How patient are you with a non-payer?

[purplepeony]

I have 100% feedback and almost 150 items sold.

I have for the 1st time got someone who is not paying. I have emailed and phoned them. The daughter emailed back to say "I am amswering for my mum whose Dad has died. She will pay soon."

True- or just a time waster maybe?

This person (Mum?) has zero feedback but you can never tell if they have had negative feedback, closed their account and opened a new one.

I have given then until tomorrow 6pm, and they should have paid by Monday.

Do you think this is reasonable? They were my only bidder so i want to sell if I can.

how long have you been waiting so far?

I just follow the procedure. send invoice, wait 2 days, send another congrats you have won the item, day 4 or 5 send a reminder, day 7 open dispute. I keep to the ebay templates for the this (free downloadable manager on ebay) and don't get involved with personal emails etc.
There has always been a lot of deaths involved with ebay - it's either a very dangerous place to be or be related to someone who uses it. In other words, she won't pay.
Don't get stressed about it - follow the procedure through to the dispute, get your fees back and re-list.
Congrats on selling 150 without having a non payer

I had my first none payer recently. Waited a couple fo weeks and then realised they hadn't paid, so got fees back and relisted.

Ididn't know there were templates.

I say in my T&Cs that payment must be withing 3 days of end of auction and to contact me if any problems with this. She should have paid by Monday (gone.)

I emailed Monday evening to remind.
No reply by email/through ebay.
Left phone message Tuesday morning.

She ( or daughter) emailed back to say..as above.

I amnot really stressed, I just don't want any neg feedback from her of she thinks I have come down on her too heavily too soon.

BUT if she has time to respond to an email, she has time to go to Paypal and press PAY buttons.

I think you have come down on her to soon! According to ebay rules the buyer has 4 days to pay, it used to be 7 think, so you have been chasing her even before you can open a non payment claim. I would be very annoyed if I had someone ringing me to chase payment only after 3 days or sending message after message. I have never left a negative but would do so if I felt harassed for payment after my husband just died (only a very callous person would give such an excuse to get out of paying I think, or am I being too naive?)
I give people 7 days and then send a friendly reminder, after another 2 days I advise that I will open dispute in 48hrs if not paid. No problems so far. People have lives outside of ebay and sometimes stuff happens, whether true or not it pays to be understanding.

but why don't people pay at the time the auction ends? if they bid at the last minute why walk away from the pc and not pay there and then?

I can understand, though don't condone, late payment if you bid early and decide you don't want it, but if you bid at the end, surely you should just pay up?

I wonder if you could help?

Dh won an item on ebay four days ago. The seller had 100% feedback on 95 items sold. He checked the seller's t&c and coughed up using paypal the day after the auction. Despite two emails through ebay and one text sent to the seller's mobile he has heard nothing at all from him. It was an expensive item (motorbike) which he will have to arrange to go and pick up using a van.

We're not experienced ebay users and we're wondering how long to wait before panicking?

if he doesn't get back to you you can open a dispute for item not received and get your money back

Thanks six lost