How long is reasonable to wait for someone to pay on Ebay?

techspec

I send an invoice on the 4th day and file an NPB case on the 8th day.

Any sooner and i seem to get abuse - or the buyer pays and then you worry about your stars being trashed.

soolin

2sides2everystory wrote: »

It depends what it is you are selling. I collect coins and it is generally understood that it is often only economic to buy some coins as multiple items with combined postage. This is especially so if the seller has set the postage too high for a single coin.

I don't know for sure but I think the ebay system automatically sends payment reminders at a set time after the auction ends and those sometimes cross with separate arrangements agreed with sellers.

I agree that it is impolite, or very unfortunate at least, for a buyer to not ask the seller if it is ok to delay a payment like that. If there is to be a delay of more than a couple of days, I frequently offer to pay but ask the seller if they don't mind holding on to what I have already bought and then discount the postage on the last items when I am finished. Quite often they say no wait and let me know at the end and I'll send you a multiple item invoice.

Communication is the key. Firing off Non-Payment Reports without trying a polite message first is hardly going to win you repeat business. It instantly says "I'm a business and you're just a lame punter who hasn't paid as fast as I want so now I am going to make you pay immediately under threat". But then again, it depends what you are selling and how you wish to position your business.

They have an invoice when auction ends if I am online. They get another one on day 3 or day 4 with a comment in the comments box aksing them to let me know if they require any additional payment information then a day after that I go to an NPB.

I really don't think I can be expected to email buyers begging for payment, I assume my buyers have a brain and don't need constant hand holding, maybe it is different in the coin section where people do need a bit more support , btu if i started thinking my buyers were unable to understand the process I would give up with ebay.

StripeySocks

Just to let you all know i didn't hear anything back from the buyer but got a payment notification this evening (a week and a day after auction end). Not really sure why it took so long and i guess i will never know but i did eventually get my money.
As i am just selling a few bits here and there it isn't a major concern to wait a while longer/chase things up if i do eventually get my money. It is an inconvenience but not much more than that. I could imagine though if I were a business seller selling a lot it would be a different story.

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions, it is good to know how other more experienced sellers deal with the problem.

flubberyzing

My auctions usually end in the early evening.
If they haven't paid by lunchtime the next day, I send an invoice.

If they haven't paid within 3 working days, I send them a message briefly explaining what will happen if I open a case and advising them to pay by a certain time on the 4th working day.

If they still haven't paid by the morning of the 5th working day, I open the case.