Time allowed for payment

I do list some items on Hamb, not a lot, but some. As with CL and anywhere else you deal with people online, some guys never send payment after you get them a total, or contact you in any way (I give my phone number as well).

With that said, I also dont think you should have to chase guys down for $20.

My question is, not talking PP, but once you give them a shipping total, what is proper time ettiquette to allow for payment or to just move down the list of potential buyers, or to relist it?

 

I would say 7 days... Gets weekends out of that and they still have 5 days. No more, dont wanna wait a month for someone cuz your word is good n theirs ain't.






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It's sad, but you kinda have to have the policy that the first guy who gets you the money gets the item. I have tried to be a nice guy a few times and held something for someone, and more often than not they burn you and think nothing of saying they have changed their mind.

Probably you should put in your ad, "sale pending" when someone says they are buying it and then you can retract that and move on to buyer number 2 if you don't get a response from number 1 in a reasonable amount of time.

If I want something bad enough I get the guy his money immediately and follow up with lots of communication so he doesn't sell it from under me.

Don

 

Ive been waiting 14 days from when I send the total and address. I figure that would allow for any delay in the mail, plus I dont expect them to run out that very second. Plus, like on here, they can PM me or call me if something comes up.

I just hate having a line of guys that want something, then have a guy get a total from me and never hear fom them again, then I have to HOPE the next in line still wants it.

Don, I do add "sale pending" once a guy calls "dibs".

I cant really do "first money to me" unless they are buying in person. I wouldnt want 5 guys to send payment and have to return 4. I dont even mind holding things for an afternoon if its something like "Im leaving the house in a bit, driving from vegas, can you hold it for me?", even if I have a local guy that can be there in 5 minutes. I wont do the "can you hold it for me till this weekend till I can drive out".

 

I rarely sell here except if someone here in town wants to sell a HAMB friendly item, in my opinion. I expect a response that a MO will be sent on XXXX. Otherwise it's still for sale.

If I buy something I always send a PM "money order sent MMDDYY" with my shipping address.

2 weeks is way more than enough time. PM the buyer back and say "forget the sale".

Just my opinion >>> Movin/on

 

But in this day and age when sending money and communicating is as simple as an email, text or phone call... That's just rude.



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Have them send a pic of the money order or check. At least you'll know the main step took place.

Or Pay Pal.

 

I had the same problem with wanna be buys here on th HAMB. I usually include the shipping in the item to be sold, saves a lot of time. No, answer in three days from buyer, I move on to the next guy. There's the old saying " Money talks and bullshit walks"
It's cool to be a nice guy but good guys around here will get step on by the wanna bee's buyers or the HAMB Police.

CRUISER

 

Too many horror stories over PP for sellers, including a few of my own (but thats a different rant).

I take MOs, checks, whatever. Its sent to my home, and they have my phone number. There are too many Hambers eyes out that screwig another Hamber can be a bad idea.

 

Horror stories? Life is a horror story. There's no fool or scam proof system yet. There's always going to be a few who screw the system. It's part of being in business. Luckily, the honest people out number the bad. PayPal is good for millions of people and businesses. If it wasn't, they wouldn't exist.

So, if your not able to wait for payment, unfortunately, there's little you can do, other than call the guy and bug the hell out of him. And legally, sending someone to extort payment really wouldn't go over too well. Good imagination, but not practical.

Having the buyer send a pic of the check or money order would at least be some comfort, if that helps you sleep at night. Of course, those have been counterfeited, so....

Not sure what you're hoping for by the thread, but good luck.

 

Huh? All I was asking for is "what kind of time frame is proper ettiquete to wait?" Nothing more, nothing less.

Wasnt a rant on flakey buyers. Wasnt a rant on PP. Wasnt any type of rant, it was just a simple question to see if Im being unreasonable on a 2 week no payment/no contact time frame.

The point of "hambers eyes out" was saying that since I provide MY HOME ADDRESS, it would be foolish for ME to try and screw anyone since some fear anything but PP. I think you missread what I was saying

 

No Payal ! Good way to get screwed. USPS M/O is the safest by far.I work with people.Ive taken payments before.Times are to tuff and guys just don't got the $$$ laying around anymore.It always works out though.

 

Dont waste your time hanging on to anything for anyone for a payment or chasing them around. Too many losers. These days if a guy cant wire you money right now he doesn't have it.

 

To give some buyer-side perspective I tried to buy something from a HAMBer a couple of months ago. We agreed a price etc on the Friday. I was out of town for the weekend and emailed him on the Tuesday to say the check was in the post, only to receive a reply saying he had sold it that weekend. I was pretty pissed at the time and thought it unfair. Looking back and reading the comments above I see that fair or not, from the buyer's perspective it is a case of cash in hand beats all. From that point on I now try to insist on sending immediate online (PP etc) payment to avoid waiting on the mail. I used that one deal as a learning experience, it is the world we live in I guess. I acted too slow and lost out on a part.

To the OP's original question. I would agree that if you have not seen payment after seven days you need to assume you WON'T be seeing payment.

 

I have sold the same 37 Chev pickup door an honest 5 times, and I believe the last time
was #6! I still have the door. Sometimes I think guys do not match their wants with their reality. Another guy strung me along (I am not very quick sometimes) for something like 3 years wanting a set of old Plymouth wheels. I think he was just lonely, as when the times came to cement the deal, he went missing, only to remind me later, and repeat the process. Ya gotta be thick skinned, and it helps me to remember that I have for one unintentional reason or another, screwed up deals before. To answer your question: I would not hold some part for a nonpayer over a week unless he made arrangements. This especially, when other buyers willing to play ball would like the part I am selling!

 

I had that happen here where the seller was on the west coast and I'm on the east coast. By the time the seller got back to me with a total it was after 11pm my time and I was sleeping already. I went to pay in the morning when I got up and he said it was sold to someone else because I didn't pay within 2 hours.

 

I have not sold anything here but bought alot of parts. After the initial contact and getting the address, shipping etc. I send a note saying that the MO is sent or will be sent on the next biusness day. Its never taken more than a few days to arrive so I believe a week is plenty of time.

 

A few months ago, I dealt with a guy in SW Canada. His money order and letter both had the same date. Between both mail systems, it took 17 days to arrive in NJ. We were in constant communication though.

Two weeks ago, I had a deal with a H.A.M.B.'r form Northern Cali. I recieved his payment in 2 days !

Communication is the key. If that fails, just move on.

 

Blimey...that really was a case of 'you snooze, you lose!'

 

It's so easy. SPEAK UP!! LAY OUT SOME TERMS AND ABIDE BY THEM!. Sorry for yelling, but I'm not afraid to tell a prospect MY terms. "I'll give you a 48hr exclusive as in it's yours. After that, back on the market." It's that easy. I had a guy call me from Iowa to buy my 29PU. He wanted to send a deposit and then leave that afternoon. "If you're leaving today just bring the full amt. It's your truck for the next 36hrs. Fair enough?" "But what if someone comes along in 3hrs and wants it, or offers you more?" "I tell them you're on your way, and until X:30 or whatever, it's yours. My word is more valuable to me than 10 of these trucks." "I'm on my way." "See ya tomorrow..."

Done, over, fair, but more than 10 times all the above, COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD BY BOTH PARTIES. How hard is that? Not at all...

 

14 days is more than enough time. Have you heard from him at all? I like to use PP but when a seller insists on a check or MO I always email them when it is sent and keep contact until they recieve it. You've held up your end of the deal I'd say

 

I don't consider anything sold until I have cash in hand. If I don't receive payment in 3-4 days, I would contact the buyer. Give them a couple of days to respond. If still no reponse , I would relist. Seven days is plenty of time to pay unless other arrangements are made.

 

I know a lot of guys don't like PP, but there is a real benefit to getting payment right away. I tend to have faith in car guys, so, other form of payment is okay with me too. If a transaction is going to happen, I think 2 weeks max is fair. Personally, if I want something, just make it happen and move on. JMHO Stu

 

Yep, 1 week seems to be the magic number for most posters above, and I agree. If nothing happens in that time, I figure they're not really interested. I know if I'm interested in something, I move on it right away. I think the key is clear communication about the terms of sale. That way there are no misunderstandings or hard feelings.

 

1 to 365 days you choose.
Every opinion will be different so make your own decision.
'Etiquette' doesn't apply to sales.

 

I give two weeks to a buyer. But if I'm the buyer, I always try to send payment that day if the post office is open. The next business day at the very latest.

 

I like mailed payments simply because paypal is a shitty company with no thought of customer service or doing things right. one of the many reason I quit full time selling on ebay was forced paypal.

communication is the key.

I would contact the buyer after 1 week of no payment. if I had some communication like "I mailed your payment today" they get more time.

sold over 2500 items on ebay. you learn to be patient after a while.

 

BINGO!!!!!!!!! We have someone who knows how to do it right. And then you can consider the item sold.
Unless you respond back that you are sending the money and how you are sending it you haven't finished the deal to buy the item.

If you sell something on Friday night and want a money order mailed to you you can figure it isn't going to get mailed until Monday if the buyer gets a Postal Money order and mails it. Then most places in this country it takes three or four days for the mail to get across the country.

The alleged buyer could be like a buddy of mine who is always going out and making deals for cars that he finds and never getting them paid for until he finally decides to go get them. We were riding down the road one day and watched one that he said he had "bought" two years before go by on a trailer headed the other way. He fussed and I said he hadn't bought it unless he had paid for it and hauled it home already.

 

I think generally a week is enough to acount for mail lag and what not--unless you've been in touch with the buyer. I just bought something from someone here on the board and warned him upfront that I'd try to get the Money order but I had some big deadlines at work that my take me a few day to get it and get it out. It ended up taking a week to get the money in the mail, but I was in regular contact with him. communication is it they key. two weeks with no money and no good communication means back up for sale in my book.

 

Payment on day one. Tracking numbers on the money and the item.