non-paying bidder-update 5-30

[rosierjay]

I had someone buy it now an item last week, and they still haven't paid for it. (didn't realized i didnt' have the "pay immediately" option on. oh well) i've messaged them a few times, with a gentle.
Hi once you pay for the item i will ship it out right away.
but still no response.

how long do you usually wait before either canceling it or reporting them?

[SpaceButtPonies]

If you have contacted them about it a week ago and no response, I would have to open a case. A week should be enough time to pay. Try one more time and see what happens?

[northstar3184]

Yeah a week is more than fair.

[rosierjay]

update.
so last weekend i sent the invoice again, as ebay requested....
they replied with

"On the 11 of this month. Thanks. Teddy bear "

nothing more. well the 11 has come and gone, still no payment, no more contact. so today i messaged them again.

"Hello, I'm very sorry. I understand that life happens, but i've been very patient. Are you still able to pay for this item? if not i will cancel the transaction and relist it.
thank you."

is this cordial enough?
i was pretty frustrated when i wrote it, so i'm concerned that they'll think i'm bullying them or whatnot. blah!! this has not been worth it for the 15$ cabbage patch doll.....

[SpaceButtPonies]

I didn't notice any aggression, just short and to the point. Hope things work out.

[rosierjay]

0.0! they paid less than 10 minutes after i sent the email.
so i guess it worked out.
now to package it up when i get home and get it out asap, so then it's not my fault it didn't get there in a timely manor.

it's one of my childhood toys, so i'm glad its getting a home rather than ending up in a saver's bundle of toys.

[plushroo]

Just make sure you photo the package before mailing it in case they try to say it was damaged in post/arrived damaged and maybe have it signed for so they don't turn around and open a case against you in spite saying not delivered. Not saying this buyer is like that, but that has happened to me in the past with a slow payer. I take precautions now whenever I sale on ebay.

[rosierjay]

 
I just got the package back in the mail. It said thelot was vacant and was returned to me.
What should i do?

[LadyMoondancer]

Oh, wow.

First double-check that the address eBay gave you matches what you wrote on the package.

Then you have two options:

#1 - Contact the buyer and tell them the package went to an empty lot.   Refund their Paypal payment, tell them to update their Paypal address and then repay you, and resend the item to their new address after the new payment comes through.  DO NOT send the package to an "unofficial" address.  If it is not the address Paypal has in their system then you are not protected as a seller!

#2 - Refund their money, shrug your shoulders, and relist the item.  I've gotta be honest, this is the one I would be tending towards.  It just seems weird and suspicious that their address wasn't even "the wrong house", but an empty lot.

[rosierjay]

thanks i think will probably go with option 2.
i bought the shipping directly from the auction, so there was no way to miss type or spell something. why i usually go that route.

[Taffeta]

I'd also inform ebay that the address provided is out of date. If, of course, the ebay address is the one you used. You should be able to check that against the paypal one if not. Either way, ebay should know.

And you should also tell the buyer you're refunding due to the issue with the address not being valid, thus cancelling the transaction.

[rosierjay]

ok, so i called ebay and they checked things out and said i had done everything right.
whew.
they told me to email and call the buyer to get the address and ask them to pay for the shipping again.

this is what i wrote.

Hello N------,
I just got the doll back in the mail.
It was returned with the notice "Vacant Unable to Forward, Return to Sender"
I can send a photo of this if you like. I printed the address directly from ebay, so it was not written wrong. Please send me the correct address, and $10.25 to mail the item out again.
let me know you have gotten this. thank you. -jb

i hope that was ok. i made sure to keep personal info out of it. -as recommened in another thread- and try to just get to the point.


bummer is another listing. they offered at the last minute. literal less than a minute left, and my phone wouldn't let me see the email so i accepted. they had a restriction for the shipping that i hadn't seen. i was pretty sure i could still do it, but i wasn't home this weekend, so i couldn't check. rl drama got in the way and i didn't message her back about being away. so she cancelled the listing... fine by me, hadn't paid yet anyway. if that was someone from here. i'm sorry. it was a really rough weekend. (one which i don't want to talk about) and the listing wasn't the first thing i was thinking of. i didn't even realize all the listings ended that day.