What is the longest you have had to wait for payment on an ebay sale?
At what point do you just cancel the sale and try and sell the item to next bidder in line?

I have sold an item, and the winning bidder says he will pay "shortly"...10 days later still has not paid despite a friendly reminder...

My patience is just about up on this one....

Greg,
I have an automatic setting on ebay, (you can activate or deactivate more or less at will), which will open an unpaid case for you.
Recently i sold my 200ft copy of playground skirmish. I politely emailed the buyer twice within a week after the first 5 days were up as it wasn't paid.
I went into the setting to see if i could deactivate it but there was a notice to say that ebay will automatically open an unpaid case after a certain date. I let it run and lo and behold the buyer did pay to be fair. Had he not have paid ebay will credit any selling costs. I was lucky and to be fair the buyer and i both left positive feedback.
Generally speaking i try to remember to add a note to my items which will read, "if payment is not made within (x) amount of days i will re list the item and a no payment strike will be made". It's very rare not to get any payments from people these days. Out of all my sales i have only had a small handful.
All you can do is click on the item and mark it as unpaid and relist it. Let the buyer know you are re-listing it as well so he or she cant come back to you.

Tom,
These suggestions are helpful and appreciated. This is the first time I have had to deal with this situation, so I have been fortunate in past sales.
I will add the text about "payment expected with X days". I probably wouldn't mind a whole lot if someone contacts me right away and says "Hey, can I pay in X days..." But it is a pain to have to go remind a buyer that payment is needed when they are the ones that bid in the first place. If I win something I like to pay quickly so I can get a film or whatever in my grubby hands as soon as possible....

I,m the same. If i buy i like to pay people as soon as ive won.

i have never understood people who win an item on ebay and then take for ever to pay. they are quick enough with their bid but when it comes to paying oh my lord. i dont mind if the buyer contacts you and gives an indication of when they can pay. its others that have no manners that are a pain. i use ebays non payment process that kicks in if they dont pay within 48 hours. suddenly they make the effort to pay.

unless I have heard from the buyer then 3 days is enough, then an unpaid is sent, it usually works, don't think they like it as you NEVER EVER get feedback from them, I have a very relaxed attitude though with buyers to some degree, if they contact me and say can I wait till such and such a date then I will, but on that date I message them if no reply then an unpaid item is sent and they are immediately blocked.

Well, as soon as I opened an "unpaid item" case, the buyer paid within a couple of hours--just as Paul Barker, in his post, had mentioned might happen.
Glad to be paid, but still unnecessary BS to go thru.....

I think that's long enough Greg but did you put a timescale on when payment should be made after the auction ends? I still think 10 days and a reminder is more than fair so I'd realist it,Mark.

What I don't get is when a few last second bids go in and then your payment is delayed or not made,Mark

Thats what happened to my matrix 2ooft excerpt. The guy only paid when i opened an unpaid case. If u dont want it dont bid.

Mark comments on the last minute bids.
I believe these are automatic bids generated by firms who specialise in them. My daughter always uses them, having actually bid many days before, but her bids only register on the eBay site within the last minute.
It's known as sniping.

Isnt snipping ilegal ??

Wenn Sie hier auf Links zu eBay klicken und einen Kauf tätigen, kann dies dazu führen, dass diese Website eine Provision erhält.

No. Click on below to see eBay site reactions.
https://community.ebay.com/t5/Bidding-Bu.../qaq-p/19836586

Intresting read but im not sure its good means you dont stand a chance if item is sniped.

I don't have my eBay account anymore but when I was selling I would ship the item according to when I received payment. Pay right away, shipped right away....wait 6 days to pay, I wait 6 days to ship....it goes both ways.