Canada-wide Astronomy Buy & Sell
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– updated Jan. 8, 2008
How do I enter an ad?
Click on "Place /
Update Ad" from the menu (at the top left of any page). Then sign-in using
your user name and password, then click on "Place Ad" from the menu
(at the top left of the page). If it is your first time using AstroBuySell, you
will first have to register. Follow the “register”
link provided on that same page.
Is placing ads really free?
Yes. All private, not-for-profit ads
can be placed free of charge. See below
for more information on appropriate free advertising.
NOTE: Manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers,
or service providers (whether full-time, part-time, or spare-time) cannot advertise for
free.
How do I look at the ads?
From the menu (at the top
of any page) click on "Browse Ads". On that page, you will have
several choices. The most used choice is the "Show All ### Ads (starting
with most recent)".
Click here for step-by-step instructions. This option will show you all ads from
most recent to oldest. Otherwise you can specify exactly what you want to see
by selecting from the menus on that page. For example, if you want to see all
refracting telescopes for sale that are still "active" in
How do I see the details for each ad?
When browsing the ads,
you will only be shown the "preview" for each ad. To read the full
details of an ad, click on "For Sale" or "Wanted" or
"For Trade" in the second column.
Can I delete my ad after I sell/find my
item?
No. You can mark your ad
"sold" or "found" or “cancelled”, then archive
your ad. When you archive your ad, your contact information is no longer shown!
The reason we do not allow ads to be deleted is because the accumulation of ads
creates an excellent reference database for used astronomical goods. By
browsing old ads, one can see the availability and pricing of used equipment.
What are the guidelines for free ads?
Free advertising is typically for items that meet this criteria:
- Single items (not a quantity of the same item)
- Usually the items are used
- The seller does not profit from the sale of the items
- Must be related to the hobby of astronomy
What do you consider inappropriate free
advertising?
- Multiple quantities of the same item
- Any kind of service
- Repeatedly placing ads with the intent of making a profit
- Repeatedly selling “brand new, never used” items
- Manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, or dealers (whether full-time,
part-time, or spare-time) cannot advertise for free
- Items on consignment with a dealer or retailer
What are some examples of
inappropriate free advertising?
- Buying quantities of equipment at a close-out sale and re-selling it on
AstroBuySell at a profit
- Buying items on eBay and re-selling them on AstroBuySell at a higher price
- Offering to modify DSLR cameras or web cams for a fee because you are an
electronics expert
- Building items in your garage workshop and selling them on AstroBuySell
- Your telescope is for sale on consignment at a dealer and your ad refers
people to the dealer.
Why are you so strict about free advertising?
Because there are legitimate businesses tying to make a living by selling
astronomy equipment. These businesses have large overheads (rent, salaries,
taxes, advertising, etc) to pay and do not deserve to be undercut by spare-time
“dealers” who don’t have any of these expenses. Please support our astronomy retailers and
dealers… without them we’d have nowhere to buy our equipment.
Can businesses place ads?
Yes, but first you must
become a sponsor. Note that there is a small charge
for placing commercial classified ads.
How does my business become a sponsor?
If you are interested in commercial advertising,
please contact elsie <at> astrobuysell <dot> com for details and include the name of your
business, your business' web page address, and specify whether you are a
manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, or service provider. The most common
method of advertising is to purchase a banner space (large banner on the
main page, small banner on subsequent pages). Some customers also choose to
place classified ads as well, but there is an additional charge. There is
no option to purchase only classified ads (i.e. banner space must be purchased
first).
What are "featured ads"?
These are pay ads. The advantage of
"featured ads" is that they are featured on the front page of
AstroBuySell. Featured ads also appear on top of the listing and never
"sink to the bottom", thus they are much more prominent and cannot be
missed by prospective buyers! See the link on the main page for complete
details. Featured ads are not available to commercial advertisers.