When Etsy buyers disappear - advice?

[Noelle C.]

I am SO mad. Someone bought a necklace last Friday, said she needed it by today for a wedding. I got it ready to go, then heard from her once since then asking if I'd take a credit card without Paypal, so I set up Google Checkout. I hate Paypal anyway. Then I didn't hear from her again. Selling on Etsy is not free!!

How long should I give it before I cancel the sale and leave negative feedback?

[SleeplessMommy]

I very very briefly sold some wedding related things on eBAY. (3 wedding dresses, for example.) The situation of "need it in 3 days" was very common. Buyers were not at all understanding about overnight shipping for a $3 pair of cuff-links costing $10. They were very clear in stating the "emergency" need for the item, but would not respond to an email asking for extra shipping $. I also had a bounced check on a $35 new-with-tag wedding dress - the only bounce I received in over 500 eBAY sales

You have to expect the "wedding" customers to be self-absorbed and to not follow through. Don't take it personally, don't ship overnight without extra $$$, and definitely leave negative feedback for the non-paying customer.

[Noelle C.]

I gave up on eBay when sellers were disallowed from leaving negative feedback, or to even leave neutral feedback alerting other sellers that a buyer didn't pay. I only buy there now. Too bad, I was selling on eBay since their early days starting in 1998. I remember the banner at the top of their homepage celebrating their millionth item listed. Now there are more than that listed in a day.

My concern on etsy is I'm a new seller. (She is a new buyer too.) I am concerned she could leave negative feedback for me for some spiteful reason, even though she's the one who won't contact me. I'm thinking of maybe giving it until tomorrow before leaving a negative anyway and seeing if I can get fees refunded. Would this be reasonable? Giving her a week? Which is one day past when she said she needed it, and four days since her lat correspondence? We are so desperately broke this week, yet I insisted we hold onto enough cash to mail the necklace if she paid (it takes a few days for money to clear into our bank account). This morning I told DF to go ahead and buy milk with the money.

[savannah smiles]

I'm sorry! What a frustrating situation! I've recently had my first non-paying buyer. They were new to Etsy and I think they either didn't understand how to buy, or "bought" by accident and then didn't want it. I sent them a nice email, w/ a link on how to buy from Etsy and when I didn't hear back in a few days, I simply relisted the items. In my case, I have multiples of most of my items so if that buyer were to return and buy them for real, it wouldn't mess things up for me.

If I were you, I would simply send and email stating that you are relisting the items and that if she wishes to buy them, she can do another transaction and leave it at that. If you strongly feel that negative feedback is warranted, then certainly leave it.

[Noelle C.]

I am feeling inclined to leave negative feedback. She "bought" on Friday with a note she needed it by the 1st. On Monday she asked for another way to pay, so I set up another way for her to pay. Today is the 1st and she hasn't contacted me again. This is really extremely discourteous and RUDE of her, and I did let her know in a message that it's not free to sell, so please let me know her plans. She's new to etsy in terms of time, but this would not have been her first purchase.