non-paying bidder

[extinctspecies]

After 14 years buying & selling hundreds of items on eBay privately I've had to open my first case against a non-paying bidder.

Why do people do this? She won the item on Sunday night, I sent several messages politely requesting payment and heard nothing.

The surprising thing is she also has an excellent feedback rating. And if she'd told me she didn't want the item after all I'd probably have just cancelled it and resisted it.

Not an expensive item either - an item of clothing costing £7.

Why do people do this?

relisted. not resisted.

She won the item less than 4 days ago and you have already sent her several messages? Seems a bit full on!

Am now wondering if this has been me and have won a wine influenced sat night bid I've forgotten about!

Flis most buyers on eBay nowadays pay immediately, or certainly within 24 hours. Ebay rules say you should allow 48 hours, which I did.

I make a virtue out of sending my stuff promptly (within 24 hours) and expect the same courtesy from buyers. She has a 700+ feedback rating but hasn't bothered to contact me at all. Very odd.

After 15 or so years on Ebay I confess I did this once. I completely forgot I hadn't paid and wasn't online for a few days. I realised when the unpaid item dispute arrived, my first and only one.

I have had people not pay, there is often an excuse or reason like a hospital stay, internet down, lost phone. However by asking too many times you are liable to get less than perfect feedback.

Just send an invoice and wait, then open an UID and wait again. You can set them to open and close automatically. Or Sell with BIN and immediate payment set.

Have you looked at the comments on the feedback?

As a seller if someone doesn't pay you can only leave "positive" feedback (!). So on the odd occasions this happens to me I leave a comment eg AVOID NON PAYER but it will show on their record as positive.
If you intend to do this you have to do it before the dispute is closed.

Leaving a false positive is not allowed and can be removed if the buyer realises. Getting you a note on your record in the process. I do not recommend doing this.

Thanks all, buyer paid within a couple of days of me opening a case with eBay.

I sent 3 messages to her, all were polite, so I hope she won't give me bad feedback.

It took a week for her to pay me. I sent her goods the following day.

Useful thread! I have my first non-payer and am new ish to Ebay so wasn't sure what to do.

I noticed there is a negative 'positive' feedback on her account saying she is a 'scammer'. Slightly concerned now about opening up a case for non payment

It's only a few quid. No idea why she bid and just hasn't paid!

No need to over think it. If they don’t pay then open a case. If they still don’t pay then close the case out to get your fees back and cancel the sale. Then add the bidder to your blocked list.

Thanks lottie that's v helpful

I'm trying to build up a good feedback score so am just nervous of jeopardising it with a dodgy buyer!

Hi OP that’s understandable, but there’s not really anything you can do here apart from what I’ve advised, so no point worrying about it.

If a buyer does leave undue feedback, a lot of the time ebay will remove it.