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Frequently Asked Questions and AnswersHere are brief explanations for some of the questions that you may have about the Camera Mart.General
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For Selling:
For Buying:
For Businesses/Advertisers:
Do I have to register first before I can use Camera Mart? Depends. If you are a buyer, you do not need to register to browse through classifieds and approach sellers about the item(s) they are offering for sale. Feel free to browse through sellers' classifieds and reply to them with inquiries. However, it is highly recommended that you register for an account as that gives you greater credibility as a buyer, and sellers are therefore more open to doing business with you. As a seller, you need to register to get a user account before you can start to list to items for sale on Camera Mart. How do I register? Click on the "Register" link located on the top right hand corner of the Camera Mart site. Then please proceed by filling out the entire form. *Note: With all personal information submitted, you are given the option to display or not display the information to other users. Therefore, please fill out the form accurately. Information you submit will only be used by Camera Mart to maintain our database and to verify users to prevent scammers. Your information will not be used by a 3rd party. You may read our Privacy Policy for further information. How much does it cost to use Camera Mart? Nothing. Camera Mart listings are FREE for all casual users. No cost to you. How can this be? Well Camera Mart is covering the cost of providing this service by selling advertising on the site and asking non casual users to support the site with a small yearly fee. That's all. As you can see, there is the opportunity to purchase banner advertising on the site. Your support of the sponsors or purchasing a banner ad for your business will keep Camera Mart going. If you are using the site to list more than 0 classifieds a month, you will be asked to support us by paying a small fee, but otherwise, all casual users will always list for free. How does this system work? Camera Mart is a photography classifieds site and uses a similar principle to other classifieds sites:
Why do I have to be a North American to use Camera Mart? In order to keep our community focused and to build a local community before we expand further, we made a decision to limit selling to users within the US and Canada for the time being. We also believe strongly in allowing more in-person transactions so both parties obligations are fulfilled simultaneously. So at this time, to be a seller, you and your item must be located within the US or Canada. However, anyone from around the world is free to reply to ads and buy from sellers. Do I have to use my real name when posting a message? No. Even if you use your real name when you register (and we encourage that), you do not have to use your real name when you post an ad. Our system will simply display whatever you put in the First and Last Name fields. If you feel more comfortable, you can use a nickname or pseudoname. Why am I not receiving any emails from Camera Mart?
Several email providers like Hotmail and Sympatico, filter out emails that they may consider junk mail or SPAM. When a user replies to your ad through our form, our servers sends an email to you as notification. Because this email account ([email protected]) comes from a web server mailing program, email providers sometimes identify it as "Junk Mail." Also some email providers identify text in email content that sound like junk mail as "Junk Mail."
For more strategies on receiving our email please see this forum post titled "Receiving Email Reply Notifications". Related: If you are able to receive our other emails but are not getting instant emails when someone replies to your classifieds, please read "Why don't I get email replies when someone replies to my ad?". What is the Gallery feature for? The Gallery feature was created by Camera Mart to enhance the "community feeling" of our enthusiasts. It is for users to upload images to their profiles to showcase their DSLR / film cameras, lenses items. (You will find this feature as a tab on "My Profile"). These are also displayed and rotated between users' galleries on the main page of the site in the lower left corner. How do I follow a member? A Followed Members list, formerly known as User Hotlist, is a list of users whose ad listings are of interest to you, or just users who you want to keep an eye on because you've had positive experiences with them on Camera Mart or have been recommended by other users. It's a place where we provide you quick links to their classifieds so you can easily bookmark them or check what new items they may have on sale (or want). This feature also displays the most recent ads of all your followed members on the front page of Camera Mart when you log in. There are 2 ways to follow a user:
How does our feedback system work? Each registered user has a feedback profile. Our feedback is based on receiving 3 different types of feedback: positive, neutral, and negative. A buyer can leave feedback for the seller, and a seller can leave feedback for the buyer. Our system counts the number of different types of feedback left on a user's account and displays the number of each type. As with most feedback systems, the higher number of positive feedback the more reliable the user is. It is recommended to check the user's feedback to read comments and look for negative remarks before making transactions with them. What are the feedback rules? Please observe the following rules when leaving feedback. If you do not follow these rules your feedback may be DELETED!:
How come I can't leave feedback? If you are viewing an ad and do not see a link to leave feedback, you may notice a message that says: The feedback period is over for this ad, so feedback is no longer allowed.
Feedback can be left with an ad up to 60 days after that ad's expiration time (30, 60, or 180 days after the ad's creation, depending on what the ad creator designated). After this feedback period, feedback is no longer allowed on the expired ad.
We strongly suggest you encourage your buyers and sellers to provide feedback within this time period. I cannot find an ad to leave feedback. If the ad creator sets the ad to OFF or SOLD status you will no longer be able to find the ad on their profile. There are several ways to find the ad to leave feedback in this situation:
How come some users have Feedback from eBay? Camera Mart has the ability to verify the eBay identity of members using a secure and safe authentication connection to eBay itself. When you see eBay credentials and feedback ratings on a member account it means that we have verified that this user owns that eBay account. Only after verification do we import eBay feedback summaries. The total positive feedback count from external sites is displayed on classified ad pages and the user profile page. eBay feedback is updated every day. Please note that Camera Mart does not use the "score" from external sites when we list Feedback counts. We consider the total positive Feedback. How can I import feedback from external sites?
Camera Mart allows members to import feedback from eBay using the following steps. eBay
The feedback score will be displayed on your classified ad pages and user profile page. The feedback will be updated every day. The icon () means the member has successfully connected to his eBay account. How does Camera Mart count the items sold and items purchased in the user feedback page? Starting in March 2015, Camera Mart shows a new statistic in the User Profile page that counts the Items Sold and Items Purchased on the site. This number is inferred using the Feedback system by determining whether the Feedback that the User receives or leaves is on a classified they posted or on a classified posted by another user. These numbers may add up to a total that is higher than the user's total Feedback score because it includes items that we found where the User left Feedback on an item but never got reciprocal feedback. Items that a user marks as SOLD but for which they never received or gave any feedback do not add to this count. How do I change my username? Usernames can only be changed for a $25 USD fee, payable using Paypal. There are no exceptions. Click here to edit your profile and click on the orange "Change username" button to start the self service username change; it is automated and occurs instantly. If you cannot use our automated service, please contact us via [email protected] and we'll give you instructions where to send the payment. How do I get an Ad Free experience? You can upgrade your account to an Ad Free Account in user profile. You can also include an Ad Free option in your dealer / premium subscription. Please contact us via [email protected] for more information if you would like to include it in your current dealer / premium user account. Additionally, you can go edit your profile to turn off Ad Free mode whenever you would like to browse with banner ads with your Ad Free Account. Why am I considered a "new user"? New users to the site are people who registered recently and don't have enough activity on the site. New users are required to submit 2 images for any classifieds posted. Users are not considered new anymore if they:
What is PayPal verified status? A verified PayPal account means the member has provided additional evidence of their identity to PayPal by passing key security checks and completing the PayPal Verification process. Verification increases the overall security of the PayPal network because most buyers prefer to do business with Verified sellers. Camera Mart members are able to show that they have a verified PayPal account on their profile by completing the authorization. To complete the authorization, please login and Set your PayPal status. Note: We will only display your verified status. Your PayPal email will NOT be displayed to public. To check the PayPal verified status for other people who you would like to deal with, you can use our Verify PayPal Status tool and enter the first name, last name and PayPal email. How do I post an ad? Once registered and logged in, click on the "Place an Ad" link located near the top of the screen. Proceed to fill out the form with information regarding the item for sale. Once you have filled it out, click on the "Place Ad" button. You should then see confirmation text on the page if your ad was successfully posted. You can then continue to edit the ad if necessary. How do I determine the Condition of my Item?
Camera Mart uses a Grading Scale based on other photography sites. Since different sites have totally different grading methods please check our Grading Scale carefully. Please refer to our Grading guide BEFORE you claim your item is of any particularly good condition, or you may receive Negative Feedback for not describing your item accurately.
How do I modify my ad? Once registered and logged in, click on the "My Ads" link on the User Navigation Bar located at the top right-hand corner of the site. You will be shown a list of all the ads you have posted. You are each given the option to "Manage Images", "Edit Ad" or "Mark as Sold". Just click on "Edit Ad" for the appropriate ad from that screen. You will be taken to a form which has the current information from your ad which you have already filled in. Proceed to modify the fields accordingly. When finished, click on the "Update" button. You should then see confirmation text if your ad was successfully modified. Note that Ad descriptions and captions can be freely modified for up to 12hours after they are posted. Afte rthis initial period, ad descriptions and captions can be expanded or changed slightly. You can also add "additional" information by using the "additional information" field when editing. How do I remove my ad? Once registered and logged in, click on the "My Ads" link on the User Navigation Bar located in the top right-hand corner of the site. Click on "Edit Ad" of the appropriate ad and scroll until you see the "Ad display status" option. Select Ad display status as "Off" to pull your ad from circulation. You can always turn ads back on as long as they have not reached the maximum 180 day expiration. How do I mark my ad as "SOLD"?
Once registered and logged in, click on the "My Ads" link on the User Navigation Bar located in the top right-hand corner of the site. Click on "Edit Ad" of the appropriate ad and scroll until you see the "Ad display status" option. Select Ad display status as "Sold" to put it into SOLD mode. In SOLD mode your ad will not show up on the listings to the public, cannot be searched for, nor can anyone make any offers on the ad.
Why do I still see listings of "SOLD" items?
Items properly marked as sold are not shown to the public. However, as the the creator of an ad, you will still be able to see your own SOLD ads listed in the classifieds, but no one else can see these.
How do I add images to my ads? You can add up to 15 images of the item you're selling per ad. There are two ways to upload images to an ad:
Why don't I get email replies when someone replies to my ad? There are several things to check.
Can I use HTML tags anywhere in my ad listings? No. You can not use HTML tags in the body of the message. If you put HTML tags in your message, the system will just throw everything out in between the <>'s. You do have the option, however, of putting a link to a site with more information of your product in the "Information URL" field box on your ad's page. What should I put in the "Caption" text box? Please describe the item that you are trying to sell in as much detail as you can. When posting a classified ad for cameras, lenses and photography equipments equipment, tell people about the brand, model, how old they are, options, etc... Being honest about what you're selling will help avoid misunderstandings in the future. If you're posting a "Wanted Ad", tell people about the type of item you are looking for and if you can, be specific. Why didn't my classified ad show up in the search? Your classified ad most likely did not show up because either you were in the wrong category (such as "Speakers" instead of "Home Theatre") or you specified search criteria that does not 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. How do I leave feedback for my buyer? In order to leave feedback for the buyer, the buyer must leave you (the seller) feedback first. After the buyer has done so, in your own account, click on the link "User Feedback." Locate the feedback the buyer has left you for the specific item. The textbox located directly underneath the buyer's feedback is the space where you input your feedback for the buyer. Once finished, please click on the "Respond to Feedback" button to upload your text. You may edit accordingly and then press on the "Respond to Feedback" to update your response. If you wish to remove your own feedback as a seller (to a buyer), you may click on the "Remove" link to do so. Why am I prevented from posting more than 10 classifieds per hour and 25 per 24 hours? All user accounts have an hourly and a daily classifieds post limits. These limits exist to protect the site, and other users, from "floods" of classifieds by the same user. They also protect YOU, the poster of the classifieds, from being ignored by visitors. Through the years, visitors who follow the classifieds have expressed they do NOT want to see a flood of classifieds from the same users, as it deteriorates their shopping experience and hurts the variety on the site. We ALL win, when Camera Mart limits the number of classifieds each user posts per 24 hours, because of increase in variety of ads and also so that users who post fewer ads don't have their classifieds pushed out too quickly by more active users. How can I make my ads stand out more? How can I get my ad "Featured"? You can upgrade your classified ads to have them get more attention. We offer two options: feature and highlight. Featured Classified Includes: (Ad are required to have at least 3 images to be featured)
The following is an example of featured ads:
Highlighted Classified Includes:
The following is an example of highlighted ads:
Upgrade your Classifieds Back to Top How do I contact someone who has posted a classified ad? All of the classified ads will have a "Reply to Ad" link located on top of the Description of the ad. Please click on the link, and you will be directed to a form where you can send an email to the user. You and the seller may then communicate through your regular email program. *Note: If you do not receive a response within a few days, it may be for a couple reasons. First of all, a seller may not have checked their email recently, as they have been on vacation or are just busy. Otherwise, another reason may be that a seller is already in negotiations with a potential buyer, and will not be responding to any further inquiries. As a courtesy we encourage all buyers and sellers to reply to all communications.How do I buy an item on Camera Mart? Buying items in classifieds is very simple: First, contact the seller by using the "Reply to Ad" link located at the top of the ad. Use this form to send your questions and offers to the seller, and they reply to you via email. You work out pricing, shipping, and other details through email communication. Then ask the seller for a Paypal invoice or other method of payment. The entire transaction is done outside of the site. Important: New users should be careful and review our Safety Tips as well as our guide on avoiding scams. How do I make a search on products? On the left hand navigation menu near the top, you will find a section called "Search Classifieds." In the text box, type in the brand name, product type, or any other descriptive feature and hit "Search." Your search results will be displayed subsequently on the page. You may also make an Advanced Search by clicking on the "Advanced Search" link to narrow down your search criteria based on keywords, category, type, state, photo available, etc... If I want to view only Private Ads or only Dealer Ads, can I limit my search?
If you would like to see only Private Classified Ads, or only Dealer Ads, you can do so by selecting the "Advanced Search" link on the left navigation menu. Why didn't my search turn up any hits? Your search criteria may have been too narrow. Go back to the Search form and leave more of the search fields blank, or just click on the "Search for Matching Ads" button and do a general search. For the broadest possible search, simply click on the "Browse All Ads" button. How do I make a search finding users? On the left hand navigation menu, you will find a section called "Find User." In the text box, type in the username or email address and hit "Search." Your search results will be displayed subsequently on the page. You may also make an Advanced Search by clicking on the "Advanced Search" link to narrow down your search criteria based on keywords, category, type, state, photo available, etc... How do I leave feedback for the seller? Above each classified ad Description, there is a link "Give Feedback On User." To respond to a specific ad consisting of the item you purchased, please click on the "Give Feedback on User" link, and you will be directed to a feedback form. *Note: In a complete transaction, the buyer must leave feedback for the seller first. The seller will then be able to leave feedback on the buyer by responding to the buyer's feedback which is now located on the seller's account. Who qualifies as a Dealer? A Dealer is anyone who buys and sells for non-personal reasons. This includes businesses and distributors. I'm a Business/Dealer, can I sell my items on Camera Mart? We now have "Dealer Accounts" that allow for Dealer Ads from businesses. You can acquire these through 2 ways:
How can I advertise on Camera Mart? Click here for our rates. There are a variety of options, different banner types and advertising lengths you may choose from and we are always flexible with anything you have in mind. Please contact [email protected] for more information. How do I indicate what brands I sell? Dealers can indicate on their CM profile what brands they represent or sell. This is done in the edit profile page where dealers can search for and select the brands by clicking on them. When Dealers select what brands they sell, their information will be displayed in the brand page of the selected brands and in their dealer profile page. When members enter a brand name as a search term, dealer information will also be displayed under search results. Dealers and Commercial users with new or demo items for sale on CM must abide by our policy to list only items that are on clearance, on special, on sale, are trade in items, or otherwise have a special offer. No retail priced items allowed. If you have contractual obligations that disallow you from posting sale prices online, you can leave the price as $0 and indicate in the Classified ad title and in the description that the item is on sale or clearance. Who qualifies as a Premium User?
Any user can upgrade their account to a Premium User account (you can upgrade by clicking the "Go Premium" link at the bottom of the screen when you are logged in). A Premium user is someone who supports Camera Mart with a subscription but also receives some recognition and thanks for that support. Premium users also higher or unlimited monthly and yearly posting limits. Please click here for info on our Premium and Premium+ user account. My ad expired and my product was not sold. If I re-list the ad, will it count as another classified listing? Yes, relisting an ad counts as a classified posting for the month in which it is relisted, however, we encourage you to relist ads instead of placing new ones. It saves you time, does not count towards your yearly limit, and it also increases the chance that someone finds your ads through links such as Google searches. Why do I have to pay even though I am using Camera Mart for personal use and I am not a Dealer?
Camera Mart is free for all casual users who only need to sell a few items a year. Users who post more than their monthly or yearly limits are higher volume users. We ask that all such users help support the site. This is not about whether you make a living selling Cameras, Lenses and Photography Equipments, it is purely that we ask all users to support the site if they sell or trade more items than a casual user. For users who need to pay for services, we accept PayPal, Credit Card, Interac, Money Order and Cheque. Send payment using cheques and money orderCheques and Money Order can be mailed to our address, also found in your invoice. Please make sure to make all payments to Canuck Digital Media Inc:
Payments to: Send payment using Interac e-TransferInterac e-Transfer is a simple, and nearly instant alternative that lets you log into your bank account online and send money via our email. Paying by Interac is easy, secure, costs you only $1.50 (cheaper than Paypal), and is the fastest way to pay for services. Our payee address is [email protected] (please make Interac e-Tranfer to Canuck Digital Media Inc and send us the security answer for deposit, or we will not be able to receive your payment properly). To pay using Interac e-Transfer, log into your bank account and look for instructions. Learn more about e-Transfer here. Send payment using PayPalPayPal is a simple, instant and secure payment method that allows you make payment with your bank account, credit cards (Visa/Master Card) or even your PayPal balance. To pay using PayPal, visit the My subscription page and make payments from there. DO NOT SEND PAYPAL PAYMENTS DIRECTLY. It will be NOT be correctly credited to your account and the amount will NOT be refunded. When can I use the PM system in the forums? As a security and anti-spam feature, our forums do not allow newly registered members to use the PM system. However, after posting more than 2 forum posts, you will become a regular registered member, who can make good use of our PM system. This PM minimum is not in any way an attempt to limit communication between members, it is intended to reduce spam in our PM system and keep it a healthy way to communicate between users. We have found that implementing this system has reduced PM spam significantly because spammers do not have the chance to post enough forum posts in order to start sending PMs. What is the PM "Outbox" and why are my messages not showing up as Sent? The PM system is not our own design, it is an off the shelf part of our forum software. One part of the PM system that confuses many users is the "Outbox" and the "Sent" box. When you first send a PM it is immediately available to be read by the recipient(s), yet it shows up in your Outbox instead of your Sent box. Emails in your Outbox are already sent to the recipient, however, they remain in the Outbox until the recipient reads it. Unfortunately, this is not an intuitive concept and confuses many members. Rest assured that when you send a PM the recipient can read it right away and whether you see it in the Outbox or Sent box the PM is available to be read immediately. Camera Mart is FREE! |
