Brief ebay rant - WHY can't buyers pay quickly or at least w/in a day? UGH!
Raufus
Posts: 6,784 ✭✭✭✭✭
Hi Folks-
Happy Holidays to all.
Very sorry but I just couldn't resist a brief ebay rant.
Sold a coin last night via ebay auction. Buyer has extensive and great FB so I'm sure that I'll get paid - eventually. That said, leaving town in a few days and won't be able to ship until I return. I always ship same or next day. It didn't occur to me that an auction ending on a Sunday night would create a shipping issue due to late payment late in the week but it may.
Anyway, I've bought and sold on ebay for about 10 years. 100% Pos FB with 5/5 DSRs and hundreds of transactions.
As a buyer I've never - not once - not paid instantly for a BIN or w/in a couple of hours for an auction that I won.
It amazes me that buyers think that it's just fine to essentially freeze a seller's inventory until they feel like paying. Of course, this only occurs since one can no longer leave meaningful buyer feedback.
I can think of no other venue whereby a buyer can 100% tie up a sellers item until they feel like paying in their good 'ol time. Meanwhile, this guys bid prevented the next highest bidder from buying who likely would have paid quickly as has been the case with the vast, vast majority of my buyers.
I think that this behaviour is selfish on the buyers part - the buyer who I'm sure still expects instant shipping when he gets around to paying. Of course, all manner of poor buyer behaviour - far worse than slow paying - is made possible by the inability to leave buyer feedback.
Sorry for the rant. Just ticks me off. Perhaps one day Ebay will swing around a bit back to the sellers. Not holding my breath.
Happy Holidays,
Ron
Comments
Not only that, EBAY charges the final value fee to seller's account before buyers pay. So sellers often get a double whammy when a buyer opts out of the transaction and it takes weeks to get those seller fees reimbursed. Sort of like most banks.... Funny banking rules.
I have a few coins I bought yesterday that I have not paid for. I won a lot more than expected, so have to transfer funds. As a seller, I don't mind waiting a day or two. 5 days is actually my policy, and if the buyer needs a little more time, no biggie. If you are cutting it that close as a seller on needing funds ASAP, you can make it a buy it now listing where it must be paid for before the listing actually ends.
I agree with you, Raufus.
Pay fast for integrity. Pay fast for thoughtfulness. And pay fast to avoid the ADD.
Thanks Miles! Spot on. Wishing you a very happy holiday season.
Very true. Just adds to the joy. All part of the reason that selling on eBay has gone from my preferred venue to my least preferred.
I don't need the funds. I do want to b able to ship immediately like I always do. If he needs to transfer funds (unlikely here, $110) a quick note to that effect would b nice.
Where else besides eBay does this happen? We all shop online. We buy. We pay.
Thanks for the reply .
Try selling through Heritage, and see how long it takes to get your money. GC is the fastest that I know of and you're still looking at a few weeks.
Everybody paying for everything right after the close just ain't gonna happen! As a buyer, I pay for most of my purchases right away, but as a seller, I don't require it, and neither does ebay. I don't like the hassle of making multiple trips to the post office, but I also don't want to keep people who expect amazon-like shipping times from getting their stuff. Consider it one of the hidden costs of doing business on ebay.
Why stress over things that you have zero control over.
Almost every week, I have at least one late payer, cept this week I got lucky.
When I was a top rated seller I was always stressing over shipping in 1 day to keep my discount. I had to take a break from selling for a few months and fell below the 100 transaction threshold for top rated and lost it anyway. I changed all my handling times to 4 days . I still ship most things in a day but I don't stress about it anymore. I've not heard any complaints either and the only thing I miss about being top rated is lower shipping costs. The discount on priority international was great in some cases the discount on one label was more than my store fee for the month.
Send the buyer a message saying he can take his time paying because you are going to be gone for a week. With any luck he will pay faster so he can get it shipped out before you go.
Thanks for the great suggestions and great comments!
I used to be a PowerSeller. Loved the discount. I don't have the 100 transactions despite that I am way over the $ amount needed AND have a nearly decade long record with many hundreds of sales with 100% pos FB and 5/5 DSRs and a solid six-figure total sales amount. That's another thing that makes no sense. I could of course sell a bunch of small items just to get to the 100 but not worth the hassle. The old system of getting PowerSeller status based on a combo of $ of sales and number of items made far more sense. Of course, many things about eBay made far more sense back then.
I gladly just sell outright to dealers or best on the BST instead of eBay now. I gladly take a few less $ to avoid the eBay BS. I'm sure that I'm far from alone in this. eBay has become so seller hostile.
First of all, I based on the description, I am similar to the OP's buyer. I have over 1000 positive feedback on ebay with zero negs - both as a buyer and a seller. Secondly, I often use sniping software but generally pay immediately or within 24 hours if not at home. After all, that is what sniping software is for. BIN's are always paid immediately.
Anyway, to complain that someone didn't pay instantly is a bit harsh in my book, especially on a holiday weekend. Perhaps the poor buyer is traveling home after a holiday weekend with family and friends. Perhaps the poor buyer gets paid on the first of the month and funds will be available on Wednesday. Perhaps it is something else, but until the buyer communicates, it is all conjecture.
All that said, I've dealt with a number of non-paying bidders in my time. But after only 24 hours after a holiday weekend, I wouldn't be too concerned at all.
Now I understand that there may be some issues with timing for shipping. Once there is come communication, simply explain to the buyer when you can ship.
So don't hold your breath - ebay can certainly be a pain, but life is too short to get your shorts in a bunch - at least this early.
Happy Holidays to all of you as well.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
I give them 7 days to pay. E-Bay gives them 3.
In a case of solid feedback I'll create the label and ship when I see payment on the E-Bay app. It may ship from a state much farther away but that's not a big deal. It's not the buyers fault I'm traveling.
I always pay immediately for my purchases.....have always done it that way, even before paypal... would send the M.O. out the next day...never any later. I occasionally buy on ebay now...not coins though...and still pay immediately.Cheers, RickO
I must confess. I once bid on a coin and got busy at work and forgot about the bid. It was a week later before I saw that I had won the auction. I felt guilty and bought a second coin and paid at that time. We both left good feed back.
i pay immediately in the shop (and online), when buying. Customers pay that way too, when buying (in the shop). Online transactions are not that way. I get that. On the same token, like the OP says; (we) sellers are expected to ship within one business day. And of course, I do that too. So, if you are not going to be there to ship and fear retribution if the buyer pays later, just contact them and cancel the transaction.
I am a fast pay. As soon as I know what I owe, the check goes out.
For that I expect "a fast ship." Don't sit on my stuff for a week and a half, especially when I have a track record with you, and you know my check is good.
Heritage ships to me now before I have even sent a payment. Other auction houses have been as slow as molasses, which irritates me to no end. On one occasion one of the houses took over three weeks to mail the goods. For whatever reason they had to send the goods to the West Coast before they could send them back to the East Coast. It made no sense, and I told them so. Since then they have gotten much better.
I 100% agree with you.
I am a low volume seller but have had two very late payers. Both about 10 days and both big time dealers.
I have no patience for slows or dead beats. My parameters are set up for eBay to handle them for me. 8 days no pay = an unpaid item strike. If you accumulate 2 in a 6 month period, you will not be able to bid on my auctions. The parameters are there for any seller to utilize. For the most part...the higher the feedback, the slower they pay.
Just be sure to let the buyer know that you could have shipped today had he paid but due to existing plans you will be out of town until XXXX and will ship on xxxx upon your return. Thank him and be pleasant about it.
bob;)
I try not to sweat the small stuff remembering that the last bidder increased the final sales price sometimes by a lot. In your example, I would message the buyer and say .. 'I am leaving town on XXX and will not be back until XXX, if you do not pay before XXX then shipping will be on XXX'.
Even though the buyer has 'tied up' your money, you still have the item that you also had last week. If you need some quick cash, put up some BINs requiring payment on purchase.
I print my labels through ebay, so when this happens to me, I usually just bring the coin and packing material with me and print the label from wherever I am.
My Ebay Store
Not everyone lives for eBay.
Most people pay within a day but not all.
After 2 days I send an invoice as a reminder.
After 4 days I open an unpaid item case, then wait the required 4 days and close it and get my fee credit and add them to my blocked bidder list.
yeah, send the note.
you could also take the package with you and just not mail it until it is paid.
although, you'd probably have to pay full price for the stamps unless you can print a discount label while you are away.
I sometimes forget to pay same day. I often pay things I won at night the next morning so I can relax.
Almost all of mine pay within 24 hours. If 2 days have passed I will send an invoice as reminder. All of my auctions state: please pay within 3 days via paypal. After that ebay automatically handles the case.
In purchasing I am fast pay, usually within an hour or two of item close as my iPhone informs me.
If I am going to be out of town I will close the ebay store before any problem can surface, then reopen when back.
Never understood the logic in not paying right away. The sooner you pay, the sooner you get your item. I guess that I am becoming less patient, the older that I get.
“I may not believe in myself but I believe in what I’m doing” ~Jimmy Page~
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947)
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I do that on occasion but only when I know I will pay within a few days and if my pp acct is low. Mostly on BIN's when I find a killer cherrypick. Not too often though. But it does happen. Like it or not that's how ebay works and sellers know this. As a seller i know and understand this happens so if I'm selling something where I want payment right away I click the pay when purchased box when I'm listing it.
What you can do is get it packaged up and take it with you then ship it from your current location when payment is made.
Use BINS immediate payment.. or specify Payment after auction end.. I travel ...do not want to use a public/ WIFi computer when paying
I have probably 30,000 feedback over 3 accounts. I do not live on the computer. If I do a buy it now I pay then, on a auction that ends I may not even check for 24 hours to even see if I won. If I win a action on Friday night, Saturday I usually pay Sunday afternoon and do them in one shot. I do not get worked up over slow payers as I have the material and I will have the money and the material for a short while. Is the post office open on Saturday and Sunday to ship my item that I won. On Friday after 5 pm? On items I sell if you pay by 4pm Monday thru Friday it ships that day. I schedule my actions to end on sunday. Monday thru Saturday I do not spend much time on the net from 7am to 8pm
NGC registry V-Nickel proof #6!!!!
working on proof shield nickels # 8 with a bullet!!!!
RIP "BEAR"
48 hrs. Ugh. I can appreciate that many are not on line all the time, etc. but most do have smart phones and do check email and it takes a second to explain a delayed payment. This was really rare before no buyer feedback....
Tomorrow I'll send a note as some have suggested noting that I won't be able to ship immediately after Friday. Really is irritating but obviously not at all a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Ebay just makes such poor buyer behaviour so easy.
Once had an auction winner not pay for 10 days & when I contacted him he replied, "I don't get paid until next week." This was back when sellers could leave negative feedback so I e-mailed him he'd have negative feedback within the hour and be a NPB. He paid in time. Blocked.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
Amazing how that works MS70. Buyers can now do as they please. So annoying.
I always pay within 12 hours but if a buyer takes up to 48 hours it's not a big deal. Once it goes past 3 days then I get a bit torqued off.
You make it sound like you just ship at your convenience and the people that sent you money can just wait for you to get in the mood to go to the post office.
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
LOL...
Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.
End of the month is just a day away.....depending on finances, and cost, maybe they are waiting for pay to come in and figure they are within established ebay payment guidelines anyway?
If you want immediate payment, do it as a BIN and require immediate payment.
Else, you are at the mercy of ebay rules and need to understand that buyers are people and people have their own little issues.
Saying that they should have a smartphone and should be considerate to you is just you imposing yourself on others. Yes, I would like the same, but that isn't how the world works.
I won't do payments on my smartphone nor do I do ebay on it. So, if I am out/traveling, and I get the email I won, it WILL WAIT until I get back home to my PC. I am sure I am not alone.
And, btw, smartphones are pervasive but not everyone has them or uses them for everything.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I agree it is hard to understand, the few deadbeats are a real drag. I have one now who I took a check from based on lots of + feedback and very much regret trusting him.
Please let me understand.
You are on ebay's site. You agreed to the terms and conditions that state 2 days to pay, and a protocol for what to do if they do not pay.
You are stressed because you mentally have imposed requirements that violate the terms and conditions you agreed to on a buyer that is following the guidelines set out by the owner of the site you sold the item on?
Here is the policy.
http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/unpaid-item.html
Here is the real problem:
Coin sells on a Sunday. Leaving town on Tuesday for Thanksgiving coming back the following Sunday. Buyer waits until Wednesday to pay for the coin. I cannot ship until the following Monday. I get dinged for late shipping. What other website do you get to buy things and pay for them DAYS later?
When I'm watching an auction tick down and I win, I pay immediately, just the way I roll.
I usually buy from CRO and take days to pay.
In the first part of your "point", some sellers, knowing they are going on vacation or have a holiday coming up, pull the items or put them on pause. if it is a concern, don't list them, or leave them active, in a bad time period.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Since you didn't use the "require immediate payment" listing feature, buyer assumes you are in no hurry for it.
Keep an open mind, or get financially repressed -Zoltan Pozsar
Ebay does not have an immediate payment option for an auction, just for buy it now.
I have been selling on ebay for 16 years now. Recently, I went on a 2 week out of country vacation. I clicked the message option that I was unavailable, all my listings were "hidden" so no one could buy. I did this 3 days before I left, and had a few items that were unpaid that paid before I left, 1 that I just cancelled that had not paid, and even had about 10 items that were "hidden" where people emailed me to see if I would sell them Buy it now, and I "reopened" those items, sold and shipped before I left.
No problems at all, working inside the system parameters.
I see both sidess, I have not read the rules in years and thought you had a longer pay window. I still will pay for my Friday night to Sunday wins on Sunday night. Today is an exception as I am sitting in the truck in the pasture playing on the net instead of working. I usually do not get on the net until evening time to look at potential eBay wins.
NGC registry V-Nickel proof #6!!!!
working on proof shield nickels # 8 with a bullet!!!!
RIP "BEAR"
Can't do with auctions, just BIN.
You can use their Unpaid Item Assistant that opens and closes the case automatically.
Didn't know that. Thanks!