Unpaid item case option disappeared?

[workhorse]

Hi all,

About a week ago, I had an unpaid item that I went to open an unpaid item case for.  To my surprise, the option had disappeared in my account– when I went to file it, it brought me to a new cancellation page where basically I cancelled the case for non-payment and then the item is relisted (I don’t get credits that I can see, no ding on the buyers account).  I contacted ebay support over the last week because this is still the case. Here are the answers I got (all different, as per usual):

1. This is due to a system update, it will return to normal soon.

2. Your account has updated, this is how it works now.

3. This is across ebay and unpaid items cases don’t exist anymore.

Anyone else experiencing this? My next plan is to call ebay.  I’ll probably get a 4th explanation.

[Sharyn]

I have not had a reason to use it recently, but I did see the following from an eBay email:

From May 2021, sellers will no longer need to open an unpaid item case if a buyer doesn’t pay. Instead, sellers can simply cancel an order if payment hasn’t been made starting on the 5th calendar day from when the listing ended. This change is already available to some sellers – if it’s available to you, you’ll see Buyer hasn’t paid as an option when cancelling an order in Seller Hub or My eBay Sold. If you can’t see this option, don’t worry – it’ll be available to you in the coming weeks.

This seems to fit in with either #2 or #3 explanation above.

[workhorse]

well I’ll be switched. I didn’t get that update.  I have a gut feeling that they this means we will not get credits and the buyer won’t get in trouble for not paying, and ultimately, there is less compelling the buyer not to pay.  I have about 2-3 unpaid item cases a week lately.

[MelB]

I’ve noticed a significant increase on Unpaid Items as well. All from offers, usually ones they submit and I accept. I wish there was a way to avoid this!

I also noticed the Unpaid Item Case option is missing. I am unsettled by this. I like the process of sending them the reminder, and while I hate waiting for 4 days to close it, at least I know that a mark was put against the buyer. I wish it was public though, so as sellers we could see how many cases this buyer has against them. I don’t trust the “don’t worry it’s done for you” mentality, because I don’t know FOR SURE that it is done.

[MyCottage]

workhorse, Your gut feeling is wrong in this case. I’m not sure what the rule is for credits, but it hasn’t changed. And the rules about non paying buyers hasn’t changed either….they still get strikes, and too many strikes and they can face a range of actions, up to account suspension.

What this actually does is 1. reduces the amount of time and effort a seller must put into chasing non paying items and 2. shortens the length of time in which an item can remain unpaid. (Of course, if you set this for manual, it will be up to you to actually cancel….if you set it to automated ebay will do it. Make sure your setting is what you want it to be).

ebay has acknowledged this is an interim measure. They are are actively working on developing immediate payment for auctions/offers…..it is more complicated than it may seem. So for now, we have this….in my opinion, a step in the right direction.

[workhorse]

Thanks for the comments. So it is about half as much time (4 days) to get someone to pay.  Although it is uncommon, the unpaid item case process does compel some people to pay– maybe 20 percent of unpaid item cases I file result in someone paying (the rest just never pay).  Just seems to me that here, we will miss out on those 20 percent of sales.  For some items, I don’t care, for rarer stuff that is long tail– more irritating.

[MyCottage]

 

I don’t think it will reduce the number of payers….basically ebay is telling the buyer upfront to pay , and then reminding them to pay if they haven’t….which is what the Unpaid Item Process did, except that first, the seller had to basically tell ebay that the item was still unpaid….now ebay establishes that without the seller….either way, the message is pretty clear to the buyer: you need to pay for this. Those that simply forgot to pay, will pay. Those who have no intention of paying, won’t pay in four days or ten days.

I don’t use many auctions, so most of my unpaids are the result of offers….and I’d say a majority of mine DO pay once they get the reminder.

Here’s hoping this improves things for you…

[Simon]

Related to this topic,  I use the unpaid item assistant.  Instead of opening an unpaid item case,  the unpaid item assistant now just cancels the order after 4 days.  It doesn’t seem to relist the item which is annoying.

[MyCottage]

Simon, I’m not sure…haven’t had any unpaid items in a while, but I think there’s supposed to be a way to have the auto cancel also auto relist….

[Simon]

@MyCottage : Yes, there’s a Unpaid Item Assistant setting to automatically relist items.  I have that switched on but I’ve had 2 orders cancelled by the unpaid item assistant recently and neither item was automatically relisted.  It doesn’t seem as though that relist is working now/yet.

[workhorse]

Mine aren’t relisting automatically. All of my unpaids are from offers.  I don’t have an option for turning on unpaid item assistant anymore. I was told in one of my calls to ebay that after all accounts “update” this won’t exist anymore.

[WBird]

I did some research and the site says “an unpaid item is recorded on their account” when automatic cancellation for nonpayment happens.

[Author]

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