question about selling

[muser31]

hi i am new to ebay and have just sold a few items. im waiting for the buyer to pay, and there is a box that says 'send payment details' and you can put in information about how you want paid and returns etc. please can someone tell me if this is optional or not.... i was hoping it would be straightforward that they would be able to pay through paypal. thanks

you can send the invoice but you don't have to - they can pay without you sending it. If they don't pay in 48 hours you can open an unpaid case.

thank you lily :)

I send an invoice if they haven't paid after 24 hours. I then send a 'contact buyer' email each day after that. I wouldn't open an unpaid case after 48 hours. I'd wait longer. Give people a chance ...

there is no point waiting - and sending a daily email asking for payment is a flipping nuisance

they have a further 4 days to pay after an unpaid case is opened - if they don't pay in that time then they more than likely never will pay. You need to get your fees back and you need to do this before a relist or second chance offer.

I'd be worried about getting bad feedback if I hounded them for payment after only 48 hours

it isn't hounding - it is sending an ebay reminder which gives them another 4 days to pay. It is perfectly normal and acceptable. I would think emailing constantly asking for payment is hounding.

thanks all i have decided to give them 48 hours and them send the formal ebay reminder.

i have another question! can i just write the address myself rather than print out their postage label, without precalculating the postage costs? usually i have done free postage, so it won't affect the buyer. but on the couple of items that the postage is paid by the buyer, do i have to calculate the postage first or how does that work? ebay already gave an estimate when it asked me for my original price and i went with that, so for example if the postage estimates at £3.00 does the buyer just pay that regardless of what the actual postage is? sorry i am just totally new and confused!!

Some people will not pay until you invoice, I would invoice if they haven't paid after a few hours.

Postage charges is a nightmare topic that provokes heated opinions, I'll let others spout their tuppence since i Have a minority view & am sick of discussing it. I never print out postage using Ebay services, all kinds of things are wrong with it.

ah ok. so a controversial topic!! well my view from a complete novice (!...ready to be flamed and to be informed...) is that if buyers already know that they are expected to pay the £3 or whatever it is, (ie, if the price clearly says item is £20.00 plus £3.00 postage and packaging, then if it is any less than that, it is a bonus to the seller not to the buyer if it is cheaper, and hard luck to the seller if it turns out to be more. thats what im doing as i start, but im open to opinions!

after all, buyer has a choice whether to pay the product at that price, same as any other website purchases!

ah... ok i found the thread about posting and costs etc... no need to open another debate. i am reading it and its helping me to understand how to go about charging for postage!

I calculate exact postage. Add cost of envelope/packaging etc. You can't over inflate your postage, it's against ebay rules. Eg, you can't charge £5 if the actual cost is only £3. Buyers complain, leave negative feedback. If I send an item and it costs less than I'd charged I issue a refund for the difference. Keeps buyers happy. I also do this as I treat buyers how I like/expect to be treated myself as a buyer.
Also, re the daily email I mentioned for payment, why is it a nuisance? Buyer hasn't paid so get the item paid then they won't get a daily email! Simple. I'd find it more of a nuisance if a seller opened an unpaid case against me.
We're all different in our ways I guess.

thanks i have thought about it and have changed my mind on my original post about the costs.... i now just use free p&p mostly, and if i don't and it ends up more then i refund the difference. i think this is the most ethical way of doing it! one buyer still hasn't paid since last week and i didn't open a case as i don't know how, but i sent the email, will have to send another one! learning as i go along i guess :)

If someone hasn't paid after a week open a non payment case and ebay will give you your listing fees back. I know some people do this after 4 days but I generally give it a week.

they have just paid this morning thankfully!!

i have another question! sorry for hounding you guys! i am finding i am not making much money so far except for 2 designer items, because its costing me so much to post first class. i still want to offer free postage but there is no option for the seller to choose 2nd class.... ebay chooses first class if it is free p&p. so far i have used first class and its a fortune. do you think it would be ethical and reasonable enough if i specify in the listing that i will send it free 2nd class? are you allowed to do this.... thanks

That's odd! I listed something with free postage recently and chose 2nd class (i.e. economy). Are you using the app or something?

no just through main site...will try it again and see

I have checked and I can tick the box for free postage and use the pull-down menu at the start of that line to choose from many postage options. Why don't you try another browser and see if that is the same. Do other pull-down menus work OK?

ah ive got it thank you! i think i left my brains in bed this morning. i think i was clicking the add another postage option and it kept changing from the free p&p and i was wondering why! so ive changed them all to second class :)