in any other case be more patient, and send a friendly reminder, but I also feel I have done my part, I did request payment in 3 days, and I also feel I should not have to chase up the buyer.

I also would rather wear the cost of the listing etc. instead of making a case and having to wait.

Your thoughts/ suggestions?

Open an unpaid item case. Insist that the payor (or Ebay) receive the reply.

This has been happening a lot recently. I believe its is a fishing expedition to obtain information about you. Be careful what you say.

 

[diggummup]

Pretty sure that under the new rules canceling an order for any reason is a defect. Open an unpaid item(UPI) case & let it run it's course. I'd suggest that in the future you set up your account so that eBay automatically opens a UPI after a set amount of time. I don't send invoices, friendly reminders, or anything like that. Let the eBay system deal with all that.

Exactly what I do.
As many others have mentioned, you definitely need to open a case for non payment if you want your final value fee back from ebay, among other things. Here are a few links that may help you now and in the future.
General seller problems- Resolving selling problems
Resolution center- Resolution Center - eBay
Unpaid item assistant- http://rebulk.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?UPIPreferences This can be set to open after as little as 2 days of non payment from a buyer.
I'm another one that has never waited to pay for an item longer than 24 hours after I won it at auction. Buy it now, I've always paid instantly. Which reminds me you can "Require immediate payment" upon purchase too as you are listing your item, it's in the payment options section below your email/paypal address. Understanding immediate payment

 

[KangaWoo]

Thanks for everyone's input into this thread, all very much appreciated.

Still no payment or reply from the buyer, end of day four is looming.

What I have learned so far from my own experience selling on ebay are the following.

It's like the Forrest Gump quote about chocolates "you never know what your going to get"
My first few items I put up, were small antique/vintage items. I didn't have much invested in these, and I put them as auction items at a starting price slightly above what they owed me (around $30 start) all I got was a few watches and no bids. I then put them up again at .99c start price, the bids came thick and fast, and they ended up selling over $40 to $50. Humans are funny creatures

So since then That is how I have been starting most of my auctions, apart from a few that are more expensive items and things I don't mind if they don't sell.

So far all the things I have bought and re-sold through Ebay, I have made a profit. I look for things that are poorly photographed and with a lack of description and or poorly described, and a good price (I focus on vintage/antique and jewellery)

I then use my history as a photographer to take appealing and descriptive photos, and I research, and ask questions (this site has been great) and make the description as good as I can.

So far this has been good, and my recent foray into local garage sales and auctions have been fantastic profit makers.

This latest sale, while still a slight profit (if he pays) is the first disappointment I have had, I really thought I would get more, and I know it's worth more, that is why I am hoping he doesn't pay, and even more surprised he hasn't yet. I will relist at a higher start price and be happy to keep if it doesn't sell again.

I have also been considering ETSY for selling some of my higher end Antiques. Any thoughts on that? pro's and cons?

Thanks guy's, I really do owe a lot of my gained knowledge through this forum, not only regarding this aspect but also learning about metal detecting and gaining valuable knowledge on my finds.

 

[T.C.]

Pretty sure that under the new rules canceling an order for any reason is a defect. Open an unpaid item(UPI) case & let it run it's course. I'd suggest that in the future you set up your account so that eBay automatically opens a UPI after a set amount of time. I don't send invoices, friendly reminders, or anything like that. Let the eBay system deal with all that.

We do the same thing 007, except we add the non-payer to our blocked list. Right now we are waiting for an individual to pay for a previous won auction. He just popped up tonight and bid on a current auction!! Go figure!!

 

[KangaWoo]

It also throws out my postage plans, I try and have all my auctions finish on a Sunday night, and post by Tuesday, or the Monday if all items are paid for.
It sucks to have to travel (a long way for me) to the post shop, just for one item later in the week.

I think Ebay should think up a better policy for a time frame when paying for an winning auction, or give the seller a longer period to post a late paid for item, instead of being punished if an item is delivered late.
And it seems like a person who is late paying for an auction would be more likely to leave poor feedback if they have had a non paid item case opened on them.

 

[jerseyben]

It also throws out my postage plans, I try and have all my auctions finish on a Sunday night, and post by Tuesday, or the Monday if all items are paid for.
It sucks to have to travel (a long way for me) to the post shop, just for one item later in the week.

I think Ebay should think up a better policy for a time frame when paying for an winning auction, or give the seller a longer period to post a late paid for item, instead of being punished if an item is delivered late.
And it seems like a person who is late paying for an auction would be more likely to leave poor feedback if they have had a non paid item case opened on them.

Pretty sure that's not how it works.

 

[KangaWoo]

Pretty sure that's not how it works.

Sorry mate, and no offense, but I find that reply a little vague. As I mentioned I am fairly new to this and would appreciate you clarifying.

If it's the first part of my reply, I understand that is not how Ebay works, but that is a personal setback living where I am, "and it sucks"
I am of the believe you shouldn't buy something if you don't have the money to pay, but that is me, and probably why I don't have any credit card debt.

If it's the second part, I just made an opinion on something that I don't fully agree with how Ebay works (not how it does work) in the late buyer area, it just seems like they enjoy the fee's they gain instead of fair play for both seller and buyer.

If it's to do with the last and 3rd part, I do not see why the buyer could not, or would even want to give a poor feedback if they felt somewhat pissed off that they were sent reminders and had a case opened up on them. But again I am new to selling and am learning as I go.

 

[slikriktn1]

when you list an item, use the advanced form and you can add bidder requirements..these are the ones i have added for my listings.....
it cut down on some of the problems i was having.....

Don't have a PayPal account
Have received 2 unpaid item strike(s) within 6 month(s)
Have a primary shipping address in countries that I don't ship to
Have 4 policy violation report(s) within 6 month(s)
Have a feedback score equal to or lower than -1

 

[adirondackjim]

How or where do you access this advance form when listing an item? And do you need to do it for each individual listing or can it be set to automatically cover all your listings?

 

[jerseyben]

You can simply set bidder requirements in your seller account preferences. This will then apply to all of your listings. I would recommend that EVERY seller do this.

 

[slikriktn1]

you access this by clicking on (my ebay) at the top of your page, you will see Activity.Messages,Account,Applications...click on account>>>>>>>>>under my account views on the left side, click on site preferences,>>>>scroll down to buyer preferences and then edit......