Need advice from Ebay sellers...

[sendero]

... I guess it had to happen, I got my first deadbeat buyer. He promised to pay Wed (was already a week) and now doesn't answer email.

My first inclination is to enter a negative feedback on him but - if I do isn't he just going to enter one on me, messing up my beautiful 100% positive?

Anything I should know????

[EstimatedProphet]

1. Quite possibly

Frankly i've given up on selling on Ebay. Every other transaction is from someone that tries to shortchange me in some way. The last one was by someone who wouldn't pay insurance, but still wanted a refund when the post office mangled the package. Enough already.

There's not much you can do about someone not paying. You just have to play within the system...

[sendero]

2. I've done..

... a bit over 50 deals (about half buy and half sell) and this is the first problem I've had. Once I bought a piece of equipment for $300 that was not to my liking, I complained and the seller took it back and paid shipping too. Other than that it's been smooth sailing.

But I know there are plenty of jerks out there, I've read the horror stories.

I knew it was a matter of time before I ran into a jerk, but I want to handle it the best possible way and I have experience only with real-life jerks, not ebay jersk :)

[EstimatedProphet]

4. In part I think it can depend on what you deal in

If you do custom work, or your own production, or deal in new items, I think that things are likely to work out better. But the problems occurred for me when I would sell antiques and collectibles. Several times I ran into people that expected things to be like new, even though I never listed it as such. I've had enough troubles as a buyer too. Last thing I bought I had to prompt the guy to ship multiple times before he'd do it. Cleary it wasn't a priority.

[sendero]

7. I'm sure you are right..

... I buy and sell all kinds of crap, but not things with intangible value like collectibles (well, actually that item I'm having trouble with could be called a collectible, hmmmmm :))

I've bought $1000 worth of silver in a single transaction (now worth $2000 :)) but I kinda managed to talk to the guy on the phone before finalizing the deal. Another time, I was bidding on some silver coins and the seller happened to be in my neighborhood, I drove a half mile and picked up my stuff.

The main thing I've noticed about ebay is that if you are buying something new like consumer electronics and such, you can often find a better deal elsewhere on the net :)

[MrSlayer]

5. Self Delete.

Replied to wrong post.

[KitchenWitch]

3. Just file all the non-paying bidder stuff

and leave the feedback alone.

[sendero]

8. That sounds like..

... good advice.

I'm not much of a badgerer, the guy's had 12 days I don't think he's planning to pay. If he'd just send me an email and say "sorry something came up I can't pay", I'd just forget it and relist.

[grasswire]

15. I've sold thousands of items on eBay...

...and never filed anything on non-paying bidders. I just consider it a cost of doing business. I do, after all, still have the merchandise. Consider this: for years I only accepted checks and money orders, and did not once receive a bad check. That was an indication to me that most eBay-ers are straightforward, wanting to do the right thing. Sure, mistakes are made, and people's lives often interfere with their best intentions. I've made a few whopping mistakes myself there!

[MrSlayer]

6. There's a time limit on posting feedback.

I think it's 45 days after the auction ends. Just wait until day 45 and nail him with the negative, he most likely won't have a chance to respond in kind. I've done it before.

[sendero]

9. The vindictive side of me.

... would sure like to. I don't understand folks who bid and don't pay. I really don't. I've got caught up and overbid on an item or two, I just suck it up and pay :( So you're suggesting waiting until 44.99 days and dropping the negative on him and assuming he won't catch the "window"?

[MrSlayer]

11. Yes. That's exactly what I'm suggesting.

As I said, I've done it.

[grasswire]

16. you're vindictive after a stinking twelve days?

Maybe you're not cut out for eBay. Gee. You still have the item. You're out, what, a couple of bucks for a listing fee? Lighten up, is my advice. I've sold many thousands of items and never filed a negative feedback once. If someone doesn't pay, I shrug and may relist eventually. Life's too short to be feeling vengeful over a couple of bucks.

[sendero]

17. I guess I've been spoiled..

... I've done 50-something transactions over a 6 year period. I've never had anyone take more than 2-3 days to pay.

This guy has already missed one committment to pay and did not answer my last email sent several days ago. I'm pretty sure he had changed his mind, and as I've said, if he'd just email me so I'd forget the whole thing and relist.

[grasswire]

18. what's the point?

You still have the merchandise. The only outcome for you if you punish him at this early point is bad for YOU. People do read the feedback you give, you know. And nobody wants to buy from a trigger-happy seller. You have the no-paying bidder feature to use if you must. Leaving bad feedback just makes you look petty.

Just my opinion, after many thousands of transactions.

[AngelFactor]

10. If you allow yourself to be held hostage for feedback

you'll pay dearly in the long run.

[pitohui]

12. wait until the 90 days are almost up

then try to enter the negative

deadbeats are lazy, if it isn't immediate, they won't be arsed to bother, i still have a 100 percent rating and i've left TONS of negs

many times when i go to enter the negative the deadbeat is already banned from the site so i can't do it though

on edit -- is it only 45 days now? wow, you can tell i go back to the glory days, i've had thousands of transactions but most of them before 2000!

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Contact the other sellers he's dealt with

Assuming there are others. Check his feedback and transactions for that. Maybe he typically pays late.

Twelve days is annoying but hardly time to give up. I had one buyer who went to the hospital shortly after purchase and didn't respond to anything for almost two weeks.

The only time I've left negative feedback was when a woman purchased a golf club and never responded. I even asked her to just tell me she wasn't going to pay, and it would be fine, so I could offer the club to the second high bidder, but she wouldn't even respond to that. I gave her four weeks before filing the non-paying bidder info and leaving negative feedback.

[SoCalDemGrrl]

14. I'm a powerseller on ebay & have sold for 7 years...

the best thing to do is file an unpaid item dispute and go through the process, the ebay system works well in my experience.

[NewJeffCT]

19. Did you have any restrictions in your auction listing?

Like - must contact with 3 days and must pay within 10?

If so, then you should leave the negative feedback and state that in reply if the buyer leaves you negative in return.

[Midlodemocrat]

20. Consider this before you enter negative feedback.

I am a buyer on ebay and I pay the minute I win the auction. I did have one seller not send my stuff, but my experiences have generally been positive.

There is a possibility that something in his personal life has crept in and he can't keep his obligation to you. I would give it some time.