How Long Do You Wait

[maynardjameskeenan666]

to file an unpaid item case???  Just curious what everyone does. Had a buyer bid on an auction that ended on the 14th. Sent a friendly message/reminder yesterday. Nothing. Thinking if they dont pay by the end of the day ill open a case tomorrow.

[soh.maryl]

By eBay rules, a seller CAN open an unpaid item case 48 hours after the end of the auction.  How long you wait beyond that is entirely up to you.  

[lintbrush*]

In many situations, on day 3 I send a 'thanks for your winning bid... ready to ship... if there's going to any further delay in payment..." meesage.  (Yes, I know eBay sends one 2 days later)  It does depend on the buyer's history and the item to some extent.  

24 hours after the message with no reply from the buyer, I open the unpaid.

[dhbookds]

my items have immediate payment required, but on auctions, I usually wait til the Fri after the end, send 1 reminder.......contact me if you need more time an file on Mon. if no response.....

[ebbyisme]

I am pretty easy going.....it is summer, it is the weekend, a lot of people only visit ebay.... I put something in the listing along the lines of please contact me if not paying within 4 days of end of auction, and than I wait at least a week, file unpaid item (which gives them 4 more days). I seldom have a big problem with someone not paying so it doesn't bother me. They almost always eventually pay.

whatever you decide to do put it in your listing so it is clear, or should be, to the buyer. They are less likely to get angry.

[badwolf12]

Since eBay sends a reminder 2 days after the listing ends I open a case on day 3 or 4 unless it's a weekend or holiday, then I wait until the first business day. If the buyer contacts me before the case is opened and lets me know they need more time (ex: will pay on Friday / payday) then I am happy to accommodate. The 2nd day reminder from eBay usually prompts either a payment or a message from the buyer.

[annadryl]

I still do the 96 hours but on Auto now. I figure within two days there might be work or weekend etc. but four days they're probably not serious...

[cal_w62]

Don't wait, in fact all you have to do is set the unpaid item assistant and it is all automatic, it will open the case, close the case, refund your listing fees and automatically relist the item.

You have to set it yourself in your user interface.

[rainbowcolorz]

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@maynardjameskeenan666 wrote:

to file an unpaid item case???  Just curious what everyone does. Had a buyer bid on an auction that ended on the 14th. Sent a friendly message/reminder yesterday. Nothing. Thinking if they dont pay by the end of the day ill open a case tomorrow.

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I wait a week, sometimes longer, depending upon who the buyer is.  Lots of my repeat buyers bid every week and usually like to accumulate 4 or 5 items before they ask me for an Invoice with combined shipping.

Since today is Sunday and it's Father's Day, I would like to think lots of people are not online, but are spending the day with their family and loved ones.    

Many people still work offline and might not get online as soon as they get up Monday morning.

Before I ever consider opening an Unpaid Item case, I will message the buyer at least 2 times to find out if everything is OK.  I wait about 2-3 days in between messages.  

Sometimes people get sick and are in bed for a few days or worse, have to go to the hospital and haven't left instructions for family to go online to check their purchases/emails, etc.  

[fashunu4eeuh]

Hi. I wait a week, send one reminder and then open a case.