This forum section is fantastic! Its great to see we have a place to consolidate our seeking, selling and trading threads. Awesome, bettafish.com!
Here are a few things to consider, just based off of poking around other forums as well as TFK.com, to help you sell, trade and buy effectively and safely! I hope it helps you!!
- Tell people who are willing to trade and buy to contact you via private message and then give an email address. This will keep spammers and nerr'do wells at bay.
- Don't list your full address in a post. Listing the city and state is a great idea, though. Lots of people view this site, and its best to be safe. If someone is interested in what you have to offer or is willing to sell to you, contact via PM or email with your address.
- Dont list your phone or cell phone number, for the same reasons as above. When someone is interested and feels they need it, have them ask via PM.
- Of course, no credit card info, etc. etc., should ever be posted on the internet, and really isnt needed even when buying- especially through a third party like PayPal. If someone is asking for it, take a step back and assess if the deal is safe or not.
- If there is ever an issue on-site, like someone is trying to scam you or appears to be attempting a scam, let the moderators and Administrators know right away! Please give as much information as possible and remain calm and collected.
Be safe with your information!
- Your general location, whether you're looking to sell, buy or trade. Including the city and state helps people calculate shipping, shipping hazards (winter and summer) and whether or not pick up is an option.
- For buying and selling: Which payment methods are accepted, for example, "I accept PayPal, Check and Cash for Pick-Up".
- Photos of what you're selling or trading. Dont post pictures that arent yours or arent of the actual thing looking to be distributed. That's misleading!
- References for size of what you're looking to sell or trade. Use common items like quarters and dimes, rulers, etc. when photographing your items. This helps show people how big things are quickly and effectively.
- How much of something you have that can be traded or sold. Let buyers and traders know you have, for example, 3 sibling female bettas for sale, or that you have 10 stalks of wisteria to sell.
- Obviously, please post the price of an item if it is being sold. Sellers want to know the exact amount they need to pay for an item. Please list this clearly!
- If possible list the price for shipping as well, if flat rate, or a general range for price to ship. If you only ship a certain way, like Over Night, please let buyers know. If pick up is possible, list that!
- List how you package things, especially for live animals. Ex. "I put in a heat/cold pack in an insulated box".
- A description of your item up for sale or trade, as accurate and complete as possible. Remember: Comprehensive and detailed posts will net more interest than a lazily posted one!
- If you can ship to other countries, and have a VALID permit or license to do so.
- When trading, please post what you're willing to trade for or if you're flexible with what you're willing to trade.
- Your price range when looking to buy. If you're looking to buy, say, a betta, take into account the costs of shipping as well. Saying "I would like to purchase xxx for a total around $XX-$XX including shipping" makes things easier for everyone!
- A description of what you want. If you know specifically what you want, post specifically. If you're flexible on what you want, post that you're open to multiple options. Ex: "I'm looking for a male betta fish, halfmoon. Color does not matter."
- Dont pull people away to other offsite listings and businesses on a post. It's both rude and defeats the purpose of this great section! If you really feel the need to tell a poster of an off-site vendor, do so via private message.
- Dont haggle, argue or barter with potential customers, traders or sellers on the thread. It should be dealt with via private message or away from the forum. Keeps things behind the scenes.
- If your item has been sold, ask a moderator to lock the thread and post that what you were selling is no longer available. This prevents confusion!
- If you have a group or amount of an item that is for sale or trade, and part of it has sold but some has not, consider asking for the thread to close (see above) and create a new one that is up to date.
- And of course, please be completely honest with what you have to sell or trade.
- Some states prohibit the sale, purchase or distribution of certain plant and animal species. Please know what your state does and does not allow. For help, check this article out, courtesy of Lupin: List of Restricted Species.
- Those who are selling or trading plants and animals may require special permits and licensees in order to trade both interstate (out of state) as especially well as those to other countries. Please be sure to list whether or not you can tranship to other countries and have the proper licensees to do so.
Looking for: Male betta fish. Halfmoon tail, black and white color.
Price Range: $10-20 USD
Shipping Costs: Up to $20 USD
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check
Location: New York, New York.
Comments: Age of betta is not a factor, looking for a healthy male to breed, need expedited shipping please. Post if interested, will PM address and hammer out details there!
Offering: Three young female sibling betta sisters
Price: Separate: $6 USD each. As trio: $3 USD each.
Shipping: $7 flat rate shipping USPS Mail, insulated boxes with heat packs. Can ship fish together.
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check, cash on pick up.
Description: Three spawn sisters, approx. 5 months of age, 1 inch, halfmoon tail, cambodian color. Not spawned, hatched 4/4/11. Good health, vigorous.
Photo:
Location: Boston, MA.
Comments: Please PM me if interested, price somewhat negotiable. Fish can be sold separate. Let me know which fish is desired.
Looking for: Brazillian Pennywort
Will Trade: Java Moss (1/2 cup)
Shipping: Will pay shipping, if needed. Willing to "trade" shipping costs-- no charge if none imposed.
Shipping method: Can pick-up if near by, willing to travel 20 minutes away. Ships USPS Domestic mail.
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check, cash on pick up.
Location: Quahog, RI.
Photo:
Comments: Will throw in a few other plants. All in good shape. Pick up an option!! Contact via PM for details and questions.
Thank you to okiemavis, Lupin, Amphitrite, fish_4_all and the Admins for their stickes at TFK.com's classified page.
Here are a few things to consider, just based off of poking around other forums as well as TFK.com, to help you sell, trade and buy effectively and safely! I hope it helps you!!
Dont give away too much information in your posts:
- Tell people who are willing to trade and buy to contact you via private message and then give an email address. This will keep spammers and nerr'do wells at bay.
- Don't list your full address in a post. Listing the city and state is a great idea, though. Lots of people view this site, and its best to be safe. If someone is interested in what you have to offer or is willing to sell to you, contact via PM or email with your address.
- Dont list your phone or cell phone number, for the same reasons as above. When someone is interested and feels they need it, have them ask via PM.
- Of course, no credit card info, etc. etc., should ever be posted on the internet, and really isnt needed even when buying- especially through a third party like PayPal. If someone is asking for it, take a step back and assess if the deal is safe or not.
- If there is ever an issue on-site, like someone is trying to scam you or appears to be attempting a scam, let the moderators and Administrators know right away! Please give as much information as possible and remain calm and collected.
Be safe with your information!
Good information to post is:
- Your general location, whether you're looking to sell, buy or trade. Including the city and state helps people calculate shipping, shipping hazards (winter and summer) and whether or not pick up is an option.
- For buying and selling: Which payment methods are accepted, for example, "I accept PayPal, Check and Cash for Pick-Up".
Sellers and Traders:
- Photos of what you're selling or trading. Dont post pictures that arent yours or arent of the actual thing looking to be distributed. That's misleading!
- References for size of what you're looking to sell or trade. Use common items like quarters and dimes, rulers, etc. when photographing your items. This helps show people how big things are quickly and effectively.
- How much of something you have that can be traded or sold. Let buyers and traders know you have, for example, 3 sibling female bettas for sale, or that you have 10 stalks of wisteria to sell.
- Obviously, please post the price of an item if it is being sold. Sellers want to know the exact amount they need to pay for an item. Please list this clearly!
- If possible list the price for shipping as well, if flat rate, or a general range for price to ship. If you only ship a certain way, like Over Night, please let buyers know. If pick up is possible, list that!
- List how you package things, especially for live animals. Ex. "I put in a heat/cold pack in an insulated box".
- A description of your item up for sale or trade, as accurate and complete as possible. Remember: Comprehensive and detailed posts will net more interest than a lazily posted one!
- If you can ship to other countries, and have a VALID permit or license to do so.
- When trading, please post what you're willing to trade for or if you're flexible with what you're willing to trade.
For Buyers:
- Your price range when looking to buy. If you're looking to buy, say, a betta, take into account the costs of shipping as well. Saying "I would like to purchase xxx for a total around $XX-$XX including shipping" makes things easier for everyone!
- A description of what you want. If you know specifically what you want, post specifically. If you're flexible on what you want, post that you're open to multiple options. Ex: "I'm looking for a male betta fish, halfmoon. Color does not matter."
Manners for posting in Classifieds:
- Dont pull people away to other offsite listings and businesses on a post. It's both rude and defeats the purpose of this great section! If you really feel the need to tell a poster of an off-site vendor, do so via private message.
- Dont haggle, argue or barter with potential customers, traders or sellers on the thread. It should be dealt with via private message or away from the forum. Keeps things behind the scenes.
- If your item has been sold, ask a moderator to lock the thread and post that what you were selling is no longer available. This prevents confusion!
- If you have a group or amount of an item that is for sale or trade, and part of it has sold but some has not, consider asking for the thread to close (see above) and create a new one that is up to date.
- And of course, please be completely honest with what you have to sell or trade.
Things to remember:
- Some states prohibit the sale, purchase or distribution of certain plant and animal species. Please know what your state does and does not allow. For help, check this article out, courtesy of Lupin: List of Restricted Species.
- Those who are selling or trading plants and animals may require special permits and licensees in order to trade both interstate (out of state) as especially well as those to other countries. Please be sure to list whether or not you can tranship to other countries and have the proper licensees to do so.
Here's a great example of how to set up a Looking for/buying ad:
Looking for: Male betta fish. Halfmoon tail, black and white color.
Price Range: $10-20 USD
Shipping Costs: Up to $20 USD
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check
Location: New York, New York.
Comments: Age of betta is not a factor, looking for a healthy male to breed, need expedited shipping please. Post if interested, will PM address and hammer out details there!
An example for a seller:
Offering: Three young female sibling betta sisters
Price: Separate: $6 USD each. As trio: $3 USD each.
Shipping: $7 flat rate shipping USPS Mail, insulated boxes with heat packs. Can ship fish together.
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check, cash on pick up.
Description: Three spawn sisters, approx. 5 months of age, 1 inch, halfmoon tail, cambodian color. Not spawned, hatched 4/4/11. Good health, vigorous.
Photo:
Location: Boston, MA.
Comments: Please PM me if interested, price somewhat negotiable. Fish can be sold separate. Let me know which fish is desired.
For Trading:
Looking for: Brazillian Pennywort
Will Trade: Java Moss (1/2 cup)
Shipping: Will pay shipping, if needed. Willing to "trade" shipping costs-- no charge if none imposed.
Shipping method: Can pick-up if near by, willing to travel 20 minutes away. Ships USPS Domestic mail.
Payment Methods: Paypal, Check, cash on pick up.
Location: Quahog, RI.
Photo:
Comments: Will throw in a few other plants. All in good shape. Pick up an option!! Contact via PM for details and questions.
Thank you to okiemavis, Lupin, Amphitrite, fish_4_all and the Admins for their stickes at TFK.com's classified page.
