posted on November 22, 2000 09:43:01 AM
Usually I state the terms Ebay uses: Buyer must contact seller within 3 days to confirm the sale and payment is due 10 days after the auction close. Simple right?
Lately, maybe this is the Thanksgiving holiday, but many are going beyond the 3 day confirmation. I write a 2nd notice reminder and I'm really nice about it. What do you do after that? If you haven't heard back past that period do you just wait for the payment? A NPB form are usually not sent after that 10 day period right?
Please share with me your experience.
Thanks. This is the first time I am running into something like this.
posted on November 22, 2000 10:13:24 AM
I ask for contact in 3 days, payment postmarked within 10 days. I never check postmarks, though- I just ask so that the bidder has an idea what to expect. If I get a response, I don't send a reminder until at least 2 weeks after the end of the auction. If I get no response, I send a reminder after 7 to 10 days. I don't start with the NPB process through eBay until a month or so after the end of the auction.
The reason I do things this way is that:
1) The items I sell are small and relatively inexpensive, so having them sitting around for a while is not a problem.
2) I don't sell for a living, so not getting paid immediately is not a problem.
3) Out of every 10 auctions, I typically get 6 payments inside a week, 3 more in the next week, and the last one by the third week.
Nearly all the bidders I've dealt with pay me eventually, so deadbeats are not a problem.
In my experience, if you wait, it will come. YMMV, however...
posted on November 22, 2000 10:26:17 AM
I use the AW post-sale mgmt. system. I have a 48 hour contact rule and 5 day payment rule that are stated in the TOS, but I allow for flexibility when I have good buyer communication. The most frustrating thing I deal with are bidders that dissappear into thin air after making a winning bid on a high dollar item that I really need to sell (and get paid for!). I sell expensive items($200-1000). Every day I send a "Winning bidder notification" to any winning bidder who has not responded yet (On the AW system, the #2 box has not been darkened). Rather than hit the "one click send" on subsequent notifications, I use the "edit" option instead. This allows me to add a customized message at the top of each email. You have to think and act like a collection agency. I usually do something progressive like this:
(# indiates days without hearing from buyer):
2 - ***SECOND NOTICE PLEASE RESPOND***
3 - ***THIRD NOTICE 48 HOUR CONTACT TIMEFRAME HAS PASSED PLEASE RESPOND***
4-5 - ***PROTECT YOUR FEEDBACK PLEASE RESPOND ASAP***
6 - ***URGENT A NON PAYING BIDDER NOTIFICATION WILL BE FILED UNLESS YOU RESPOND***
7 - Same as day 6
Then on day 8, I file the NPB notification. If they have contacted me and seem reasonable, I don't. You have to make a call. But I find that most buyers who communicate in a reasonaby timely manner will eventually come through with payment. Its the buyers who you never hear from that you have to be especially concerned about.
posted on November 22, 2000 10:35:51 AM
Ooops I wanted to clarify that I do alert the buyers with a "winner notification". It's after the fact I am questioning about.
Thank you, mr. potatohead & bigshack for your input.
As a buyer, I am always on top of thing (as a seller too). If I bid on something, I usually want it pronto. Why do these people wait till the 10th day to submit a check payment that has to be held for 10 days to clear?
posted on November 22, 2000 10:37:04 AM
My EOA notices include payment remittance address and total amount due. I used to request e-mail confirmation from the winning bidder. But in some cases, the winning bidder just sends in payment without sending me an e-mail. Having to keep track whether or not an e-mail confirmation was received was taking too much time so I had to amend my procedures.
1. EOA notice sent within 12 hours of end of auction.
2. If no payment is received 14 days after EOA, re-send EOA notice with **2nd Request** added to subject line and a specific request for "payment status update" within 3 days.
3. If no response or payment, file NPB.
4. After 10 more days, file FVF credit.
5. Post negative feedback.
This works great for me as I deal only in video games and have fixed S/H charges for each item indicated in the auction description. Hope this helps.
