Am I Being too impatient?

moggins

I've been an E-bay user for 2 years now with 100% feedback and have only ever had one problem before. I've been buying quite a lot of childrens clothes over the past month and everything bar one item has arrived safely and in good condition.

However I bought and paid instantly via Paypal for an item 9 days ago and haven't heard anything since, items that I bought after that have already arrived and I've left feedback for them.

How long should I wait for an item before I get in touch with the seller? I don't want to sound impatient and it's not an item that I am in a particular hurry to receive, is there some kind of E-bay ettiquette for a rough delivery timeframe, how long is acceptable before getting in touch?

soolin

moggins wrote:

I've been an E-bay user for 2 years now with 100% feedback and have only ever had one problem before. I've been buying quite a lot of childrens clothes over the past month and everything bar one item has arrived safely and in good condition.

However I bought and paid instantly via Paypal for an item 9 days ago and haven't heard anything since, items that I bought after that have already arrived and I've left feedback for them.

How long should I wait for an item before I get in touch with the seller? I don't want to sound impatient and it's not an item that I am in a particular hurry to receive, is there some kind of E-bay ettiquette for a rough delivery timeframe, how long is acceptable before getting in touch?

When i pay by paypal 9 days is about my limit before I start asking the seller where it is. I would normally expect my items in a week, 9 days is pushing it too far.

Email the seller and ask when it was posted. If you don;t get a response or a satisfactory answer within say 48 hours think about starting a paypal chargeback, that usually gets the seller moving!

Soo

Bargainbabe_2

Hi,
I posted a similar thread a few days back about the same problem here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=48020

I don't mind waiting around a week if this is a) stated in the auction terms or b) informed of delayed postage via email.

What really gets my goat is when you pay immediately and sellers don't even bother to say thank you or don't post your item for ages! Then, they request you leave feedback when they haven't bothered for you!

Curry_Queen

I'm afraid I'm very impatient and when I've paid instantly after auction via Paypal I expect the item to be posted out within 48 hrs

If it hasn't arrived by day 4 then I politely email the seller asking for date of posting

mah_jong

The last time I waited 9 or 10 days befor I contacted the seller it turned out my payment had not been recieved! (Long story.....but paypal hicccups!!)

So a wee email just asking if the item has been dispatched, is in order!

When I sell (its not that often) but when I do, it goes in the next post after receiving payment!!!!

Ma

nsrjo1

I've been buying and selling on eBay for several years now.

When selling I always advise that I've received payment and that goods have been sent and by what method, with tracking number if appropriate. That way the sellers know they're on their way and that their payment hasn't disappeared into a black hole, or I've run off with it. If I receive payment by Paypal then I aim to post the same day if possible depending on the time of day, or the next day at the latest. If paid by cheque then I wait until the cheques clears (stated in my auction terms) and then post.

I have to say that as a buyer though in general I never seem to get any acknowledgement and never any confirmation that payment has been received or goods sent which really bugs me, especially when I pay as soon as an auctions ends by Paypal.

I've just picked up two negatives from a seller I bought two items from using Buy It Now a week or so ago because I gave them a neutral for taking a week to send items they said they had posted two days after I paid them.

Having bought them I paid immediately by Paypal. Two days later I received an email from the seller stating that the goods would be sent that day by first class post.

Five days later (ie 7 days after my payment) nothing had turned up and I had decided that if there was nothing in that days post I would email the seller. As it turned out they did arrive that day, however on checking the postmark it was franked four days after the seller told me they had posted it.

Now, I understand that things happen, you plan to go to the Post Office, the kids are ill, you get stuck at work, the car breaks down etc etc...... However, what I don't accept is that as a seller you tell your buyer you have posted their items and then don't actually do it for whatever reason until four days later and in addition don't have the courtesy to let the buyer know that you didn't make it to the Post Office and haven't sent the items.

I gave the seller a neutral saying "slow to ship, paid on x date, advised would send on y, actually sent on z". Now I thought this was fair, I could have negged them, but I did get my items, they were as described and I had no other complaint other than the seller didn't post them when they said they had and didn't communicate and tell me.

Well, guess what? Yep, I log into my account to find the seller has left me two negatives saying "complains about shipping taking 7 days, I have a life outside eBay". Charming.

Clearly this seller does not have much of an idea about customer service and is quite happy to let everyone know that any further buyers shouldn't expect to be a priority in her life. Unfortunately I think it's just something you have to accept if you are buying items on eBay from users that are not in business. I'm not saying it's true of everyone by any means, but it does seem that private individuals who are clearly selling for a hobby have less of a conscience than businesses in terms of bothering to follow up with acknowledgements and shipping details. I guess becaaue as this seller says they "have lives outside eBay" and so sending the parts you paid for is just not high up on their list of important things to do.

If I was you though I would email the seller and just ask them to confirm that they've received your payment and when/if they they have sent the goods as you've not heard anything and neither has anything arrived yet.

italiastar

I always communicate with people and send things out quickly - even before cheques have cleared. I've found some people to be like me and some to be laid back. I think it's worth a polite reminder.

Curry_Queen

Communication is the key and there's nothing more frustrating than being left waiting and wondering if and when your goods have been posted, especially if you've paid immediately the auction ended. On the occassions I've ever had to send a cheque then of course I expect it to take much longer as many people will wait till the cheque clears before posting, or if the seller has stated in the listing that they only post on certain days for whatever reason, then you know what to expect beforehand.

As a seller myself I used to post all items out the day following payment, including cheques if they were for less than £10, and I always emailed the buyer to let them know when they'd been posted. It's just common courtesy

cookiemonster25

moggins wrote:

I've been an E-bay user for 2 years now with 100% feedback and have only ever had one problem before. I've been buying quite a lot of childrens clothes over the past month and everything bar one item has arrived safely and in good condition.

However I bought and paid instantly via Paypal for an item 9 days ago and haven't heard anything since, items that I bought after that have already arrived and I've left feedback for them.

How long should I wait for an item before I get in touch with the seller? I don't want to sound impatient and it's not an item that I am in a particular hurry to receive, is there some kind of E-bay ettiquette for a rough delivery timeframe, how long is acceptable before getting in touch?

have had this problem myself a few times recently, after 8 days you can file a dispute either with the seller or buter, i find as ebay contacts then rather that you directly, this gets things mooving if they are not responding to your e-mail. should defo not wait more than 1 week

cookiemonster25

oops meant to say buyer...must be the tescos wine.....

heathen

if i pay by paypal and havnt heard from the seller in 4 days i just send an e-mail asking if they have safely received my payment.they usualy e-mail back with details of when its been posted or when their planning on posting it.

also if there is a problem with the payment your not left hanging about waiting for a parcel whats not gonna show.