a dumb eBay seller (me) question (actually 4 questions)

pursuitofliberty

Last week I had twelve auctions close on Sunday. Except for one bidder, every one was responsive, and some have already recieved coins. Met a couple seemingly nice people in the process. All is well.

However, this one bidder never contacts me. At all. I send an invoice, a reminder, and another, little more firm reminder this morning. Nothing. Then as I'm reading through a thread on here, I remember I can find out which items he's bid on ... thinking if something went wrong for the guy, that would mean he hasn't been bidding right?

Anyway, such is not the case. The person is a bidding fool (maybe not a fool, but certainly active).

I got his contact info from eBay but they didn't show his email address. What's up with that, I don't know.

Okay, let me ask the questions before I ramble too much.


At what point do you file a non-paying bidder thing?


After that, at what point do you consider him a total dead-beat and relist the item or sell elsewhere?


Do you neg him?


Do you out him here?



Any advice is appreciated


p.s. on a side note I got the nicest line from a guy in an email yesterday - I think I'll share it here - In my mind, eBay should be a fun thing, and sellers such as yourself make/keep it that way. Does anyone even remember when eBay was honorable and fun?

p.s.s. my appologies for even putting this thread up, but hoped a few of you regular sellers might have a little advice

Shamika

Perhaps he's bidding from a different computer. While on the road, I've bid on eBay items in the past. Then when I get to my home computer a few days later, I see my email.

1921obsession

I think you file NPB tomorrow morning, after a specific warning right now. You've done due diligence in trying to contact him, and you know he's been online and bidding. Make sure he knows it's at the point of NPB, set a specific timeline and then follow through.

flaminio

<< <i>At what point do you file a non-paying bidder thing? >>

It's up to you, but I usually wait two weeks. Mail takes that long, sometimes.

<< <i>After that, at what point do you consider him a total dead-beat and relist the item or sell elsewhere? >>

After the NPB, he has 10 days to get payment to you. After the 10 days he's officially a deadbeat. Make sure to file to get your FVFs back.

<< <i>Do you neg him? >>

I would, but not for 90 days from auction close. Try to sneak it in before he has a chance to retaliate.

<< <i>Do you out him here? >>

Absolutely. The whole point of a community like the CU forums is to help and protect each other.

LindeDad

File a non paying bidder at ten days after close. If there is no contact or payment is not recieved. I've had people not reply at all but still pay on time.
Nuck him at thirty days.

1985ChicagoBears

I do not have any answers to your questions; just my experiences.

Two weeks ago, I had 5 auctions going -- all coins sold. Three responded immediately, one two days later and the other about fours days later. The latter I had to email twice to see what was going on.

Since I was going out of town, I was concerned that they would send me payments and then would have to wait a week for shipment. Turned out not to be an issue.

Bottom line in the ebay game is patience. Some people are slower than others and some people travel which may be the situation in your case. Give it another couple of tries since sending emails is a lot easier than filing things with ebay and getting into a response war.

Hope things work out.

joeyuk

If you sent him a message from the contact member tab they will see
it in My Messages from any computer they are logged onto.

Fairlaneman

"Dumb Ebay Seller".......

Ken

pursuitofliberty

Funny thing just happened as I was responding to a PM from one of my buds ... the guy called me on the telephone. Sounds like it might be a day or two, but at least he made contact.

Thanks for the input everyone ...

TorinoCobra71

I usually wait 3-4 weeks for payment. Send invoice every week.

File NPB after fourth week. Follow by non-payed Item Strike.

Re-List Item, Put bidder on blocked bidder list. DO NOT NEG! Retalitory neg is not worth it.....just move on......

TorinoCobra71

Rampage

There have been plenty of times where a buyer has never contacted me. Usually within ten or so days, a check or money order will arrive. Do I neg, no way. Yeah, communication is always nice, but some people just don't do it for some reason.

joefro

<< <i>< Do you neg him? >> >>





<< <i>I would, but not for 90 days from auction close. Try to sneak it in before he has a chance to retaliate. >>



Thats good, I hadn't thought of that before. I just usually don't leave any negative feedback for the deadbeats because I know I'll get one back just out of spite. With this philosophy, I have been able to keep 100% feedback now with over 200 feedbacks received. However, there sure have been one or two deadbeats I would have loved to have slammed.

However, I think that overall coin collectors are some of the most repsonsive and responsible people I sell to on eBay. When selling non-coin items (just random things) I find that you run into payment and contact problems a little too frequently. I would say that with 80% of coin auctions I list, I receive payment either immediately or the same day. I just can't imagine such responsibility coming from some of the other categories on the bay... so I think we are a little lucky in that respect.

joefro

Of course, there are a lot more crooks and cheats that we have to watch out for in the coin category than most other types of buyers have to worry about.

flaminio

<< <i>Of course, there are a lot more crooks and cheats that we have to watch out for in the coin category than most other types of buyers have to worry about. >>

The coin category is a veritable paradise compared to the Magic the Gathering categories. "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy."

pontiacinf

<< <i>There have been plenty of times where a buyer has never contacted me. Usually within ten or so days, a check or money order will arrive. Do I neg, no way. Yeah, communication is always nice, but some people just don't do it for some reason. >>



I had a check showup 2 months later after sending my last invoice...I was gonna keep the items, and woa-la, in comes da check

Russ

<< <i>At what point do you file a non-paying bidder thing? >>



My auctions ask for contact within three days, and require payment within 10 days. I send a reminder invoice at seven days. If I get no response, I file the NPB alert at 10 days.



<< <i>After that, at what point do you consider him a total dead-beat and relist the item or sell elsewhere? >>



If the bidder has not responded to the NPB alert by the time I'm ready to list the next round of auctions, I relist it then. I can always cancel it if he does finally pay up.



<< <i>Do you neg him? >>



Most of the time I don't bother. I don't neg on the dinky stuff and most NPB's it's dinky stuff. But, if it's a higher dollar item, or the bidder screws with me I'll neg him. For example, a bidder claimed multiple times he was mailing payment for a $300 plus coin. Finally it arrived after about a month - and the check was bad. Him I negged and, of course, he retaliated. He's since been NARU'ed.

Russ, NCNE

relayer

I state in my auctions payment must be received within 10 days.

On day 10 I file an Unpaid Item Dispute

I wait the required 7 days, then get my final fee credit.

Then I relist it

SamByrd

I would wait at least 10 days before filing a npb alert, then at least 30 days before neg feedback. Be specific with the feedback and be sure to answer his negative feedback you will recieve in return.