Do I have any recourse as an EBAY Seller

MBMiller25 · September 6, 2008 11:19PM

I listed all of my modern ERA graded cards recently, as I wanted to focus on Vintage Cards. Most of the auctions were successful, but I have 4 buyers who have yet to pay. I am only a week into the acutions being closed, but I do clearly state on each every auction that I expect payment within three days of auction closing, or I reserve the right to relist the item. I live in Pensacola, and have expressed that due to Hurricane Ike potentially making landfall around or near Pensacola, that I would really like to get these cards out to each winning bidder, as I don't want to be responsible for these cards, if they were to get caught up in the USPS and not ship because of a Hurricane. Do I have any options as the seller? I have a perfect feedback rating, and do not want to jeapordize that. Thanks for the help.

MeteoriteGuy · September 6, 2008 11:24PM

<< <i>I listed all of my modern ERA graded cards recently, as I wanted to focus on Vintage Cards. Most of the auctions were successful, but I have 4 buyers who have yet to pay. I am only a week into the acutions being closed, but I do clearly state on each every auction that I expect payment within three days of auction closing, or I reserve the right to relist the item. I live in Pensacola, and have expressed that due to Hurricane Ike potentially making landfall around or near Pensacola, that I would really like to get these cards out to each winning bidder, as I don't want to be responsible for these cards, if they were to get caught up in the USPS and not ship because of a Hurricane. Do I have any options as the seller? I have a perfect feedback rating, and do not want to jeapordize that. Thanks for the help. >>

I will note first that eBay gives them a week, regardless what you put in the auctions.

I would send them polite e-mails, and leave it at that. If you want to more push them along more you can start an unpaid thing, which will send them a notice, and 3 of the 4 will likely pay right away. I imagine, the odds say 1 or 2 will not pay.

What I would do is move on and list something else, come back to them in like a month if they are not paid and relist. Mind you, I literally have a house full of junk to list on eBay, so that influences my decisions.

lsutigers1973 · September 6, 2008 11:42PM

If it makes you feel better, I currently have 3 BIN purchases that are at least 3 days old. One of them was bought 8 days ago. The buyer has perfect feedback and over 2200 positives. I sent the payment reminder yesterday morning and still have not received a response. Why use BIN if you are not going to pay immediately?

MBMiller25 · September 6, 2008 11:45PM

I don't do much on EBAY, other than to use it to sell some junk collecting dust around the house and sell previous cards purchases, to feed my habit for baseball cards. I personally always immediately after winning an auction, and struggle to understand, why people bid on auctions (better yet Snipe) and then dont pay. They wanted the card bad enough to sit in front of their computer and snipe an auction, but then dont pay. This will be my last selling experience on EBAY, its getting to be a BUYERS only site, and their is no longer any protection for the seller.

MuckyMutt · September 6, 2008 11:53PM

<< <i>They wanted the card bad enough to sit in front of their computer and snipe an auction, but then dont pay. >>

Some people use a snipe service when they can't be at their computers - like when they are out of town a couple days. So they are not always glued to their computer when the auction ends.

Try a little patience and wait the 10 days that ebay gives them.

JohnnyD · September 7, 2008 12:02AM

Yeah I think ebay will not do anything unless it has been 10 days...I know that is the rule at least for receiving items. But I would send them a polite email and give them a few days. I have had people respond with what seems like a legitimate "sorry, I forgot" and they pay right away. On a personal note I think Ike is going to go across Cuba and then towards Texas, so hopefully you will be ok....

swartz1 · September 7, 2008 12:06AM

I understand exactly what you are talking about - I sold a PSA 10 rose on the 27th to one of the top buyers of Rose cards on ebay and he has yet to contact me...it is very frustrating...but what to do?

Leiascards · September 7, 2008 12:14AM

You cannot file until day 7. At that point Ebay rules become very vague. Some sellers feel once you file you can sonsider it a done deal and relist, however Ebay will not give you a relisting credit unless you acctualy close the dispute either after they respond saying they will not pay or they don't respond for 7 more days.

There is no 10 day rule for filing a INR against a seller. Ebay will not do anything anymore unless Paypal is involved and a seller can file that INR 5 minutes after paying if he feels like it.

lsutigers1973 · September 7, 2008 12:20AM

For the BIN's, there needs to be some sort of time frame different than a regular auction. Maybe add a 3 day time period for the buyer to pay or FVF is refunded a NPB strike received by buyer. I mean it takes about 30 seconds longer to pay with Paypal than it does to actually click BIN and accept.

earlycalguy · September 7, 2008 12:22AM

if you really needed to get paid that soon a buy it now with immediate payment required would have been an option. like someone else said, regardless of what your listing say - 3 days for payment...that is a bit soon in ebay's view.

did you say paypal only or list check/money order as an option too?

Leiascards · September 7, 2008 12:23AM

<< <i>For the BIN's, there needs to be some sort of time frame different than a regular auction. Maybe add a 3 day time period for the buyer to pay or FVF is refunded a NPB strike received by buyer. I mean it takes about 30 seconds longer to pay with Paypal than it does to actually click BIN and accept. >>

I agree BINs are the one thing that annoy me most about Non-Payers, because you know they were at the computer in order to place a bid.

Bosox1976 · September 7, 2008 12:34AM

Send another round of invoices (politely).

cardfan07 · September 7, 2008 1:00AM

The buyer and seller struggle. As a sometimes eBay seller and sometimes Amazon seller, I find that it's a one way street (even with the differences between eBay & Amazon because of the immediate purchase/payment on Amazon) when it comes to shipping. If I win today, I expect to receive my goods the next day. That's only a slight exaggeration of course, but check out some feedback left for amazon sellers and you'll see people complain about receiving goods well after receiving others placed on or about the same time. No mention if the buyer bought things shipped differently and forget about seller differences. Fast payment doesn't seem to figure into that equation!
Payment on eBay should be quicker sometimes. Sometimes it's not. Your buyers could have sent you payment through the mail...that will also take some time.

WinPitcher · September 7, 2008 1:09AM

FWIW just because someone uses a BIN does not mean they have to pay at the POS.

Unless of course you use the immediate payment required function.

Some people shop and then pay when they get paid. As long as they pay within the
time allowed by ebay I see no problem.

I urge the OP to have patience.

Steve

brendanb438 · September 7, 2008 1:47AM

I am having this issue with 3 buyers right now. 2 have gone past 7 days already, both of which I already filed non-paying bidder reports with eBay. 7 days after that if they don't pay or respond I can close the dispute, win back my fees, get the buyer a hit for not paying which means nothing since we cant leave feedback, and finally relist.

At this point in my 10 years with eBay I just can't see continuing to sell with them. Can't leave neg feedback for a deadbeat buyer, they are regulating max shipping fees starting next month on a bunch of categories, fees on eBay + Paypal come out to be like 10% on average now, and there CS sucks my balls and not in a good way.

PoppaJ · September 7, 2008 1:47AM

Hi Matt,

first of all, I hope you and your family remain safe from any current or future hurricanes etc.

It'll drive you nuts, sometimes, trying to figure out why buyers do what they do.

We had a lady, just recently, use a Buy-It-Now to win, then within seconds, we received an email from her asking us to cancel her bid!

Another buyer used the BIN to win, and then told me that he would pay in 2 weeks when he gets his next check! He actually wrote this:
" Greetings, if you don't mind, I will probably have to wait for my next paycheck in around two weeks to pay. My feedback is 100%. Didn't think you would care seeing how many items you sell. thanks Paul."

I know there are others on this board that would agree that a record-posting thread could be created just on a topic like "What's the most bizarre thing that a buyer or seller has said or done on eBay?".

As a seller, it's an easy solution to just use the PayPal immediate payment option to eliminate late payments. But not very practical, as many potential buyers would probably be eliminated.

I agree with Mike about sending a polite payment reminder, and also with Mutt who suggested having a bit more patience.

Hope everything works out okay,

PoppaJ

storm888 · September 7, 2008 3:38AM

"...As a seller, it's an easy solution to just use the PayPal immediate payment option to eliminate late payments. But not very practical, as many potential buyers would probably be eliminated...."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

When everybody has to pay with PayPal, I don't see many potential
buyers being eliminated.

Before April 2009, there should be a "shopping cart" that will allow
buyers to select multiple IPR-BINs and pay for them all at one time.

All of the new BIG-BOX guys that are going to be adding their catalogs
to EBAY are expected to use IPR on all items. (See BUY.com listings
for the checkout system they are using.)

///////////////////////

The OP needs to be patient. Easier said than done, but necessary.

Leiascards · September 7, 2008 4:30AM

win back my fees, get the buyer a hit for not paying which means nothing since we cant leave feedback, and finally relist.

Hitting a buyer with an UPI is and has always been more important than leaving them a negative. Even before the feedback changed I rarely left non-payers negatives. The strikes add up and after 2 to 4 strikes they will be suspended from Ebay.

brendanb438 · September 7, 2008 4:43AM

<< <i>win back my fees, get the buyer a hit for not paying which means nothing since we cant leave feedback, and finally relist.

Hitting a buyer with an UPI is and has always been more important than leaving them a negative. Even before the feedback changed I rarely left non-payers negatives. The strikes add up and after 2 to 4 strikes they will be suspended from Ebay. >>

I am getting hit by newbies who I am guessing that if suspended from eBay they will just open another account. I had one such person say as much to me, they didn't pay for a DVD and I got the strike against them, they told me to go to hell and that they will be opening another eBay account.

eBay is a buyer's market and nothing more. Sellers might as well shove whatever they are trying to sell were the sun doesn't shine in eBay's eyes.

Leiascards · September 7, 2008 4:48AM

Block them from bidding then if they open a new account and bid on your item you can get them for unwelcome bidding.

WinPitcher · September 7, 2008 1:49PM

If you accept MO and checks how do you expect payment within 3 days?

If you take only paypal I can see you asking for it but ebay allows as mentioned
more time.

I'd be interested in knowing.

Steve

BobaFett72 · September 7, 2008 10:11PM

im sure that the pressure of the storm isnt helping. Send a friendly reminder via the ebay messaging system. sometimes that jogs their memories.

cheers and good luck
Leo

MBMiller25 · September 8, 2008 1:02AM

Guys, I appreciate all the feedback. To answer a couple of questions that have come up in the course of this thread, I only accept PayPal as a form of payment, so there is no concern of Money Order or Check getting to me in 3 days. I absolutely was a little on edge of the thought of putting high dollar cards in the hands of thee USPS with a Hurricane bearing down on us. Fortunately for me in Pensacola it looks as though thie storm is heading towards South Texas. Gone through, Ivan, Katrina and Dennis over the last 3 years, I do not wish these on anyone and I recognize the problems that they create for a significant amount of time after the storm has come and gone. I didnt recieve any mail for 14 days after Hurricane Ivan hit us 3 years ago.

AS many of you have said, I am going to practice some much needed paitience and give each buyer 10 days to make payment before I send a reminder through Ebay.

Thanks for the help guys,

Matt

Do I have any recourse as an EBAY Seller

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