GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

I know there are a lot of fellow Hoggers out here who have loads of experience selling on E-Bay. Yesterday I got a notice that something I put up for sale actually sold and for more than my asking price. The buyer is in Delaware and has only purchased twice, both recently, on E Bay and has a 100% rating. since this is my first time doing this, how long do I give him to pay? I don't know how any of this works. I really never thought the item would sell. The fact that it sold for more than I was asking makes me suspicious or, is that not unusual? Any help would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Big Stopper Loc: London

First of all make contact with him, thank him for buying your item and ask him how he intends to pay you. Provided that goes okay, once you've got the money in the bank send him the goods.

Good luck.

smith934 Loc: Huntsville, Alabama

Usually I put in the auction, how long the buyer either has to pay or to contact me. Seeing as it's too late for that, I'd contact him and firm it up. HTH.

C.R. Loc: United States of Confusion

always put 3 days to pay, ship after cleared payment in your description. i sold an original marshall blues breaker amplifier for a japanese friend there, 10 grand. they sent an email asking me to phone them, i did, walked them thru the paypal transaction. contact the buyer, politely and settle the arrangements. should be fine

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

I generally send an email thanking the buyer for the purchase and let him know that it will ship within 24 hrs of his payment. If a week goes by and I have not received payment I will send an additional email asking if there has been a problem with the purchase decision.

A couple of things, more so on Craigslist than on ebay people will offer more than asking price telling you to send your item to an address here in the states while offering to send you a money order or paypal payment for far more than the asking price. This is an old scam. When selling on ebay I do two things to protect myself, first I always confirm the money has arrived in my paypal account, I do not use the confirmation email as confirmation as that has also in the past been a scam. Secondly I always print my mailing label from within the ebay system, USPS is faster than FEDEX or UPS and is less expensive. This is just one more way to protect yourself as it insures that they are still a registered user and ebay has a record of your shipment.

If you are going to be doing a lot of selling in ebay one other thing I have learned through the misfortune of others is to make sure that in the posting at least one of the pics has the serial number in it, this may not be fool proof but it does help to give you a leg to stand on if someone does a switch on you. I have heard of sellers having to refund for damaged items but when the item comes back it is not the item that they sold, that picture of a serial number on a lens or camera is just one more way of helping ebay make a decision in your favor should the item come back with a different serial number.

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

Thank you everyone for your input. I have a bad feeling about this one. I sent him an email saying he had 24 hours to get the money in or the item is going back on auction. Spending the first 42 years of my life in Detroit and the last 24 in Chicago teaches one street smarts which involve developing a sixth sense. And my sense tells me this stinks. He didn't reply to my first email so I don't think he'll reply to this one.

boroboy51 Loc: middle earth

I always email and thank them for buying and state I will dispatch on completion of payment.

WNYShooter Loc: WNY

On Ebay, you are supposed to wait 4 days for payment, then you can ask Ebay to get involved. Technically, and legally, your item selling at auction created a contract with the seller to deliver the item, and Ebay is the facilitator. Now that your item is sold, you have to wait until Ebay nulls the sale due to non-payment before you can relist it. Read the rules on Ebay, it's all there.

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

Point well taken. Thanks

Blurryeyed Loc: NC Mountains.

I had a real bad feeling about a weekend sale once but the item was paid for the following weekend, I figured that the guy had been waiting on his next paycheck.

LaurenT Loc: Northern California

One other thing, that has been barely touched upon. Always mail the merchandise to the verified ebay/paypal address. Never ship to a different address i.e.: "I bought it for my daughter in Florida, please ship it to her address". Another scam, as then, the merchandise was never delivered (even if you have verification) and the address is false. You'll lose in arbitration. Good Luck!

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

FOLLOW UP: Just received an email from EBay that the buyer is "suspicious"and is no longer registered with EBay. Item relisted. Glad they're on top of it. Do you think they look at ALL my email??

[quote=GeneinChi]I know there are a lot of fellow Hoggers out here who have loads of experience selling on E-Bay. Yesterday I got a notice that something I put up for sale actually sold and for more than my asking price. The buyer is in Delaware and has only purchased twice, both recently, on E Bay and has a 100% rating. since this is my first time doing this, how long do I give him to pay? I don't know how any of this works. I really never thought the item would sell. The fact that it sold for more than I was asking makes me suspicious or, is that not unusual? Any help would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance.[/quot

onyxtiger Loc: Northern California

One little bit of advice. When I do sell, I always make it clear that I will only accept payment through PayPal. This gives you a little added protection.

GeneinChi Loc: Chicago, IL

Thanks. Good advice.

nikon_jon Loc: Northeast Arkansas

Ebay sends an immediate notice to the buyer that he has won the auction and needs to pay. They also provide an invoicing service for you. It is part of the information they send you when the item sells.
It is Ebay policy that all transactions be done through PayPal, or direct credit card payment to you, which is usually only available if you have a business that takes credit cards. They did this because it reduces the number of complaints caused by slow check/money order payments and bad checks. It costs, but is really a pretty good arrangement. I haven't sold anything on Ebay lately, but when I do, the buyer usually sends payment without any waiting.

If you list the item as an auction and not buy-it-now, it is not at all unusual for it to bring more than you thought it might. If you list as buy-it-now and someone wants to pay more than you are asking, that is a huge red flag waving vigorously in your face.