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Sellers Guide

AircraftSlides.com offers sellers a variety of features designed to make the selling process as easy as possible. Below is a summary of these features. If you have an idea on how to improve on this functionality we would love to hear from you. Contact admin@AircraftSlides.com

Adding Auctions

Adding an item to the site is incredibly easy. Choose Add Auction from the members area to add a new item. Before adding a new auction, you may want to check out the Selling Tools page. This page allows you set your selling defaults, add automatic payment instructions and even add text to images you upload, such as a copyright or link to your own site.

To add an auction, you enter the core information about the item, choose the category you wish to sell in, upload your images and provide item type specific information for the item you are selling. For example, if you are listing slides, you can enter quality indicators which give other members more specific information about the slide. These options include whether the slide is a Kodachrome slide and whether there are any imperfections on the slide. This helps to avoid disputes after the auction closes.

Uploading Images

When adding auctions, you are required to upload an image of the item. Our software will automatically generate a thumbnail for you, for best presentation in the auction listings.

For best results, images should be sized 750 pixels wide by 500 pixels high or proportional (height should be 2/3 of the width of the image). Images should not exceed 100K in size.

To protect images, all uploaded images are marked with http://www.AircraftSlides.com. Sellers, can override this text with their own text if required. Go to the Seller Tools page to change this setting.

Updating Auctions

Once you have listed an item for auction, you may need to update some information about the item, due to typing mistakes or omission of information.

To update an item, go to the Current Selling page in the members area and locate the item you wish to edit. Once located, click the to edit the item. You will enter the Edit Auction Item screen and be able to update the information.

Note: If the item has received bids, you will only be able to edit certain information. The main description and quality indicators for slides will not be editable.

Re-listing Auctions

The site allows sellers to re-list unsold items individually or as a bulk process.

To relist an item or multiple items, go to the Selling History page in the members area and locate the item/s you wish to relist. Once located, click the Relist checkbox/s.

Items will be relisted with a new item number and start from the day they are relisted and last for the same duration as the original item.

Selling Categories

An item can be listed in any one of the auction categories when the item is added to the site. In addition to the main site categories, sellers can list items in a private selling category.

Private selling categories are a private area where no one else can list items but the seller. Other members will be able to quickly view all of your items in one list improving your exposure on the site. Private categories are suited to larger volume sellers.

A monthly fee is applicable for a private category, see the Fees & Charges page for further information.

Member Accounts

When you register with AircraftSlides.com, a member account is created for you automatically. The member account summarises all Fees & Charges relating to your selling activities on the site. Even if you are just a buyer, a member account is created in case you plan to sell at a later time.

Member accounts are operated in the currency selected by you when you registered. A member account is tied to your email address and site username. If you want to run more than one account then you need to register with another email address and site username.

All fees and charges are applied to your account in your chosen currency, so there is no confusion with currency conversion etc.

Member accounts have a credit limit associated with them and payment to AircraftSlides.com becomes due when this limit is reached or exceeded. If you are a large volume seller, we will happily consider increasing this limit to reduce the burden on you of having to make payments to regularly. Contact admin@AircraftSlides.com to request an increase.

The Bidding Process

The auction bidding process is run in an English auction style manner. Auctions have a reserve price/starting price. The first bidder must bid at least the reserve/starting price amount. A bidder enters the maximum amount he is currently prepared to pay for the item. The system will then bid the lowest amount possible for the bidder to secure the item. If other bidders have bid on the item, the system will analyse each bid made and register the bids until there is a highest bid (again, the highest bid will be the lowest bid possible to secure an item). Of course, other bidders can rebid and in this case the same process is kicked off again.

A bidder can at any time, adjust there highest bid, presuming the item has not reached this amount. So for example, if a bidder bid 50 Euros for an item and the item was currently at 30 Euros, if the bidder places a new bid of 40 Euros, the bidders maximum bid will be adjusted. A bidder cannot outbid himself.

A number of errors may occur when placing a bid, these are as follows:

  • The bid entered does not meet or exceed the next bid amount
  • The auction has closed
  • The seller has blocked the bidder (see Blocking Bids below)
  • In the event of an incorrect bid being placed by a bidder, the bidder should notify the site administrator of the mistake.

    Blocking Bids

    Seller's have the facility to block any other member of the site from bidding on their auctions. When a seller chooses to block a bidder, the blocked bidder will receive an error message when bidding on any of the seller's items.

    The seller may re-instate bidding functionality at the bidders request but is by no means obliged to. Any member appearing on three or more blocked bidder lists will be asked to leave the site and will have their membership terminated.

    Buy Now Auctions

    Buy Now auctions run in the same way as a standard auction but allow a seller to specify a buy price for the item. The buy price is the amount that the seller will sell the item for and close the auction. When a bidder enters a bid equal to or exceeding the buy price, the auction will close, securing the item for the bidder at the buy price. Both buyer and seller will be notified by email of the sale.

    If bids are placed on the item but the buy price is not achieved, the auction will close in the usual manner.

    Auto Extend Auctions

    A seller can set an auction item to use auto-extend functionality. This function detects any bid made within the last 3 minutes of an auction and extends the auction end time by 3 minutes. This functionality helps sellers achieve the best price for their items and stops bidders missing out on that desirable serial number!

    Quality Indicators

    The quality indicators allow a seller to give potential buyers an idea of the quality of an item. The seller can indicate that the the item may have defects of some sort and for slides, specify the film the slide was taken on. The use of quality indicators helps to avoid disputes that may arrise after a transaction saving both the seller and buyer time and cost associated with returns.

    Email Notification

    The site offers various options for configuring the email sent to you when auctions close. By default, the site will send an email to both the winning bidder and seller. Emails are sent in HTML format but can be set to text format if preferred.

    Registered users can click here to configure email options now. Alternatively, once you have registered, select the Email Notification menu option in the members area.

    Auction Closure Process

    When an auction closes, both the winning bidder and seller will receive an email detailing the item and providing the contact email address for both the buyer and seller.

    A seller can set-up automatic payment instructions which will be included in the email received by the winning bidder. When automatic payment instructions have been set-up, the winning bidder should follow the instructions contained in the email. Once payment is received by the seller, the seller will despatch the item/s to the winning bidder.

    If no payment instructions are provided, the seller should contact the winning bidder to arrange payment and shipping of the item/s. It is normal practice for the seller to first receive payment before despatching any items to the winning bidder, unless a prior agreement has been made between the two parties.

    Buyer's and seller's should aim to complete transactions within two weeks of auction closure (allowing for holidays). Should no contact be received from the other party within this time, then you should contact admin@AircraftSlides.com and we will attempt to bring the transaction to a conclusion.

    Note: You are obliged (by the sites rules) to purchase/sell an item when an auction completes successfully unless there is a good reason for not doing so. We will happily mediate these situations and unforseen events do occur from time to time but consistent problems with buyers or sellers will result in account suspension as it causes unecessary administration for everyone involved.

    Member Feedback Process

    Members are encouraged to leave feedback on both buyers and sellers once an auction has closed and the transaction has been completed. Feedback gives you and other users an indication of the ease of dealing with other site members and may influence your decision when bidding on items.

    To leave feedback, simply click a members username from either the Selling History or Buying History page, available in the Members area. The feedback will relate to the purchase/sale of the item you click on.

    Member Messaging

    Member messaging provides you with email-like functionality through the site and is designed to help you complete transactions without having to remember emails. You can simply enter a members username and compose a message or reply to messages sent to you. Your inbox contains messages sent to you and sent items, messages you have sent to other users.