When should I start getting worried?
It was a $36 purchase, but money is money... I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but from experience on Etsy/eBay it shouldn't take someone a week to get around to sending me a tracking number. Not sure what the general consensus on handling time is here on SB, but the fact that they haven't even logged in since I sent them the payment makes me uneasy.

Was it posted in the sale forum or through pm? Did you message them about it? Are they active on Instagram or elsewhere?

You can actually block showing when you last visited so they may still be on here

It can drive you insane waiting for toys, especially when you don't get a timeline or tracking info! But, I find that it is really part of the joy for me. It seems like the excitement over a new toy decrease 10 fold the minute it's out I the package and on your shelf, spurring an instant search for the next score!

Most sellers on here are not "sellers" as many of those on ebay are. Some are super busy with work, family, life, and others just simply don't hold your transaction as a priority

It can be hard for those of us who do all they can to get a toy not the mail within 24 hrs
But you should not worry. In my short time here there have been very few incidents of people getting screwed by fellow boardies and I would estimate that 99.9% are eventually reconciled to the buyers satisfaction. We are pretty vigilant about not allowing people to get ripped of around here

A week seems like forever when waiting for a toy or when feelin suspicious that you are getting scammed but in reality it's actually less than a typical waiting period. I find you either get you package within 2-3 days or 2-3 weeks.

Give it some time and patience, and know that if you haven't heard anything in a few weeks, there are plenty of people here willing to help you out. Hopefully that helps you more reassured!

I think it would be worse if they were actively on here but not responding to you as opposed to being afk since last week. It took me a week to ship the packages from my last sale because I was working 12 hour days & unable to get to the post office in the morning but I did communicate this to those waiting for their toys. I am always much faster than that, but sometimes life happens.

I have to agree with Ben, Maddie. While I know this can be incredibly frustrating, and you did after all send money for the item, I would try and be patient as much as possible. If the person hasn't logged in for whatever reason (could be away, no access, etc.) then it is probably just an honest situation of being too busy. I try to view dealings on the board as swapping stuff with friends; this really isn't a 'business' environment. Now, admittedly, that is just my opinion and I could be in the minority, I am just saying that to share how someone else may see it too. I see the board as a friendly community, and the 'marketplace' aspect of it is very casual. After all, otherwise, you are sending complete strangers money, for stuff you haven't seen, and without any recourse really; so if you see it differently, it is probably not the best place to spend money. I am not saying it is cool to ignore people's PMs, and there have certainly been some people here who have operated in poor taste, but that is the vast minority, so generally when you try and work some issue out between yourself and a member, it comes out well in the end and is probably just a misunderstanding.

It's been a week. Even by Ebay/Etsy standards that's perfectly acceptable.

What you have to realize is that most people "selling" toys here aren't doing it to actually make money at all. It's almost like a bunch of people doing a bunch of other people favors for the sake of the community. I've grabbed toys here that were shipped the next day. Grabbed a print once that took MONTHS to get shipped but that's life and there were no hard feelings because the guy isn't seller he's just some fan who had something he was ready to pass on to another fan cheaper then he got it for and much cheaper then he could have gotten for it.

Again, this isn't ebay. If you want that type of 100% no matter what shipping speed and communication and buyer coverage then you have to pay for it, on ebay.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of the comments, save for the snarky George Costanza... But this is SB after all.

This is my first time purchasing from the sale thread, so you have to understand my initial panic about the whole situation. I've also been scammed the last (and only) time I sold something on a forum, so I guess I'm just fearing the worst. (Except that was a $180 loss of goods... Let's just say it was an absolutely awful first experience, though it wasn't on this forum, don't worry.)

I'll definitely cut this guy some slack after hearing that a week is completely normal. Thanks again. Now all I need to do is not drive myself crazy trying to be "patient," what ever that means!

welcome to skullbrain!