If my auction closed on Saturday (10/13) and I haven't received a payment(today is 10/17), at what point should I send a payment reminder? I don't want to make the buyer angry by sending one too soon. Thanks for your suggestions in advance.
Question About Sending A Payment Reminder
- Thread starter bagachondriac
- Start date
I think I'd send a second invoice with a little note that says "just a reminder". If you still don't hear anything then give it a few more days and send a "are you going to follow through" email. I wouldn't send a stern one for 7 days as that's how long Ebay gives them to pay. JMO
I always send one on the 4th day, since I request that they contact me within 3 days. I ussually say...."Just a reminder, we can not ship your item until we receive your payment." Ussually I get a payment after that.
Thanks. I have now sent two invoices...one on Saturday-the second on Wednesday evening. I was concerned that perhaps she might be on vacation and worse--she might be in the hospital!! I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. However, tonight I noticed that she had left feedback for two of her buyers on Saturday(13th), which is the day my auction ended, and again on Wednesday (17th). That tells me that she has to know. She sells a lot and has great feedback, so I am totally confused at this point. I sent her a quick note asking that she send payment right away...I did it so quickly that I hope I didn't sound snippy. What next? How soon can I make a second chance offer to the next bidder?
After the 7th day of no response, I'd open a NPB alert on them. I had to do that twice after sending a stern email which they didn't respond to, then after the NPB alert was filed, they paid. I wouldn't offer it to the next highest bidder until you're totally sure the original buyer isn't going to pay; otherwise you'll technically be obligated to both buyers, assuming the original one says they'll pay.
I agree with LVBaby, I only send one reminder invoice on the 4th day and I don't bother again. If it is not paid for by the 8th day, I file the NPB.....I don't have time to chase people down for their money!
Do also check your Paypal account to make sure you really don't have the payment; don't just go by the eBay status. I won an auction on the 14th and paid that day. On the 17th, I got another invoice from the seller. I sent her a nice note yesterday with the payment date & time and transaction #. When she checked her Paypal account she did have the payment, the status just wasn't showing as paid in eBay for some reason. 
Do also check your Paypal account to make sure you really don't have the payment; don't just go by the eBay status. I won an auction on the 14th and paid that day. On the 17th, I got another invoice from the seller. I sent her a nice note yesterday with the payment date & time and transaction #. When she checked her Paypal account she did have the payment, the status just wasn't showing as paid in eBay for some reason.
Thanks kim. I've had that happen before so I was constantly checking my PayPal account this past week to see if it had happened again. I finally reported her as a NPB after which time she responded with what I believe to be a lie. Seems her daughter bought the bag w/o her knowing about it! Hmmmm. That might be a good excuse were it not for the fact that her feedback reflects her not having made payments twice before! On top of that, she was active on her Ebay account the entire week leaving feedback for her buyers. Three requests for payment were sent to her through Ebay without even one word back from her. This just doesn't pass the 'smell test'!! Even though I'm certain she will leave neg feedback in retaliation for the neg I'm going to leave her...I really don't care. I would be willing to bet she has done this more than her feedback reflects, but because sellers are afraid of the neg stroke, she gets away with it. Not this time!! I'm sorry if that sounds nasty, but I really don't appreciate an active Ebay seller acting irresponsibly. More than likely, she decided after winning the bag that she didn't really want it. Had she emailed me immediately, I seriously wouldn't have had a problem with it!
i ask payment to be received within 5 days, but for them to contact me within 24 hours. it might help if you put that kind of statement on your auction so that you can refer back to it when you re-invoice the buyer. you could say, "as the auction policy states, i ask buyers to contact me within XX hours."