Ebay Non Payment

[rmb]

Hi everyone. I am sort of new to Ebay and have been experiencing a problem of people not paying. It seems to be a trend that if I don't get the money the day the auction ends then I don't get it at all. I put in my description payment needed within 5 days. If the payment hasn't been received by the afternoon of the 3rd day I resend the invoice and then on the 5th day I have been sending another invoice and advising them to let me know in 3 days if the still want the item or not - then after that 3rd day and no response I report it to Ebay. I was just wanting to get an idea of how others deal with nonpayment on an item or if other has this problem. It is frustrating to watch your item get bid up, won and then not get the money.

Thanks!
Robyn

[my3kids]

I think I am running into the same problem! One buyer is on the deadline day and I've heard nothing. Another bought from a number of auctions so is outside the date on some and right at the date on the last one. I've experienced the same thing....they pay within the first 24 hours or I'm waiting at the deadline. I've never had this happen before. I wonder also what do I do?

[DMRick]

I'm actually surprised that you are getting any buyers at all, with only 5 days to pay. That isn't even enough time for someone to get a check to you, or pick up a money order, let alone mail the payment. You might want to rethink that. Are you selling clothes? That seems to be the item that gets the most non payers according to the ebay boards. Keep in mind that eBay suggests three business days, that people get in touch with you. I send out the invoice and if I don't hear in 7 days, I resend. Then I give them 4 more days and send the NPB notice. That usually shakes things up, if they do intend to pay, that's when they write and let me know. I then give them 7 days to pay from there, and if not finish up the non paying notice. It doesn't happen often to me though, so I have some leeway. You can also pull their contact info, and call, if you have a cell phone with free minutes.

[my3kids]

Wow...you are generous with your time. I say 3 days. I'm sorry but if someone wants to bid on an item....(and these are inexpensive things...it isn't as if I'm expecting them to be able to come up with financing for a mortgage. ...) There is no reason they can't pay within a day or so. A store isn't going to hold an item you've selected at the cash register for a week without a deposit or payment.

[Miss Kelly]

I give the buyer 3 days also. I accept Paypal only payments so I think that is more than enough time to send the money. It's worked well for me (so far). :)

[rmb]

If someone tells me they are mailing a money order - I am fine with that and haven't required it to be in my hands within the 5 days. It would be nice to hear something within 5 day on how they are going to pay. For example I sold a purse that ended on Sunday, got an email from the girl who won the auction saying that she didn't get paid until Friday (today) and would pay via paypal then and I did get her paypal payment today. I just don't like no response - even when you send them an email asking if they still are interested in the item - they should respond atleast yes or no.

[brivers222]

Yeah, what the heck is happening right now????

I currently have 2 NPB claims outstanding. I don't get it. I have 10days to pay yes, but wouldn't it be polite to respond to one of my 5 E-mails to you within that 10day period :confused3

as the OP stated 3 days is more than enough time to Pay with Paypal and more then enough time to let the person know they are mailing a check.

Its getting crazy

[my3kids]

Yep, I only accept PayPal and I do accept credit cards so I can not fathom a reason someone couldn't pay within the 3 days....if they don't have $4.00, they shouldn't have bid on my trinket!

[marriedmarylander]

Everytime I get non-payer they seem to come around the same time. Most of the time these are people with little or no feedback or a neutral/negative feedback. Once I had someone pay 25 days later. It was very cheap item and I never relisted it, but goodness - people don't understand. I say 3 days to pay - at least contact me. I udnerstand a money order in the mail may take longer but not more than a week. I think I'm going to enforce Paypal only though.

[OzFan]

I accept paypal payments only. I got burned on a fake money order. I give buyers 5 days to pay me. I have 2 auctions that haven't recieved payments. If I bid and win an auction, it is paid for immediatly. I think I going to have problem with one of my buyers, she has 2 negative feedbacks for not paying. It looks like I'm going to have to put on my auctions that if you have more than 2 negatives then contact me first before bidding.

Another thing that rubs me wrong is when I bid, win, and pay immediatley, and then don't recieve my auction for 3 weeks. I email and ask when was shipped and I ALWAYS get a sob story. Never has it been oops I forgot. Then I totally feel like crap for asking about my stuff. :guilty:

[my3kids]

The crazy thing is with my late payers right now...they both have 100% positive feedback in the hundreds! Weird, huh? My brand new buyers paid immediately!

[seashoreCM]

Turn off your email spam filter. The buyer may have sent you an email that you never received.

If you can use eBay to convey your message, try that instead of emailing directly to the buyer's address.

Three days for payment is too short unless the seller states that only electronic payment is permitted. Also people might be out of town (WDW?) and not check email every day. Stores that expect to do thriving mail order business do hold the merchandise at the cash register until reasonably mailed payments can arrive.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm
__________________________________________________

King Ozymandias of Assyria was running low on cash after years of war with the Hittites. His last great possession was the Star of the Euphrates, the most valuable diamond in the ancient world. Desperate, he went to Crosus the pawnbroker to ask for a loan.
Crosus said, "I'll give you 100,000 dinars for it".
"But I paid a million for it," the King protested. "Do you know who I am?"
Crosus replied, "Yes, your Majesty. When you wish to pawn a star, makes no difference who you are." (Michael R. in Readers Digest, 11/03)

[DMRick]

There is no reason they can't pay within a day or so.
**********
You're kidding, right? I'm on my computer all the time, because I work on it. but some people aren't, they actually go about their business, and go a few days without being on the computer. They may have bids in, that end on all different days, but they only have access on library or work days. eBay suggests to make contact within 3 business days..which means if the auction ended on a Friday, you might expect to not hear until Tuesday or Wednesday.
My goal on eBay is to sell and make money. I personally feel if I expected people to pay within a day or two (or even three), I may very well miss out on someone willing to bid much higher, but may read the tos and realize your auction ends on Monday, and their payday is Friday, so there is no sense in bidding. After all, if they see pay within 3 days, they don't know that you are willing to work with them.
I don't see it as being generous when I give them that much time. I see it as my main income, and I want to maximize that. I want to sell the item, not relist it. I often run several hundred auctions a month, and have been doing that for about 6-7 years. I have a folder with my non payers. I just counted them, and it is 19 (although I'm working on another)..not bad, about 3 a year. It could have easily been 200-300, if I was impatient. I must be doing something right.
Even if I only took Paypal, I would give a week, to allow for a payday.
I really believe doing business as I do, cuts way down on NPB, and that means I'm making more money, and not having to relist as often.

[simpilotswife]

When I was doing ebay a lot a friend suggested that I set my auctions to end on a Friday at about 11:30-12:00pm. That way the west coast people have time to bid and the item is closing around a payday so you will get the money faster.

[debdot]

i had an auction that ended on March 11.

i sent an invoice to the buyer and waited a few days and still never heard - so then i emailed - through ebay - at least 5 times and still nevery heard from the buyer - one email i sent stated that i hoped this person was not going to be my first non-paying bidder and i am also very nice and never threatening in the messages - so on April 4 i decided to leave neutral feedback stating that "please send payment - ended 3/11 after numerous emails still no response" figuring that if they were not getting the messages they certainly would check their feedback -

and still have not heard anything

funny thing this buyer has a recent feedback received after my auction about how quickly their payment came -

i always give the buyer plenty of time for payment to arrive and this is my first time with a NPB

any tips or suggestions on what to do next - is there a way for me to get this persons email address?

[tiff211]

Maybe the sellers can answer this one. I bid on an item a couple of weeks ago. I buy in spurts on ebay and always pay right away, usually once I know I won the bid. Have all positive feedback. I bid on an item for 2.99 and it said shipping would be determined at end of auction. I figured the item was very light and figured it would be $4-5 max on top of that. So, i won the bid and when I went to pay, the total was $12 and change. The shipping was $8.50 and it was parcel post!!!!!!! and the rest was handling and/or insurance. I couldn't believe it. I only buy things like clothes or sneaks and shipping has never been that much. This was a kid's wallet.

I emailed the buyer and asked them if the shipping charge was correct as it seemed a little high. no reponse, so I sent another email a week later, still nothing. I have not paid as of yet but don't want negative feedback. Am I right or wrong?

[DMRick]

i had an auction that ended on March 11.

i sent an invoice to the buyer and waited a few days and still never heard - so then i emailed - through ebay -
If the email addy was no good, then it won't get there through eBay either.
I have a cell phone with lots of minutes. Although usually, just pulling their contact info will do it, if they are just ignoring you.


http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQtZvbQQsofindtypeZ9

[DMRick]

I have not paid as of yet but don't want negative feedback. Am I right or wrong?
Are you right or wrong about what? I think you were wrong to bid without knowing the shipping costs, if that is what you are asking. You prob will get a negative, if you don't pay, and while you can respond you didn't like the shipping, the time to decide that, was before you bid:(. While the shipping may indeed be too high, the seller could claim he pays someone $5 to pack. He doesn't have to justify it, since eBay is very liberal with shipping charges, It's really important you know the info before bidding. You not only are likely to get a neg, but also a strike against you from eBay for being a non paying bidder. So IMO, you learned an important lesson, and you should pay.

[tiff211]

Are you right or wrong about what? I think you were wrong to bid without knowing the shipping costs, if that is what you are asking. You prob will get a negative, if you don't pay, and while you can respond you didn't like the shipping, the time to decide that, was before you bid:(. While the shipping may indeed be too high, the seller could claim he pays someone $5 to pack. He doesn't have to justify it, since eBay is very liberal with shipping charges, It's really important you know the info before bidding. You not only are likely to get a neg, but also a strike against you from eBay for being a non paying bidder. So IMO, you learned an important lesson, and you should pay.

Thanks, I still have every intention to pay but I would have liked a response from the seller since I emailed twice, letting them know that I was intending to pay and put it very nicely that I thought the shipping was high. If they had explained like you just did, I would have paid, and took it as a lesson learned but I haven't heard nor have they posted feedback or requested payment again.

[brivers222]

There is no reason they can't pay within a day or so.
**********
You're kidding, right? I'm on my computer all the time, because I work on it. but some people aren't, they actually go about their business, and go a few days without being on the computer. They may have bids in, that end on all different days, but they only have access on library or work days. eBay suggests to make contact within 3 business days..which means if the auction ended on a Friday, you might expect to not hear until Tuesday or Wednesday.
My goal on eBay is to sell and make money. I personally feel if I expected people to pay within a day or two (or even three), I may very well miss out on someone willing to bid much higher, but may read the tos and realize your auction ends on Monday, and their payday is Friday, so there is no sense in bidding. After all, if they see pay within 3 days, they don't know that you are willing to work with them.
I don't see it as being generous when I give them that much time. I see it as my main income, and I want to maximize that. I want to sell the item, not relist it. I often run several hundred auctions a month, and have been doing that for about 6-7 years. I have a folder with my non payers. I just counted them, and it is 19 (although I'm working on another)..not bad, about 3 a year. It could have easily been 200-300, if I was impatient. I must be doing something right.
Even if I only took Paypal, I would give a week, to allow for a payday.
I really believe doing business as I do, cuts way down on NPB, and that means I'm making more money, and not having to relist as often.

While 3-day may be to soon to be able to pay for some people I don't think it is to short to at least fire off an E-mail of "INTENT TO PAY" the seller. I mean you won the auction (in my case they are buy it now's) so you are defintely ON-LINE at the time. Just send an E-mail stating you are going to be paying by such and such method. We allow 10 Days and still people don't respond.

[brivers222]

If the email addy was no good, then it won't get there through eBay either.
I have a cell phone with lots of minutes. Although usually, just pulling their contact info will do it, if they are just ignoring you.


http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQtZvbQQsofindtypeZ9

Thanks! for the link... I just used it for two of my NPB from 15 days ago

[crazymomof4]

Haven't run into a non paying bidder yet, but I'm learning a lot on this thread...Taking notes in case it does happen!

[DMRick]

Just send an E-mail stating you are going to be paying by such and such method. We allow 10 Days and still people don't respond.
I agree, it would be nice, if people would respond. I missed that your items were buy it nows. I would think that would speed the process. Doesn't eBay have a Pay it now, that can be used for people with paypal and in conjunction with buy it now, or has that fallen by the wayside?

[brivers222]

I agree, it would be nice, if people would respond. I missed that your items were buy it nows. I would think that would speed the process. Doesn't eBay have a Pay it now, that can be used for people with paypal and in conjunction with buy it now, or has that fallen by the wayside?

Actually you didn't miss anything... I didn't say that unitl the last post I made (to clarify why I was asking about instant response) ;)

They do have this thing called instant payment where, as best I can tell, forces the buyer to pay immediately. I haven't attempted this as I like to give people some time table.

I send contact day it was bought, then another 4 days later, then another 4 days later, then on the 10th day giving them to 11:59pm to respond. I make them fully aware that I intend to file NPB with E-bay to reclaim the fee's they have caused me.