| Team Builders Central Network Free Classifieds Help |
New to TBCN Classifieds? The following should help...
First and foremost...
We created TBCN Classifieds with the idea of HELPING OTHERS TURN PERSONALLY OWNED ITEMS into cold-hard cash. And we want to keep this a fun and rewarding place to buy, sell and trade your wares and services, while keeping the spammers and scammers to a min.
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What is TBCN Classifieds?
TBCN Classifieds is a world-wide online marketplace for local and/or internet buying, selling, trading and communication hub.
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Is TBCN Classifieds FREE?
Yes, TBCN Classifieds is free to post, buy, sell and contact sellers! There is a small fee for Highlighting ads and ALL ads are pre-approved before they are viewable by our visitors, to further help deter spammers and scammers.
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Do I have to Register to use TBCN Classifieds?
No. To get started simply click on the "Post new ad" link. Each ad will automatically be given an ID#. Tip: If you want others to be able to "See all ads" you have posted, be sure to use the SAME email address each time you post a new classified ad.
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How do I find an item at TBCN Classifieds?
We've made it as easy as possible to find/sell most any type item and/or service. Simply scroll down the "top" categories and click on the subcategory title to view current listings. And remember, the "Post New Ad" link is on ALL pages, anytime you think of something you'd like to offer.
You can also Search for specific items via our powerful search feature. Then, simply review your search results and if you see something you're interested in, just click on the item title or click on the "Top" link to return to the main categories page.
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Placing Ads
How many classified (or want) ads can I post?
You can post UNLIMITED Classifieds limited to ONE every three days. Again, simply to help further deter spammers and scammers. This could change at any time, if/when abuse becomes an issue or other issues arise.
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How do I post a Free classified ad on TBCN Classifieds?
To post a new ad in one quick, easy step:
Click on "Post new ad" link. Pick the subcategory you want (if applicable via selection box that will appear). Then fill out the form, add your pics and submit your ad! That's it! Then as soon as your ad is approved, it will be visible to all TBCN Classifieds visitors (please allow 24-48hrs to approve your ad(s).
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How do I post a classified ad in a Paid Category? (if applicable)
To post a new ad in two easy steps:
1) Click on "Post new ad" link. Login or Create an Account. New and/or expired accounts will then be taken to the payment information page where you will need to submit a small One-Time fee and finish creating your membership account.
2) After you submit payment and your membership is active, you can then create and submit your classified ad for approval. This will allow you to place ONE 30-Day ad in the appropriate category. Be SURE to check sites NOT allowed BEFORE submitting payment to prevent possible issues and/or delays in ACTIVATING your classifed ad. Then as soon as your ad is approved, it will be visible to all visitors of TBCN Classifieds (please allow 24-48hrs to confirm payment and approve your ad).
NOTE: This ONLY applies to certain sections/categories in hopes of keeping spammers and scammers to a minimum. This may change in the future, so, check back often. All other categories at TBCN Classifieds are FREE.
Warning: Members who repeatedly attempt to submit payments BEFORE checking sites NOT allowed, will be BANNED from the ENTIRE TBCNetwork of Sites/Services and RISK addtl. fines/fees up to, but not limited to, $100 for each occurance. In short, play nice, follow the rules and we'll all have a lot more fun!
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How do I upload a picture?
After you enter your classified ad information, you will find the upload buttons at the bottom of the same page. You can upload up to 4 (four) pictures per classified ad. Smaller pictures will
upload faster; ideally less than 200kb each. Uploading pictures to TBCN Classifieds
is FREE and do NOT cost extra.
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How do I edit my classified ad?
To edit one of your ads: Simply go to that listing and click on the "Edit Ad" link near the bottom. You will then be asked to login and your member ID# for that ad will already be entered for you. Then after you login, simply update/change your ad and click submit. NOTE: Everytime you edit one of your ads, ADMIN must re-approve it before it will once again be visible in the listings. Please allow 24-48hrs. for us to do that (as we may not be on the computer when you are...go figure).
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How do I add Highlighting to my ad?
Simply click on the "Highlight this ad" link to be taken to the payment information page. Your classified ad will then be highlighted for the duration of the ad.
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Can I add HTML to customize my ads?
No, as we wanted to keep things neat and professional looking. Ad descriptions are limited to 200 char., including spaces.
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How long will my classified ad appear on TBCN Classifieds?
Your ads will remain active for 30 days. When your ad expires, an email notifiying you of your expired ad will be sent and your classified ad is automatically removed by the system.
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Can I include personal contact information in my ads?
We never recommend including personal information directly in your ads, such as physical address, for safety reasons. Unless you have a brick and mortor store, of course, as the Country/City should be enough to start with. Interested buyers do have the ability to easily contact sellers via email/phone, without having to expose other sentitive information to the general public. Email addresses are HIDDEN and NEVER shown for added security. And you can always provide more detailed information, privately, later on.
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Buyer/Seller Options
What other options/feature's do I have?
When listing an item:
- You can choose either "Offered" (for sale) or "Wanted" items (where applicable).
- You can easily contact the seller to ask questions, negotiate price, etc.
- You can add a website URL to your lising to show more pics, info., etc. (helpful if listing "Wanted" items). Or you can simply add ANY personal website you OWN to the listing (affiliate/reseller URL's in ITEMS will be deleted without notice).
When surfing the ads:
- Browse all ads posted by seller (if they used same email address for all ads).
- Add items/ads to your favorite list.
- See how many times seller has been contacted about item (how much interest).
- See how many times item has been viewed (how much interest and may want to act quickly, so, you don't miss out).
- See both "Offered" (for sale) and "Wanted" items in one location, at the same time.
- Vote and rate ads.
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How do I know which "Condition" is appropriate for my item?
The following may help:
- New/Like New - no damage, wear, tear, etc.
- Gently Used - min signs of wear, but, still good condition.
- Vintage/Antique - normal signs of age and descrip. SHOULD include dings, other damage, if any.
- Broke/Repair - self explainatory.
- Other - for items that don't fit into any of these categories. If this is used, we would suggest emailing the seller to insure you have ALL information for a more informed decision.
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How do I contact a seller or reply to a "Wanted" ad?
Simply click on the "Privacy Mail" link, call them (if phone listed). PLEASE check time zones BEFORE you call, as some may not appreciate answering your questions at 2am...go figure.
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Do I have to be a registered user in order to contact a seller?
No. ALL options in TBCN Classifieds are FREE to utilize.
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Other Guidelines
What are things that potentially fraudulent sellers do?
- Ask you to wire money into on International account. Seller may
ask you to send payment overseas and will only accept Western Union or
another money transfer service (e-Gold).
- List an address that is different from the address on their item
detail page.
- Recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service.
- Not be up front about the authenticity of items for sale.
- Will not provide you a verifiable telephone number.
- Try to convince you not to use payment services which offer protection
(accepted services are those like Escrow.com & PayPal).
- Will repeatedly not answer phone calls or email.
- Continuously provide excuses about why you haven't received an
item.
- Sell suspect copies of software, music, or videos.
- Refuse to give you a working shipment tracking number.
- Sell an expensive item at a suspiciously low price.
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How can I avoid fraud from a seller?
The best way, is to only buy items locally, where you can inspect
the item, meet the seller and pay at the time of pickup or delivery. For National or International
items, we strongly suggest taking the following measures to protect yourself
from fraudulent sellers:
Use the TBCN Classifieds system
When communicating with sellers on TBCN Classifieds always do it using the "Contact
Seller" link on the page that details the item. An email will be
sent out to the seller and all transactions will
be conducted between you and the seller directly via our system. In addition, we have set it up, so that WE also recieve copies of the emails. So, IF there is ever an issue, we may be able to help clear things up. But, understand, we are NEVER involved and can NOT protect buyers/sellers. We are simply an advertising venue to help bring buyers/sellers together. Also, if we are notified of a seller's fraudulent activity, we can also contact you and provide you with the information. And since our marketplace is always free, there should be little need to take communications off line, until the exchange.
Know what you are buying
Before making an offer to a seller, ask questions to learn more about what they are selling. Then make your offer only when you are comfortable with both the seller and the item. We also recommend checking retail prices, as well as, doing a quick search on the web for comparison purposes. Remember, if the price looks too good to be true, it very well could be.
In particular, be careful when purchasing high-tech goods, especially when prices are far below retail. Certain high-end items such as flat-panel displays, notebook computers, and cell phones are likely targets for scammers, or worse, stolen items. It is also appropriate to ask for a serial number before sending payment. And any legitimate seller should not have an issue with providing this information.
Ask for sellers telephone number (if not provided)
Once you have negotiated the price and have decided to buy the item, ask for the seller's phone number and call him/her up at a random time to confirm it is an actual working number to be able to reach them. Having a seller who has a registered telephone number, will make the seller more trackable and hence less likely to be a fraud.
Use a payment method with fraud protection
We strongly advise AGAINST sending payment via wire transfer. Many fraudulent sellers only accept money by wire transfer, Money Gram, or bank transfer because buyers cannot get their money back and sellers cannot be tracked, when using annonamous payment methods. If you are within the US and must pay by money order, we suggest using a postal money order. Postal money orders can be investigated, while other money orders cannot.
There are many forms of payment that provide protection for buyers. Credit
cards, escrow services such as Escrow.com, and many online
payment services, that offer varying degrees of protection.
Track your shipment
We recommended getting a tracking number from the seller. For valuable items, we strongly suggest requesting either UPS, DHS or one of the other major shipping companies. Either way, make sure you are familiar with the seller's shipper, and be aware that there are fake shipping companies on the web which pretend to track a false shipment.
If you feel a seller is acting fraudulently, please contact TBCN Classifieds immediately
via the contact link at the top of every page.
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What are the things that potentially fraudulent buyers do?
- Ask you to wire money into their account.
- Buyer offers high-value (but fake) cashier's check in exchange
for your for sale item. The value of the cashier's check often far exceeds
your item and the buyer asks you to wire the balance via money transfer
service. Banks will often cash these fake checks AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE
WHEN THE CHECK FAILS TO CLEAR. If you are sent such a check, we strongly suggest you report it to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
- Recommend an unfamiliar escrow or payment service.
- Place large orders to be sent to a foreign location.
- Say they will pay you half of what's due before they receive the
item, and half payment afterwards. Do NOT do this.
- Will not provide you a verifiable telephone number or other information you ask for.
- Pay with an international credit card or cashier's check.
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How can I avoid fraud from a buyer?
The best way, is to only deal locally, where buyers can inspect
the item in front of you, and (hopefully) pay cash at the time of pickup or delivery. For National or International
items, we strongly suggest taking the following measures to protect yourself
from fraudulent buyers:
Use the TBCN Classifieds system
When communicating with buyers on TBCN Classifieds always do it using the internal Contact system. That way, all transactions will
be conducted between you and the buyer directly via our system. In addition, we have set it up, so that WE also recieve copies of the emails, in case any issues arise later on. We keep these for up to 60 days before they are deleted. But, understand, TB Classifieds is NEVER involved in any transaction, and does not handle payments, shipping, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification" of ANY kind. We are simply an advertising venue to help bring buyers/sellers together. Also, if we are notified of a buyers fraudulent activity, we can also contact you and provide you with the information. And since our marketplace does offer easy communication between buyers/sellers, there should be little need to take communications off line, until the exchange.
Know your buyer
Before accepting payment from a buyer, ask them for additional contact information (within reason, of course). And IF you DO accept a check, make SURE it has their lisence number, telephone number and account number on the check. This is REQUIRED when filing check fraud in the US. Any honest buyer should not have an issue providing this information.
Track your shipment
We recommended ALWAYS tracking shipments, as well as, requesting SIGNATURE confirmation for ANY items over an amount you can NOT easily afford. Because you will ultimately be the one responsible for lost/stolen items and/or unethical buyers. Signature confirmation will also greatly help, if a buyer initiates a chargeback for a lost/stolen item. For valuable items, we strongly suggest shipping via UPS, DHL or one of the other major shipping companies. NOT USPS, as they do NOT handle FRAGILE items, any better than they do non-fragile items. This comes from years of personal experience.
Insure your shipment
We recommended ALWAYS INSURING items over any amount you can NOT easily afford. You will be the one responsible if an item does not arrive at it's destination, or arrives broken/damaged. The best rule of thumb when shipping... Keep YOUR protection in mind. Any small additional fees you may pay now, can possibly save you much more later on. For valuable items, we strongly suggest shipping via UPS or DHL, as they automatically insure items up to a certain value (check with them to insure your item will be covered for the full amount).
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What should I do if I suspect a fraudulent buyer/seller?
If you feel a buyer/seller is acting fraudulently, feel free to contact us via the contact link at the top of every page. We will check into it and take appropriate action, if we feel it warranted. As well as, pass along any other helpful information to you. But, UNDERSTAND, TBCN Classifieds is NEVER involved in any transaction, and does not handle payments, shipping, guarantee transactions, provide escrow services, or offer "buyer protection" or "seller certification" of ANY kind.
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What kind of items are not allowed on TBCN Classifieds?
TBCN Classifieds prohibits the listing or sale of any items that are illegal, under any applicable law, statute, ordinance or regulation at local, state, provincial, national or international law.
The following are some of the type of listings that are prohibited on TBCN Classifieds site. Also be sure to read our Terms/Conditions.
Other items that are specifically prohibited include (but, not limited to):
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Blood, Bodily Fluids and Body Parts
- Burglary Tools
- Counterfeit currency, stamps or coins
- Counterfeit Products
- Electronic Surveillance Equipment
- Embargoed Goods
- Government and Transit Uniforms, IDs and Licenses
- Illegal Drugs & Drug Paraphernalia
- All type of illegal services and products.
- Hazardous Materials
- Fireworks, Destructive Devices and Explosives
- Identity Documents, Personal Financial Records & Personal
Information (in any form, including mailing lists)
- Items which encourage or facilitate illegal activity
- Lottery Tickets, Sweepstakes Entries and Slot Machines
- Obscene Material and all types of Pornography
- All type of offensive material
- Pesticides
- Pictures or images that contain frontal nudity
- Police & Other Security Forces Badges and Uniforms
- Prescription Drugs and Devices
- Recalled items
- Stocks and Other Securities
- Stolen Property
- Tobacco Products
- Used Cosmetics
- Weapons and related items (such as, but, not limited to, firearms, firearm parts and
magazines, ammunition, BB and pellet guns, tear gas, stun guns, switchblade
knives, and martial arts weapons).
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