Opinions on when to send an invoice.

[dhaga]

I was wondering what experienced sellers do concerning the timing of sending invoices and reasoning behind sending right away vs waiting. TIA

[iart]

Absolutely, invoice.

If you try to cancel the sale based on their not paying, eBay sends them a note and allows them a few days to pay. (Or that's the way it used to be, haven't had to do that for awhile).

If you don't invoice, buyer may think you're being unfair and act accordingly.

Besides, if you actually want the money, why wouldn't you make that effort?

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@lu12-deals wrote:

I've got a similar question ... got an item that's  a week out with no payment from the buyer. Should I invoice? there used to be an option to send a payment reminder, but I no longer see that. 

Or, since eBay is doing this automatically now, should I just cancel the order?  

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I would start the UPI process.  I thought it was automatic now after 4 days, so if it's really been a week, you may want to check into why the UPI process hasn't started automatically.   I would not invoice again.  I'd UPI (not cancel) & move on.   That way they will get a NPB strike if they don't pay. 

[dhaga]

For single items I have sent invoices after a couple of days if the buyer did not pay. Now that I am aware ebay does that for me I see no need now.  

[soh.maryl]

After a buyer wins an auction or completes a purchase, that buyer sees an invoice and can pay from there.

eBay sends one later.  Not sure why you feel the need to send another on a single purchase.  

[soh.maryl]

The way it works now:  If you, the seller, haven't been paid within 96 hours of the end of the auction or listing, you, the seller, on the 5th day, can cancel, citing as the reason:  Buyer hasn't paid.

Transaction will be cancelled.  You, the seller, get your FVF refunded.  Buyer gets a strike.  You can relist.  

Or you, the seller, can set your listings so that eBay does this for you automatically, but you, the seller, are the one who has to do that.  

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

The way it works now:  If you, the seller, haven't been paid within 96 hours of the end of the auction or listing, you, the seller, on the 5th day, can cancel, citing as the reason:  Buyer hasn't paid.

Transaction will be cancelled.  You, the seller, get your FVF refunded.  Buyer gets a strike.  You can relist.  

Or you, the seller, can set your listings so that eBay does this for you automatically, but you, the seller, are the one who has to do that.  

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Thank you.  Why did I think the UPI was automatic now?   Maybe I set it that way when they first changed it & was thinking it was automatic for everyone.   Sorry for the misinformation.   I almost never get UPI's.    

I would still cancel & that way you can relist in a couple of days.   

[dhaga]

The option exists and I explained I sent them for single purchases if a buyer did not pay after a couple days. This was before I was aware ebay automatically sent a reminder as I explained later in this thread. Not sure why anyone has to question the judgment of others. I asked what others did and I am not judging them for what they do. 

[soh.maryl]

It seems like a lot of sellers may have jumped on the bandwagon and authorized for this to be automatic.

[fern*wood]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

Or you, the seller, can set your listings so that eBay does this for you automatically, but you, the seller, are the one who has to do that.  

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Just a heads up about the automatic filing of this cancellation.  Since I'd never had my preferences set to allow ebay to automatically handle my unpaid item filings, I never checked my settings when this new cancellation of unpaid items started.  Well, it hit me while trying to get my 14 aforementioned items paid, which ended over several days, that I should make sure nothing in my settings had changed.  Of course, they had and I was opted in to the process at the 4 day limit.   I'd promised this buyer it would be fine to wait, then I saw that. yikes

[simply-the-best-for-you]

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@soh.maryl wrote:

It seems like a lot of sellers may have jumped on the bandwagon and authorized for this to be automatic.

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IDK about others, but I most likely did b/c I had it set to be automatic in the old UPI process.    I almost never get UPI's, so when I do, I just want the dealt with quickly & automatically LOL.   

[lepke1979]

Since it sounds like you were in contact with the buyer prior to the auction ending, I'd send an invoice with the shipping options and the buyer can choose which they want. If after a few more days (say Monday to give yourself time to box it up to go out Tuesday) they still haven't paid. Cancel saying buyer didn't pay. Or do it on whatever day you normally start auctions so you can relist it right after.

I don't do auctions, but I'd probably send an invoice a day or two after it ends even though eBay is supposed to do it after a couple days. Some people may just bid and forget that when it was supposed to end. For offers, I don't bother with an invoice unless they buy more than one thing and I'll ask they hold off paying until I am able to send an invoice so I can combine shipping. Sometimes that doesn't work and they leap frog and pay anyways though. Or just miss the message altogether. And will cancel in 4 days to a week if they haven't paid. Depends on my mood.

[dhaga]

So here is how I am handling this particular case. I sent the buyer a message containing the original exchange where I told him how I handle the combined shipping (refund after they pay). I also sent them six different options to choose from using the ebay shipping calculator and told them I prefer to do it the way I originally communicated to them but will accommodate their request. 

I am not 100% savy on shipping charges and in the online shipping calculator tool ( a stand-a-lone calculator not associated with a purchase) when I choose regular USPS as a choice I do not see how to calculate and include additional insurance cost to come up with a total. 

If a buyer pays me first, when I bring up the print label option, it allows me to compare all services at once and also allows me to price out the insurance costs. So it seems the stand-a-lone shipping calculator does not have all the functionality of the shipping options calculator that comes up after a buyer actually pays. Does that make sense or am I overlooking something here? 

[slippinjimmy]

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@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

::general reply::

When you send an invoice there used to be a way to add a second shipping method so the buyer could choose, at least I think there used to be.  Or am I thinking of something else?

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You are correct, when you send an invoice you can add additional shipping options. The buyer can pick the one they want, it doesn't matter if the original listing(s) had a single option or 4 different options.

@dhaga

@nobody*s_perfect 

[dhaga]

Yup, I just verified it and it works well. Seems like a cleaner way to do it than have to refund the buyer after the fact. 

[luckythewinner]

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@dhaga wrote:

Invoice for a single or multiple purchases mostly. I notice after an auction sends I get an option to send an invoice right away. I have not been very consistent in using that option and sometimes send right after auction closes and sometimes send a day or so after a buyer has not paid. I mostly send right away for multiple purchases to inform the buyer that after they pay I will calculate combined shipping and refund the difference. On single Items I usually wait a day or so if buyer has not paid. 

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I have bought enough on eBay to know that eBay reminds buyers to pay so I do not need to send any invoices unless (a) there is a shipping discount involved, or (b) the buyer requests one.