The most Bizarre reason for non payment given to you.

[Deleted]

A few years ago, I had a nonpaying buyer ask if the item she won was still available, (it wasn't - I relisted - and sold it).
She said that she was unable to pay for it - 

Because, she was in jail for 3 months.

[Deleted]

I had one buyer who was sending me a bunch of ASQ's on random stuff. I don't think she was going to buy any of them (and she didn't) but was instead trying to buy time to pay for her initial purchase.

Once I told her that I have no control over the UPI and that eBay does it automatically, the ASQ's stopped and she paid.

[Deleted]

I bet that happens a lot.  
Now that you mention it,  I know I have had a few of those.

[Deleted]

One of my very first auctions was for a complete set of vintage Revere Ware. Seller hadn't paid by the 2nd day and I was torn between coming off like a bitch or giving her more time. I contacted her. She said there'd been a death in the family and needed a few more days to pay. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and she did come through and pay as promised.

There's been a number of other's that have been served with UPI's and paid with no balking...and no feedback can be a very good thing!

[jellybeanscloset412]

They died. I had a buyer email me and say she was not the buyer but the buyer's sister and that the buyer had died. Would I please cancel the sale. This was a few years ago when buyers really had no recourse but to pay or get a strike. I started to fall for it but then realized she won a few auctions a week after she supposedly died and paid. Also if my sister died the last place I would be is on Ebay trying to clear her debt! I contacted the other sellers and foiled her evil plan.Bwaaahhhaaa

[Deleted]

Had a buyer that couldn't pay for a $200 Hummel.  Her reason, she thought her social security check would be enough.

[Deleted]

This wasn't a non-payment issue, but was funny nonetheless. A few years back a lady asked if I would give her a good deal on combined shipping if she bought several items. Sure would, I told her. She then proceeds to buy A LOT of stuff. Pays. I ship. When she gets everything she sends me a note thanking me and telling me how much she loved everything. She needed all new items because she had been in prison for years and nothing fit her anymore   Glad I could help 

[57roses]

A man bought a sweater and kept sending messages stalling payment.
One email said he had been shoveling snow so didn't have time to pay, but would pay later.
In the time he sent the email, he could have paid.
Finally did pay, but took several days.

[Pantlandia]

I had one person contact me because they wanted to bid on some items, but was blocked because of too many unpaid items. He stated that he had to go into the hospital and ended up with a bunch of cases. I let him through the blocks. He bid on a bunch...never paid.

I open UIDs but most of the pay. The main reason is their health or having to go into the hospital. I tend to believe them because my target customer's age is 60-90.

[titus730]

It's been years since I got weird excuses for non payment. Way back when we accepted cash, checks and money orders. I did get a request to wait for payment a few years ago. The buyer said her husband had cancer and was traveling for his treatment. She was waiting for the reimbursement from the insurance company for the travel expenses. She promised to pay within 10 days. For some reason it rang true with me. Well, I put her on the UID exempt list. She paid within a week and bought from me again later.

[somany]

I had a lady buy several items but then couldn't pay because her husband shut down the credit card. They were getting a divorce and apparently she had been running up the credit card in retaliation. One of the items was a book on recovering from divorce.

[Deleted]

I haven't had a wild tale for non-payment in years. I did have one many years ago that couldn't pay because her house burned down tot the ground while she was driving from funeral to funeral for several relatives along with a host of other issues. It was just so out there, and read like all the typical eBay excuses in one long sentences.


The oddest (possibly cutest if it was a kid) payment I ever received was a Priority Flat rate box with $71 in coin form (mostly pennies) in several supermarket bags. The box was heavy! This was when there was only one size priority flat rate box and I think it was about $6-7 to send it anywhere in the US. I could not fathom why the person would do it, people on the board said maybe a child had saved for a gift.

Eventually, after positive FB I did ask why they didn't just mail a money order because it would be much cheaper for just a stamp. The person just said they loved the shoes and had no time to get the money order or something to that effect. I never found out if it was a kid.