Is there a high percentage deadbeats on eBay?
How do you deal with them?
I mean, your merchandize is stuck for some days, isnt it?
What do you generally do? Eg.: add a notice to your aution-page that the highest bidder should respond within 3 days, else you list again?
posted on January 16, 2001 04:00:34 AM
frits ...
Deadbeats are more common in some categories, such as games, toys, and CDs.
"What do you generally do? Eg.: add a notice to your aution-page that the highest bidder should respond within 3 days, else you list again?"
This is NO protection. Also, many buiyers just send payment without answering the email if you let them know how much and where to send it.
If they haven't answered in a week, or if the check is not there in about 10 days, I send another reminder, asking if the check has been mailed ... it is very possible for checks to be slow arriving.
If they have not paid within three weeks, I send the NPB warning and 10 days later file for return of my fees and leave a negative. Then I relist.
posted on January 16, 2001 04:04:03 AM
I never worry whether someone is a deadbeat or not. (Incidently, there does seem to be more of them on eBay lately)
What I do is send out a copy of the listing showing them as the winning bidder if about 21 days have passed and payment has not arrived.
I add the following text:
"Payment for the following item has not been received as of (date). Please check your records and update me on Payment progress A.S.A.P. - Thanks so much! - Dottie "
If I hear from them, I remind them that it's already been three weeks since the auction so they will either need to pay via PAYPAL or overnight a money order.
Either way... if payment is not received by day 28, I will file FVF credit request. IF the item closed at over $20.00 - I will make a note of it and go back after the 10 day wait to finalize the NonPaying Bidder Sequence. (More often than not, by the time I am able to go back in to complete the NPB sequence, the user has already been suspended - this has happened several times recently)
I don't waste my time on Deadbeats. Nobody was twisting their arm at the time they bid... so I see no reason to badger them about making payment. If a bidder is honorable, payment will arrive within the 21 days or they will contact me to make other arrangments and follow through.... all on their own.
posted on January 16, 2001 06:00:51 AM
I would have to agree with the first poster that it depends what you are listing.I can almost tell if the percentage will be higher just by the item.Not always but it is a guideline.I also find it is usually on the stuff that is under $20.00.The high end stuff almost always(for me) closes without a hitch.
--------------------------------- If I had money I'd be rich!
--------------------------------- My Bit
posted on January 16, 2001 06:11:06 AM
RB: Well then, if the deadbeats are leaving Yahoo! and heading over to eBay... perhaps I ought to put some of my listings over on Yahoo! *smile*
Actually, I think that Deadbeats create their own bad Karma...
posted on January 16, 2001 01:16:35 PM
I have also noticed an increase in deadbeats. Most seem to be newbies, but I have one right now that has 30 positives, one negative from almost a year ago. She bid and won on Dec. 16, and bid and won on someone else's auction a week later.
I have sent 4 emails, including someone's suggestion of "send this auction to a friend". I have already filed a NPB alert, thinking that would get her attention. Even the other seller has not replied when I asked if he heard from her.
I'd love to get my FV and listing fees credited next week, and post a negative, but I'm too chicken, for fear she'll post a retaliatory neg. The follow-up to her one and only neg was very childish.
Anyways, I think a good idea is to state payment due in 14 days, or a NPB alert is filed. If, during the next 10 days you get no payment or correspondence, go ahead and get your credits and post post negative feedback (optional).
Frits, what I have done to help eliminate potential deadbeats is to add to my TOS in the auction listing, that bidders must be serious and prepared to follow through with payment, and not to bid if your feedback is below zero or private. I reserve the right to cancell any bids.
And I have. You need to watch the bidder's feedback, but I've cancelled people's bids for disregarding this statement.
I'd love to get my FV and listing fees credited next week, and post a negative, but I'm too chicken, for fear she'll post a retaliatory neg.
That seems to be an inconsistent position to take. I hope you are not suggesting that other sellers leave negative feedback for your benefit, when you do not want to do the same.
posted on January 16, 2001 01:57:28 PM
mrpotatoheadd, I watch the bidder's feedback while the auction is still running to see if their feedback is below zero or private, which is against my TOS.
If I catch, I cancell their bid.
I have started to get a bit more brave in leaving negative feedback becasuse I appreciate when other users leave it, as it benefits all of us. When I mentioned watch the user's feedback, that was to determine if their bid should be cancelled, it had nothing to do with me posting a negative.
The only problem I have is I worry about leaving negatives for fear of retaliation, but so far so good. I left one last week, and no feedback has been left for me yet.
I just wanted to add, I think around the 12 day mark, I will email any bidder who hasn't paid or communicated. Then on day 14 I post the NPB alert, and 10 days later get my listing and FV credits, case closed. I think I'll make that policy. If they can't communicate within 24 days, or pay, they deserve a negative!
posted on January 16, 2001 02:00:52 PM
BTW: Yes, I'm still chicken to leave a negative for fear of retaliation, but after reading some other threads, retalitation doesn't seem as rampant as I expected it to be.
Maybe some users feel they deserved it, and don't want to be spiteful, so they just let it be.
I though of waiting till the listing is just about to go off the database, but someone at eBay informed me it can be anywhere from 90-120 days, and no way to predict exactly when. So much for that idea.
posted on January 16, 2001 02:10:44 PMWhen I mentioned watch the user's feedback, that was to determine if their bid should be cancelled, it had nothing to do with me posting a negative.
No, it doesn't. That has to do with others posting a negative, in order to allow you the luxury of knowing that the bidder is a potential problem.
If you do not, in turn, post a negative when it is appropriate, you are allowing other sellers to accept bids from those who are potentially a problem when you could have alerted them beforehand.
My point is:
I believe it is hypocritical to use the feedback records that are available on eBay for one's own benefit when one is unwilling to contribute their own input for the benefit of others.
posted on January 16, 2001 04:18:08 PM
I don't get a lot of deadbeats but when I do I send them out this notice (below). I wait about 14 to 21 days I give them more then the ten before I send it out. If they don't respond via E-mail within 3 I do a NPBA on Ebay, then if they don't send payment by that ten day period I file for the auction fee back. I prefer that to negative feedback. Neg feedback does little but of they get 3 of the didn't pay NPB alerts and the seller files the final papers the buyer gets suspended for awhile. More affective. BTW u or anyone else is welcome to use the below letter if you think it will help.
I don't get a lot of deadbeats but the ones that I do or always for the small items and that kind of ticks me off that I have to go to all the extra work. At the same time I wouldn't be happy if it was a big ticker item either.
Hi there,
Since it has been over ten days (auction ended 12/30) and I require payment in 10 days I thought I would drop you a reminder. I need to hear from you within 3 days if you still want this item and payment within 7 thanks. Hope to hear from you soon. Attached below is a copy of the first notice.
To check out Ebay Policy on Non-payment follow this link
Ebay: Safe Harbor Non-Paying Bidder http://pages.ebay.com/help/community/npb.html
posted on January 16, 2001 05:53:13 PM
The rate of deadbeats goes up, and it goes down. You never know when you'll get them whether its a newbie or a 50 FB user. Most deadbeats are in the 20 FB range, the point where their "rush" feeling of bidding is over. If I have a feeling that someone will be deadbeat, I fill out the "non-payment" alert after ten days, then no matter what the excuse, file for a FVF after ten more days if payment hasn't arrived. The "non-payment" alert works like magic, most people don't want to get suspended.
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