Buyers who refuse to pay after an auction.

[kanman77]

I don't know if any other sellers are facing this issue but since e-bay has removed the ability to leave negative feedback for a buyer, I have had three buyers in the past few months, (two in the last few weeks) who just don't pay. No matter how many times I invoice them, send them messages and even open a non-payment case, I still get no response or payment. In all three instances, e-bay has simply closed the case as an unpaid item. E-bay has told me that a note is put on the buyers profile but in all three cases, I have not seen any such note and all three still have 100% positive feedback and are still buying on e-bay. I feel that since sellers can no longer leave negative feedback, and once an unpaid item case is closed no feedback at all can be left, the buyers just do whatever they please and change their mind after the auction ends. I'm frustrated by this and wondering if other sellers are experiencing this with their buyers as well.

[recped]

The ability to leave negative feedback has nothing to do with it. How many years ago did that happen? I can assure you that the level of non-payment hasn't changed much on eBay over the past 15 years. In fact it's better than back in the days of mailing cheques and money orders.

When buyers don't pay and you open a case they will get a non payment strike, it's not a "scarlet letter"!

You can block buyers with 2 strikes (settings in My eBay) which is much more useful than getting in a feedback mudslinging contest.

If non-payment is such a big issue for you then switch to Fixed Price with Immediate Payment Required.

[kumatenshi]

I do wish they would actually have some sort of punishment aside from "here's a strike" for non payers.

Basically, it's just "You get two no matter what, and even then, we won't really do much until you don't pay a lot more times"

They basically give them free reign, a lot of sellers aren't even aware of that option to block people with two or more strikes from buying.

And hell, even if they get their account shut down, they just make another one. There's no dissuasion from simply not paying.

[pjcdn2005]

Recently I had someone ask me if I would hold an item for them for a week. They weren't allowed to buy on ebay until then as they had too many unpaid item strikes.

And no...I wasn't going to hold an item for someone that already had a few unpaid strikes. lol  She did end up buying it a week later...I had unblocked her and put immediate payment required on that listing. It has all worked out fine.

[froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock]

The ability to leave negative feedback has nothing to do with it. How many years ago did that happen? I can assure you that the level of non-payment hasn't changed much on eBay over the past 15 years. In fact it's better than back in the days of mailing cheques and money orders.

When buyers don't pay and you open a case they will get a non payment strike, it's not a "scarlet letter"!

You can block buyers with 2 strikes (settings in My eBay) which is much more useful than getting in a feedback mudslinging contest.

If non-payment is such a big issue for you then switch to Fixed Price with Immediate Payment Required.

roll with it. it happens. As economy weakens, this will happen more often, but selling used items, you are likely to see an increase in interest too. So it's not all bad.

I get 2+ per week and couldn't care less. neg FB and low DSR's are my bugaboo. 

[froogal_electronic_parts_and_overstock]

meant to +1 the quote I quoted.

[femmefan1946]

As economy weakens, this will happen more often

The US economy is making a comeback. The Canadian economy, which had withstood the worst of the US disaster,  seems to be weakening, although the resource sector remains strong.

[pre-ownedbrands]

This stuff used to P...ss me of also until I decided it was part of selling on line. If I sold it once I will sell it again. I wait the 4 days, send one freindly reminder wait 2 days for a response then file a non payment claim to recover my fees.

It is what it is.

Focus your time and energy on the positives.

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

I dislike people that blame the economy, they should be blaming themselves. The USA economy has grown for 13 quarters in a row. For the math challanged, aka "it's the economy", that is three (3) years plus of steady growth.

I have not had a NPB in about two years. Wait! I gave up on the low price auction stuff years ago. BIN with IPR.

 I have had three buyers in the past few months, (two in the last few weeks) who just don't pay.

That is yer problem? That is the best you can do? Before I quit my "real" job, three years ago, I had contact with the POLICE eight (8) times in one day over thieves, threats, assaults in the store.

You just had someone that bid and disappeared.

[bb_cool_stuff]

I have definitely noticed the difference since sellers lost the ability to leave Feedback though i understand a change was needed.

I don't often sell on auction but i have noticed a pattern since the change.

With the Ability to leave Feedback   7 NPB filed    5 Paid

Without    18 NPB Disputes Filed     2 Paid 

I'm sure a lot of sellers have noticed the same pattern. 

[inuk_the_polar_bear]

Negs to buyers have always been meaningless. Warning to a seller? How? By the time a seller sees the buyer's FB, they have already purchased. It was simply a game of finger pointing and name calling. FB for buyers is just a counter.

How soon before eBay does the same for sellers? Make it simply a counter. It does not serve any other function. It has nothing to do withy the quality of the seller anyway.

eBay has a myriad of back-door ways of tracking behaviour for both buyers and sellers that have nothing to do with FB.

[rolley040]

I just had that happen to me. I have stuck to my shipping cost posted even when it has cost me. I thought thats the way it worked. I had the shipping at $25.00 and she wrote me a nasty note and stated it should only cost $5.00 shipping. I wrote her twice offering to ship for less with no response. I thought Ebay would make her pay or have some sort of repercussion. I just sold a book for .99 I had the shipping at $25.00, thinking that would cover any shipping to Canada and US. (It weighed 7-1/2 lbs) . A man in Israel won the auction. It cost $75.00 to ship...I paid the difference..$50.00. Expensive lesson.

[shenmue4-72]

I dont have sympathy for ebay sellers most nowadays are scalpers. It gives the rest a bad name and rep. When ebay takes down scalpers I'll give a **bleep**.

[ypdc_dennis]

---

@shenmue4-72 wrote:
I dont have sympathy for ebay sellers most nowadays are scalpers.

---

Prices for an auction are set by bidders pushing the price up -- not by the seller.
ZOMBIE thread from 2012

[kh-leslie]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.