Lily Auction Non-Payment Protocol

The Lily Auction would like to assume that its members act responsibly. We expect that sellers will take responsibility for their disclosures and buyers for their bids. We feel that this is simple common sense. In fact, over the years, we have found that the overwhelming majority of folks who use this site, do their best to act responsibly without the need for rules. Unfortunately, for the very few individuals who don't seem to understand personal responsibility, the rules need to be spelled out.

Payment for items won on the Lily Auction must be made within 10 days of item close unless the seller has disclosed an alternative time limit or the buyer has negotiated with the seller to extend this time. Most times the seller will want you to pay one time only, after you have finished bidding on their items. So extension of the 10 day period may be granted as long as the buyer and seller have both agreed. We strongly recommend that this time is never extended beyond 30 days from item close AND not more than 10 days from the closing date of the last item won.

When a buyer does not pay for items won in a timely manner, it creates logistic problems for the seller and for the Lily Auction. The sooner this is dealt with the better for all concerned. We have therefore created a protocol that we ask all sellers to follow so that we can deal with slow and non-paying members appropriately and fairly. It is the last attempt to give the buyer the benefit of the doubt and get response and/or payment from the buyer. If still no reply the seller can void the item, by leaving neutral or negative feedback, and re-list it.

Invoicing and Messaging Buyers:

INVOICING SENDS ALL THE INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR THE BUYER TO PAY FOR THEIR ITEMS WON, INCLUDING A LINK TO PAYPAL IF SELECTED. We recommend that the first 3 invoice options below are exhausted before submitting the 4th option. You may also SEND THE BUYER A MESSAGE before submitting the 4th option below and sometimes this works to get their attention. There are 4 different types of invoices that you can send to your buyers:

..... 1) New Invoice
..... 2) Friendly Remonder
..... 3) Final Notice and
..... 4) Report non-payment to LA support.

We strongly recommend using the first 3 of these invoices. However, when you don't get paid and you want our help we REQUIRE that you submit the 4th invoice "Report non-payment to LA support" to the buyer. The 4th invoice option should be submitted if you have not received payment, especially if you have not heard from the buyer after 10 days from item close. You should wait at least 10 days from item close before submitting the "Report Non-Payment" invoice.

If the seller has clearly listed a strict payment time rule, IN THEIR ITEM DESCRIPTION, the seller may choose to skip the Report Non-Payment Invoice and go directly to leaving factual neutral or negative Feddback to void the item. However, while this is totally up to the seller, because of unknown and unexpected buyer circumstances that may have arisen, we do NOT recommend this strict option.

What happens after submitting the "Report Non-Payment" Invoice?

Once you submit it, a copy will be sent to support. We will then open up a ticket in the Help Desk and send an additional request for payment to the buyer giving the buyer time to respond. If the buyer still does not respond to the request or pay within 72 hours, 3 business days, the seller may then void the item at the time of their discretion by leaving factual neutral or negative feedback. Non-response to a Lily Auction Help Desk ticket for non-payment may result in suspension of Lily Auction priveleges for the buyer. We realize that unexpected life circumstances can get in the way of the best intentions. If we hear from the buyer and there is a resaonable explanation for cancelling their win, then we will void the item without any need for feedback.

How to Void an Item

Voiding an item means that you have cancelled the sale to the particular buyer. If you are voiding an item because of "Non-Payment", and have NOT stated a strict rule in your item description, then always send a "Report non-payment to LA support" invoice first, before leaving neutral or negative feedback. Once you have sent the "Report non-payment" invoice, and you have waited at least 3 days, you can void the item by simply leaving neutral or negative feedback.

Once neutral or negative feedback has been left you can consider the item voided and you may re-list it. A notification of your neutral or negative feedback will be sent to Support. According to the Lily Auction User Agreement, we will refund the closing fee only if the you void a non-payment item within 60 days of item close. If you are voiding because of buyer non-payment, have tried to contact the buyer and have NOT received a response, you must leave neutral or negative feedback, depending on your understanding of the circumstances, before refund of seller fees can be made. If the buyer has a reasonable explanation, please let us know. We will void the item and refund seller fees without the need for feedback in cases of severe health issues or castrophy. Please contact us if you feel that there is good reason for exception to this rule.

The negative or neutral feedback left is permanent and CANNOT BE RETRACTED AT A LATER DATE. At this point the buyer should have been given ample warning. Voiding an item is also permanent. However, if seller and buyer still agree to make the transaction, the seller may list a Reserved Item for the buyer. Feedback on the Reserved item could be an addendum to the neutral or negative feedback made on the defaulted item.

You may also choose to BLOCK THE BUYER from bidding in any of your future items as well. You can do this from one of the links labeled 'BLOCK A BIDDER from bidding in your items', that can be found at the bottom of your 'MY SELLING' list or at the top of any of the 'Add New Item' forms.

There may be other reasons beside "Non-Payment" for voiding an item. Other rules in the Lily Auction User Agreement' may apply. Please contact us if you feel that you have a reason for voiding that does not involve non-payment.

Exceptions

There are exceptions to having to follow the above procedure or leaving neutral or negative feedback:

Sellers May Make Their Own Payment Conditions

If the Seller has disclosed a more strict rule about their own payment requirement in their Item Description, then this Protocol may be by-passed. For example, if the seller has specified in their item description, that payment be received within a specific time from item close, and the payment is not received within that time frame, then the above protocol may be skipped and the item may be voided with neutral or negative feedback. We do not recommend this approach and still suggest that the "report non-payment" invoice be submitted and the protocol followed.

Buyer responds and wishes to Cancel

If the buyer responds to you or to a Help Desk ticket or to a Message, and still wishes to default, and you are satisfied with their reason for default, then you do not have to leave neutral or negative feedback to void the item. Simply let us know and provide the email communication from the buyer, and we will void the item.

There may be other reasons to void without leaving feedback. If you have questions, please Contact the Lily Auction.

To return to the Auction page where you came from,
USE YOUR BACK ARROW.

Otherwise, click here to get to the HOME PAGE of the Lily Auction.

Use of this auction implies acceptance of the Users Agreement.
� Copyright Michael Longo, 1999 - present