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Using the Consumer Exchange
Auction Manager
Getting Started
To get started, simply fill out the form on the Add
New Product page. Be sure to give complete information, as that will
help potential bidders make a more informed buying decision. Don't forget
that fields marked with an asterisk must have information entered into
them. Once you complete the form, click the 'Save & Preview' button to
get an idea of how your product will look once on the auction site (NOTE:
many fields will have "TBD" in them until you go to create an auction).
If you want to make changes, you may toggle back and forth as often as
you like using the 'Edit' button until you are satisfied with how it appears.
When you are ready, simply click on the 'Save' button - your new product
will be saved to the database and you will be taken to the View My
Products page. You can also click on the 'Create New Auction' button
if you are ready to build an auction. If you want to go back without saving
any changes, click 'Cancel this Product.' Note that if you have created
an auction using a product, that product will be "frozen," meaning you
will be unable to edit it. If you have changes to make for future auctions,
use the 'Create Similar Product' feature on the View My Products
page.
Field Definitions
Product name:
Describe what the product is in just a few words. For example, Sony TV,
Pentium II 400MHz Computer, Antique Chair, etc. You have a limit of 30
characters.
Short description:
Give some short details about the product. For example, 27" screen with
Picture in Picture, 128MB RAM 10GB hard drive 32X CD-ROM, 18th Century
French, etc. You have a limit of 100 characters.
Detailed description:
Here is where you can give bidders all of the details they could ever
want. You should list all the features and benefits possible that will
help sell your product and answer a potential buyer's questions. This
includes a very detailed description of the product's condition (more
detailed than in the "Condition" field below). Please note that we will
not accept HTML formatting.
Manufacturer name:
List the name of the company that produced the product.
Manufacturer part number:
Include the number stamped or inscribed by the original manufacturer.
Vendor part number:
If you are reselling the product and you use your own product numbering
system, enter your part number here.
Shipping weight:
Enter the total weight in pounds, always round up to the next pound. Don't
forget to include the weight of the shipping container.
Warranty:
If you are providing warranty coverage for your product, include the terms
here. For example: 90 days parts and labor. You have a limit of 100 characters.
Picture file:
The picture must be a 200 x 200-pixel JPEG file, 72dpi, less than 10 KB
in size, preferably on a white background. Pictures measuring larger or
smaller than 200 x 200 pixels will be sized to fit, and will likely yield
undesirable results. If you wish to upload the picture file to our database,
check the box above the picture file field and then click the 'Browse'
button to locate the file on your hard drive or network. If you return
to this page before the product is "frozen" (see Getting Started, above),
you can change or add a picture file by simply checking the box above
the picture field and using the browse feature.
Picture caption:
For an extra boost, you can give your product picture a caption. You have
a limit of 50 characters.
Category:
Click on the drop-down list and select the product category into which your product best fits. You must select a First, Second and Third level category for each product to create.
There is a limit of three separate category listings per product.
Shop Departments:
These are your custom shop departments in uBid Shops. The auctions within
these departments will appear in your uBid Shop.
Condition:
Click on the drop-down list and choose the description of your product's
condition. You can choose from "New," "Refurbished," or "Used." Use "Used"
for any other condition, and be sure to add concise details about the
condition in 'Detailed Description' above. Misrepresenting a product's
condition (e.g., declaring a product is new when it isn't) is prohibited
and grounds for revocation of auction privileges.
Product requirements:
Here is where you list anything that a purchaser would need to have in
order to use the product. For example if you are auctioning a hard drive,
you might say "Pentium 166 or higher, 32 MB RAM, Win 98 or NT. You have
a limit of 300 characters.
Package contents:
Include all the extras that come with your product, such as manuals, cables,
batteries, or anything that adds value to your merchandise. You have a
limit of 500 characters. Enter "None" if this is not applicable.
Shipping restrictions:
If you have any restrictions regarding shipping destinations, enter
that information here. For example, U.S. only, Overseas shipping extra,
etc. You have a limit of 100 characters.
Notice:
If there are any other details you want to include about your product,
this is the place to do it. You can include disclaimers, special promotional
information, or other details. For example, VCR not included, available
in black only, etc. You have a limit of 200 characters.
Payment Methods Accepted:
Please check all the payment methods you will accept for this product.
Include any online payment services you accept as well as any other forms
of payment acceptable to you.
Product cost:
Enter the amount the product costs you. This information is for your records
only, and will never appear on the auction site. Leave this field blank
if it does not apply.
Return policy:
Use this space to tell bidders whether you accept returns, and what your
restrictions are. For example, 30-day exchange only, D.O.A., 15-day money
back, etc. You have a limit of 100 characters.
Specifications:
For products that have a list of specifications, measurements, or other
data that needs to be included, you can add that here. For example, you
could list the dimensions of a tv, or the number of CDs in a stereo. You
have a limit of 1,000 characters.
Ship from location:
Enter the state or province and city from which your merchandise will
ship after the auction closes.
Ship from postal code:
Enter the postal code for the location from which the merchandise will
be shipped. This is important, as this helps determine the cost of shipping.
Shipping method:
You must select a shipping method from our list of options so that potential
bidders know the carriers that you use. You are responsible for shipping
the product and charging the customer.
Customer Contact:
If a bidder has a question about your product, they need a way to
contact you. Provide a name and either an e-mail address, phone or pager
number of someone who can provide details about your product.
Viewing Products
The View Products page lists all of the products you have entered
in your personal database at uBid. You can delete a product, view a product,
create a new or similar product, and create an auction for one of your
products.
Field Definitions
Viewing, Editing or Deleting a Product
Creating New or Similar Products
Creating an Auction
Viewing, editing or deleting a product:
To see a particular product's details, click on the Product ID number
for the product you want to look at. A page similar to the Add New Product
page with complete details of that product will be brought up. If you
want to make any changes, simply click on the appropriate field and do
so. When you are finished, click the 'Save & Preview' button to verify
your changes. If you want to make more changes, use the 'Edit This Product'
button. When you are ready, simply click on the 'Save This Product' button
or on the 'Put This Product Up For Auction' button if you are ready to
build an auction. If you want to delete this product, click 'Delete This
Product.' Please see Adding a New Product for details on the information
you need to provide. Deleting product from this page only deletes the
product listing from your inventory, not from a current or pending Auction.
Items that are in a current auction, or are on deck, may not be deleted.
Please contact Customer
Care for further information.
NOTE: If you have not placed the product you created in an auction
before, you may still make changes to it as long as it is in a "pending"
status. Verify the status by looking on the View Auctions page.
If the product has been used as a template for previous auctions, you
must either create a new or similar product to add your changes. Use the
'Create Similar Product' feature on the View Products page.
Creating new or similar products:
If you want to add another product to your list, click on the 'Add New
Product' button, which will bring you to the Add New Product page. Sometimes,
you may have a product that is similar to another one you have already
entered. In that case choose the product you want to imitate and click
on 'Create Similar Product.' A new product number will be created for
you and the Add New Product page will open, but all data fields will contain
the data from the original product. All you need to do is change the fields
that are different for the new (but similar) product you want to enter.
As always, please see Adding a New Product for details on the information
you need to provide.
Creating an auction:
If you want to create an auction for one of your products, click on the
'Create Auction' button next to the appropriate product. Please see Creating
Auctions for more details.
Creating an Auction
Page
To build auctions, you will use products you have already entered in the
uBid database. Soon, over millions of online consumers per month will
have the opportunity to bid on your merchandise! If you haven't created
any products yet, you can do so now on the Add New Product page.
To get going, all you need to do is complete the fields on the form on
the Create New Auction page. Once you complete the form, click the 'Preview'
button to see how your auction will look to bidders. If you want to make
changes you may toggle back and forth using the 'Modify' button as often
as you like until you are satisfied with how it appears. When you are
happy with how the auction looks, simply click on the 'Save' button. If
you want to delete the auction completely, click 'Cancel Auction.' If
you click on 'Discard Changes,' fields will be cleared, and you can start
over.
Field Definitions
Auction ID:
This is the number assigned by the system to the auction when you created
it. When you have several auctions going at once, this helps you keep
track of them all.
Product ID:
This is the number assigned by the system to the product you created on
the Add New Product page. When you have dozens of products in our database,
this helps you keep track of them all.
Product Name:
This is the type of merchandise description you entered when creating
the product.
Product Category:
This is the product category where your auction will appear on the uBid
website.
Shop Departments:
These are your custom shop departments in uBid Shops. The auctions within
these departments will appear in your uBid Shop.
Auction Quantity:
This is the number of items you are putting up for auction. Make sure
you have sufficient quantity on hand to fulfill all winning bids once
the auction ends.
Opening Price:
Enter the minimum price that a customer can bid to start the auction.
You may set this opening bid price to any specific dollar amount, and
customers will not be able to place a bid lower than that amount. Remember,
uBid.com does not have a reserve price; auctions can and do close for
the opening bid price.
Bid Increment:
This is the amount by which a bidder can increase his or her bid above
a current winning bid to get into (or stay in) your auction. For products
that have a relatively high sale value, larger bid increments are a good
idea in order to help the auction reach true market value faster. Products
with a lower sale value should have a smaller bid increment.
Minimum Bid Quantity:
Some auctions may warrant selling your merchandise in numbers greater
than one. For example, if you have 10 individual speakers, you might want
to auction them off in pairs. In that case, you could set the minimum
bid quantity at 2.
Auction Type:
The Bid Butler automatically increases a customer's bid (up to a limit that he
or she selects) to keep them in the auction. You can review the detailed
Bid Butler rules by clicking here. This
is an especially convenient feature if your auction is longer.
Auction Duration:
Select the number of days you want your auction to last from the pull-down
menu. The auction will begin at the time you select below. Longer auctions
give more potential bidders a chance to participate, while shorter auctions
may be attractive to bidders who want to get your merchandise right away.
Requested Open Date:
Enter the date you would like your auction to start. Please use the MM/DD/YYYY
format. Please note that auctions can not be set up more than one month
in advance, and they cannot be set to begin on a day in the past.
Requested Open Time:
Enter the time you wish the auction to open, and click on either the AM
or PM button. This will be Pacific Time. Note that an auction cannot be
set to begin at a time that has already past (see Open Date above).
Actual Open/Close Dates:
These are the dates assigned by the uBid auction system to begin and end
your auction. In most cases, these will be the dates and times you requested
when you created the auction. However, there may be occasional instances
in which an auction is delayed. In those instances, the auction will begin
as close to the requested start date and time as possible.
Reserve Price:
To ensure you receive the price at which you are willing to sell your item, or
if you are unsure of the real value of the item, you may enter a Reserve Price.
A reserve price auction is one that the seller has specified a dollar amount
(unknown to the bidders) that must be met before he is obligated to sell the
item(s). Simply enter the minimum dollar amount you are willing to sell your
item when you create your auction. The reserve price will be known to you, but
bidders will only know that the auction has a reserve price that has or has not
been met. The auction will not be considered successful unless a bidder places a
bid that meets or exceeds the Reserve Price. There is a non-refundable fee of $.50
charged for every Reserve Price auction that opens.
Please note that a bidder within one bid increment of meeting the reserve price
will be prompted to place another bid on the item to meet or exceed the reserve
price and win the auction with similar text on the bid confirmation page:
Your bid was received successfully. But the Reserve Price was not met! Good News!
Your current bid of $199 is within one bid increment of meeting or exceeding the
reserve price of this auction. So, if you simply increase your bid to $209 in the
"Your Bid Price" box below, you will meet or exceed the reserve price...which gives
you a chance to win this auction!
View Auctions
On the View Auctions page, you see all of your auction activity
at a glance. You can view any auction by clicking on the Auction ID number.
The current status of the auction determines what kind of information
you get.
Field Definitions
Pending:
These auctions have been created, and are waiting in a "pool" until it
is time for them to be prepared for auction. If you choose to view a pending
auction, you will see the 'Update Pending Auction' screen, which is nearly
identical to a completed Create New Auction screen. You can make changes
to your auction and click 'Preview' when you are finished to see how those
changes will look on the auction page. If you want to make more changes,
use the 'Modify' button. When you have it the way you want, simply click
on the 'Save' button. If you want to remove this auction from the pool,
click on the 'Cancel Auction' button. Please see Create
New Auction for details on the information you may need to provide.
Auctions will automatically move to "on deck" status 15 minutes before
the auction is to go live. Note that if the requested opening date of
an auction has already passed, it cannot be put on deck. You must click
on the auction ID number and edit the Auction Open Date. See Create
New Auction for details.
NOTE: If you have not placed the product you created in an auction
before, you may still make changes to it as long as it is in a "pending"
status by going to the View Products page. If this product has been used
as a template for previous auctions, you must either create a new or similar
product to add your changes. Use the 'Create Similar Product' feature
on the View Products page.
On Deck:
These auctions are auctions that have been pulled from the pending pool
and are being prepared by the system to go live on the uBid website. Once
an auction is on deck, it cannot be changed or canceled; an on deck auction
may only be cancelled by contacting Consumer
Exchange Support. Viewing an on deck auction will supply you with
the auction details you entered when you created the auction.
NOTE: When an auction has been placed in "on deck" status, you
must either create a new or similar product if you want to make changes
to future auctions. Use the 'Create Similar Product' feature on the View
Products page."
Open:
These auctions are live and making you money! You can either view the
auction details you entered when you created it, or you can go to the
auction page itself and see just what your customers are seeing, by clicking
on 'View Auction In Progress.' Once an auction is open, it cannot be changed;
auctions may only be cancelled if there are no live bids on them. You
must contact Consumer Exchange Support
if you need to cancel a live auction.
Closed:
Auctions listed here have ended and a winner or winners have been determined.
Clicking on a closed auction gives you a wealth of valuable data. Here's
what you'll get:
Close Date
This is the date that bidding on a particular product closed and winners
were notified.
Total Bids
This is the total number of bids placed for a product in a specific auction.
Unique Bidders
This is the number of different people who placed a bid in an auction.
Average Sell Price
This is the average amount each product was auctioned to the customer
for.
Maximum Price
This is the amount that the highest winning bidder paid for a product
in that auction.
Minimum Price
This is the amount that the lowest winning bidder paid for a product in
that auction.
Total Sale
This is the total amount paid by all winning bidders in a specific auction.
This number does not include sale taxes or other costs.
Auction Winners
This shows the name, email and winning bid price, for each winner in your
auction. This section also gives you the opportunity to post a rating
for each winner as well as view each winners' ratings.
NOTE: You can post a rating only for those buyers who were involved
in your auction. Once a communication has been established with the winner,
and a method of payment has been agreed upon, please ship your merchandise
to the customer.
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