Non Payer - dispute?

Pete2001

Okay, so I thought I would sell a few things on ebay to raise a bit of cash. I'd only ever sold 3 things before and the last one was about three and a half years ago, so started off with something simple - an unwanted CD. The auction ended last Tuesday (31/3) evening and after an hour (didn't want to seem too keen) I sent off an invoice. I heard nothing. On Sunday I sent a very polite e-mail (through e-bay and to their personal e-mail address) asking if all was OK and if/when they would pay - again no response. This person has been registered for about a year and has a feedback of 30, all positive. Now I understand that as of tonight I can start a dispute against them but what is the general view on this? Is 7 days too hasty, should I give them longer? Maybe they won the auction and went on holiday the next morning! Also, if I start a dispute and they then decide to pay I suppose it's more than likely they will leave a negative. Now, as I was hoping to sell a few more items that will look look pretty bad on my only sale in three years!

BTW, I have noted the advice from other threads on blocking certain bidders - I will certainly put that into practice from now on.

Smart_But_Casual

Pete2001 wrote: »

Okay, so I thought I would sell a few things on ebay to raise a bit of cash. I'd only ever sold 3 things before and the last one was about three and a half years ago, so started off with something simple - an unwanted CD. The auction ended last Tuesday (31/3) evening and after an hour (didn't want to seem too keen) I sent off an invoice. I heard nothing. On Sunday I sent a very polite e-mail (through e-bay and to their personal e-mail address) asking if all was OK and if/when they would pay - again no response. This person has been registered for about a year and has a feedback of 30, all positive. Now I understand that as of tonight I can start a dispute against them but what is the general view on this? Is 7 days too hasty, should I give them longer? Maybe they won the auction and went on holiday the next morning! Also, if I start a dispute and they then decide to pay I suppose it's more than likely they will leave a negative. Now, as I was hoping to sell a few more items that will look look pretty bad on my only sale in three years!

BTW, I have noted the advice from other threads on blocking certain bidders - I will certainly put that into practice from now on.

If they haven't paid open a dispute. Simple as that.

hazey31

I'm in exactly the same position as you- some git has bought 5 DVDs from me and not paid. Due to reasons too boring to go into, I can only get to the post office on a Saturday so need the payment before Saturday and make this very clear in all my listings. I just hate having parcels all packaged up and ready to go but can't. She seems to be a new one on eBay and might have even been confused about the number of DVDs she bought from me- I sent her one invoice for the first one she won seconds after the auction was over then realised she was interested in other DVDs of mine and sent her one invoice for the other four. She has since received positive feedback from another seller saying 'fast bank transfer- thank you!'

Sorry- whinge over!!!

Just wait till the second these 7 days are up then I'm going into dispute.

Pete2001

I think I will e-mail them again now and then if I get no response (which seems likely) start the dispute tomorrow morning, fed up of waiting to be honest! This is all new to me - whenever I buy anything off e-bay it is something I want and so pay straight away.

Thanks for the responses,

Pete.

chja

If they have time to bid then they have time to pay.

If 7 days are up then start a dispute.

moomaloo

One thing though... It sounds stupid I know but check your e-mails in your regular e-mail account (the one registered with eBay). I've had a similar situation recently where I've sent several messages through eBay but the buyer has been responding directly to my personal e-mail account (which I don't check anywhere near as often as I should it seems...!)

Pete2001

Thanks for the tip - an easy mistake to make! Just to be sure though I've checked everything, including the junk mail folders and I've had no contact from them. As a result I opened the dispute this morning - didn't really want to, but how long can you wait + it was frustrating to have every message (all helpful and polite) ignored.

rdp1980

Don't be scared about opening the dispute.

In the past I have found that doing this is often enough to spur the buyer into action and pay up.

hazey31

I did mine last night Pete2001- waited till the second it was 7 days overdue then logged it. No emails (I check religiously) and no messages either.

I really don't want this woman to have my stuff now but I guess I'm going to have to wait another 7 days...