WHY do people bid and not pay????

[SDFgirl]

New-ish eBay seller here. I just had 76 auctions end, and two winners have not paid. Don't think they're going to, either - it's been 9 days now. I e-mailed them politely a few days ago, then again yesterday morning letting them know that I'd be filing a non-payment dispute at 8pm tonight.

My question is - is 9 days without payment too soon to file a dispute? Is there anything I'm missing? WHY does someone bid and not intend to pay???? Thanks to the experts out there...

 

[brekin67]

9 days is reasonable. File the dispute.

 

[DiznEeyore]

They don't pay because there are no consequences for not doing so anymore. I never had problems w/no-pays 'til eBay instituted their ridiculous no-negative-feedback for buyers policy.

I agree -- time to file the dispute.

 

[mafibisha]

Same question some of us are asking here on the DIS boards "Come Trade With Us" thread!

Why do people agree to a trade after seeing pictures and discussing everything, then not follow through? (or rip off their fellow dissers)??

And why do they not even PM as to why they aren't? Even if they changed their mind, didn't like the item, didn't think it was worth it, why no communication?

In a word, *RUDE*!!

And sad.



EDITED TO ADD: And probably like the DIS TRADING thread, ebayers probably come back with new screen names, too!!!

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...................................

 

[StefaniLyn]

did you request their contact info from ebay? I always get a phone number and at least attempt to call before leaving neg feedback (though I can't leave neg feedback for no-pay bidders anymore but I have no complaints about the policy because my ONE and ONLY neg feedback was from a seller who was ticked that I left him neg feedback because he didn't deliver)

 

[disney0210]

don't mean to hijack the thread but when is a good day to file the non-payment dispute? i had an auction end on sunday night, it has been 48 hours and i clearly stated that payment via paypal was required within 24 hours of auction end...

 

[Robinrs]

don't mean to hijack the thread but when is a good day to file the non-payment dispute? i had an auction end on sunday night, it has been 48 hours and i clearly stated that payment via paypal was required within 24 hours of auction end...

You can remind them now but non payment disputes take time.http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/unpaid-item-process.html

 

[Kim in SPR]

My DH is a power seller on Ebay. It drives him crazy when someone ends the auction with a bid war at the last minute then waits days to pay. Why would a person see an auction end knowing that they won and not just pay right there???

Good luck with your dispute.

 

[ajh88]

I wish I had an answer for you. I know sometimes things happen - I once had a lady tell me her son bid on a bunch of items without her knowing (I didn't believe her), another who just had buyer's remorse, and others who just never even bothered to respond at all. But how hard would it be to send you a message to let you know - you can mutually agree not to complete the transaction so you can move on. A 2.5% non-pay rate out of 76 auctions isn't terrible, but even 1 NPB is frustrating and IMHO, unacceptable.

My latest was a person who bid 99 cents on an item and never even bothered to answer an email. A non-paying bidder strike over less than $3 total. Who knows!?!

 

[SDFgirl]

Thanks all. I checked their addresses to see if they lived in the New Orleans area and had to evacuate...but no. They're way up in the northeast.

Oh well, I know a ton of people aren't happy with ebay anymore. I especially don't like the no-negative-feedback-for-sellers policy. But, overall I've been pleased with eBay and most of the transactions that I've completed.

 

[Robinrs]

Thanks all. I checked their addresses to see if they lived in the New Orleans area and had to evacuate...but no. They're way up in the northeast.

Oh well, I know a ton of people aren't happy with ebay anymore. I especially don't like the no-negative-feedback-for-sellers policy. But, overall I've been pleased with eBay and most of the transactions that I've completed.

Yes, lots of people are unhappy with them but their my bread and butter. They're a LOT better than getting a second job or starting your own business website! I also do Craigslist and my company has a bulletin board where I sell stuff I don't like to ship but eBay will always be my number one seller.

Like the Post office worker said, it's like having a yard sale and inviting a million people!

BTW, I have 1040 feedbacks at 100%, and have NEVER left a bad feedback. I don't feel the need to. If you have a bad transaction, block them and never deal with them again.

 

[Imzadi]

They don't pay because there are no consequences for not doing so anymore.

Yep, because they CAN. Try buyinf something from Amazon or Target and not paying first. You can't. This is one of the more stupider concepts of eBay. They should require a credit card as people register and simply take the funds out from the winning bidder & transfer it automatically to the Seller. It would stop the majority of problems for the Seller.

 

[Nie0214]

They don't pay because there are no consequences for not doing so anymore. I never had problems w/no-pays 'til eBay instituted their ridiculous no-negative-feedback for buyers policy.

I haven't used ebay since maybe December of 2007, I can't believe there is no way to leave negative feedback for buyers! It's sorted by buyer/seller auctions, so people can see if they are a bad bidder! WOW! Horrible.

 

[mafibisha]

Yep, because they CAN. Try buyinf something from Amazon or Target and not paying first. You can't. This is one of the more stupider concepts of eBay. They should require a credit card as people register and simply take the funds out from the winning bidder & transfer it automatically to the Seller. It would stop the majority of problems for the Seller.

Exactly. Because they can.

Same thing with the DIS boards: "Come Trade With Us" thread.

Sorry but there are too many of us still waiting for our trades.

One poster has kept a list of names (and addresses in case they come back with a different name) so you can check and see if they follow through. I think its called the *name and shame* list!

 

[missj1975]

don't mean to hijack the thread but when is a good day to file the non-payment dispute? i had an auction end on sunday night, it has been 48 hours and i clearly stated that payment via paypal was required within 24 hours of auction end...

You can send them a reminder email but you can't file a dispute until seven days after the auction ends. The first step in the dispute is an alert from ebay. Then you have to wait another seven days before you can request your final value fees back from ebay. Once you request the final value credit, they buyer will get an unpaid strike.

Usually the first step (the unpaid alert from ebay) is enough to get my slower buyers to make payment. I very rarely have to request the final value credit.

Just a comment, you saying you want payment within 24 hours is fine and dandy but there is really is no way to enforce that unless you require immediate payment. I don't know if you can do that with auctions but you can do that with buy it nows.

I give my buyers ten days to pay before I file the alert. I am a little lenient but I get a lot of repeat buyers that way.

 

[TupperMom7]

You waited long enough - I think the minimum is 7 days? It's been a while since I sold on Ebay. The only thing filing a non-paying bidder will do is afford you the chance to get your final value fee back. Otherwise, it's useless. There could be any number of reasons why the person didn't follow through and pay for the item. They could have had a family emergency. They could be experiencing computer problems. Their child could be the one who actually bid on the item and they don't even know about it. Or they just like to go around bidding on items with absolutely no intention of paying for them. 2 out of 76 isn't actually that bad.....now off to the post office wiith you - you have 74 items to mail out!

 

[jstbcuz]

I had a camcorder on ebay as a BIN or best offer and someone offered me 300 right before it ended and then didnt pay. I emailed them 2 times and they had the gall to say that they were leary and wanted to check me out. And I have almost 100 percent feedback. Never heard from them again!

Also had one that one an auction for 9.99 that same week that didnt pay either. An unpaid item strike doesnt amount to a hill of beans I dont think.

 

[mafibisha]

Thanks all. I checked their addresses to see if they lived in the New Orleans area and had to evacuate...but no. They're way up in the northeast.

Oh well, I know a ton of people aren't happy with ebay anymore.

I especially don't like the no-negative-feedback-for-sellers policy. But, overall I've been pleased with eBay and most of the transactions that I've completed.

So what did you decide to do? This is even more interesting to me now - (in addition to the no-shows on the DIS "Come Trade With US" thread) - as my neighbor just encountered the same thing!

Someone bid to the last minute, won the item, and is now MIA. What is UP with people? Its beyond rude!!! Ya know, its actually *stealing*. There have to be better rules, both on EBAY and on the DIS's TRADING thread!!!

 

[pinkyinhere]

I think you waited long enough. You should file for non-payment. Ebay will send them notice.

 

[wickywinn]

And file a non-pay against them, odds are they'll leave you negative. We have no recourse now with sellers unable to leave negatives. Our sales are basically hijacked and at the mercy of perfect strangers.