fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 7, 2007 12:03:45 PM new
I am looking at the largest backlog of unpaid orders I've ever had, so I guess it's time to step up collection procedures.
As a buyer I have had a couple of sellers invoice me daily until I paid. That is extremely annoying and uncalled-for. You can bet I won't buy from them again.
How about every three days? Does that seem like a reasonable interval?
fLufF
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zoomin
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posted on August 7, 2007 12:15:06 PM new
Hi Fluff!
I use the three day plan.
I don't really have a problem with npb's ~ there are a few brands/items I no longer list because they seemed to be deadbeat magnets (losing those few items cut down significantly on deadbeats).
I hate getting a zillion e-mails when I win an item so I do not routinely send a 'you won note' as the bidder has already been notified by eBaY.
I also do not inundate bidders with reminders ~ either they didn't get to their e-mail yet or they aren't ready to pay or they would've responded ~ why piss them off like a bill collector?
If an item is unpaid after 3 days, I send an invoice.
If item remains unpaid/no response, I sent second invoice on day 6.
I file npb on day 8.
Typically they either pay before I do anything or respond to the second communication.
Three days seems to work
[ edited by zoomin on Aug 7, 2007 12:18 PM ]
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amber
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posted on August 7, 2007 12:17:37 PM new
Fluff: I wait about 4 days, then send a reminder, and repeat it a couple more times about 3-4 days apart. After that, it's a UID. It takes so much time going back over unpaid items, I have had a slew of them recently from newbies, whom I have never heard from.
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ST0NEC0LD613
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posted on August 7, 2007 12:26:33 PM new
One of the most important things that many on these boards seem to forget is the main goal is to make a sale. Not be the first to file for NPB or leave feedback ect....
With that in mind, I give two weeks from the original WBN to allow time for payment to come in the mail. After two weeks, I e-mail the person directly with a kindly written reminder. Avoid sending e-mails through eBay's system. If they respond, they get 7 days. If they don't respond, they get 2 days. Then I start the NPB process.
This does work very well. I have a 90% completion rate with late payers using this method.
Hope you can complete most of those transactions.
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neglus
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posted on August 7, 2007 12:36:19 PM new
I wait until I am ready to relist the items from that day and then I say OOPS I forgot to file NPB AGAIN. What ticks me off is that most of my NPB's are NARU before I realize I haven't been paid - sometimes too late to file for fees. I am lucky that there aren't very many NPB postcard buyers!
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http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards?refid=store
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cashinyourcloset
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posted on August 7, 2007 01:14:39 PM new
My auction states 7 days to pay, so I usually send a reminder around 9-10 days after the auction ends. If there's no response after 2-3 days, I'll send another reminder. Still no response, I file.
Anyone responding gets, typically, another week or so; more for out-of-country, less for domestic.
A good number pay even after the UPI dispute starts.
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mcjane
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posted on August 7, 2007 01:34:15 PM new
I wait two weeks & often longer. As stone said, I am out to make the sale.
Being nasty only gives the buyer another reason to be a deadbeat & also invites negative FB.
Even though it's a pain in the neck to send the emails I never let that show, I act polite & understanding. It works.
Fluff, I can't believe someone would deadbeat on what you sell which is one of the all time best buys on eBay.
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etexbill
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posted on August 7, 2007 01:58:45 PM new
I use about the same approach as stonecold.
I guess I'm lucky, but in almost 8 years, I've only had 2 none paying bidders.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 7, 2007 02:10:26 PM new
Fluff, I can't believe someone would deadbeat on what you sell
I actually don't get very many no-payers, but I sure do have a lot of slow-payers right now.
I chalk it up to summertime. Lots of people are doing stuff in August.
fLufF
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birgittaw
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posted on August 7, 2007 04:42:33 PM new
Like you said, Fluff, people are busy. On the road, not everyone has computer access everywhere - it's vacation for many before school starts.
If their feedback says "fast pay" most often, that really means they send check or money order, one to two weeks. Otherwise, I send a reminder after a week or ten days if I haven't heard -- a gentle one. Usually produces results. In 11 years, I think I may have had a half dozen NPBs. That number varies astronomically with the kinds of items you sell.
A reminder every three days would be annoying.
[ edited by birgittaw on Aug 7, 2007 04:44 PM ]
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kozersky
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posted on August 7, 2007 05:57:07 PM new
I send the first notice after three days. Then every fourth day. Fortunately, I have not had many NPBs.
Bill K-
http://www.kozersky.com
http://www.kozersky.net
[ edited by kozersky on Aug 7, 2007 05:57 PM ]
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sthoemke
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posted on August 7, 2007 06:49:12 PM new
If you have customers paying by mail, 3 days is way too early.
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fluffythewondercat
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posted on August 7, 2007 07:02:23 PM new
If you have customers paying by mail, 3 days is way too early.
Right, except that in Checkout there is an option to say that you're paying by check or money order. Obviously the people who've said that won't be getting a three-day reminder.
Those who intend to pay by mail and haven't indicated their intention should realize they need to notify their seller after they get the three-day reminder.
fLufF
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blueyes29
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posted on August 7, 2007 07:32:05 PM new
I send out a second reminder a week after the auction ends. I've found that putting "SECOND NOTICE" in the title/subject line gets very good results and I haven't had an NPB in ages. In fact, I can't remember the last time that happened. If I haven't heard from them is 2-3 days after the "Second notice" reminder, I initiate the dispute process and that has taken care of the few who haven't contacted me at that point. Good luck on your efforts!
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zoomin
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posted on August 7, 2007 07:34:01 PM new
If you have customers paying by mail, 3 days is way too early.
I do not accept mail in payments so paying me only involves taking a few clicks of a mouse ~ I have my auctions tagged to only accept bids from members with a paypal account.
The majority of my items are paid for within 3 days ~ about 2% get to the one week mark ~ usually eBaYers that are away from their computer ~ deadbeat rate under less than .5% for the last 6 months.
The goal is not only to make the sale, but to get paid for it as well  .
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zoomin
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posted on August 7, 2007 07:48:53 PM new
stonecold:
No one actually 'needs' the items that I sell, mostly higher end fashion items that people 'treat' themselves to ~ I usually get paid immediately or within a few hours.
These are not collectibles or sought after items, not for a special occasion, etc. They are somewhat impulsive buys or good bargains to fashion fiends ~ I cater to an audience primarily looking for immediate gratification. If I waited two weeks to follow up, the buyers that 'forgot' about the auction would most often have diminished desire and I would have more deadbeats while the gentle reminder that I send after a few days is typically VERY appreciated.
This business model works for me because of what I am selling ~ you must have some really good stuff if people are still interested in an item after waiting a few weeks!
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roadsmith
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posted on August 8, 2007 10:14:06 AM new
The most important thing to me is to hear back from the buyer that he's aware he's won the item.
If I haven't heard in about 3 - 6 days, I sent a "SECOND NOTICE PLEASE REPLY"-titled e-mail, stating that this is not a dunning notice; I simply need to hear from my buyers that the transaction is on track. This works almost 100% of the time.
As to payment, the occasional slow payer almost always does come through, so I'm pretty casual about deadlines.
_____________________
There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
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davidsmom
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posted on August 8, 2007 02:37:27 PM new
I agree with roadsmiths post.
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MAH645
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posted on August 8, 2007 07:11:21 PM new
When I don't hear from the buyer for two weeks, I start to think they are not getting their E-Mails, but most by then finally pay with a note of what happened. I have very few NPB anymore. But I don't sell the amount the rest of you do either.
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ebabestreasures
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posted on August 9, 2007 07:49:07 AM new
I don't send reminders unless it's someone with good & high numbers in FB. I file on the 8th day and 99% paid as soon as they get the notice. If I start getting more NPB's I may reconsider but for now this works.
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