eBay's Unpaid Item policy and eBay's User Agreement require buyers to pay for items they commit to purchase. A bid or Buy It Now purchase on eBay is considered a contract and there are consequences for not completing a purchase.
If you've sold an item, but haven't received payment, do first try to find a solution directly with the buyer (get tips for communicating with your trading partner). If you've tried contacting the buyer but haven't received a response, you can also request for the buyer's contact information and phone them.
To help you to communicate with the seller, we have also developed the dispute console. This online communication tool helps you track, discuss, and resolve a dispute as quickly as possible. All information posted in this tool will be accessible anytime by you, the seller and eBay Customer Support. Learn more about reporting and tracking disputes.
Key things to note about the unpaid item process
Actions must be initiated within certain time limits from the transaction date – 45 days to report an unpaid item dispute, 60 days to close the dispute.
eBay's Unpaid Item Dispute process is separate from PayPal's Seller Protection Programme.
The seller can make an unpaid item strike against the buyer only if the seller closes the dispute. Sellers can also remove unpaid item strikes.
There are four steps to the unpaid item process:
1) The seller reports an unpaid item dispute.
Sellers have up to 45 days from the transaction date ( the date when the buyer commits to buying the item and the seller commits to selling it) to report an unpaid item.
Usually the seller must wait seven days after a listing closes to file an unpaid item dispute. However, in the following cases, the seller can file a dispute immediately:
Exceptions to 7 day rule
Seller can file dispute immediately |
What happens |
The buyer is no longer a registered user of eBay when the seller reports a dispute. |
The buyer will receive an unpaid item strike and the seller will receive a Final Value Fee credit without any additional steps. |
The seller and buyer wish to mutually withdraw from the transaction. |
Using the dispute console, the seller reports that a mutual agreement has been reached for the buyer not to complete the transaction.
eBay then emails the buyer for confirmation.
If the buyer confirms this mutual agreement, the buyer will not receive an unpaid item strike and the seller will receive a Final Value Fee credit.
If the buyer disagrees with the seller's statement on mutual agreement, the buyer will not receive an Unpaid Item strike and the seller will not receive a Final Value Fee credit. The dispute will be closed immediately after the buyer responds and the seller will not be eligible to re-file an Unpaid Item dispute for that transaction.
If the buyer fails to respond, the seller can still close the dispute to receive a Final Value Fee credit, and the buyer will not receive an unpaid item strike. |
To file an unpaid item dispute:
Go to the dispute console page.
Click the Report an Unpaid Item button.
Enter the item number and click Continue.
Select why you are reporting this unpaid item, then select what has happened so far in the dispute.
Depending on your situation, you can then have eBay send a mutual agreement confirmation message or the unpaid item reminder.
See all my unpaid item disputes
2) eBay contacts the buyer.
Once the seller files an Unpaid Item Dispute, eBay sends the buyer an email notification and displays a pop-up message if the buyer signs into eBay within 14 days of the seller's report. The email and pop-up message will provide the following details:
Friendly reminder to pay.The email and pop-up message will remind the buyer that payment has not been received, along with simple instructions on how to respond or how to pay for the item. If the buyer does not respond to the email or pop-up message within seven days, the seller may relist the item.
Mutual agreement indication. If the seller indicates that a mutual agreement has been reached with the buyer not to complete the transaction, eBay will ask the buyer for confirmation through an email and pop-up message.
If the buyer does not respond to the email or pop-up message within seven days, the seller may request a Final Value Fee credit. The seller also becomes eligible for an automatic free re-list credit for the Insertion Fee.
3) The buyer responds
The buyer can select from the following responses:
Buyer response |
What happens |
I want to pay now. |
Paying for the item will close the dispute. For listings with PayPal, if the buyer pays with PayPal, the dispute is automatically closed. With payment other methods (such as cheques or money orders), the seller is encouraged to wait until payment is received before choosing the appropriate option to close the dispute. |
I already paid. |
If payment has already been made, the buyer may provide details of the payment to the seller for review. The seller can then choose the appropriate option to close the dispute. |
I would like to communicate with the seller. |
The buyer and seller can attempt to resolve the problem by communicating directly through the eBay Web site. eBay will provide a message area where the buyer and seller can communicate with each other without relying on email. The seller can close the dispute at any time by selecting the appropriate closure option. |
The buyer does not respond. |
If the buyer does not respond to the email or pop-up message within seven days, the seller can close the dispute. The seller can request a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer receives a strike. |
4) Closing the dispute
The seller can close the dispute after the buyer has responded at least once, or if the buyer does not respond within seven days.
The seller has several options to close the dispute:
Seller options |
What happens |
We've completed the transaction and we're both satisfied. |
With this option, the seller does not receive a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer does not receive an unpaid item strike. |
We've agreed not to complete the transaction. |
With this option, the buyer does not receive an unpaid item strike, the seller receives a Final Value Fee credit, and the item is eligible for a relist credit. |
I no longer wish to communicate with or wait for the buyer. |
With this option, the buyer receives an unpaid item strike, the seller receives a Final Value Fee credit, and the item is eligible for a relist credit. |
No action by seller 60 days from transaction. |
A dispute can only be open for 60 days after the transaction date (the date when the buyer commits to buying the item and the seller commits to selling it). If the seller has not closed the dispute within 60 days, eBay automatically closes it.
The seller does not receive a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer does not receive an unpaid item strike. |
Feedback and unpaid item disputes
Buyers and sellers may leave Feedback for each other on transactions involving unpaid items even if there was a mutual agreement not to complete the transaction. eBay encourages all users to leave appropriate Feedback about their trading partners.
Unpaid item strikes do not affect a user's Feedback Score or Feedback Profile.
