Payment not received when a buyer makes an offer

[geeky-meeks]

Hi All,

Just some advice please. All items I list are Buy It Now or Make An Offer. I have had a couple of items where a reasonable offer has been made & I have accepted pretty much straight away.  They then don't pay. I know Ebay sends reminders for buyers to pay, but am I supposed to send an invoice. Are people not paying because I don't send an invoice ?
Also, they have 4 days to pay, 4 days where the item is no longer for sale. Is it plausible to expect offers to paid sooner ? Pay within 2 days or the seller can cancel the order for example ?

[countessalmirena]

If the seller sends a reminder invoice, the clock resets and the buyer will have another 4 days starting from that invoice. So… don’t send a reminder; 4 days is plenty of time.

If the buyer fails to pay, after 4 days the option to cancel with the reason “buyer didn’t pay” will appear. That will earn the buyer an invisible strike. Two of those over 12 months will see the buyer blocked by any seller who has set up their buyer requirements to block such time-wasters. (Set that up now in your buyer requirements to avoid this sort of repeat offender.)

You can cancel the sale earlier but not for the nonpayment reason. As eBay gives the buyer 4 days (except for “immediate payment” items), I think it is reasonable to wait out the 4 days.

[siddieswans]

From what I can see eBay has not yet instigated Immediate Payment Required for Best offer here in Oz, though it appears it can apply in the USA. When I accept an offer (I always check the Buyer's Feedback first to see if it affects my decision) I IMMEDIATELY send an invoice.  It is very easy and quick to do, it is the top option after clicking Accept (twice);  "Send the Buyer an Invoice". This way it does not extend the 4 days' grace the Buyer has to make payment. (As countessa explained above). It may be a different scenario time-wise if you have automatic acceptance /rejection prices set on your Best Offer items, but from your posting it seems you are accepting manually. I do not have immediate payment required on my BIN items, and often sell by auction,  but I rarely have delinquent payers - whether it is because in all cases I send an invoice promptly I have no idea, but it is a quick and easy remedy to try. Good luck.

[davewil1964]

If you accept an offer, it is same as the buyer using BIN.

They don't need a reminder nor an invoice. The ball is in their court and the next step is for them to pay.

If they don't pay, cancel using 'buyer didn't pay', block them and relist.

Or use immediate payment required, or don't offer 'best offer'. If you know what your items are worth list them at that.

Yes, your item will be out of circulation for a minimum of 4(2?) days.

[springyzone]

I've often made offers and when they are accepted, I pay straight away.  I have never needed separate invoices or reminders.

If you're getting people who don't pay after you accept, I am wondering if (for some people) they are just playing around and are not dead keen on the item. After all, these are people wwho weren't willing to buy at full price so they may just be seeing if they can get it cheaper and then decide. 

I know that isn't how it is supposed to work, an offer is meant to be a firm commitment but then so is pressing buy it now and still some buyers renege.

I wouldn't bother with reminders, just straight into unpaid item claim after 4 days.

[sugar249]

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@springyzone wrote:

If you're getting people who don't pay after you accept, I am wondering if (for some people) they are just playing around and are not dead keen on the item. After all, these are people wwho weren't willing to buy at full price so they may just be seeing if they can get it cheaper and then decide. 

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Or they made offers on  other similar items and one of the others was accepted first.   I must admit to doing that once.

[halfgweilo]

sugar249.. I am sure geeky-meeks was seeking advice from the board on what could he do to buyers? who made  offer/s and when their offers were accepted, they didn't/don't pay. He didn't ask if you are wondering if they were just playing around or not.   

[sugar249]

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@halfgweilo wrote:

sugar249.. I am sure geeky-meeks was seeking advice from the board on what could he do to buyers? who made  offer/s and when their offers were accepted, they didn't/don't pay. He didn't ask if you are wondering if they were just playing around or not.   

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If you go back and read the OPS intro they ask ''Are people not paying because I don't send an invoice ?''

I have just given them another reason why they may not have paid.  Answering the question,  is there a problem with that.

[springyzone]

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@halfgweilo wrote:

sugar249.. I am sure geeky-meeks was seeking advice from the board on what could he do to buyers? who made  offer/s and when their offers were accepted, they didn't/don't pay. He didn't ask if you are wondering if they were just playing around or not.   

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I'm the guilty one actually, I made that comment about playing around.

As Sugar said, geeky meeks is wondering why some buyers don't pay and if it is a fault on his end.

My view is it is not his fault & nothing to do with sending a separate invoice or reminders or anything of that nature.

I think buyers are more likely to be testing the waters with offers than with straight out purchases and what sugar suggested about some buyers making a couple of offers and accepting the first is a strong possibility.

We have to consider the nature of an offer. As far as a buyer is concerned, they don't know exactly when the seller will get back to them or even if the offer will be accepted & this wait can be extremely frustrating if there is another item for sale and the buyer would like to buy that if the first one isn't available. There is uncertainty.

Many offers work automatically, the seller has put their lowest acceptable price in place & so the buyer knows immediately if the offer has been accepted. Geeky-meeks, if I were you, I'd be inclined to set that up if you haven't already. I know you said you answer quickly but nothing beats immediate & you may get more payments if buyers don't have to wait at all for a result.

[sugar249]

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@springyzone wrote:

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Many offers work automatically, the seller has put their lowest acceptable price in place & so the buyer knows immediately if the offer has been accepted. Geeky-meeks, if I were you, I'd be inclined to set that up if you haven't already. I know you said you answer quickly but nothing beats immediate & you may get more payments if buyers don't have to wait at all for a result.

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And the great thing about this is you get to see if offers are automatically rejected,  so you get an idea of where the potential market is sitting for an item.

ie.  my current item has had a few offers, 3 of them I consider just bottom dwellers looking to get something for nothing,  2 are almost on the money I want, 1 is so so.   I'll give it a few weeks (no rush),  and I know where to drop my price point down to based on a feel for the market.

Nothing worse than putting something up and having it snapped up within 10 seconds, because than you know you have underpriced it.  

sorry halfgwello,  I know again it isnt answering OPS question, but it is expanding on OPS and other readers options.  Not sure why we have to solely stick to the subject,  but I tend to drift,  think I am drifting now,