How long do most sellers give buyers to pay for the items? I have heard 3 days to 5 days? You??

[frecklesfinery88]

I would like to know the average amount of days most sellers give buyers to pay for the merchandise. I have heard some say 1 day, 3 days, to 5 days?  What is the average before you cancel the order?

Thank you

[donsdetour]

the buyer has 4 days to pay: on the fifth cancel sale due to non paying buyer.

It is the correct way to do this so you can get your fees back.

[soh.maryl]

As you probably know, a seller can cancel, citing "buyer didn't pay" as the reason" on the 5th day of nonpayment.  A seller cannot cancel any earlier than that, per eBay rules.   Some sellers probably give more time, keeping in mind the fact that you have 30 days to do so.  You will probably get at least 20 different answers.  Personally, I believe each seller needs to figure out what time line makes them comfortable.

[frecklesfinery88]

Communication is key. If they just let you know it's helpful.

Thank you 

[soh.maryl]

Communication may be "key", but there is no requirement that they ever "let you know".  Your option as a seller is to cancel on day #5 or to give the buyer longer.  

[mtgraves7984 · Accepted solution]

What is the average before you cancel the order?

@frecklesfinery88 

Sometime after 96 hours, but still during Day 5 of non-payment.

[nobody*s_perfect]

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@frecklesfinery88 wrote: ... I have heard some say 1 day, 3 days, to 5 days?  ...

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There is no way to enforce a payment time less than 4 full days. Probably the "average" seller cancels as soon as they can, so that would be some time on Day 5. Here is the Help page about what to do if a buyer doesn't pay:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/getting-paid/resolving-unpaid-items-buyers?id=4137 

[jenijensong]

Hi:  I check the box as I make my listing that reads immediate payment required or Ebay controls my payment options.  I have experienced one time when an item sat in somebody's cart for 4 days over the 4th of July weekend.  I clearly sent them a message that I needed to cancel their order since they have not paid for it.  Some people have legit reasons, health issues, some are selling the same item and have watchers they don't want to see your item so they put it in their cart, others don't have the $'s until payday and I'm sure there are 100 other reasons.  It's really up to you but the longer it sits in a cart nobody else can buy it.  I think when I cancelled the order I had to pay .35 c to relist it.  Hope that helps.  

[nanniestreasurechest]

Mine is set for eBay to cancel automatically due to non payment after 4 days.  It's just convenient for me to allow eBay to cancel it.    I think 4 days is plenty of time especially if the buyer has made no contact.  Buyer knows when they place bid that payment is due once the auction ends.  

[itsjustasprain]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

A seller cannot cancel any earlier than that, per eBay rules.   

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Sure they can - but only for limited reasons such as problem with address or buyer requested cancellation. The seller cannot cancel before Day 5 for an Unpaid item though.

I use the automatic cancellation process in my selling account so the Unpaid item gets slammed shut after 96 hours plus 1 minute. If you are closing Unpaid cases manually then I think you have to wait for calendar day 5 before you can close it with the reason of Buyer did not pay.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@jenijensong wrote:

Hi:  I check the box as I make my listing that reads immediate payment required or Ebay controls my payment options.  I have experienced one time when an item sat in somebody's cart for 4 days over the 4th of July weekend.  I clearly sent them a message that I needed to cancel their order since they have not paid for it.  Some people have legit reasons, health issues, some are selling the same item and have watchers they don't want to see your item so they put it in their cart, others don't have the $'s until payday and I'm sure there are 100 other reasons.  It's really up to you but the longer it sits in a cart nobody else can buy it.  I think when I cancelled the order I had to pay .35 c to relist it.  Hope that helps.  

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I'm not sure you understand what an item in someone's cart means. 

If it's in their cart, they haven't purchased the item and it's still available for anyone else to swoop in and buy. Additionally, you (as the seller) don't know who put your item into their cart. 

If you mean that you sold an item and it wasn't paid, you either didn't require IPR, you accepted an offer or you ran an auction. There's no other way for an item to sit as unpaid. 

[Anonymous]

I give 0 secs to pay because it's not theirs until they pay for it (Buy it Now w IPR)

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@jenijensong wrote:

Hi:  I check the box as I make my listing that reads immediate payment required or Ebay controls my payment options.  I have experienced one time when an item sat in somebody's cart for 4 days over the 4th of July weekend.  I clearly sent them a message that I needed to cancel their order since they have not paid for it.  Some people have legit reasons, health issues, some are selling the same item and have watchers they don't want to see your item so they put it in their cart, others don't have the $'s until payday and I'm sure there are 100 other reasons.  It's really up to you but the longer it sits in a cart nobody else can buy it.  I think when I cancelled the order I had to pay .35 c to relist it.  Hope that helps.  

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@jenijensong 

Nope.  As Alberta said, anyone else can buy it, while the item is in someone's cart.  It's not 'reserved' for them.   Until someone buys the item, it's fair game for anyone to purchase. 

If they've bought it & didn't pay yet, that's a different story.  That's not in their cart.  They bought it & have 4 days to pay before you can close it out with a UPI. 

[soh.maryl]

My answer was based on what seemed like the OP wanted to know:  How soon could he cancel if he had not been paid.

[atlasesattic]

I think 5 days to pay is ridiculous,  can you go into a brick and mortar store and buy something and make the cashier wait 5 days? Nope....they cater to the buyers, the heck with us sellers