Buyer - Stop Blaming The Sellers!

[arnl7178]

Why is it that a buyer will buyer an item, make no contact whatsoever, and then get mad when a non-payment dispute is open?

Honestly, sometimes sellers just can't win.

I added information in my "terms" stating I won't write to buyers after 4 days of non payment because a buyer knows they need to pay and because eBay remind them so that's sufficient notice before a dispute is opened, YET I still do send a quick message telling a buyer if they need more time, just let me know. Communication is key!

If I hear nothing, a dispute is opened.

Once it's opened, they usually pay but are then mad at me. I got my first neutral for "slow postage" recently, because my buyer was annoyed about a dispute being opened and I've had several buyers before and since really mad about me opening a dispute.

Buyers, please just COMMUNICATE with us. We don't know you need more time. We don't know your intentions. We don't know anything if you don't tell us.

What's worse, these buyers who don't let us know what's going on, have no problem using the eBay message system to show their opinions of us once a dispute is opened.

It's infuriating!

[yoginscave]

Getting very tied of having to chase up payments for items won, our list can be demmed as a leagal contract of sale , there for out term and condition  should be met and abided by. Buyers should be made to pay a LATE PAYMENT fee if our terms of payment is not met !!!. Sellers and Postage fee's we have to pay is bad enough , Its about time Ebay got tough on buyers who pay when they feel like it or buyer who fail to meet the terms and condition of the sellers !!!

[lyndal1838]

As long as buyers meet the Terms of ebay sales that is all that is necessary.  Ebay Terms are not necessarily the same as the seller's terms.

[dotm2004]

I THINK THAT BOTH BUYERS AND SELLERS NEED TO STAY IN CONTACT !

As a seller, I send a second invoice when there isn't a payment after 3 days ... then I send a note  "Hi, will you please contact me to let me know when I can expect payment for ..."    If nothing after 5 days ... I then use the Resolution Centre  area mainly to get my fees back.

I also expect buyers to keep in touch with me ... I completely understand if you can't pay immediately,  BUT PLEASE CONTACT ME AND TELL ME. 

[digital*ghost]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

As long as buyers meet the Terms of ebay sales that is all that is necessary.  Ebay Terms are not necessarily the same as the seller's terms.

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eBay's terms is that a buyer must meet a seller's terms* in order to be eligible to purchase - anyone that does not meet a seller's terms is ineligible to buy, and theoretcically can be reported for it. (Realistically, we all know eBay is unlikely to care, let alone do anything about most circumstances in which a buyer doesn't meet a seller's terms, but that's the point of complaint). 

*Presuming the seller's terms comply with eBay's and any other applicable laws - there is no eBay policy regarding payment timeframes. If a seller asks for payment within a certain timeframe, the buyer is agreeing to that term when they purchase and should comply.

[thecatspjs]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

As long as buyers meet the Terms of ebay sales that is all that is necessary.  Ebay Terms are not necessarily the same as the seller's terms.

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eBay is not a party to the sales contract between a seller and a buyer - a sellers terms define respective seller and buyer obligations.

I am surprised after so many years on eBay that you are not aware of this Lyndal.

[ms_aussie]

I highly recommend Unpaid Assistant as it has worked very well for me on the few occasions when a buyer did not pay. I set mine for 8 days although you can set it for four days if you wish.

On whatever day you have set eBay will alert the buyer that eBay has opened a case against them. Not you 🙂 Because the seller believes that eBay is the demon there is no bad feelings towards the seller 🙂 And better still Ebay automatically closes the case 4 days later, not you, and you either get paid by a very anxious buyer who still believes that eBay is the demon who is going to give them a strike or you get your fvf back and they get the black mark from eBay 🙂 It's actually a great tool and a win/win for the seller.

I absolutely love Unpaid Assistant 🙂

[springyzone]

How much time to do you need to pay? Well Jo, what if an item is won on a Thursday night at about 11:30pm and its a long weekend on the Monday. The buyer goes away for the long weekend straight after work on Friday. Doesn't get back on the computer till at least the following Tuesday night. There's five days for a simple one.

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Agreed. That can absolutely happen.

But, it would be wrong for that buyer to then be mad at a seller if they returned home to find a dispute had been opened.

Maybe a lot of buyers don't realise that if they pay after a dispute is open, they don't receive a strike. It's possible that's why they get so upset.

I'd love to hear the opinions of members who only buy and don't see the selling side of things.

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This thread started a while back, but I'm mainly a buyer so I'll kick in with my view.

Let's say I saw an auction finishing late on Thursday and I knew I would be going away on the long weekend.

I would either go on the computer early, before work on Friday morning, or else I would not bid. I agree with arn, the seller isn't a mind reader and can't assume the buyer is away.

It is up to a buyer to know that an unpaid item dispute can be opened 4 days after a sale if no payment is received.

If that peeves the buyer, too bad.

I wonder how long buyers think they should be able to go along without paying. I don't know of any other site where the goods in the cart are yours until you actually pay for them! Ebay is quite generous really to allow 4 days.

Can't pay... know in advance you won't be near a computer for 5 days to even communicate.....don't bid.

And I say that as a buyer

[casbit33]

As a seller, it is very annoying when you are just left hanging. If someone buys an item surely, they know they have to pay for it. They couldn't go to a bricks and mortar shop and say hold this item for me for a week.  They would be given 1 or 2 days if they were lucky.

If someone is bidding on an item, and it is going to end while they are away. They could contact the seller telling them that they will be away for a certain time in case they win the item.

It's common courtesy to communicate. if buyers need more time, they only need to ask. Sellers will gladly give them more time if they are kept informed.

[casbit33]

Wouldn't be interesting if we could affect non paying buyers with bad credit rating like businesses do. They wouldn't be able to get a loan for a car or house. I bet that would stop the non payers.

[bede3823]

I message buyers on the 2nd or 3rd day using the same cut and paste message saved in a text doc

I ask them to please let me know what their intentions are?

If they still want the item but need more time to pay that is fine. 

As long as i know they want the item 100% there is no real rush but i ask them to please keep me informed.

If they purchased in error or for whatever reasons no longer want the item please let me know and i'll lodge a mutual cancellation form with ebay.

I explain ebay charges 10% of the total in fees to my account as soon as buy now is clicked and as a small seller i simply cant afford to forget about those types of amounts whenever a buyer has a change of mind or buys in error.

I hope they can appreciate my position?

If i dont get a reply i'll send one more message next day and if they still dont reply i open the NPB dispute.

I dont think to many buyers can complain or be angry if you have messaged once or twice before openening a dispute?

No doubt there will still be the odd one that wont be happy.

There isnt a lot you can do about difficult buyers.

If neg or nuetral FB is left try and leave a calm measured response.

Buyers will see it for what it is.