Awaiting payment buyer asked to have the order cancelled

[alalv_4976]

How can I handle a situation where I accepted a buyer's offer, but upon requesting payment for shipment, the buyer instantly asked to cancel the order? I'm hesitant to cancel again due to past experiences feeling penalized by eBay when I didn't make any sales for a full week. What steps should I take, and how should I communicate these steps to the buyer, especially considering that buyer has -0- feedback on their account?

[ebooksdiva]

If the buyer requested a cancellation then cancel the transaction, you will receive credit for seller fees. 
There will be no penalty for canceling for buyer requests.

[nobody*s_perfect]

You have two choices for cancellation: (1) cancel immediately, choosing "Buyer requested" as the reason, or (2) wait until day 5 after the transaction, so you will get the choice of "Buyer hasn't paid" as the reason for cancellation.  

If you choose option 2, the buyer will get a nonpayment strike on their account and will be unable to leave feedback for you.  But most sellers would choose option 1 and just move on and relist.

Whichever option you choose, there is no need to explain it to the buyer. 

Do not send any invoices to the buyer, because that can re-start the 4-day waiting period for the "hasn't paid" cancellation option.

How did you feel penalized when you didn't make any sales for a week?

[alalv_4976]

Should I wait 4 days? That's what I've read on other post. And, is there a difference in canceling an order where the transaction has been made and awaiting payments? Last time I cancelled an order at the customer request (payment was proceeded) my store went silent for a full week and I got a notice on the app from eBay to keep sales within the platform.

[theteamsetguy]

@alalv_4976 ,

I would cancel ASAP as buyer requested for reason.

Absolutely nothing good happens to the seller when you force the buyer to buy the item. 

[doug_5857]

Just cancel the order and be done with it. Dont prolong it. Add this buyer to your Block Bidders List and never deal with them again.

[ebooksdiva]

No, there's no reason to wait 4 days, the buyer requested the cancellation, then cancel citing buyer request.

The only time you wait 4 days is when the buyer doesn't pay and doesn't request a cancellation.

Cancelling after 4 days as buyer didn't pay will give the buyer an unpaid item strike.  It wouldn't be fair to the buyer that requested a cancellation to give them an unpaid item strike. 

[4pawsup*]

Cancel the order you cannot force them to pay. Buyer request cancelation has no negative impact on your selling account with ebay. 

[albertabrightalberta]

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@alalv_4976 wrote:

Should I wait 4 days? That's what I've read on other post. And, is there a difference in canceling an order where the transaction has been made and awaiting payments? Last time I cancelled an order at the customer request (payment was proceeded) my store went silent for a full week and I got a notice on the app from eBay to keep sales within the platform.

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The part I've highlighted in red concerns me. In your previous sale, did you and the buyer have conversation(s) discussing saving fees by cancelling? 

Normally, one wouldn't get that warning unless there was language in your messages that implied taking the sale off-site.

[kensgiftshop]

If they asked to cancel, just cancel the order as buyer requested.

You could wait and cancel for nonpayment, but they could pay before to keep from getting a UPI strike.

If they do pay and you ship it, they could return an empty box and you would have to refund.