How do you rate?

Of course the very best is the person who pays IMMEDIATELY. I do that. Generally the moment I have won something on ebay I pay for it. So many people pay me before I even get a chance to send out the invoice - it doesn't get better than that. These are the people that you love dealing with - they have been shopping and buying on ebay for awhile, they know the ropes and they LOVE IT! That's why they pay right away - they want their item quickly and they know that you want your money! Let's rate them a big huge 10!

Then there are the people who email you to let you know that they are bidding on either one or more of your auctions and would like to pay at the end of the auction/auctions and combine shipping. Totally savvy - 10! They will generally pay the moment the last auction that they want is over. I just ask them to remind me......

Then we have the people who email while the item is still running and ask if it would be OK if they paid a few days later. Really, this is OK - I understand. The thing is that they realize that the person selling the items wants to have an idea of when they will be paid. Again, I just ask them that they remind me when the auction is over. If they do - definitely a 10! If they don't - an 8! Because chances are I won't remember (sometimes as many as 10 auctions end at the same time).

Then there are the people who you don't hear from at all. The auction ends - I send the invoice - NOTHING! NaDa! Zero! I wait a day or two and then I check their feedback. If it's good 99%+, I really am not concerned - they will pay, they just haven't gotten to it yet. My advice though - is that you should get in touch with the seller when the auction is over and let them know that you will pay in a few days. Rated - 8

Worse are the people who don't pay within 2-3 days of the auction's end and still have not bothered to get in touch with you. Generally they pay - you check their feedback and it's good. I don't think that seller's will give neutral or negative feedback to people who manage to take a week to ten days to pay - after all, we/they got paid - we/they are happy that they didn't have to go after the person for their money. I don't give them GLOWING feedback - but definitely good feedback. They did pay! Rated - 6

After 8 days you must report an item as unpaid! These people really hold you up. You can't relist the item - you have to wait until the dispute is over. You report the item as unpaid - sometimes you hear from the buyer. "I'm sorry - I will pay immediately" - OK, they finally pay and the dispute is over. Rated - 4

Then there are those who apologize and tell you they will pay - you still don't get paid. After another week you finally receive a money order! Rated - 2

Worse yet, they tell you they are paying and you get NOTHING! Finally you end the dispute, get your final fee credited to you account from ebay (remember, it still cost you the listing fee) and the person gets a NON-PAYING STRIKE! - Rated - 0

and then there are the people who get the Non-Paying Strike - seller gets a credit from ebay and a check arrives! Still - rated 0

There are also the people who just play around, bid, win and have never had any intention of paying. Why are they doing this? I really wonder. Can't rate them - they're just losers!

I think that ebay is great (you know that) and think that it is too bad that there are people selling fakes, sellers trying to cheat people and buyers who don't pay. OVERALL though - ebay gets a 10! I think that it is a fabulous market place. Great deals - the ability to find things that you could never find anywhere else in the world. It gives people an opportunity to deal with people all over the world. It's really fun and I love it!

Just do me a favor - if you buy something, pay quickly or get in touch with your seller - let them know that you're alive and intending to pay.
THANKS!