New cancel function for unpaid items

What you need to know

From early April 2021, we’re gradually introducing improvements to the unpaid item flow where sellers will no longer have to file unpaid item claims against buyers or send buyers payment reminders. You’ll instead be able to manually or automatically cancel the order after 5 calendar days. After cancellation, the item will be automatically relisted and the applicable fees may be returned to the seller.

What’s new?

To speed up the cancellation of unpaid items process, sellers will no longer be asked to file an unpaid item case in order to remind a buyer to pay. 

We’ll proactively send reminders to buyers asking them to pay. After 5 calendar days, sellers can cancel the transaction using the 'Buyer hasn't paid' reason in Seller Hub or My eBay Sold.

The order can be cancelled by the seller 5 days after:

  • The buyer committed to purchasing the item.
  • The buyer won an auction.
  • The buyer accepted your offer.
  • You accepted the buyer’s Best Offer.

Other features:

  • Each cancellation with a 'Buyer hasn't paid’ reason will be recorded against that buyer in the system. We’ll block that buyer’s ability to leave feedback and, if they’ve already left feedback, we’ll remove it.
  • You can continue to stop purchases from buyers with more than two unpaid item cancellations using your Buyer management preferences.
  • You’ll be able to set up automatic cancellations for non-payment by changing your preferences in your Preferences for items awaiting payment. 
  • Buyers with excessive cancellation for ‘Buyer hasn’t paid’ reason may be suspended for abusive buying practices.

How does it work?

After launch, if you attempt to file an unpaid item case using the Resolution Centre, you’ll be redirected to Seller Hub > Orders > Awaiting payment where you can cancel the transaction. You can cancel transactions directly by using the 'Buyer hasn't paid' reason in Seller Hub or My eBay Sold.

What do I have to do?

There is no action required from you. We’ll remind buyers to pay, and if they don’t pay, you can cancel the order in Seller Hub or My eBay. We recommend sellers create automatic cancellations in their Preferences for items awaiting payment.

FAQ

How long do I have to cancel a transaction if the buyer hasn’t paid?

You can cancel a transaction up to 30 days after the buyer commits to buy.

Will my fees get credited if I cancel the order because the buyer hasn’t paid?

Applicable fees may be credited if you cancel the order because the buyer hasn’t paid.

Can I relist the item after the transaction is cancelled?

Yes, items can be relisted after cancellation. In some cases, eBay may automatically relist the item for you.

Will I be able to use Unpaid Item Assistant? 

Formerly known as Unpaid Item Assistant, Preferences for items awaiting payment can be customised to automatically cancel purchases where buyers haven’t paid.

Can I handle unpaid items manually? 

If you would like to handle unpaid items manually, you can do so by changing your Preferences for items awaiting payment at any time. You can also manage unpaid items at the buyer level through block buyer preferences.