So what happens next? One week after I opened an unpaid item dispute and no payment/contact.

[theinsider]

I've never had a buyer not pay before. It's only a few quid so it's not a big deal but wanted to go through the correct channels.

6 days post auction I sent her a nice email saying please pay or get in touch if theres a problem. 7 days I sent a business-like email saying pay please or I'll open an unapid item dispute. 8 days post auction she finally contacted me to say she's been out of the country, just put money in her paypal account and would pay the following day. 11 days post auction there had been no payment or further contact so I opened the dispute.

That was 6 days ago and nothing, so what happens next? Do ebay contact me or do I have to proactively do something, and if so what? Also I'm still being given the opportunity to leave feedback, do I do that and if so what do I say? Will she be able to leave reciprocally bad feedback if I leave a bad comment. She has only 2 feedback, both as a buyer, both the days before my auction, both say she paid immediately.

In a couple of days you can close the dispute and get your fees back.
You can't leave a neg so I wouldn't leave any FB at all - no point in leaving a pos as it will only up her score. She will however get a strike.

And the strike will be available for everyone to see? With only two feedback though if it were me I'd close that account and start another one. Oh well.

Thanks for the advice sixlostmonkeys. Once the week is up I'll go and close the dispute. And relist it I suppose. There were other bidders but I've never done a second chance offer and it seems simpler to just start again.

No, the strike is visable to no-one. I think you can get 3 strikes, then ebay boot you off.