Seller tips?

[theyouthculture]

Hi, I think it's been around a couple of months that I've been selling here and there on ebay. 

I had a minor situation from a buyer refusing to pay for shipping and not reciprocating communication. It turned into a case that ebay sided with me on. 

I noticed more that profiles with zero (0) feedback would be the ones doing these types of situations. Why do some profiles tend to purchase your item and then not pay and communicate? I usually wait 3 days for any kind of response and then cancel. 

Aside from this, I was reading other discussion posts and immediate payment was mentioned. 

Are there any tips you guys might have to sort of avoid this situation? Technical and personal? 
I know that I'm a newer seller, but I don't think behavior/ tendencies like this are really justified (post messaging them and waiting after a certain amount of time). 

Is it a glitch with ebay, are the users just playing around? 

If you guys have any tips on how to avoid situations like this, I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me, and possibly others who read this know. 

Future thanks! 

[nobody*s_perfect]

You seem to already know the best way to avoid nonpaying buyers: List in fixed price format and check off "Immediate payment required."

When a buyer fails to pay, you should not cancel the transaction; you should file an unpaid item claim.    Here is the Help page about what to do if a buyer doesn't pay:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/unpaid-items.html 

[hurryagain]

Besides using the buy it now with immediate payment required option, there isn't really much one can do about this.  eBay cannot force a buyer to pay nor can eBay for a seller to ship/complete a transaction either.  There are consequences for either party not completing a transaction.

For the buyer, if a UPI case is opened and closed against them, they get an unpaid item strike against their buying acct.  If you get 2 or more of these, buyers will find themselves blocked from buying from many eBay sellers b/c we seller tend to block buyers who have had 2 or more UPI's within a year's time frame.  It works, and I recommend that you put your setting to block those types. 

@theyouthculture 

Buyers who have this happen learn their lesson quickly...we have them come on these boards whining from time to time...makes me chuckle.

[coastaltechsolution]

Never just cancel an order if a buyer does not pay, you will want to wait the 2 days then file non payment then wait 4 days until you can close the case and then relist item. If you just cancel the order without going through the proper steps it could count against you and harm your wallet and metrics. 

[luckythewinner]

Why do some profiles tend to purchase your item and then not pay and communicate?

There is not just one reason. There are millions and millions of people on eBay, and there are probably many different reasons why not all people are courteous. 

I usually wait 3 days for any kind of response and then cancel

You should not be canceling these transactions. You should be following eBay protocol and filing an unpaid item dispute. 

I was reading other discussion posts and immediate payment was mentioned.

Immediate payment will prevent buyers from buying a listing directly and then not paying. But note that it is not available for auction winners. 

Is it a glitch with ebay

It is not a "glitch" with eBay. It is simply how eBay works if you do not require immediate payment.

are the users just playing around? 

Again, there are millions and millions of people on eBay, and there are probably many different reasons why not all people are courteous. 

If you guys have any tips on how to avoid situations like this

You already mentioned the only effective tool - requiring immediate payment. 

[theyouthculture]

Hi, actually I was just reading this from past discussions. Reading on how to do that now but sort of lost in the help page. I was checking some listings but couldn't find it on the interface. 

Did you know where to find it when posting a listing? 

Right now it just takes me to Buyer Management and doesn't show anything about immediate payment. 

[clemowbooks]

Rather than cancelling, which does have the advantage of being fast, I prefer to send a polite reminder on Day 3 (I am in Canada and cannot open a Dispute for 96 hours after purchase, US sellers can open Disputes in 48 hours.)  then go to the Resolution Centre and open an Unpaid Item Dispute as soon as possible.

While I then have to wait another 96 hours to close the Dispute, unless the buyer pays, I get my FVF back and the deadbeat gets a Strike, which helps all other sellers.

In addition, the loser of a Dispute cannot leave feedback.

[theyouthculture]

Yeah definitely. I usually have a 3 day waiting period. I was searching the net and apparently the appropriate time to do so is like in 2 days, but again, adding the extra day to just give them the benefit of the doubt. 

I actually just cancelled a purchase after waiting like 5 days. I would message the buyers every day to remind them. Which I know can be a bit much, but they were just casual reminders. 

So should I just file non payment? Would that be too much? Noted about the metrics, thank you.

[clemowbooks]

The Resolution Centre is at the bottom of this page and of most eBay pages.

It is all automatic/robotic and works very smoothly for the most part.

Don't get hung up on suggestions that you Contact the Buyer/Seller. If you have done that once, skip that suggestions, it's not a command.

[hurryagain]

@theyouthculture 

Go to edit listing.  Under the price area you will see Payment Options.  See below:

[theyouthculture]

So it wouldn't be like, rude to do this right? I was actually looking into this and got a bit confused because it just sent me to the Buyer Management page, and immediate payment wasn't mentioned at all. 

I already set up the blocking of buyers who would get unpaid item strikes, so that's been done. 
Aside from using the "Buy It Now" feature, is there anything else I can do? 

[theyouthculture]

Hi, I was trying this with a listing, and didn't see it. I'm guessing this is through a computer not the app. Is this on classic view of ebay? I'll check again, thanks.

edit: I checked again, and the interface is totally different. Can you share which type of "view" or ebay layout/version(?) you're using? I'd like to be able to use that format too.

[hurryagain]

It's not rude - it's business. 

Nobody would appreciate someone coming into a store, filling a shopping cart with a bunch of stuff, then just leave the cart abandoned down some aisle...is the store supposed to wait 3 days before they can put those goods back onto the shelves for sale again?  (Unfortunately that is what we have to do here unless you use the immediate payment required feature.)

@theyouthculture 

[hurryagain]

I am using a laptop.  I am always forgetting that there are those using the phone app.  If you cannot find it, let me know.

[theyouthculture]

Had a feeling you might say something like that yeah hahahahahaha ok thanks. 

I just had some instances where some users would actually pay, so I'd try to give them some room to pay. But looking back, they'd usually message back so there's that. 

I think it just gets down to the whole waiting process. I had several people watching the item and it's kinda horrible that I'll have to start the process again (with visibility and time).