- Antiques
- Art
- Bags, Purses & Briefcases
- Bath and Beauty
- Books and Magazines
- Cameras and Photography
- Candles
- Ceramics and Pottery
- Clothing (Men)
- Clothing (Women)
- Collectibles
- Computers
- Crafts
- DVDs and Movies
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Glassware
- Holidays
- Home and Garden
- Home Decor
- Jewelry and Watches
- Music
- Pets
- Sporting Goods
Getting Started
- So, what is BoomerBazaar?
- Sounds great! But where do I start?
- If I have questions, how do I contact BoomerBazaar?
Registering
Logging In and Logging Out
Buying and Selling
- What are the fees to buy and sell on BoomerBazaar?
- How do I list an item to sell on BoomerBazaar?
- Is there a time limit to how long an item can remain listed?
- How do I purchase items listed on BoomerBazaar?
- How can I contact a seller?
Managing Your Account
Getting Started
You're a baby boomer. You're downsizing. Or, perhaps your parents are at a point where they're making changes in their lives.
With all these changes, you're left with a lot of STUFF!
BoomerBazaar provides you a platform to list and sell the "stuff" that you just don't need anymore, but yet could be used by someone else.
After dropping by and listing items to sell, head on over to Boomer U, our blog, and expand your craniums with advice on caregiving, travel, cooking, Alzheimer's, dementia, and topics that will help you on your boomer journey!
Sounds great! But where do I start?
New to BoomerBazaar? No problem!
Question now is, what do you want to do?
Browse Listed Items
If you're just arriving and you want to whet your appetite to see what others have listed, simply choose a category from the menu at the left of your screen:
Or, if you've landed on the Home page, you can choose from the listings that appear in the middle of your screen:
Register and Get Started!
Ready to get your feet wet? Head on over to the section on registering to learn what you need to do to get started buying and selling!
If I have questions, how do I contact BoomerBazaar?
Stuck?
It happens. Simply fill out the short form below and let us know how we can assist you.
Registering
Registering is a snap!
When you're ready to dive in and begin buying and selling on BoomerBazaar, click the Register link at the top right of your screen:
The Register page appears:
Fill out the short form, providing your first and last names, a username (which you'll use to login to BoomerBazaar), a password, and your email address.
When finished, click the Create Account button.
You're returned to the Home page, only now you're logged in!
How do you know you're logged in? You'll see the "Welcome," followed by your first name in the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
Ready to begin selling?
"But, I've already registered!" you say?
Yes, but to begin selling, we'll just need a little more information.
Make sure you're logged in, then click the Sell button in the global menu at the top of the web page.
The Seller Registration page appears:
Complete the short form with your address and contact information, and don't forget your PayPal email address. (You wanna get paid for selling, right?)
When finished, click the Register button.
The following screen appears:
Now, all you need to do it login to your email account that you provided, and click the activation link found within the email message.
That's it! You're ready to go!
Happy selling!
Logging In and Logging Out
Once you've finished registering, logging in is easy!
Simply enter your username and password in the text boxes in the upper right of your screen:
Then click the Submit button.
When you see the Welcome message, followed by your first name
you know you're logged in!
You're good to go!
Done browsing around or listing your items and ready to call it a day?
Log out by clicking the Logout link located below the Welcome message at the top right of your screen:
Come back soon!
Buying and Selling
What are the fees to buy and sell on BoomerBazaar?
Here at BoomerBazaar, there's absolutely NO listing fees! That means you list your items—as many as you want!—at no charge to you.
The ONLY fees that apply occur when you sell an item. And that small fee is only 5% of the selling price of the item.
That's it!
How do I list an item to sell on BoomerBazaar?
Once you've registered, and then provided the information to be able to sell, you're ready for the fun part—listing items to sell!
First, make sure you're logged in.
Click the Sell button in the global menu at the top of the web page.
Or, if you're on the My Account page, click the List An Item link found under the My Seller Account section at the left of your screen.
The List An Item page appears:
- Item Title: Enter the title of your item. Describe your item in a way that others would describe it. For example, if you're listing a vintage clock from the 1950s that was your grandmother's, instead of simply entering "Old Clock" as the title, enter something more descriptive like "Vintage Mid-Century Wall Clock."
- Product Code: The Product Code is optional. If you plan on selling a lot of items, and you have an internal catalog system that you use to number each item, enter the code for the item here, otherwise, leave it blank.
- Description: Enter the description for the item you're listing. The icons at the top of the Description box allow you to format your text (ie, bold, italicize, etc).
- Category: From the drop-down list, select the category under which you want to list your item.
- Price: Enter the price—in U.S. dollars—that you want to receive for your item. Do not include the $ sign. For example, if you're selling your item for $125.00, simply enter 125.00.
- Quantity: If you have more than one of an item to sell, enter the quantity.
- Shipping: This merely shows the address you entered when you completed the information needed to be a Seller on BoomerBazaar. Buyers will NOT be able to see your address. As buyers view your item, they only will be able to see from which state the item ships, based on the address you entered above.
- Package Weight and Dimensions: This is an important one! Don't enter the item dimensions. Place the item in the box it'll ship in, then take its weight and measurements. For example, if you're selling a twin sized quilt measuring 72" x 86", entering those measurements here will produce a HEFTY shipping fee! In this example, fold the quilt, place it in the box that it'll ship in, then take the box's measurements and weight. This will result in an accurate shipping quote.
Once you've placed the item in the box it'll ship in, weigh it in its box, then enter the weight.
Enter the box's dimensions—in inches—in the Box Dimensions text boxes.
If you are offering free shipping, or flat rate shipping, do not enter amounts within the Weight and Box Dimensions text boxes. Simply select the radio button next to Shipping is Free or Shipping is a flat rate of. If you're offering a flat rate, enter the rate—do not enter a $ sign—in the text box.
- Returns: Enter your returns policy in the text box. For example, if you accept returns on items within 14 days of receipt, you could enter something like: "All returns are accepted within 14 days of receipt of item. Please contact me via email if you wish to return this item."
- Photos: You are allowed to upload up to 5 photos of your item. You can upload photos in JPG or GIF formats only. To upload a photo, click the Add Photo icon.
When finished, click the List Item button.
The List An Item - Social Share screen appears.
After you've entered the information for your item, you then have the opportunity to let all your friends on your social networks know about your listing! You must have an established account on any of the social networks listed: Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Simply click on the social network (ie, Twitter) of your choice.
A popup window appears, prompting you to enter your login information for that social site.
Enter your username and password. After logging in, enter a brief comment you wish to share with your followers.
And the groovy thing about Pinterest: you can upload a photo of the item you just listed to share with your Pinterest followers!
Hey, it's a great way to let others know you've just listed an item to sell.
When finished, you can browse to another part of the site, or, if you wish to list another item, click the List Another Item button.
Happy selling!
Is there a time limit to how long an item can remain listed?
Ninety days.
At the end of those ninety days, you'll receive an email from BoomerBazaar reminding you that your listing has expired.
You can then relist the item at no charge.
How do I purchase items listed on BoomerBazaar?
Now comes the other fun part—shopping!
First, make sure you're logged in.
When you find an item you want to purchase, simply click the ADD TO CART button:
The My Shopping Cart page appears:
Your options here are:
- Delete Selected: If you wish to delete one or more items in your shopping cart, click the checkbox to the left of the item(s), then click the Delete Selected button. Each selected item is removed from your cart.
- Update Quantities: If the seller offers multiple quantities of a particular item, you can change the amount you want to purchase in the text box under the Quantity column. For example, you may decide you want 3 of an item instead of the default of 1. Change the quantity, then click the Update Quantities button. If the seller only offers 1 of a particular item, only "1" will appear in the Quantity column, and you can't change the amount.
- Checkout: When you have everything in your cart you want to purchase, click the Checkout button to continue.
- Continue Shopping: If you want to browse the site some more to see if there are other items you might be interested in purchasing, click the Continue Shopping button.
When you're ready to continue, click the Checkout button.
The My Shopping Cart page continues:
At the top of the page the item(s) you're purchasing appear in the table.
Next, in the Billing Address section, your name and the address you entered when you registered appear. If your billing address is different than the address that appears here, click the Lookup an Address button to change it, or you can simply enter the correct address.
If your shipping address is the same as your billing address, click the checkbox next to Same As Billing Address at the top of the Shipping Address section. You can also enter an address.
Currently, we only offer UPS shipping. That is reflected in the Shipping Methods section
When finished, click the Continue button.
The Shipping Details screen appears:
Your shipping address appears in the Confirm Shipping Address section. If you need to change your shipping address, click the Edit link at the right of the table.
The Shipping Options section provide the UPS options available. Shipping costs are calculated based on the seller's address and your shipping address.
After verifying your shipping address, and selecting your UPS shipping option, click Continue.
The Payment screen appears:
The item(s) you placed in your shopping cart appears, along with shipping rates.
You can use PayPal to make your purchase. If you do not have a PayPal account, you still can checkout with a credit card.
Within the Select Payment Type section, choose PayPal to make your payment, or click the credit card icon.
Whichever selection you make, you are taken to the PayPal site, where you complete your payment:
If you have a PayPal account, click the Login in to your PayPal account link, then enter your login information for your Paypal account.
If you don't have a PayPal account, you can still pay with a credit card. Within the Don't have a PayPal account? section, complete the form, providing the requested information, then click the Agree and Continue button at the bottom.
When finished, you will receive an email confirming your purchase.
When you're browsing through BoomerBazaar and you come upon a listing that you're interested in, what do you do if you have a question for the seller?
Easy! You use the BoomerBazaar email system to send the seller a message! Here's how:
As you browse an item (see image below)
Click on the Seller Info tab in the information box:
Beneath the user's image, click on the Contact Seller link.
The Send Message to Seller screen appears:
Enter your subject and message.
Click the Send Message button.
Message sent!
Managing Your Account
Besides buying and selling items, managing your account is the core of BoomerBazaar. You may need to change your settings, add or change your address, list an item, or check on your orders.
That's where the My Account section comes in!
To be able to manage your account, you first must be logged in.
After logging in, click the My Account link at the top right of your screen:
The My Account page appears:
Once you navigate to the My Account page, the options within the My Account page are located at the left.
If you have only completed the first part of the registration process—which only allows you to sell—you will only see the top portion—My Account—section.
If you have completed your registration, allowing you to sell, you will see both the the My Account and the My Seller Account sections of the My Account menu.
When you first click on the My Account link, the Settings page appears by default.
There are two tabs within Settings: Account and Addresses.
Account Tab
The first things you can do within the Account Tab is change your password.
Within the Password section, enter your current password in the Current Password text box, then enter the new password you want in the next two text boxes.
Click the Change Password button when finished.
If you want to change your email address, you can do that within the Email section. Enter the new email address in the Change your email text box.
Click Change Email when finished.
If you want to close your account—and we hope you won't leave us!—click the Close Account button.
Addresses Tab
Within Addresses, you can add or delete an address to your account.
Click the Addresses tab.
The Addresses screen appears:
The Your Addresses section shows any addresses you currently have linked to your account.
To delete an address, click the Delete button located beneath the address you want to remove.
You can add a new address in the Add an Address section.
To add an address, enter the address information, then click the Add button.
The address is added to your account.
Don't shy! Tell us about yourself!
The Public Profile option within My Account lets you upload a photo of yourself—that'll be used as your "avatar"—and provide a brief summary about yourself.
Click the Public Profile link found at the left menu.
The Public Profile screen appears:
To upload a photo to use as your avatar, click the Browse button next to Profile Picture.
The File Upload window appears.
Navigate to the folder where your photo resides, click the file, then click Open.
The filename appears in the Profile Picture text box.
Make your selection next to Gender.
In the About Me text box, enter a little about yourself: where you're from, what you enjoy, your favorite food/drink/dessert, hobbies, etc.
When finished, click Save Changes.
There may be times when you want to review your own purchase history. You can also check on the status of the item(s) you purchased.
Click the Orders History: My Purchases link.
The Orders History: My Purchases screen appears:
The table shows you the Order ID (if the seller entered one when listing the item), the Item(s), Date of purchase, the Order Total, and the Status of the order.
Click on an item within the table to view more detail about that purchase.
The View Order Details screen appears:
The Order Details tab shows a more detailed view of your purchase.
Click the Shipping Details tab to view shipping information for this purchase:
Leaving feedback is an important way to let others know of your experience with buyers and sellers.
After completing a transaction with another BoomerBazaar user, click the Leave Feedback link.
The Leave Feedback screen appears:
First, hover the cursor over the stars on the right. This allows you to rate the transaction with the user in a visual manner. For example, if you feel that your transaction with this particular user was excellent, hover your cursor over the fifth star, then click. This will leave a 5-star rating for this user.
Under the stars you'll see a text box. Enter a brief description of your transaction with this user. You're allowed 120 characters.
When finished, click the Leave Feedback button.
Once you've registered, and then provided the information to be able to sell you will have access to the My Seller Account.
First, make sure you're logged in.
After logging in, click the My Account link at the top right of your screen:
The My Account page appears:
At the left of your screen are the options available to you:
The first option under the My Seller Account allows you to list items to sell.
Read more about listing items to sell here.
Click the My Listings link from the My Seller Account section of the My Account menu.
The My Listings screen appears:
The My Listings table shows you all items you currently have listed.
- #: This column simply shows a tally of all of the items listed in the table.
- Product Name: The title you gave your item when you listed it.
- Price: The item price.
- Available Stock: The quantity of the item that you have available for sale. On some items you may offer more than one of the same item. Default is 1.
- Category: The category the item is listed under.
- Date Added: The date you listed the item.
- # Views: The number of unique views your item has received.
- Select All/Deselect All: Click the checkbox in the column header to select all the items in the table. Click the checkbox again to deselect all items. You can select individual items by clicking the checkbox in the column row next to the item. You then can click the waste basket icon in the column header to remove the item from your list.
If you want to edit an item, click the item title, found under the Product Name column. You're taken to the List An Item page.
After making modifications to your listing, click the List Item button.
BoomerBazaar provides its own email system so that you can contact sellers, and buyers can contact you, the seller.
If you have messages, a message like the following will appear in red next to My Messages in the menu: "(2 New Msgs)." If you don't have any new messages, you'll only see "(0 New Msgs)."
If you have messages, click the My Messages link.
The My Messages screen appears:
Click on the user's name to read the message.
The Messsages between me and [username] appears:
If you've exchanged several emails between the user, you'll see a list of all the messages between you and the user.
Click on a message link to view the message.
If you want to reply and send a message to that user, you can enter the message in the Reply section.
Enter the email subject, then enter your message in the Content text box.
Click the Send button when finished.
On the My Messages screen, you'll notice the Contact Admin button at the bottom. This button allows you to send a message to the BoomerBazaar system administrator. Read about sending a message to the system administrator here.
The Orders History: My Sells lets you view your selling history. You can view all items you've sold.
Click the Orders History: My Sells link.
The Orders History: My Sells screen appears:
You can click the down arrow in the text box next to View to see the items you've sold by timeframe.
Click the title of an item to see further details of the order.
The View Order Details screen appears:
There are two tabs available: Order Details and Shipping Details.
Order Details Tab
The Order Details tab shows information about the item that sold, such as order date, order total, who ordered the item, and final pricing.
You can also change the status of the item.
Under the section that reads "Change status of selected item to:", you can change the item status as follows:
- Cancelled (full refund to buyer): Select this option when the buyer has returned the item and you have provided a full refund. Please note: Selecting this option does NOT automatically provide the refund to the buyer. To refund a buyer, you will need to perform that function within PayPal.
- Cancelled (partial refund to buyer): Select this option when you've provided a partial refund to a buyer. Enter the partial refund amount within the text box.
- Shipped: When you've shipped the item to the seller, select this option, then enter the UPS tracking number in the text box provided. The buyer will receive an email update with this information.
Shipping Details Tab
You can find shipping information about the item in the Shipping Details tab.
You cannot make modifications to this screen. It is for viewing only.
When finished, click the Back to Orders button at the bottom.
Want to see a history of all payments received for items you've sold?
The Payments page is the link for you!
Click the Payments link.
The Payments page appears:
You can search the Payments table by timeframe. Simply click the the drop-down arrow in the text box and make your selection, then click Go.
The Email Templates page allows you to customize emails that are automatically sent from you as a seller to buyers after an event. For example, an email is automatically sent to the buyer when one of your items sells.
Currently there is only one email template: the Order Acknowledgement email that is automatically sent when a buyer has purchased an item from you, the seller.
Click the Email Templates link.
The Email Templates screen appears:
To modify an email template, click the icon in the Action column next to the template name.
The Edit Email Template screen appears:
You can edit the content within the text box. Please note that there are some variables that you cannot change:
- [first_name]: This variable pulls the buyer's first name from the system and places it in the email message where it encounters the [first_name] variable.
- [last_name]: This variable pulls the buyer's last name from the system and places it in the email message where it encounters the [last_name] variable.
- [product_details]: This variable pulls the details about the product from the system and places it in the email message where it encounters the [product_details] variable.
- [seller_name]: This variable pulls your first and last names from the system and places it in the email message where it encounters the [seller_name] variable.
Please note that you cannot modify the variables. They must remain as is. But you can place them anywhere throughout your email template.
For example, you may decide to have the salutation only read "Dear Mary:". In which case, you'd create the beginning of your email template to appear as "Dear [first_name]:".
The Mail Admin link allows you to send a message to the BoomerBazaar system administrator.
Click the Mail Admin link.
The Messages between me and Admin screen appears:
In the Reply section enter the Subject in the text box, then enter your message in the Content text box.
When finished, click the Send button.
The BoomerBazaar Administrator will respond promptly!