What is a reasonable time to wait for payment or some form of communication

[heddablack]

No payment or communication after 3 days.  What now?

[pennyforum14]

I send a polite reminder after 48 hrs, if there is no response or payment within 48 hrs after that, I proceed with the NPB process.  8 times out of 10 the reminder does the trick, either resulting in a payment or at least contact from the buyer.  Of the remaining 2 out of 20, one will pay when the dispute is open, and the other never pays, so I close the dispute as soon as the option becomes available.

[harley_babes_hoard]

If you require payment within a specific time then you need to put it in your listings. You didn't have anything in yours. eBay allow 4 or 5 days before they send out a payment reminder I think.

[wontthatone8]

I agree with the other replies. You need to stipulate a payment period in all your listings (mine is three days). If no payment, no contact, in that time, I send a reminder invoice. If still no contact after say another 24-48 hours, I sometimes contact the buyer by email (nicely) reminding them of their obligation and committment when they bought. No contact from this email and I open a case with the Resolution Centre. This sometimes works, but not often. By this time it is usually about six days from the date of purchase. If no payment I close the case as soon as I am able to recoup my fees, then I start all over again by re-listing. Unfortunately, the deterrent (a strike on their buyer account) is not sufficient to stop serial non paying buyers and bidders.Its all about the buying experience! wontthatone8.

[heddablack]

Thanks all for your responses.  Soon as auction ended, I sent a thank you email.  Then this morning a friendly reminder.  If nothingmby tomorrow, will try again.

[phorum_junkie*]

The buyer gets an email from ebay when they win or buy an item, ebay send an automatic reminder 48 hours later so sending anything before the end of the third day is more likely to annoy the buyer rather than encourage them to pay. If I have heard nothing by the end of day 3 I send an invoice with a message asking them for details of their payment as I have not been able to trace it and offering help if they are having problems making the payment.

Doing that means I am not upsetting them if they have paid by bank deposit without completing checkout or if they intend paying on day 4, as they probably know they can do without any repercussions.

If nothing after the end of day 4 I just open the dispute.

[clarry100]

On day#3 we send a gentle reminder message.

If no payment or communication then on Day#4 we open a UPI dispute.

Then exactly 4-days later we close if if they still do not pay.

[*tippy*toes*]

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@wontthatone8 wrote:

I agree with the other replies. You need to stipulate a payment period in all your listings (mine is three days). If no payment, no contact, in that time, I send a reminder invoice. If still no contact after say another 24-48 hours, I sometimes contact the buyer by email (nicely) reminding them of their obligation and committment when they bought. No contact from this email and I open a case with the Resolution Centre. This sometimes works, but not often. By this time it is usually about six days from the date of purchase. If no payment I close the case as soon as I am able to recoup my fees, then I start all over again by re-listing. Unfortunately, the deterrent (a strike on their buyer account) is not sufficient to stop serial non paying buyers and bidders.Its all about the buying experience! wontthatone8.

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You're right, it's not, but if all sellers had buyer requirement blocks in place, these serial pests would be stopped in their tracks.

I don't send messages any more because eBay sends an automated "pay for your item" email after 2 or 3 days anyway. Some buyers get upset if they get the automated one, then another one from the seller. On the morning of day 5, I open a dispute. Most of the time it puts a rocket up them enough whereby they pay. No point dragging it out too long.

I send an invoice after the days auctions have finished to buyers who haven't paid straight away. I add in the invoice that if they are still watching other items to not pay yet, but let me know. Some pay not long after they get the invoice, others will send a message saying they are still interested in other items that finish in X days. I then make a note on their already bought item that they are still buying so I don't then turn around and open a dispute.

I also no longer put in my listings that payment must be received within X days. Some buyers see that as they can wait that long until they pay. Since I removed that, most now pay straight away, or send a message to say they are still watching.

[pennyforum14]

I turned off eBay automatic reminders and prefer to send my own, somewhat friendlier and more personal one.

[heddablack]

Thank you Penny.  I wasn't aware that ebay reminders could be turned off as I too prefer personal contact.  I rarely sell items, am mainly a buyer and I pay immediately.