Filing non-payment SNCs - consequences for buyers

[Vintage_Collectables 10]

Hi all

I have a question about the consequences for buyers, when a non-payment SNC is filed against them, and then retracted before the SNC is finalised.

 

I stipulate that buyers must pay for their items within 3 working days, so if there is a weekend in between buyers actually have 5 days to pay. However, some buyers simply ignore such payment stipulations and don’t even contact the seller about their intention to pay. (I’m sure I don’t have to elaborate about the frustration this causes for sellers!).

 

The problem (for lack of a better word) is that a non-payment SNC can only be filed 7 days after the auction has closed. I have noticed that some sellers state, for example, that payment must be made within 24 hours or a non-payment SNC will be filed. As far as I know, filing an SNC before 7 days have passed is not possible, so such statements cannot be enforced by the seller.

 

The root of the problem is therefore that some buyers realise that they can actually comfortably wait 7 days before any formal action can be taken.

 

In my experience filing a non-payment SNC does prompt some buyers to pay. Since I have never had a non-payment SNC filed against me, I don’t know what communication is sent to the buyer from BoB when an SNC is filed. I would be very interested to know what it says. Could someone from the BoB team please post the contents as a reply here?

 

There doesn’t seem to be anything stopping every buyer on BoB from waiting short of 7 days for making payment - just before a non-payment SNC is filed against them. Or, for that matter, paying just before 14 days are up and the SNC is finalised?

 

Before I get heaps of replies stating that I can leave neutral or negative feedback for late payment, let me say that I only feel ‘safe’ leaving negative feedback for non-payment once a non-payment SNC has been finalised. I’ve read in the Forum that sellers can have revenge feedback deleted upon request and after investigation by BoB, but the seller is still vulnerable, so I don’t dare rate buyers who only paid after 7 days with a neutral even.

 

So, I would like to know if there are any consequences for buyers who have non-payment SNCs filed against them. By this I mean SNCs that are filed after 7 days but are subsequently retracted because payment has been received before the SNC is finalised.

 

Progressively, is any action taken to warn/disable/blacklist buyers who tend to only pay after an SNC is filed?

 

Is there a record of accumulated SNCs (both retracted and completed) per buyer and, more importantly, when the buyer accumulates a certain number of SNCs, is any action taken?

 

Kind regards

 

Vintage Collectables

[retailrush 10]

A very well put question! I will also be interested to have feedback from the BoB team on this.

[Little Miss Muffet 20]

Just my 2cents worth re rating a seller when filing an S.N.C. Dont rate the seller until the SNC is completed that way you wont have a revenge come back on you if the SNC has to be withdrawn.

Ofcourse having to wait 7 days plus SNC withdrawel time one is reluctant to give a positive but then there is neutral.

[Vegar 10]

The question is really whether there is some sort of record of people who have SNC filed against them on a regular basis - some consequences after lets say 24 times?

 

If they don't pay at all they obviously get a negative rating when the SNC is finalized - but those who pay late?

 

Had one respond 4 days after the SNC was filed that they intend to pay - which gave them another 7 days to pay. Really don't want to deal with habitual late payers.

[qball 11]

Generally speaking if the buyer pays after 7 days they will be in breach of the agreement with your sales terms, thus we would in most cases find the buyer at fault for late payment.

 

We run reports on buyers with high SNC's against them, and most eventually get disabled or blacklisted if there is a trend or pattern of late or non payment.

 

Kind regards

Cuan

[SProducts 10]

Generally speaking if the buyer pays after 7 days they will be in breach of the agreement with your sales terms, thus we would in most cases find the buyer at fault for late payment.

 

We run reports on buyers with high SNC's against them, and most eventually get disabled or blacklisted if there is a trend or pattern of late or non payment.

 

Kind regards

Cuan

 

Thanks for your explanation Cuan.

I filed SNC, buyer paid and I told the buyer the product was out of stock and will take time before its available again. They said they will wait, time went and teh SNC was retracted.

Now they decided they waited too long and were starting to fight me and I decided to refund them for the order.

My problem, I have lost enhancement fees, success fees(as the SNC was retracted) and also the bank fees for transfering money back to their account.

 

Is there a way to have the SNC re-filed?

Another buyer didnt pay and I filed SNC and I specifically mentioned that the item has been relisted and sold. But they appealed that they still to want to pay, they have now paid and I dont have the product anymore. It will take me about 3 weeks to get the product and I know even if they say they'll wait, there are delays with the post at times and they'll end up giving up unless I get the new stock on time.

 

Can I refund the buyer forcefully minus the bank charges?

 

Sipho

[Vinyl Lady Decals 10]

Hi Sipho

 

My experience has been to never retract an SNC until you have full payment. Also never accept a credit card payment for a SNC otherwise BoB sees it as it was your choice to accept payment and then any appeals again negative ratings will be rejected.

 

If I remember correctly, lilythepink has mentioned before that we can forcefully refund the payment minus bank charges. I've even heard of one seller who couldn't get the bank details from the buyer (refused to give them), who sent the buyer a postal order for the amount minus the postal order charges.

 

As far as I'm aware, you are allowed to do this.

[qball 11]

Hi Sipho

 

My advice is to not retract the SNC until payment is received, as we do not allow SNC's to be refiled.

 

It's your choice if you want the business or not, you will need to discuss directly with the buyer if you can't get the stock - there will also be an option for you the seller to retract the SNC after the appeal - do not retract it. This is one of the pitfalls of not having stock on hand. You would need to discuss with your buyer first before simply refunding. You would also need to discuss the banking charges.

[lilythepink 10]

Excellent advice, qball, but also remember there is postage which the buyer will have paid and which should, morally, also be refunded. One of BoB's big sellers couldn't supply the item I had won from him and I opted for a refund. That seller kept the postage and I didn't make a fuss, purely because I do not like dealing with "cheats" and I will never ever bid on one of his items again!