PURSEXCHANGE USER'S GUIDE
b>We suggest you read through this step-by-step guide of how to use purseXchange.com, a purse swapping and trading website. You can defenately use the site without reading the User's Guide. However, it will make your experience much better knowing all the ins and outs of the site. Below are a list of "How To..."'s. <
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What Is purseXchange.com?
purseXchange.com is a place where people (users) can trade their purses/bags for another user's purse/bag. It's Simple! Star by creating an account. Second, load purses into your inventory. Third, start trading! Click the plus symbol to read more.
How purseXchange.com works…
Once you are ready for your first trade, you'll have to make or receive and offer for a purse or handbag. Let's say someone saw one of your bags in a search results, then they made an offer to swap for one of your purse or handbag.
This starts the "Xchange period". You have 7 days from this point to either except or decline the offer. During this time you may get other offers for this purse that you may or may not want to accept. You are not obligated to trade at any time, so don't feel like you have to pick one. Of course, the more trades you have, the better your rating and the better the purses you'll be able to trade for. Let's say someone offer you the purse that you were going to buy anyway. You can either end the Xchange now or you can wait for the full 7 days. Waiting the full Xchange period allows you to potentially get better offers. But, if you got offered the purse of your dreams, you can accept it now and start the trading period.
The trading period starts when you accept a purse. You will each get an xchange detail of the transaction and are expect to send your purse to each other. At this time you will want to message each other and exchange addresses of where to ship each package. You have 7 days at this stage to prepair and ship the item. For tips on how to prepare and ship your bag, click here. You are expected to make the trade quickly and honestly. If you do not, you could have your account deactivated. It might also affect your user rating, thus lowering your chance to get that great deal.
After you have received you're your new purse, we encourage you to give the user a rating. The goal is to maintain a 4 or 5 rating. If you have a low rating, no one will want to trade with you. Then what's the point.
We hope you enjoy your time on purseXchange.com, Thank you for joining the community.
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How to Register
If you are not a member of purseXchange.com yet, then now's the time to create that account and start trading your purses today! You can get started by either clicking on the "Sign Me Up" button on the home page. You can also click on the "register" link at the top, near the logo. You will then be directed to the registration page.
Name and Location (Required)
You must provide us with your name, City, State and Zip Code. This is information that stays private and is not given to anyone else. Be sure to be honest, it's important when you are shipping a purse. The address should also be the same as the shipping address.
User Names (Required)
Usernames are case sensitive, and the first letter of all usernames is automatically capitalized. By default, your username appears in your signature on posts or messages.
Choosing a username
Depending on how much anonymity you want to preserve, you may wish to base your username on your real name or a familiar nickname, or use a pseudonym which you do not use elsewhere.
Your username can not…
Your username should not give the impression that your account has permissions which it does not have. Thus it should not contain the terms "administrator", "bureaucrat", "steward", "checkuser", "oversight" or similar terms like "admin", "sysop" or "moderator", or end with "bot", which is used to identify bot accounts.
You should not register under any name that would lead others to assume your account is associated with any person other than yourself. If you share the same name as a well known person, or you are a well known person, and you wish to edit under your own name, then your userpage should make it clear whether you actually are the well known person or not. Usernames that appear to violate this policy to the extent of being problematic are likely to be blocked, as a precaution, until it can be confirmed that the user in question is using his or her real name.
If you have been blocked for using your real name, please don't take offense; this procedure is necessary to prevent impersonation. The best way to combat this up front, is to not use your real name.
Explicit use of a company or group name as a username will result in your username being blocked Accounts that represent a group or company are not permitted and will be deactivated.
You are not allowed to use any obsenity in you username. This is not permitted and will be deactivated.
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Passwords (Required)
passwords are case sensitive. They must be at least 6-12 characters. You may user numbers and letters, but don't have to.
User Names (Required)
Usernames are case sensitive, and the first letter of all usernames is automatically capitalized. By default, your username appears in your signature on posts or messages.
Email Address (Required)
We use your email address to send you information about your account, updates and news. If you do not use your own email address, you will not be able to participate in trades on this site.
Terms and Conditions
You must accept the terms and conditions before submitting your registration. These terms are in place to protect everyone using the site.
Submit
Once you have all your correct information, spell checked it and accepted the Terms and Conditions, you must click "Submit." You will then be directed to a page where you can upload an image for your profile. You may skip this step and go straight to your account.
Email Verification
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How To Sign In
You can sign in to you account in several different ways. The Member sign in is always located on the home page. You can also click on the "sign in" link at the top, near the logo. The third way you can sign in is by clicking on the "My Account" button in the main navigation. A member sign in page will appear for you to log in.
How To Change Account Information
From your account, you can click on the link "Edit Profile." This is where you will can change your location, password or email address. Each field will be populated with your current information. Simply retype the information in the field or you can click the "Clear Form" button at the bottom to start from scratch.
After editing your information, click "Save" button at the bottom. You can then use the "Return to Inventory" button to return to your account.
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How To Change/Upload Your Profile Image
If you choose to, you can skip this step and have a generic image as you profile image until a later date. We suggest that you upload an image as soon as possible after registering. Profile images are a good way for other users to recognize you. Also, you may get less offers without a profile image.
Uploading An Image
From your account, you can click on the link "Edit Photo." The "Edit Profile" and "Edit Photo" options are on the same page.
To upload an image, simply click "Browse" to locate the image you would like to use. Select the image and clck "open". You must then click "Save" at the bottom of the page to continue.
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Restrictions
Your profile image must be no larger than 50k in size and must be in one of the folloing formats. .jpg, .gif, .png
You are not allowed to use any obsene image. This is not permitted and your account will be deactivated.
You are not allowed to use any logos or company branding in any way.
You are not allowed to use an image that is copywrited or is not your own.
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How To Add A Purse
This is a title that summarizes your purse for others to see. You will want to make the title short, try to stay within 7 words. This is the thing people will browse when searching, so you might make the title something that people will want to click on.
Again, please be honest. If you are not honest to the community, you will get a lower rating and no one will want to trade with you.
Purse Title
This is a title that summarizes your purse for others to see. You will want to make the title short, try to stay within 7 words. This is the thing people will browse when searching, so you might make the title something that people will want to click on.
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Purse Description
Please describe your purse in more detail. Don't forget to use keywords and phrases in the description to help the search. Keywords are important for our search engine. The more descriptive you are about the purse, the better your chances of being found and thus getting an offer. Use words such as, red, clean, leather, evening, etc…
Example: Please describe a purse here, Karen.
Purse Quality Rating
We have set up a system of rating your purse by averaging the rating that you give to both the inside quality and outside quality. You need to select a ating between 1 - 5 (highest) stars for the quality for both the inside and outside. To judge the quality, inspect the bag and note all defects. If your purse, has a stain on the outside, then you will want to list it in the description, and give it a less than 5 star rating. Use your best judgment and be honest.
Faux Bags
Here is where the honesty really comes into play. If your bag is a faux or fake designer bag, please, please, please be honest and check the box next to this line. We suggest that you keep the receipts of any designer bags that you own. This will ensure the quality and integrity of the bag. Please mention the receipt in the description.
If you are caught trying to pass off a faux bag for the real thing, you account will be deactivated.
Purse Detail
We have researched what you will need to know about a purse before you trade it. In this section you will find Category, Color, Material, Brand name, Price at purchase, purse height, purse width and strap lenth. All of these are here to make your purse more searchable and more desirable to other users. We suggest that you fill out as much information as possible.
Category, Color and Material options are already put into the system for you. If your purse doesn't fit any items out of the list, please choose "other" from the drop down.
When you begin typing the first few letters of the brand name, the full name should automaticly populate for you. If it isn't in our system, please make sure you are spelling the name correctly. To check the spelling, simply type the name into your google search bar and see what happens. If it isn't spelled correctly, google will give you the correct spelling.
You can round to the nearest dollar when putting in the amount at purchase. Please use US dollars for the price.
How to measure your purse:
Have images here for examples.
Please use inches for length measurements.
Please round to then nearest inch.
Is your purse brand new? If so, be sure to check the box that appropriately describes your purse. You have two options, with tags and without tags.
Additional Features
Some times purse come with cool little gadgets and accessories. This is the area that you'll want to include them.
You will want to separate each item with a comma when typing them in.
Example: Cellphone case, Matching Key Chain, Pocket book".
Upload Images
You may upload one primary image and up to five additional images of the purse. It's good to have pictures of the front, back, sides and inside. Your images can be no more than 800 pixels wide or 600 pixels high. The may not exceed 150k.
Landscape images are the best format to photograph your purses and to view on the site. Please see our section on how to photograph you purse. We will take you through the proper way to photograph your purse step by step.
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How To Edit Your Purses Information
If you click n "Edit Purse" of a particular purse/bag, you will be directed to screen that looks just like the screen where you added a purse. This is where you can edit and save information.
All the information that you input when you added this purse will be already filled in for you. All the text and drop-downs can be changed. Simply change what needs to be changed and click save at the bottom of the page.
You will also be able to change the images of your purse/bag. Once you have navigated to the new image on your computer, click upload to see the current image change. Click Save at the bottom to store all the information that you changed.
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How To Make An Offer
An offer is when you offer one of the purse/bags from your inventory for a purse/bag in another user's inventory. To make an offer on a user's purse, there are several ways this can be done.
From the Search
You can make an offer from the search results only if it is not already in an Xchange period. But, don't let that scare you off. You can still make an offer on a purse that already has offers. Simply click on either the "Make An Offer" or "Xchange Detail" buttons.
From Xchange Detail
The Xchange Detail is where you will find information about a purse/bag that has offers on it. You will see the purse that is up for bidding and all the offers made on it so far. You can make an offer on the purse by clicking the "MAKE AN OFFER" button.
From Purse Detail
Each purse/bag has a purse detail when they are added to an inventory. This is all the information about the purse/bag. You can make an offer from this page at any time. You can even make an offer on a purse that is in an Xchange with another user. Who knows maybe they'll drop out of that Xchange and enter one with you.
From Inventory
You will be able to make an offer from any user's inventory. Click on the user link or on "View Inventory" link in their profile.
Making the Offer
Once you have found the purse that you really want, click the "Make An Offer" button and start the process. On this page, you will see the user's profile and purse at the top. Under the purse you want will be your inventory. You can choose any purse from your inventory that you wish. If you have a purse that is inactive and you want to offer that one, you will have to activate it through your account.
Once you have decided which one would be the perfect trade, click on the "Offer This Purse" next to the purse you want to offer.
Offer Confirmation
Now you have to double check the purses, accept the terms and confirm the offer. You can also send the user a message with the offer. Maybe there is a story behind the purse or you just want to tell them how much you want their purse. This is the place to do that. Click the "CONFIRM OFFER" button. You will both get emails notices about the offer. Your offer has been made and now it's time to sit back and see if you win the purse.
Note: You can offer more than one purse from your inventory for a particular purse/bag. You may only trade one of the bags unless that you make it clear to the User that you are offering both bags for the one.
How To Accept An Offer
You can only accept an offer if it your purse that people are bidding on. It is assumed that if you offered a purse for another, that you would accept the trade.
To accept an offer, simply click the button next to the word "ACCEPT" . You will be prompted to make sure this is what you want to do. Click Yes and the trade has been confirmed.
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How To Search For A Purse
From any page you can click on the "SEARCH" button at the top.
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Search Results
The page will automaticly have search results listed. The are the most recent uploaded purses. Under the "Refine Your Search" section you will see the listings. You can sort the listings in three ways. They are; "Most Recent Uploads", "Highest Rated Purses" and " Most Popular Purses".
Advanced Search
If you are looking for a particular purse or kind of purse, the advanced search is the place to do that. Here you can search by one or by all of the categories. You can select, "purse category", including; vintage, casual, evening and more. You can select, "Purse Color", "Purse Material" and "Brand Name". If you don't know how to spell the brand name, our search will help you by helping you along. Or, you can do a more general search using key words or phrases. When you click "Search" the list will populate below and you can sort them from this point.
How To Check Your Messages
From your profile you will see "New Messages:" right under "New Offers:" If you have new messages, it will be represented by a number, followed by the words "ALL". If you have no new messages, it will just say "ALL". When viewing your messages, new message will always appear first. You can sort those messages by the drop-down menu at the to of your messages.
How To Check Your New Offers
If you have new offers for one of your purses, then that will be represented in your Profile. At the top of your profile you will see "New Offers:" and a number. The number tells you how many new offers you may have. Click on the number to view the offers. If you have no new offers you can still look at the "Xchange History:" by clicking on the link in your profile. Please see the section on viewing your Xchange History.
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Making A Purse Active or Inactive
To make a purse in your inventory active or inactive, you must first be in your account. You will always see your inventory with editing options. This is different when viewing another user's profile.
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To make a purse active click on the button next to the word "ACTIVE". This is the same for making a purse "INACTIVE". That purse will then display an "Xchange Status" as In Active.
Note: After an Xchange has been completed. The purses will switch inventories and automaticly be inactive. If you choose to make that new purse available for trade right away, you'll have to go into your account and manually make the purse active.
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How To Delete A Purse From Your Inventory
We suggest not deleting a purse from your inventory, simply making the purse inactive will take it off the market for trade. But, if for some curcumstance, you need to delete the purse, we will tell you how.
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To delete a purse you must be viewing your inventory from your account. Simply click the button labled "DELETE PURSE'. You will be promted to make sure you really want to do this. If you click yes, all information and images for that purse will be deleted. It will be removed from your inventory.
Note: After an Xchange has been completed. The purses will switch inventories and automaticly be inactive. You do not have to worry about removing it from your inventory at all.
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Viewing Your Xchange History
Once you have made an offer or an offer has been made to you, those Xchanges will show up in your Xchange History. If you have no Xchanges completed or in progress, then your history will be empty.
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From your profile, click on the “Xchange History” link to go to a new page.
The page has two parts, the offers you have made and the offers made to you. You can sort the message with the drop-down menu next to the page heading.
You can view the details of each purse that is being offered, or you can view the “Xchange Detail”. There are three types of Xchange details.
1. The Accepted Offer
This page will show an offer that has been accepted and the details of that trade.
2. The Declined Offer
This page shows you that your offer has been declined.
3. The Xchange In Progress
This page shows the Xchange that is still in progress. It will show the purse that’s up for bid and all the current bids.
User Rating
The User Rating is based on the rating given to you by the person you traded with. The key to getting a good rating and ultimately getting good trade, is to be absolutely 100% honest about your purses. If you represent the purse well and ship the purse in a timely manner, there is no reason you shouldn't have a high rating.
Purse Rating
The Purse Rating is a combination of two ratings. Your inside and outside quality of the purse. If the bag has a torn liner, then you will give that bag less than 5 stars. If there is a stain that you can't get out, then you'll rate that less than 5. Again, be honest and you'll have a great experience, not to mention a great new bag.
How To Contact The Administrator
To contact the administrator please fill out the small form under the "Contact Us" link in the footer (bottom of the page). Please allow 48 hours for the administrator to respond. Please inform us of any problems or schemes.
How To Care For And Clean Your Purse
There are many different types of materials that purses are made out of. Each type requires a different method of cleaning. To find out how to properly clean your bag, please see our section in "TIPS & CARE" on how to clean you purses. Help your purses to stay newer looking by following some of these simple tips.
Click Here.
How To Store Your Purses
Many women own several purses and storing them can be a problem, especially if there are many to store. Not only is there the issue of finding space to put them, but also caring for them is an issue so that the next time one is taken out it looks as beautiful as the first day it was made.
Please see our section in "TIPS & CARE" on how to store you purses. Help your purses to stay newer looking by following some of these simple tips.
Click Here.
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How To Ship Your Purse
This step is probably one the most important in the process. You want that bag to show up just as it was described. It's important to send a protected bag, so that it isn't damaged in the shipping process. You will need to contact the purse that you are trading with for address.
First take your purse from storage. Please see our section in "TIPS & CARE" on how to store you purses. Click Here. You will need to clean your purse. Doing this before you store the purse will cut down time and frustration later. please see our section in "TIPS & CARE" on how to clean you purses.
Click Here.
If you haven't stored your purse stuffed with tissue paper to retain it's shape, then you will need to stuff the purse with paper at this point. Remember to protect your purse from damage. Wrap any metal on the purse with tissue paper. Then wrap the entire bag with tissue paper.
Place the wrapped bag into a box appropriate to the size. You need to stuff the box with something to keep the bag from sliding around and banging up against the sides of the box. We suggest using shipping peanuts, but you can use tissue paper. Do not use newspaper. The ink from the paper can rub off and stain the purse.
Once the bag is properly packed, close the box and, using shipping tape, seal the box. Make sure that the box is sealed, so that it won't accidently open during the shipping process.
At this point you can take the package to the nearest post office, UPS or Fedex Drop off. You are responsible for the shipping charges or your bag.
Please make sure that, once your Xchange has been accepted, you ship your bag off to the other user within 7 days.