Hi! Trish from MD here. I'm actually pretty new to this site, but through a lack of anything to do and a wish to contribute, I've decided to try and put together a <s>small</s> INCREDIBLY LARGE guide on how to get your character out there and noticed.
[edit] Wow - I wrote a lot. Guess I had a lot to say. You may not want to read this, and you may just go ahead and scroll down and make a response that says, "lol, no one will want to read this, it's too long!" But I do want you to know that currently there's an estimate of 1 (or 2) out of 4 accounts getting scammed. Making a good post is your responsibility, and it's your hard earned work that you're putting out there. If you're willing to go all out and try to attract the best buyers, then my goal is that I'll be able to help some of you guys achieve that.
First off, I'd like to point out Kamitsuna's amazing Seller's Guide Not To Get Scammed V2.0, located here: http://www.markeedragon.com/forums/ubbth...02/#Post1129021
The purpose of this guide is to increase the overall appearance and dedication of these sellers forums. When stuck, just think about what would catch your eye and what you'd like to see in a buyer. Firstly, the preparation:
1) It is very important not to seem shady to a person, because in return you'll do nothing but attract shady people. Have a good attitude, these people are paying you real money and it's important that they know they're in good hands.
2) Don't seem like you're here just to sell. I know, I know; that IS the reason most of you are here. But spice up your accounts! Add an avatar, a forum signature, contribute! A good buyer will almost <u>always</u> check out your posts to see what you're up to.
3) Grammar. I know many of you people think chatspeak is cool. However, remember that you're on a public forum and people are paying you real money. MD is a business, and it's important, it's not you chatting with your friends. Use spellcheck, use proper sentences, don't rush yourself. If you don't know how to act, then just act like you're speaking with someone you respect.
4) If you're charging over 300 dollars for your account, get Paypal and Trustwho vertified. It's not that hard, it's inexpensive (7.50 out of 300 isn't all that bad), and it's a good way to show that you are serious and commited. You'd be suprised how much of a difference it'll make.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Topic</span> --------------------------</span>
Alright! Now that you've read some of the smaller guidelines, it's time to make a topic. You want to include as much interesting information as possible. Things that will catch people's attention usually are things like: epic, T4/T5/T6, server type, transfer up, money on account, cheap, character class', etc. I will always add the word 'PICS' at the end of my topic. This way, it attracts people who may just be interested in seeing what you have and in return decide to contact you.
At the start, you should always include something that is easily identifiable as 'WTS' (Want to Sell). It's usually easier for people to understand your meaning if you bracket it off from the rest of your letters. Examples could be:
[WTS] TEXT HERE
WTS || TEXT HERE
*WTS* TEXT HERE
Following this, you generally want to put the most important thing about your account. When looking through MD forums, people have a tendency to skim the first few words and then move on until they find something they like. Depending on if you think the most important thing is that your character is a Gladiator or if it's that the PvP Transfer is up, you may follow it with whatever you'd like once you've caught the reader's attention.
Don't put your entire title in caps. Some people may disagree with me, but personally I think it doesn't add as much of a flare. Instead, caps the things that you think are most important. Is your character a Gladiator or carrying 100k (lol) gold? Make it stand out! In the title, saying that your character is: Carrying 100k GOLD or even as far as *MERC. GLADIATOR* are much more likely to capture someone's attention. Seem dumb? Perhaps, but it works!
Add an icon. Aren't they cute? Pick one that stands out against the yellow and grey background. If I see a lot of "Sell:" icons I try to avoid using that one in my post, but generally in a forum where the posts move so quickly it doesn't matter too much.
[WTS] MERC. GLADIATOR Holy Paladin! :: PVP Transfer up :: 73847+ Positives! :: PICS
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Introduction</span> --------------------------</span>
Many people, upon buying an account, want to know why. Why in the world are you giving up this account, the one that you've slaved over (or, for some of you, botted over) for the past 2 years? How do they know that you won't be coming back? Rule number one, and most important of them all, don't lie to them. Give them a good but truthful reason why you're quitting. Don't include some drama-infested story about how your pet parrot is dying of cancer and you want to fill every last waking moment with him. Just add the outlines, about how you're going for college, got a promotion, or even experiencing some personal issues.
This part is VERY, VERY important. Don't try and be devious here, because as a seller it's part of your job to answer the following questions:
- Are you the OO (original owner) of this account?
- Can you change your e-mail to theirs?
- Do you have both the pre-bc/BC CD keys?
- Are you Paypal Vertified?
- Are you Trustwho Vertified?
- Are there any warnings on the account?
- Do you have the SQ/A? (Secret question and answer. Also, if you don't have this, chances are you will be unable to sell your account. Go to parental controls on the WoWsite to see your secret question. If you're still having issues, call Blizzard and be prepared to fax them proof of your ID)
Now that you've answered the critically important things you can include a nice little disclaimer to all the scammers out there. You may not think so, but scammers usually stay away from posts that warn them. If you're smart and look out for it, you can spot a scammer pretty easily. Remind them of that: you've built up this great account, you're not stupid and you're not going to fall for their tricks. (Or.. So you want them to believe. ;])
Include an asking price and if possible a buyout. If you don't know what you want, then say so. Add contact information! Include AIM (if you don't have it, get it) and e-mail.
Lastly, you should include what you expect out of both sides of the deal. As a seller, you don't have to sell to anyone; you don't have to take anyone's crap. However, as a buyer, they have that same privilege. The respect is mutual here. Include how you feel about selling, and what you want the person to go through to prove their legit. Remember, upon following this guide you've proved that you're dedicated. They need to show you that same dedication and, in return, have the courtesy of patience. It is a good idea to include that a phone call or vent conversation is required.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Feminine Side</span> --------------------------</span>
As a girl, things need to be perfect and, I daresay, "pretty" for me. After seeing some of these posts, it's obvious you men need to turn to your feminine side and pretty these trades up! You don't need to be a major in psychology to know that colorful things are better to look at, and attract more buyers. Add borders, add neatness, add some color! Remember, you are using a grey background. Don't use colors that'll blend in so much that the person will have to copy and paste your add or colors that are so bright they'll burn someone's eyes. Most importantly in this section is screenshots. Add loads of them. They look great, they add color, and at the same time they add proof and a sense of professionalality. (Did I just make up a word?)
However, place them well or they'll just make your post look cluttered. I tend to break my selling post up into different sections for each character I am selling, and add a screenshot to accompany each of them. Try really hard not to make your screenshots look boring. Why, hello, there's the spot in Shatt that you've been sitting at for 5 hours straight. See what I mean? Instead, get creative! Know any neat tricks? I'll let you in on one right now. When flying on a Netherdrake, press walk (unkeybinded version is /). Angle yourself towards the ground, then turn your camera so your facing your character and land. The result? He'll do it in slow motion:
The point is, really, you want people to wish they were playing your account. You want people to think, "Wow -- I can't wait to buy that, that looks really neat!" Not, "Oh, alright, I guess. It's Orgrimmar."
Note -- When taking screenshots blurr out chat and character names with the paint application. When trying to prove that you're on a live server and not private, you can do a /who of any place (I usually use Org) and then black out the people's names.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Characters</span> --------------------------</span>
Woah, you made it to the end! Unless, of course, you skimmed, in which case you'll be skipping right over the last bit of this. In any case, perhaps the most important part of your post is advertising the characters that has attracted the buyer to your account in the first place.
Now, you may or may not follow this bit of advise. However, as a seller, I believe it's most efficent. I like to save the best - the thing I know everyone's going to be interested in - for last. Why's that? Simple. Because, when all of these people rush to your thread, they're going to have eyes for what caught their attention in the first place. And if it turns out they see that thing and don't think that thing alone is worth your buyout, they may leave. (And I'm guilty of this myself!) But, I've found that I've gotten much more buyers if I include everything else before that. This way, they may not think that your main character *ALONE* is worth the current price, but together - with your 100k gold, 15 years worth of raiding mats, 57 different alts, and 3 different versions of the super-rare murloc costume codes, they might continue on to post.
Details, details, and more details. Be completely honest with a person: trust me, people like that. If a character doesn't have an epic flying mount then say so. People will be a lot happier if they feel they can trust what you're saying. You know what you're typing, and if you don't then go back and reread it. Don't try and make something look like it's not. An example?
"Ohhh.... Yeahhh... I have the AQ40 bug mounts. Scarab Lord title is cool, isn't it?"
Not everyone knows that AQ40 mounts are only able to be used inside AQ40, considering there are two brands. Adding a statement after that is basically implying that you own the title. And, yes - I have seen this on a thread before. I just reworded it. Of course, chances are you might be trying to get away with something less dramatic. But remember that honesty should be a first priority when dealing with buyers: I can't stress it enough. I'm sure you want to know that your buyer is an honest and trustworthy person. So give them the same comfort back.
Make sure you include things like:
- What kind of gear are you using? (epic, T4, T5, T6, legendary)
- Do you have any offset items? How good are they?
- Any rare ground or flying mounts?
- Do you have an epic flying mount/training?
- Is your transfer/name change up?
- Do you have good server reputation?
- Do you have any resist sets?
- Are you all gemmed/enchanted?
- What level are you?
- What are you keyed for?
- How is your fraction reputation? (Exalted/Honored/Revered with most?)
- Any good titles? (Gladiator, Champion, Grand Marshal, etc.)
- Do you have any professions? What level are they?
- Is there any gold on the account/character?
- Are they on a PvE or PvP server?
- Can you include a link of PvE/PvP gear?
Note - Here's a great thread on adding gear while protecting your account: http://www.markeedragon.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1033713#Post1033713
So far I think I'm the only person who's really done this, but I enjoyed writing a small paragraph at the end of my post talking about how much fun I had playing my character. Some people who might be new to WoW (or anything that you're trying to sell, really) may not know a lot about this game. Feel free to share some of your experiences with them. If finally hitting Gladiator was one of your best times played on this game, feel free to talk about that and how great it felt. If your character is great in arenas or Sunwell ready, add this too! You'd be suprised to learn that the smallest things may make a simple lurker into an interested buyer.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">Other</span> --------------------------</span>
Oops, I lied about that being the last section. And here I am putting all this honesty crap in here, too. <3
Remember: don't let people rush you. Take a step back and take charge, because this is your sale and you shouldn't be pigeonholed into anything. If someone makes you nervous, then trust you instincts and turn them down. On the same note, you will get no where by being rude to people. It doesn't matter how good you were in game, people here don't care about that now. You're just like every seller here, trying to get a good deal and trying not to get scammed.
There is no 100% way to be safe. However, you can still do your best. Use Kamitsuna's guide, trust your instincts, require a phone call, make sure you make people post in your thread before you go into details with them on AIM. Once a person posts, check out their post history and their join date, along with any ratings they may have.
Goodluck! I hope this answers any questions that people have been asking me. If not, feel free to AIM or PM or even write in this thread. If you'd like an example, take a look in my signature. If you make a new selling thread, feel free to post the link here too so I can take a look at all the effort you've put into your stuff.
Thanks for reading (or skimming!),
~ Trish
[edit] Wow - I wrote a lot. Guess I had a lot to say. You may not want to read this, and you may just go ahead and scroll down and make a response that says, "lol, no one will want to read this, it's too long!" But I do want you to know that currently there's an estimate of 1 (or 2) out of 4 accounts getting scammed. Making a good post is your responsibility, and it's your hard earned work that you're putting out there. If you're willing to go all out and try to attract the best buyers, then my goal is that I'll be able to help some of you guys achieve that.
First off, I'd like to point out Kamitsuna's amazing Seller's Guide Not To Get Scammed V2.0, located here: http://www.markeedragon.com/forums/ubbth...02/#Post1129021
The purpose of this guide is to increase the overall appearance and dedication of these sellers forums. When stuck, just think about what would catch your eye and what you'd like to see in a buyer. Firstly, the preparation:
1) It is very important not to seem shady to a person, because in return you'll do nothing but attract shady people. Have a good attitude, these people are paying you real money and it's important that they know they're in good hands.
2) Don't seem like you're here just to sell. I know, I know; that IS the reason most of you are here. But spice up your accounts! Add an avatar, a forum signature, contribute! A good buyer will almost <u>always</u> check out your posts to see what you're up to.
3) Grammar. I know many of you people think chatspeak is cool. However, remember that you're on a public forum and people are paying you real money. MD is a business, and it's important, it's not you chatting with your friends. Use spellcheck, use proper sentences, don't rush yourself. If you don't know how to act, then just act like you're speaking with someone you respect.
4) If you're charging over 300 dollars for your account, get Paypal and Trustwho vertified. It's not that hard, it's inexpensive (7.50 out of 300 isn't all that bad), and it's a good way to show that you are serious and commited. You'd be suprised how much of a difference it'll make.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Topic</span> --------------------------</span>
Alright! Now that you've read some of the smaller guidelines, it's time to make a topic. You want to include as much interesting information as possible. Things that will catch people's attention usually are things like: epic, T4/T5/T6, server type, transfer up, money on account, cheap, character class', etc. I will always add the word 'PICS' at the end of my topic. This way, it attracts people who may just be interested in seeing what you have and in return decide to contact you.
At the start, you should always include something that is easily identifiable as 'WTS' (Want to Sell). It's usually easier for people to understand your meaning if you bracket it off from the rest of your letters. Examples could be:
[WTS] TEXT HERE
WTS || TEXT HERE
*WTS* TEXT HERE
Following this, you generally want to put the most important thing about your account. When looking through MD forums, people have a tendency to skim the first few words and then move on until they find something they like. Depending on if you think the most important thing is that your character is a Gladiator or if it's that the PvP Transfer is up, you may follow it with whatever you'd like once you've caught the reader's attention.
Don't put your entire title in caps. Some people may disagree with me, but personally I think it doesn't add as much of a flare. Instead, caps the things that you think are most important. Is your character a Gladiator or carrying 100k (lol) gold? Make it stand out! In the title, saying that your character is: Carrying 100k GOLD or even as far as *MERC. GLADIATOR* are much more likely to capture someone's attention. Seem dumb? Perhaps, but it works!
Add an icon. Aren't they cute? Pick one that stands out against the yellow and grey background. If I see a lot of "Sell:" icons I try to avoid using that one in my post, but generally in a forum where the posts move so quickly it doesn't matter too much.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Introduction</span> --------------------------</span>
Many people, upon buying an account, want to know why. Why in the world are you giving up this account, the one that you've slaved over (or, for some of you, botted over) for the past 2 years? How do they know that you won't be coming back? Rule number one, and most important of them all, don't lie to them. Give them a good but truthful reason why you're quitting. Don't include some drama-infested story about how your pet parrot is dying of cancer and you want to fill every last waking moment with him. Just add the outlines, about how you're going for college, got a promotion, or even experiencing some personal issues.
This part is VERY, VERY important. Don't try and be devious here, because as a seller it's part of your job to answer the following questions:
- Are you the OO (original owner) of this account?
- Can you change your e-mail to theirs?
- Do you have both the pre-bc/BC CD keys?
- Are you Paypal Vertified?
- Are you Trustwho Vertified?
- Are there any warnings on the account?
- Do you have the SQ/A? (Secret question and answer. Also, if you don't have this, chances are you will be unable to sell your account. Go to parental controls on the WoWsite to see your secret question. If you're still having issues, call Blizzard and be prepared to fax them proof of your ID)
Now that you've answered the critically important things you can include a nice little disclaimer to all the scammers out there. You may not think so, but scammers usually stay away from posts that warn them. If you're smart and look out for it, you can spot a scammer pretty easily. Remind them of that: you've built up this great account, you're not stupid and you're not going to fall for their tricks. (Or.. So you want them to believe. ;])
Include an asking price and if possible a buyout. If you don't know what you want, then say so. Add contact information! Include AIM (if you don't have it, get it) and e-mail.
Lastly, you should include what you expect out of both sides of the deal. As a seller, you don't have to sell to anyone; you don't have to take anyone's crap. However, as a buyer, they have that same privilege. The respect is mutual here. Include how you feel about selling, and what you want the person to go through to prove their legit. Remember, upon following this guide you've proved that you're dedicated. They need to show you that same dedication and, in return, have the courtesy of patience. It is a good idea to include that a phone call or vent conversation is required.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Feminine Side</span> --------------------------</span>
As a girl, things need to be perfect and, I daresay, "pretty" for me. After seeing some of these posts, it's obvious you men need to turn to your feminine side and pretty these trades up! You don't need to be a major in psychology to know that colorful things are better to look at, and attract more buyers. Add borders, add neatness, add some color! Remember, you are using a grey background. Don't use colors that'll blend in so much that the person will have to copy and paste your add or colors that are so bright they'll burn someone's eyes. Most importantly in this section is screenshots. Add loads of them. They look great, they add color, and at the same time they add proof and a sense of professionalality. (Did I just make up a word?)
However, place them well or they'll just make your post look cluttered. I tend to break my selling post up into different sections for each character I am selling, and add a screenshot to accompany each of them. Try really hard not to make your screenshots look boring. Why, hello, there's the spot in Shatt that you've been sitting at for 5 hours straight. See what I mean? Instead, get creative! Know any neat tricks? I'll let you in on one right now. When flying on a Netherdrake, press walk (unkeybinded version is /). Angle yourself towards the ground, then turn your camera so your facing your character and land. The result? He'll do it in slow motion:
The point is, really, you want people to wish they were playing your account. You want people to think, "Wow -- I can't wait to buy that, that looks really neat!" Not, "Oh, alright, I guess. It's Orgrimmar."
Note -- When taking screenshots blurr out chat and character names with the paint application. When trying to prove that you're on a live server and not private, you can do a /who of any place (I usually use Org) and then black out the people's names.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">The Characters</span> --------------------------</span>
Woah, you made it to the end! Unless, of course, you skimmed, in which case you'll be skipping right over the last bit of this. In any case, perhaps the most important part of your post is advertising the characters that has attracted the buyer to your account in the first place.
Now, you may or may not follow this bit of advise. However, as a seller, I believe it's most efficent. I like to save the best - the thing I know everyone's going to be interested in - for last. Why's that? Simple. Because, when all of these people rush to your thread, they're going to have eyes for what caught their attention in the first place. And if it turns out they see that thing and don't think that thing alone is worth your buyout, they may leave. (And I'm guilty of this myself!) But, I've found that I've gotten much more buyers if I include everything else before that. This way, they may not think that your main character *ALONE* is worth the current price, but together - with your 100k gold, 15 years worth of raiding mats, 57 different alts, and 3 different versions of the super-rare murloc costume codes, they might continue on to post.
Details, details, and more details. Be completely honest with a person: trust me, people like that. If a character doesn't have an epic flying mount then say so. People will be a lot happier if they feel they can trust what you're saying. You know what you're typing, and if you don't then go back and reread it. Don't try and make something look like it's not. An example?
"Ohhh.... Yeahhh... I have the AQ40 bug mounts. Scarab Lord title is cool, isn't it?"
Not everyone knows that AQ40 mounts are only able to be used inside AQ40, considering there are two brands. Adding a statement after that is basically implying that you own the title. And, yes - I have seen this on a thread before. I just reworded it. Of course, chances are you might be trying to get away with something less dramatic. But remember that honesty should be a first priority when dealing with buyers: I can't stress it enough. I'm sure you want to know that your buyer is an honest and trustworthy person. So give them the same comfort back.
Make sure you include things like:
- What kind of gear are you using? (epic, T4, T5, T6, legendary)
- Do you have any offset items? How good are they?
- Any rare ground or flying mounts?
- Do you have an epic flying mount/training?
- Is your transfer/name change up?
- Do you have good server reputation?
- Do you have any resist sets?
- Are you all gemmed/enchanted?
- What level are you?
- What are you keyed for?
- How is your fraction reputation? (Exalted/Honored/Revered with most?)
- Any good titles? (Gladiator, Champion, Grand Marshal, etc.)
- Do you have any professions? What level are they?
- Is there any gold on the account/character?
- Are they on a PvE or PvP server?
- Can you include a link of PvE/PvP gear?
Note - Here's a great thread on adding gear while protecting your account: http://www.markeedragon.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/1033713#Post1033713
So far I think I'm the only person who's really done this, but I enjoyed writing a small paragraph at the end of my post talking about how much fun I had playing my character. Some people who might be new to WoW (or anything that you're trying to sell, really) may not know a lot about this game. Feel free to share some of your experiences with them. If finally hitting Gladiator was one of your best times played on this game, feel free to talk about that and how great it felt. If your character is great in arenas or Sunwell ready, add this too! You'd be suprised to learn that the smallest things may make a simple lurker into an interested buyer.
<span style='font-size: 14pt'>-------------------- <span style="color: #CC0000">Other</span> --------------------------</span>
Oops, I lied about that being the last section. And here I am putting all this honesty crap in here, too. <3
Remember: don't let people rush you. Take a step back and take charge, because this is your sale and you shouldn't be pigeonholed into anything. If someone makes you nervous, then trust you instincts and turn them down. On the same note, you will get no where by being rude to people. It doesn't matter how good you were in game, people here don't care about that now. You're just like every seller here, trying to get a good deal and trying not to get scammed.
There is no 100% way to be safe. However, you can still do your best. Use Kamitsuna's guide, trust your instincts, require a phone call, make sure you make people post in your thread before you go into details with them on AIM. Once a person posts, check out their post history and their join date, along with any ratings they may have.
Goodluck! I hope this answers any questions that people have been asking me. If not, feel free to AIM or PM or even write in this thread. If you'd like an example, take a look in my signature. If you make a new selling thread, feel free to post the link here too so I can take a look at all the effort you've put into your stuff.
Thanks for reading (or skimming!),
~ Trish
