TRADELOOP

Tradeloop's Member Blog And News: December 2010

About Tradeloop

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We are the largest B2B marketplace for computer brokers, computer leasing companies, used computer wholesalers, third party maintainers and self-maintainers, who trade wholesale computer lots of used & surplus computers, bulk electronics, and hard-to-find used computer parts.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Counterfeit Products: Three Members Banned From Tradeloop This Week

Tradeloop's Ethics Committee voted to ban three Tradeloop members after receiving member complaints and documentation about counterfeit products. All three companies are based in Shenzhen, China and, the complainant alleged, were "fabricating and selling" counterfeit SUN products. After investigating the complaints, the Ethics Committee voted to ban these three companies from Tradeloop:
  1. Gold Coast Technology - Case #5104
  2. ValuePlus International - Case #5102
  3. Evergreen International Trading Corporation Company Ltd. - Case #5103
All three cases were posted at the Tradeloop Ethics area. We encourage Tradeloop members to review the details of the cases as well as the discussion between the committee, complainants, and defendants at our Ethics blog. Members can also leave their own comments about the cases by clicking on the "Members" tab on the case details page.

Counterfeiting is a serious, worldwide problem that affects the value of the wholesale market and the bottom line of every legitimate dealer. We will not tolerate the sale of counterfeit material through Tradeloop Broadcasts and we encourage every Tradeloop member to exercise due diligence when working with unfamiliar dealers.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Deals

Tradeloop's new Broadcast layout shows you who you're dealing with - literally. Now you'll see a member's photo next to his/her Broadcast message - but only if they've uploaded their photo to Tradeloop. Have you? Your picture on Tradeloop makes your Broadcast stand out and increases your credibility with other members.

In studies of online reading patterns, most readers focused first on pictures with human faces. And, as much as people like the wide selection and immediacy of the Web, they also like to deal with "real" people. Your photo attached to your Broadcast will help call attention to your content and increase your interactions with other Tradeloop users.

Uploading a photo is quick and easy. Just visit your profile page and follow the instructions. Photo upload requirements:
  • File type: For best results, we recommend one of the following formats: JPEG, GIF, or PNG.
  • Image size: 85 x 85 pixels
  • File size: 100k
You can delete your photo and/or upload a new photo at any time. Modify your privacy settings to set rules for who can - and can't - view your profile picture.

Ok, so your picture on Tradeloop may not be worth a thousand deals - but even if it attracts just one new customer, well, that's time well spent!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Identity Theft, Counterfeiting, and Fraud: Notes From Tradeloop's Ethics Committee

During 2010, Tradeloop's all-volunteer Ethics Committee dealt with disputes about fraud, counterfeiting, identity theft, and more. Earlier this year, many cases and Fast Track Fraud Alerts involved identity theft. This fall, the Committee has worked on the difficult issue of counterfeit products.

And all year, the Ethics Committee heard complaints involving non-payment, failure to ship prepaid goods, poor quality products, and bounced checks. (Review the details of posted cases.) While a number of these cases did appear to involve fraud, other complaints were filed because of disagreements about the deal's original terms and conditions.

Tradeloop encourages all members to exercise due diligence before setting up a deal - particularly if you're approached by a non-member.
  • Purchase agreement: Spell out in detail shipping methods, payment terms, and product condition. You may even want to ask for photos of the product before completing the agreement.
  • Tradeloop member profile: Make sure the company address and contact information matches the profile information. Also look for warning flags we've added this year including: approval process information, status flags for banned & non-member companies, and warning notices on unverified accounts.
  • Payment methods and terms: Many members use wire transfers for payment, but check to make sure you're being asked to transfer funds to a verifiable bank account - not an untraceable store front wire transfer service.
While you're checking on other companies, advertise your own credibility and commitment to business ethics. Display Tradeloop's Ethics Seal on your Web site. It's a symbol of integrity that helps improve your conversion rates.

Learn more about the Tradeloop Ethics process, committee, and cases at the Ethics area of the Tradeloop Web site.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Warnings About Non-Members

We have many non-members searching at Tradeloop, so we've added another security feature to email messages. You'll see a warning if the person emailing you is a non-member.

When a non-member sends you an email using the email link on your Member Profile, the standard message now includes the text below:
Tradeloop NON-MEMBER
We made this change in response to a Tradeloop member's suggestion that we highlight when a sender is not a Tradeloop member. That notation adds credibility to email leads that do come from Tradeloop members and warns members to take additional precautions before setting up a deal with a non-member.

It's easy to check someone's membership status at Tradeloop. Just search for the company or individual's name at the Dealer Directory link. Membership status is listed directly under the company or individual's name. Non-validated listings also display a small warning icon:

warning Non-Member
Tradeloop Member


Are you sure the company you're dealing with is a Tradeloop member? Search the Dealer Directory and find out fast!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Set Your Own Tradeloop Start Page

What page would you like to see first when you log into Tradeloop? The Trading Floor? The Dealer Directory? You choose. All Tradeloop members can now customize their home pages.

Visit your Member Dashboard (Home) to select your start page. Custom home page options include:
  • My Account
  • Trading Floor
  • Dealer Directory
  • Broadcasts
  • Member Dashboard
The Member Dashboard also has a list of great tips to help increased the value of your Tradeloop membership. You'll find suggestions and tools to help:
All of these improvements were made in response to member requests and suggestions. Tell us what other features or changes would you like to see on Tradeloop!