How long would you wait for payment of items?

soolin

linni wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. It isn't anything to do with combined postage. The bids were totally separate and on different days. I only realised when I was writing the postage label. The items are clothing and were packed separately.

I sent a polite message asking when they would be paying for the items (1&2) and they replied saying 'Tuesday' but I didn't receive payment. In the meantime they bid on a 3rd item. I've heard nothing at all from the buyer.

Trouble is, I might not sell at all, or get such a good bid, if I have to re-list the items. People might think there is something wrong with the items.

It was at the weekend so only a few days, but when should I start to do something about it?

I am trying to read all the Ebay guides & help but there is so much of it!

Just a couple of points, if this is someone who happens to like your items and is buying a number of things from you then they will expect combined postage- so be warned. It is not a particularly good idea to start packing before they paid, you don't have a secure address yet anyway as you won't get that until they check out using paypal.

You can also block repeat sales if you are nervous about auction wrecking, hopefully you have already found your seller settings to set up the usual blocks- if you go back to them you have the ability to block certain feedback buyers from multiple purchases over a certain number of days.

Please can I also suggest that you read the following thread, it covers seller protection. That would cover using only the paypal address if you wish to have full paypal seller protection- and explains about postage options:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3146680

Lastly, when I have auction sales (and most of mine are actually BINs) around half of my buyers take longer than 2 or 3 days to pay, I rarely wait past day 4 though before opening an NPB on them. If they were still bidding on other items I would definitely contact them to discuss combined postage and ask them to let me know when they have bought the last item they want and not to pay until I send a new invoice after having recalculated the post and packing.

linni

Thank you soolin, some very useful points. Don't mean to be difficult but combining postage still not an issue as some items heavier than stated postage so I would be charging more! Also items bought days apart so would have posted previous items but now I won't pack until after payment received, as you suggest. It was just that everyone else was paying and so i just packed the lot so I could weigh them and post quickly after payment. Newbie panic!

I have now done the blocking of repeat sales etc, to stop this happening again. Probably won't have any clothes left after this weekend but at least I'm prepared!

I will go and read the other thread now. I had no idea that this was so involved. Regular Ebayers must work really hard.

alykatz

linni wrote: »

Thank you soolin, some very useful points. Don't mean to be difficult but combining postage still not an issue as some items heavier than stated postage so I would be charging more!

Am i reading this right? if your buyer wins the multiple purchases , you intend upping the combined postage costs because the items are heavier than you initially quoted for?

jeffuk

linni wrote: »

some items heavier than stated postage so I would be charging more! Also items bought days apart so would have posted previous items

Just to clear a couple of points, you cannot increase the listed postage cost, if you have quoted too low a postage cost you'll have to absorb that yourself.
If you combine postage on multiple purchases then you send them all together which should be cheaper for you and the buyer.
If the buyer does not wait for you to send a revised payment request and pays for the items separately then you have to send each item individually.

linni

Just to clear a couple of points, you cannot increase the listed postage cost, if you have quoted too low a postage cost you'll have to absorb that yourself

That's what I am doing. When I get used to Ebay (if ever) I'll sort it out but not now. I have a couple of really expensive items that are just sitting waiting to be paid for.

I really appreciate all the advice but the question is about how long should I wait for payment and not about postage. I've already said that if the buyer had paid on time, the 1st item would have been posted before they bid on the 2nd item, let alone the 3rd. I'm looking at sending by Hermes or some other courier when I get sorted out.

I've now opened unpaid items cases and see what happens!

Norman_Castle

The buyers lack of communication suggests they may be a problem. What does their feedback say about them?.

linni

Am i reading this right? if your buyer wins the multiple purchases , you intend upping the combined postage costs because the items are heavier than you initially quoted for?

No, I would pay the extra postage myself, whoever it was.

I know it sounds like that but I was just joking. I should have said that the cost would be more, not that I would charge them for it. Joke got lost in the writing!

linni

The buyers lack of communication suggests they may be a problem. What does their feedback say about them?.

It is the lack of communication that bothers me. A quick email to say can you give me a few days to pay? Would have solved the problem.

What does their feedback say about them?.

The feedback seems ok.

I don't think people should bid on things of they don't have the money to pay.

clumsy_cupcake

Welcome to the joys of ebay! Buyers can do what they like, they bid and don't pay. Something you have to get used to but fortunately there is only a small minority that do this.

Once the last item they have bid on has ended. Send them a combined invoice, wait 24-48 hours then open a not paid case to retrieve you selling fees.

I now only sell my items via buy it now with instant payment turned on, my item will only end once the payment has been received straight away and no longer have to wait around for payments.

linni

Thank you clumsy_cupcake. I think I'm getting the hang of it. Lots of things I haven't found out yet, like:

I now only sell my items via buy it now with instant payment turned on, my item will only end once the payment has been received straight away and no longer have to wait around for payments.

This sounds like a good idea. I thought there were fees for Buy It Now so I didn't do it. I'll go and have another read up about it