Should I lodge an unpaid item case

[aj111003]

Hi, need some advice..... I sold an item on my other ebay ID, the listing ended on the 26/9 ($17.00 in total) and I sent an invoice to the winning buyer on the same day and a reminder on the 30/9.

On the 30/9 I received an email from the buyer requesting my bank details which I provided on the same day and let her know I would check my account daily and once I received payment would be back in touch to confirm when I would be posting the item.

From 30/9 - 5/10 I checked my account daily and still no payment.

So yesterday (5/10) around midday,  I sent an email to the buyer advising that I had not received a payment yet and asked her to confirm if payment had been made.  (I thought maybe she had paid it to the wrong account??)

So far I haven't received a reply. I think I've been pretty patient & polite and have taken into account the long weekend and that it's been school holidays, but I'm starting to get tired of waiting. (I do also have blocks in place for non-paying bidders - as I have had one in the past and that was pretty frustrating - but that buyer made absolutely no effect to contact me within 7 days which led me to believe he had no intention of paying, hence I lodged an unpaid item case & got the fees reimbursed).

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but I know I have to draw a line somewhere. Should I give her till Monday and send another email, then if  no reply is received by Wednesday lodge an unpaid item case? That would make it 2 weeks since the listing ended.

Would appreciate any advice, thanks Jo

[ss1630]

Hi there,

I always struggle when to open a case too, as I had a bad experience with one (they paid after I opened a dispute, and gave me a neg !) however I do think it is important to open them if a buyer doesn't pay, so they receive a strike and then seller blocks are effective.

Recently I had a buyer, and sounds similiar to you, i reminded, they asked for my bank details, then nothing for probably over week.

I waited as they were a repeat customer and it was only $5.00, and eventually she contacted me saying she had been away and would pay immediately. I guess I waited as she was a repeat customer, and I'm glad all my reminders were polite (thinking she might have paid into the wrong account too )..

In the end I waited for the sake of 'customer' service.

However in the case of no contact, and no response to messages I usually wait 10 or so days and open one.

Perhaps the more experienced sellers here can offer some advice. Just thought I'd share.

Slow payers are frustrating! 🙂 Good luck

[*sparklz*]

Open the dispute now.

This will give them 4 more days to pay and/or make  contact with you.

If after the 4 days you still do not have the payment then issue the strike.

You have no idea how many others they have pulled this stunt on.

Block the ID and put in place the blocks to stop non payers from being able to purchase from you.

[kopenhagen5]

As suggested, opening the dispute doesn't effect their account and you can explain that to the buyer.

No need to struggle, giving a buyer 5-7 days then asking if there is a problem with payment is ample time. If they don't respond, open a case. They then still have 4 days to pay.

[*new2vintage]

Why do some sellers want to wait so long ?

A week is long enough - especially if the buyer doesn't communicate.

[ss1630]

Yeah I probably should toughen up lol. If no communication at all, after reminders, 5-7 days is fine I think, and in my experience they are not going to pay in any case. Strike and on the BBL.

I'm still nervous after that one buyer got irate at me (almost a year ago) now for daring to open one 10 days after not responding to any of my messages, she paid and then predictably complained about the item and have me a neg (my first and only). I wasn't the only one she had done this to.

I just have to get over that experience... I had only just started selling stuff. Had plenty of non-payers since then and UID's without that happening since (on other ID's)

I agree , just open a case and they still have 4 days to pay.

[thecatspjs]

Unfortunately I have to open unpaid disputes on a relatively regular basis,

I send an invoice reminder at the start of day 5 after the sale with a note that an unpaid dispute will automatically open at the end of 5 days after the sale, and that they should pay (or contact asap if they need extra time to pay). From time to time, I might send the same note in a message, instead of the invoice.

I have disputes set to open automatically on day 6, since the sale.

If no contact or payment is made by the buyer I close the dispute at the end of day 10 and they are issued a strike.

As my payment terms are consistent with ebay and I don't chase payment with multiple messages which can be annoying to some, so far, I have not had a negative in retaliation for following up non payment in this way.

[aj111003]

Thanks very much everyone for all your great advice. I will be opening an unpaid case today. I agree with you ss1630, something I have to do is toughen up, I'm too damn nice!

I think Kopenhagen & cat's advice about opening an unpaid item case and then explaining it to the buyer that payment is required within 4 days makes it pretty clear what they need to do to avoid a strike.  Thank you - something I will start to do and put in place.

[wickedfezplayer]

Hi, I have this written on the original invoice that I send to buyers.

Thanks for your purchase. Please pay for purchases within 7 days, if you need more time please let me know. If I don't hear from you I will have to open an unpaid item dispute, so I can get my fees refunded Thank you.

On day 5 I resend the original invoice.

If I don't hear from them on the 8th day I open a UPI

I have had no problems doing it this way.

[aj151010]

Thank you Wicked! have never included this sort of stuff in my invoices previously, but will definitely start to include it now. The less time wasters the better and it is very clear and puts them on notice.