Seller and buyer responsibilities are simple and almost always the same regardless of the online shopping platform.
Sellers are expected to provide honest and complete information about the items they’re listing and ship them on time in their advertised condition. Buyers are expected to pay for the item within a certain timeframe.
On eBay, the timeframe is four calendar days. If the buyer fails to accomplish the payment checkout beyond Day 4, the seller can send an invoice to the buyer. The invoice (Find it under “Sold Items” in either Seller Hub or My eBay) will reinforce the automated email reminders sent by eBay to the buyer within the given period.
If the payment remains unsettled, the seller can proceed to order cancellation. You must do this within 30 calendar days from the date the buyer was supposed to pay for the item. A successful order cancellation benefits the seller in 3 ways:
- Automatic relisting of the item (if it’s a “Buy It Now” listing); or the chance to award the item to the next highest bidder (if it’s an auction-style listing).
- Eligibility to receive credits for applicable eBay fees.
- Removal of feedback from the buyer who failed to pay for the items, if any.
How do I cancel orders as a seller?
Sellers may cancel an order for unpaid items either manually or automatically by enabling the feature called “Preferences for items awaiting payment.”
For manual cancellation, simply opt for the “Buyer hasn’t paid” reason in the Cancel Order button located under “Orders” (if using the Seller Hub) or “Sold” (if using My eBay).
For automatic cancellation, locate this feature under “Selling Preferences.” Enabling it will cancel any unpaid order after four calendar days or more. However, if you have trusted buyers you’d like to exclude from this rule, you may do so, and their orders won’t automatically be canceled after the deadline.
Also, note that “Preferences for items awaiting payment” are available only for sellers who do not offer cash on delivery or check as a payment method. The order has to undergo the standard eBay checkout process online to be valid for automatic cancellation.
Once an item is canceled, eBay may send you fee credits for the full or partial amount of fee/s (usually the Final Value Fee) already deducted from your account.
What is eBay’s Unpaid Item Policy?
In keeping with eBay’s commitment to protecting sellers against abusive buyers, the platform records all cancellations done because the buyer failed to pay.
The Unpaid Item Policy allows eBay to limit the errant buyers or even suspend their accounts because repeated failure to pay orders falls under what eBay considers abusive buyer behavior.
On the other hand, eBay protects buyers from abusive sellers as well. That’s why they also remind sellers not to misuse the “Buyer hasn’t paid” reason only to get free credits. There are consequences, too, for sellers found guilty of this practice.
As one of the pioneers and largest online marketplaces, eBay has laid solid groundwork for protecting sellers and buyers using their site.
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FAQs
If, after receiving the invoice, the buyer has still not paid, you can cancel the order after 4 calendar days and up to 30 days after the order is placed. You can also make an offer to the next highest bidder in the Auction. Use the Cancel order button and select the Buyer hasn't paid option from the drop-down menu.
Does eBay do anything to buyers who don't pay? ›
Failure to pay for items is a violation of our abusive buyer policy. When a seller cancels an order because the buyer hasn't paid, the unpaid cancellation is recorded on the buyer's account. Buyers who have excessive unpaid cancellations may have limits imposed by a seller or by eBay, or lose their buying privileges.
What do you say to a buyer who hasn't paid on eBay? ›
You don't have to contact the buyer if they haven't paid – we'll send them reminders to pay. If you don't receive payment, you can cancel the order after 4 calendar days.
What do you do if someone doesn't pay on eBay? ›
It's important to cancel any unpaid items within 30 days from the day the buyer commits to buy so the item can be relisted. You don't have to contact the buyer if they haven't paid – we'll send them reminders to pay. If you don't receive payment, you can cancel the order after 4 calendar days.
How many unpaid items strike eBay? ›
If you have received 2 or more Unpaid Item Strikes on your account (which are tracked automatically by Ebay, not by one person or persons), your account will be restricted (not banned) for 12 months. According to Ebay: All unpaid items are recorded on a buyer's account.
What happens if you don't pay for an item you won on eBay? ›
The seller gets to relist the item and you will get an unpaid item strike against your account. If you get 2 unpaid item strikes within a 12 month period you won't be able to bid or buy from thousands of seller who have their buyer requirements set to block nonpaying bidders with 2 or more strikes in 12 months.
Do I pay eBay if my item doesn't sell? ›
If you do elect to upgrade your listings, those upgrade fees will be charged at time of listing, regardless of whether your item sells. Final value fees, meanwhile, are charged once your item sells. If your item doesn't sell, you will not be charged any final value fees.
Can you leave negative feedback on eBay if buyer doesn t pay? ›
Sellers cannot leave negative feedback for buyers. The way to report them is to cancel the transaction after 4 days of non-payment have passed, specifying that "buyer didn't pay". That will alert Ebay and it will be recorded on the buyer's record. All unpaid items are recorded on a buyer's account.
How do I block unpaid buyers on eBay? ›
Blocking a buyer on eBay
- Go to the Block buyers from your listings page.
- Enter the buyer's username in the text box (you can add up to 5,000 usernames).
- Select Submit.
- Go to the Block buyers from your listings page.
- Delete the username of the member from the text box.
- Select Submit.
Go to your Purchases - opens in new window or tab and find the item. Tap More actions beside your item and then Item hasn't arrived. Check the box beside I'd like a refund or I'd still like the item. Enter any additional information.
How to report a buyer. You can also report a buyer from your Sold items list - opens in new window or tab. Choose Leave feedback from the dropdown menu next to the item, and then select Report buyer. We take all reports seriously, but please make sure your claims are accurate.
What happens if a guy doesn't pay on eBay? ›
If you don't pay, 96 hours from the end of the auction the seller can cancel the transaction citing buyer didn't pay. You will get an unpaid item strike placed against your account.
How to open an unpaid item case on eBay? ›
You can open a case 2 to 32 days after a sale. Simply go to the Resolution Center – a link appears at the bottom of most eBay pages. On the main page, select 'I haven't received my payment yet' and then click 'Continue'.
What is eBay policy for unpaid items? ›
If, after receiving the invoice, the buyer has still not paid, you can cancel the order after 4 calendar days and up to 30 days after the order is placed. You can also make an offer to the next highest bidder in the Auction. Use the Cancel order button and select the Buyer hasn't paid option from the drop-down menu.
What is a serious violation of eBay? ›
Selling an eBay User ID or account without our permission is not allowed. Scraping or gathering information from eBay to use on another site is not allowed. Members must not bid on their own items.
How do I not get ripped off on eBay? ›
How to avoid an overpayment scam:
- Always wait for payment to go through before shipping an item. Even if the buyer is pressuring you to ship the item, do your due diligence to ensure the payment you received is legitimate.
- Politely decline any overpayment offers. ...
- Only accept payment through eBay's website.
You can also report a buyer from your Sold items list - opens in new window or tab. Choose Leave feedback from the dropdown menu next to the item, and then select Report buyer. We take all reports seriously, but please make sure your claims are accurate.
What happens if you owe eBay money? ›
When you owe eBay money. If your Available and Processing funds are insufficient to cover a cost or a fee, and you still owe eBay money, we'll combine these costs into a single charge and attempt to charge this to your on-file payment method.
How to leave negative feedback on eBay for non-payment? ›
Sellers cannot leave negative feedback for buyers. The way to report them is to cancel the transaction after 4 days of non-payment have passed, specifying that "buyer didn't pay". That will alert Ebay and it will be recorded on the buyer's record. All unpaid items are recorded on a buyer's account.
Can a seller refuse to sell on eBay if you win a bid? ›
YES, you are required to sell to the winning bidder of an auction since their bid met your minimum bid price that you set when you listed the item. If you refuse to sell to the winning bidder, you will get a defect from Ebay along with probable negative feedback.
