Have you ever sold an item to a buyer but they didn't pay for it? It has happened to all of us. Sometimes it's for a few dollars and sometimes it's for much much more. Sometimes the seller is brand new to eBay with (0) feedback and then sometimes it's for a buyer with (1000) feedback. Before you jump the gun and leave negative feedback follow my rule of thumb and protect yourself. 1. If you leave feedback for someone who didn't pay for an item, most likely they will return the favor. You'll feel that it's not fair, and you're right, but trying to get Trust and Safety to remove it will be extremely hard, next to impossible. There is a procedure for doing this, and if handled correctly as eBay says to do it, then you have some outs and the buyer who deadbeated you doesn't. FOr this, you need to report an "Unpaid Item" and open an "Unpaid Item Dispute". This is where you report to eBay that someone did not pay for an item. eBay will use their message system to send the buyer who did not pay a message stating to them that they need to pay for the item. In many cases, especially from new people, they don't respond to the message. If after 7 days, they fail to answer or pay you need to go to your "dispute console" and request your final value fees back. After 7 days, you'll see in the dispute console the buyers name, item number, final value fee eligibilitiy and view dispute. Here you have a few options on what to do. You can choose from the following 3 options ...........1 We've completed the transaction and we're both satisfied. No Final Value Fee credit will be given and the buyer will not get an Unpaid Item strike. ...........2. I feel I have no other option but to end communication with the buyer. (Available on the 8th day after dispute is filed or once the buyer responds) You'll get a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer will get an Unpaid Item strike. ...........3. We've agreed not to complete the transaction or the buyer is returning the item If the buyer informs eBay that they agreed, you will receive a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer will not receive an Unpaid Item strike. If the buyer informs eBay that they did not agree, you will not receive a Final Value Fee credit and the buyer will not receive an Unpaid Item strike. You need to wait up to 7 additional days to be eligible for a Final Value Fee credit. ..........WHAT TO DO HERE.......... ...........1........ This means that the payment was received and I usually leave good feedback here. You should do the same. ...........2........ This means that you have tried to contact the buyer and they will not respond. By clicking this option make sure you wait until the 8th day after the dispute was opened. If you do wait 8 days, not only will you get your fees back but if you feel it neccessary to alert others in the community about the deadbeat, you can leave them negative feedback about the experience and they can't leave it for you in return. They might, but if they do, eBay will not apply it to your feedback score.......... .......... Essentially they delete it and the score nor the feedback is able to be viewed. But you have to wait until the 8th day or later to do this. If you only wait 1-7 days and then file, while you will get your fees back, if you leave negative feedback, the buyer can still retaliate with feedback but this time it does appear and it does effect your score. eBay's view is that you have to give them 7 full days to make it right and if they don't, i guess eBay takes the view that the transaction never took place. Also in this situation, an unpaid item strike is assessed to the buyer and if they get three they are subject to being suspended. .............3......... The easiest way out of the situation is option #3. You and the buyer agreee not to complete transaction, you get your fees back, they don't get a strike and everyone walks away a winner. This option usually happens when a seller contacts you within the 7 days and tells you why the transaction wasn't completed. There are many people out there that just plain forget sometimes. There are people that have family emergencies or families that lose jobs. You need to realy weight their respose before making a choice. I got a message from a member that told me that they went on a month long summer getaway and forgot to take care of it. I look at their feedback and its (40) . For me I will believe them so I just say lets agree not to complete and in most case they concede. .............ABOUT FEEDBACK........Feedback is very very important. It used to be several years ago I would not buy from someone if they had less than 75%. Nowadays I don't buy from people with less than 95% and many people are the same way. So keeping your number up their and in good standing are important. Make sure you weigh all your options before leaving feedback and make sure you utilize all of your resources. If you don't it can effect you. And in closing if someone does leave you feedback and you feel it is not right, they didn't pay or something, you can try to get it removed but 10 out of 10 times eBay will let it sit on your feedback score and page. Only when a member says in the feedback a swear word or relation to a swear word, something about color, sexuality, origin of birth can it be removed. Otherwise it will sit there. Also a little tibit that you may not know, someone can leave feedback for you saying you are a scam artist or a thief or a con and they can also say they called the FBI, POLICE, PRESIDENT (ive seen this once) and as horrible as it sounds it can't be removed. WHile you will DISAGREE with the feedback, sayings like these, do not violate feedback policies. I hope that I have helped. Back to bed for me. Take care and have a great day.