Question
I had an auction end Saturday. I sent the end of auction notice, and the invoice from the ebay auction page. No response; Sunday evening I send an email directly to the buyer requesting payment information & shipping address.
No response. I've waited 4 days just to hear from the buyer -- anything, even a "I've changed my mind." Nothing, nada.
How long would you wait? Before doing a second-chance offer, or anything?
I feel like I've waited long enough.
Answer
I usually wait 7 or 10 days. If I don't hear anything I send a reminder notice. If I don't hear anything after that then I move on.
Four days isn't very long. I've had some buyers never contact me, just in a week or so a money order arrives in the mail.
What does it say in your TOS?
Answer
With spam filters and all that jazz I'd wait 7 days at least. As sellers we only accept PayPal, but when I used to buy through money orders, It might take me a week or so to get everything set up, and the spam filters always messed me up.
Another thing is the delay between the bank and PayPal, so watch for that as well.
Answer
Is there a chance they live in the tornado area of southern Indiana or northern Kentucky? That one hit Sunday morning, I think.
Answer
No, its the Pacific coast. My TOS says 'Please answer my email with your shipping address asap"; you'd think I'd at least get an "ok" email.
Only once have I ever not heard anything but received a m.o.
So, I'll give it another few days. But it's rude not to answer in my opinion.
Thanks.
Answer
I sold an item Oct. 25th. I sent two invoices and nothing, sent emails and nothing. A couple of days ago I filed to get my ebay FVF back. They have not responed to the email from ebay either, and now the item is no longer for sale as I listed it for a friend and she picked it up. Now today I get a money order in the mail.
Oct. 25 thru Nov. 9 = 16 days long enough for me and now I have to send the MO back.
I do state 10 days in my auctions.
Answer
7-9 days
Some buyers, believe it or not, don't spend time online more than once a week..
-Jim
Answer
Oct. 25 thru Nov. 9 = 16 days
My, my how ebay has progressed, when we first started, we didn't have paypal, bidpay or any of that crapola, just good old cheques, money orders and the well loved around here....CASH.
Sure did take a lot longer to get paid than 23.5 SECONDS.
I wait thirty days, I might drop an email at 21 days saying ....hey where are you?
Answer
With this no contact becoming a real problem in online auctions, I think it is important to explicitly state in seller's terms in the auction exactly what the seller's expectations are leaving nothing to their imagination. Some terms including something like:
"Terms of Sale. Winning bidder must email (or make phone contact with) seller within N days of the close of the auction. Payment by X or Y ONLY within N+Z days of the close of the auction. Buyer must contact seller by eMail or phone if there are any problems within those timeframes. Buyer accepts in advance all these terms by the act of bidding. If buyer fails to contact or respond to or fails to pay seller in a timely manner the total amount due including all shipping, handling, and auction close final bid, then the seller at seller's option may terminate this sale without buyer recourse, return any improper payment made, and offer the item for other sale. Seller participates in the feedback system..."
Dennis
Answer
funny how impatient some of us have become. In the olden days of eBay, it was standard to allow 3 (working) days for contact to be made be either buyer or seller, and a few days adter that for a response. So in my book, today, Wednesday is the third business day after the sale.
Of course, I don't put my buyers through hoops either, just send them an invoice and 98% of them pay within a week. I believe making things as idiot proof as possible also helps, so all the details are in the auction and invoice, making an extra email back and forth with me unnecessary.
Many sellers have different needs than me, or need to calculate shipping, or just like a lot of emails flying around to make them feel secure.
YMMV.
Larry