This is a merge of a few useful threads that have been created over the years. Make sure to read this before posting in this section:
Note: You must have a minimum of 15 posts before you are allowed to purchase a thread in this section.
If you would like to post a new thread in the "Sell, Buy & Trade" section, navigate to the section that you want to post in and click the "New Thread" button, it will walk you through the process (paypal). Follow paypal back to wickedfire and you will be able to create your new thread.
The system is currently setup like this: You pay to create a new Thread (think of it like an advertisement), the thread will remain open for 10 days then it will be closed. If you would like to purchase another one, you can reference your old thread in your new one.
If you run into any problems trying to buy a thread or posting after you pay, then PM me and let me know.
Here are some useful guidelines put together by Mike:
These are just guidelines, so don't take this thread to mean this is gospel, just some ideas to help you sell more and for buyers to not get taken.
1. Everyone - Golden Rule
Treat others as you want to be treated. If you are selling a service, then make sure you complete said service in a reasonable time frame and keep in contact with your clients so they know when to expect the finished product.
As a buyer, pay in a reasonable time frame. Nothing is more frustrating to a seller than someone committing to buy and not paying for it when payment is due. Also, as a buyer you owe it to the seller to let them know if your finances have changed and you can not complete the transaction.
2. Buyers - Caveat Emptor
Buyer beware. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, ask clarifying questions.
3. Sellers - Disclose other sales
If you are selling the same service on SitePoint, DigitalPoint, or whereever, let people know. You don't need to post a link to the thread, but at least disclose where you are selling. There have been problems with recent sellers putting customers from another forum over their customers from WickedFire. This is intolerable. A customer is a customer, regardless of where they purchased from you.
4. Sellers - Post the type of sale it is
Is it an auction? Buy it now (bin)? Offers? What? Please clarify your terms up front. If you are selling auction style, it would be best to post the ending date, and include a time. For example "Auction ends on June 11th at 5:30PM CDT (GMT -5)". I like to include the difference from GMT for those not in my timezone, but again, it's just a suggestion. Also, for auctions, post if you have a minimum bid and minimum increments, ie. "Starting Bid is $5.00 minimum bid increase of $1.00". This will help you and your buyers. It helps you the seller because you won't get a bunch of stupid $0.01 increases, and it helps the buyers because they'll know exactly what to expect.
Offers should have a minimum acceptable offer (just a suggestion, not required), unless you really don't care what kind of offers you get. Often I've seen "Make offer" and then a potential buyer posts "I offer $50" and the seller gets offended at such a low offer. If you think your item is worth $500 and don't want to deal with low offers, then post your minimum acceptable offer.
5. Sellers - Payments
Specify types of payments you accept, and the time frame you expect to get paid in. For example "I accept PayPal, Moneybookers, and eGold. Payment must be made within 3 days of [offer acceptance, auction end, whatever]" Also, it is advisable to add what will happen if payment is not made in that time frame "If payment is not received within 3 days, negative iTrader feedback will be left and item will be re-listed"
6. Everyone - iTrader
Use it. That's what it's there for. If you have a bad experience, let people know. This is not eBay, you are not doing anyone a favor by hiding your experience. If you are worried about retaliatory feedback, don't be. Whenever someone submits a negative feedback all the mods are notified. So, if you submit a legitimate neg feed back and the other party retaliates and negs you for no reason, we can correct it (if the situation warrants, of course).
7. Sellers - New Members
While it is not a rule (yet) that you can not sign up and start selling right away, expect to get a lot of flack for it. People here want to do business with trusted members of the community. To become a trusted member, you need to participate in threads outside of this section. Create threads with useful information, and generally prove you are someone that people want to give their hard earned money to.
If it is suspected that you are just a scammer / spammer, you will be banned without warning and will NOT be unbanned. So, be very careful if you are a n00b and want to post in this section.
8. Sellers - PM Spam
Don't do it. If you are selling a product / service and you decide to use the Private Message system as you own personal advertising service, you will be banned forever, no questions, no warnings.
9. Everyone - Don't Crash Other People's Threads
Don't post things like... you can get it cheaper elsewhere or...these prices/service is a joke. Act like an adult or STFU and risk getting banned.
10. Sellers - Bumping Threads
These rules were put together by Zingo:
Providers/Sellers - Your allowed to bump or post in you're thread 2 times per one calendar day. This includes ANY type of posts you make, bump, update, answer questions etc.
There is a 5 day ban period if you go over 2 posts/bumps in one calendar day.
Gaming the 2 bump limit in ANY way will be dealt with harshly, up to but not limited to a 30 day ban.
If you have a service partner and you both have an account, you both cannot post on the same thread over the 2 bump per calender day limit. Only 2 bumps allowed each day per service thread in total, any thing else will be considered as gaming.
Do not ask or encourage your customers to bump your treads in ANY way for ANY reason, this will be considered gaming.
Any type of bump manipulation will be considered gaming.
We go by the Time Stamp of the post when factoring the number of bumps.
example:
05-21-2012, 08:19 AM = 1 bump
05-21-2012, 09:32 AM = 2 bump
05-21-2012, 10:32 AM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Yesterday, 09:27 PM = 1 bump
Yesterday, 10:53 PM = 2 bump
Yesterday, 10:59 PM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Today, 10:12 AM = 1 bump
Today, 11:42 AM = 2 bump
Today, 11:55 AM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Any additional bumps by the provider within these times periods would be considered going over the 2 bump maximum per day threshold.
11. Sellers - Do Not Put Special Characters in your Thread Title
Do not put <<<<>>>>> *** ~~~ or anything other than normal text and characters in your titles. This is not something new it is in a old sticky and nothing has changed. I have been editing the titles I see pop on the first page. This will result in a 2 day ban.
Note: You must have a minimum of 15 posts before you are allowed to purchase a thread in this section.
If you would like to post a new thread in the "Sell, Buy & Trade" section, navigate to the section that you want to post in and click the "New Thread" button, it will walk you through the process (paypal). Follow paypal back to wickedfire and you will be able to create your new thread.
The system is currently setup like this: You pay to create a new Thread (think of it like an advertisement), the thread will remain open for 10 days then it will be closed. If you would like to purchase another one, you can reference your old thread in your new one.
If you run into any problems trying to buy a thread or posting after you pay, then PM me and let me know.
Here are some useful guidelines put together by Mike:
These are just guidelines, so don't take this thread to mean this is gospel, just some ideas to help you sell more and for buyers to not get taken.
1. Everyone - Golden Rule
Treat others as you want to be treated. If you are selling a service, then make sure you complete said service in a reasonable time frame and keep in contact with your clients so they know when to expect the finished product.
As a buyer, pay in a reasonable time frame. Nothing is more frustrating to a seller than someone committing to buy and not paying for it when payment is due. Also, as a buyer you owe it to the seller to let them know if your finances have changed and you can not complete the transaction.
2. Buyers - Caveat Emptor
Buyer beware. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, ask clarifying questions.
- What kind of traffic?
- How much traffic?
- How old is the domain?
- Do you have samples?
- etc...
3. Sellers - Disclose other sales
If you are selling the same service on SitePoint, DigitalPoint, or whereever, let people know. You don't need to post a link to the thread, but at least disclose where you are selling. There have been problems with recent sellers putting customers from another forum over their customers from WickedFire. This is intolerable. A customer is a customer, regardless of where they purchased from you.
4. Sellers - Post the type of sale it is
Is it an auction? Buy it now (bin)? Offers? What? Please clarify your terms up front. If you are selling auction style, it would be best to post the ending date, and include a time. For example "Auction ends on June 11th at 5:30PM CDT (GMT -5)". I like to include the difference from GMT for those not in my timezone, but again, it's just a suggestion. Also, for auctions, post if you have a minimum bid and minimum increments, ie. "Starting Bid is $5.00 minimum bid increase of $1.00". This will help you and your buyers. It helps you the seller because you won't get a bunch of stupid $0.01 increases, and it helps the buyers because they'll know exactly what to expect.
Offers should have a minimum acceptable offer (just a suggestion, not required), unless you really don't care what kind of offers you get. Often I've seen "Make offer" and then a potential buyer posts "I offer $50" and the seller gets offended at such a low offer. If you think your item is worth $500 and don't want to deal with low offers, then post your minimum acceptable offer.
5. Sellers - Payments
Specify types of payments you accept, and the time frame you expect to get paid in. For example "I accept PayPal, Moneybookers, and eGold. Payment must be made within 3 days of [offer acceptance, auction end, whatever]" Also, it is advisable to add what will happen if payment is not made in that time frame "If payment is not received within 3 days, negative iTrader feedback will be left and item will be re-listed"
6. Everyone - iTrader
Use it. That's what it's there for. If you have a bad experience, let people know. This is not eBay, you are not doing anyone a favor by hiding your experience. If you are worried about retaliatory feedback, don't be. Whenever someone submits a negative feedback all the mods are notified. So, if you submit a legitimate neg feed back and the other party retaliates and negs you for no reason, we can correct it (if the situation warrants, of course).
7. Sellers - New Members
While it is not a rule (yet) that you can not sign up and start selling right away, expect to get a lot of flack for it. People here want to do business with trusted members of the community. To become a trusted member, you need to participate in threads outside of this section. Create threads with useful information, and generally prove you are someone that people want to give their hard earned money to.
If it is suspected that you are just a scammer / spammer, you will be banned without warning and will NOT be unbanned. So, be very careful if you are a n00b and want to post in this section.
8. Sellers - PM Spam
Don't do it. If you are selling a product / service and you decide to use the Private Message system as you own personal advertising service, you will be banned forever, no questions, no warnings.
9. Everyone - Don't Crash Other People's Threads
Don't post things like... you can get it cheaper elsewhere or...these prices/service is a joke. Act like an adult or STFU and risk getting banned.
10. Sellers - Bumping Threads
These rules were put together by Zingo:
Providers/Sellers - Your allowed to bump or post in you're thread 2 times per one calendar day. This includes ANY type of posts you make, bump, update, answer questions etc.
There is a 5 day ban period if you go over 2 posts/bumps in one calendar day.
Gaming the 2 bump limit in ANY way will be dealt with harshly, up to but not limited to a 30 day ban.
If you have a service partner and you both have an account, you both cannot post on the same thread over the 2 bump per calender day limit. Only 2 bumps allowed each day per service thread in total, any thing else will be considered as gaming.
Do not ask or encourage your customers to bump your treads in ANY way for ANY reason, this will be considered gaming.
Any type of bump manipulation will be considered gaming.
We go by the Time Stamp of the post when factoring the number of bumps.
example:
05-21-2012, 08:19 AM = 1 bump
05-21-2012, 09:32 AM = 2 bump
05-21-2012, 10:32 AM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Yesterday, 09:27 PM = 1 bump
Yesterday, 10:53 PM = 2 bump
Yesterday, 10:59 PM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Today, 10:12 AM = 1 bump
Today, 11:42 AM = 2 bump
Today, 11:55 AM = 3 bump = 5 day ban.
Any additional bumps by the provider within these times periods would be considered going over the 2 bump maximum per day threshold.
11. Sellers - Do Not Put Special Characters in your Thread Title
Do not put <<<<>>>>> *** ~~~ or anything other than normal text and characters in your titles. This is not something new it is in a old sticky and nothing has changed. I have been editing the titles I see pop on the first page. This will result in a 2 day ban.