How can I protect myself while making online purchases?
How does this system work?
Our Exercise & Fitness Classifieds works much like a bulletin board system. The seller of an item creates an account with us, and their member
information is verified buy our processes and staff. The seller then creates a listing on our site. The listing will
be available on our site from anywhere from 3 to 6 months depending on the type of listing chosen. Anytime during
the display period an interested party may contact the seller through our system. The potential buyer uses an emailing
tool which was created specifically for 2ndhandfitness.co.uk. The tool sends an email to the seller anonymously (seller's email
address is NOT exposed to the buyer.) If the seller then wishes to get in contact with the buyer, they may. At which
time 2ndhandfitness.co.uk is removed from the buying and selling process. It will be up to the buyer and seller to come to an
agreement as far as price and shipping if applicable. 2ndhandfitness.co.uk will not be responsible in anyway for the actions of either
party. It is recommended that both sellers and buyers become acquainted with the risks involved with online purchases before
completing the transaction. If you would like more information regarding online purchases, please see our section on
How can I protect myself while making online purchases? and the Better Businesses Bureaus (BBB's) Website
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How do I post an ad?
From any page, click on the "sell" button, or "add items" if you are logged in (you must be logged on to place an ad). You will then be taken to the
"listing options" page. Here, you may select a featured or standard listing. After choosing your listing type,
click next. If you choose a featured listing, the option to select an image from your computer to place with
your ad is given, as well as the ability to add 1000 characters in the form of a long description. When you have
filled out the form, click on the "submit" button. You should then see an acknowledgement page,
confirming your listing appearance. This screen also provides you with the option of adding another listing,
finishing your listing(s), and modifying or deleting your new listing. Choose the option that best suits you. Once
you have finished, a confirmation screen is displayed.
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I forgot my login information, how do I get to my account?
If you have forgotten your password you can retrieve your password by entering your "User Name" into the text box
under "Member Login", then select the "Need Password?" link below it. If you cannot remember your "User Name" then
contact our support staff with your First
and Last Name. We will then send it to you via your email address on record.
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Do I have to use my real name when posting a message?
No. If you feel more comfortable, you can use a nickname or pseudo name. All other registration information must be valid.
Invalid registrations will be removed if after we notify you by email, you have not responded within 24 hours (from our time of email)
by correcting your registration information. If a correction is not made within the before stated 24 hours, your account and listings
will be removed without refund. Vulgarities will be removed immediately upon detection and any listings, paid for or not, will be removed,
without refund(s).
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Can I put HTML tags anywhere in my posts?
No. You may not use HTML tags in the message. If you put HTML tags in your message, the script will just throw out everything in between the <>'s.
If for good reason you would like to include HTML in your listing, contact our Administrator.
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What should I put in the "Short Description" box?
Please describe the item that you are trying to sell in as much detail as you can. You have 100 characters available.
This entry is VERY important as it will be what the prospective buyer sees in the main listing or search results. Once you have finished your
listing and it is available to be searched upon you will NOT be able to change the items Short Description. If you have made a mistake on your
listing or would like to modify your short description contact our support department. Note: for
more detailed descriptions it is recommended that you use a featured listing which has 10 times more text space (long Description).
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Why didn't my classified ad show up?
Your classified ad most likely did not show up because either you selected the wrong category, or you
specified search criteria that doesn’t appear in your ad. If so, please verify that you selected the
correct category and then broaden your search by leaving more of the search fields blank.
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How do I modify my ad?
In the user profile section of every page (in the upper left corner, displaying your username)
you will find the "My items" link. If you click on this link, you will see the ‘My Listings’ page.
This page will give you the option of modifying or deleting your current listings.
You may click on a listing, or select ‘modify’ to change your listing. The current information from your ad
will be pre-filled, so you only need to modify the fields that you want to change. In order for us to prevent
multiple items being created for one listing, the short description cannot be modified.
Once you have made appropriate changes, click on the "Submit" button. You should then see the ‘My Listings’ page
again with your newly modified listing.
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How do I remove my ad?
In the user profile section of every page (in the upper left corner, displaying your username)
you will find the "My items" link. If you click on this link, you will see the ‘My Listings’ page.
This page will give you the option of modifying or deleting your current listings.
Click "Delete" to remove it. If you have multiple listings, be careful that you don’t accidentally
delete the wrong one, as you will have to purchase another listing to replace it.
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Why didn't my search turn up any hits?
Your search criteria may have been too narrow or misspelled. Try using the simple search without a category, or just a category without specific search criteria.
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What do the abbreviations next to the price field stand for?
When you click on a listing, click on the abbreviation for an explanation of each monetary type.
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How do I contact someone who has posted a classified ad?
Firstly, you must be a 2ndhandfitness.co.uk member, this is necessary for privacy purposes. If you are signed up and logged in,
simply select the item of interest, then click on the "email seller" link. Fill out the email
message box, select "send" and our system will send the seller your message (you will be copied on the message).
You can then deal with the seller directly to negotiate the terms of the sale.
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How do I contact someone? I click "contact seller" and nothing happens!
Firstly, you must be a 2ndhandfitness.co.uk member, this is necessary for privacy purposes. If you are logged in and you still
cannot access the email tool, then you are most likely running a tool which disables popup windows. If this is the
case, then disable the popup disabling tool and try again. If you have performed this step and are still having
problems the contact our support team. Or send us
a comment here.
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How can I protect myself while making online purchases?
A lot of being a savvy online consumer is common sense, but if you are new to online and online buying you may not know the facts. Here are things to look before, before you enter your credit card number.
- Look for the secure transaction symbol on your screen before entering your credit card number. This will look like a padlock on the very bottom of your browser. Do not enter credit card information without seeing that symbol.
- Use a credit card instead of a bank debit card. Credit cards generally have online credit protection.
- When you make a purchase online, get some proof that you did. Right click on the page that shows what you ordered and your information, select print. Keep the print out and record the date and time on it. If you don't receive your ordered items, you will know when you purchased and the order number.
- Try to determine if the company is genuine before ordering. Does it have brick and mortar stores? Does it have a good reputation? If you have never heard of the company, it does not necessarily mean not to order from them. But you should check them out a little further. You can contact The Better Business Bureau and The National Associations of Attorneys General online to investigate the company.
Buying online is generally safe, cost efficient, and easy, but just as in the real world, you need to protect yourself. When you buy from a road side dealer, you are a little more careful about the value and whether you can get your money back on an item. Since, Internet stores can be put up by anyone very easily, you need to exercise the same care.
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