Rules for details within ads

These rules tell you what you can and can't put into your ad, including titles, descriptions, photos and other extra details, such as payment and delivery information.

Ad titles and short descriptions

• Cannot begin with 'Aaa'
• Must start with a capital letter (print ads only)
• Cannot contain all UPPERCASE letters
• Must not contain the words ‘ONO’ or ‘Negotiable’
• Only letters, numbers, spaces, quotations and full stops can be used

Joining words together in your ad titles and descriptions is prohibited. Trading Post® reserves the right to cancel or alter an ad where words have been combined or altered inappropriately.

Contact details

Ad Titles, descriptions and images must not include contact information such as your name, address (street, suburb, town), telephone numbers (landline or mobile) or email addresses.

With Classified ads, your details will automatically be populated from the details you enter in the contact details fields.

Auctions and Buy Now ads must not display contact details. Read supplying contact details for further information.

HTML content

Ads must not contain any of the following:

• Certain types of HTML and all scripting (eg JavaScript, XML, PHP, ASP etc)
• Applets, forms, executable files or active content
• Video, sound and animations
• Direct links to downloadable files
• Inputs from Microsoft Word or PowerPoint
• Links to external CSS, storefronts or websites that offer services or goods for sale
• Dynamic scripting languages (eg Flash, XML, CGI and PHP)

Please refer to the HTML guidelines for further details.

Pricing

You must include a price in the 'selling price' field.

You must not include pricing information within ad titles or descriptions.

This includes:

• $ symbol followed by numbers, eg. $27.95
• $ & ¢ written as words, eg. twenty dollars fifty cents
• numbers written as words, eg. twenty, three, thousand.
• references to "Price on Application" or the abreviation "POA"

Categories exempt from this rule are identified in Categories Rules. However these service-related catagories allow the seller to include a price in the ad description if a price is required.

Prohibited items or activities

Trading Post® bans the sale or advertising of certain items and illegal activities. Be sure to read our policy on prohibited items for a detailed list if you're uncertain about your item.

Offensive language

You must not use offensive language or profanities. Trading Post® may withdraw or alter an ad that contains inappropriate language or information. Read the Usage Rules in the Terms of Use for more information.

Third party intellectual property rights

Ads must not infringe third party intellectual property rights. Infringements include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Copying and displaying a third party’s logo, product description, photo either from another seller’s ad or from any other source.
  Listing and selling an imitation or copy of a brand name’s product.
• Any alleged infringements of the intellectual property rights of a third party will result in the removal of the ad from Trading Post®. Read the Intellectual Property Protection for further details.
  
  

References to third party organisations and websites

Sellers must not make reference to sales or advertising with third party organisations or websites that offer to trade, sell or purchase goods or services outside of the Trading Post®.

Prohibited payment methods

Sellers must not communicate to buyers to mail cash or use payment methods that are cash transfer services, such as Western Union.

Ads must not misrepresent items

The item must be described accurately and honestly in the ad.

Misrepresentation can include:

• listing ads in inappropriate categories
• entering keywords in the title or description that do not appropriately describe the item
• identifying an inaccurate location of the item.

Intent to sell

Sellers must be prepared and willing to sell their item at the time of placing their ad. They must not advertise an item which is not intended to sell.

Displaying ads as a business

If your ad relates to items you sell through your business or services your business provides, you should display your business details in your ad.

In Victoria and Tasmania you’re required by law to identify your business in your ad. For each of your ads, you must include your business name and at least one of the following:

• business address
• business registration number
• business license number

Displaying your business details in ads

If you want to include business details in an ad, you’ll need to tick  Yes, I am a commercial customer and this is a business ad. when creating your ad .

Read business obligations for details on how to display ads as a business.

If you don’t select to display your Classified ad as a business, you’re prohibited from including references to your business in your ad description, including but not limited to:

• Business Name
• Business Phone Number
• Business Street Address
• Business Email Address
• URL's

When you select to display your Classified ads as a business, your ad:

• will run for four weeks
• cannot be renewed for free, however they can be relisted as a new ad after the 4 week duration
• will not be featured as a Hot Deal.

Listing multiple ads for identical items

A seller may only list a limited number of ads for identical items, unless the items differ in attributes, such as colour and size.

A seller can relist the same ad after they have sold an item or use Trading Post®’s advanced selling tools to set ads to automatically relist when items sell.

Advertising multiple items in one ad

As a general guideline, you should only advertise one item per ad and every ad must only have one selling price.

The advantage of selling only one item in your ad is that buyers will be able to find your item easier when you:

• list each item you are selling under the correct category
• write an ad title that is descriptive and use keywords and phrases that are specific to each individual item.
  
  

Identical items

You may sell multiple identical items in one ad when you:

• list one selling price as the combined selling price of all items for sale, and
• sell the items all together as one ‘lot’.
  
  

Non-identical items

You may sell multiple non-identical items in one ad only if the items are closely interrelated and you must:

• list one selling price as the combined selling price of all items for sale,
• sell the items all together as one ‘lot’, and
• provide details for all items included in the ad.

Garage sales are excluded.

Correct examples
	DVD recorders x10 – $2000
	80GB dual layer, dual tuner, USV, new condition, $2000 for the lot.
	Giant TCR Road Bike and gear – $1600
	Bike Med/Large, Shimano Ultegra 10 Groupset, D-lock, front and rear lights, helmet. All good condition. $1600 for the lot.
Incorrect examples
	Furniture- coffee table, couch, dining table – $250
	Moving overseas and selling all my furniture. IKEA couch $500, coffee table $250 and dining table $700.  Will sell separately or all for $1300.
	Chloe Paddington handbags – $900
	Ladies handbags, bronze colour, all bags new, latest designs for all age groups. $900 each.
* Selling animal litters If you're selling a litter of animal litters you may sell them individually via one Classified ad, however the selling price must be the same as the highest priced animal in the ad. You’re able to list the price of individual animals in the ad description. Correct examples for Pets
	Golden Retriever puppies – $800
	Six Golden Retriever puppies for sale. 4 males 2 females $800 each
	Golden Retriever puppies – $800
	6 Golden retriever puppies. 3 males $750 ea, 2 females. $800ea. 1 runt male $600

Trading Post® may withdraw your ad if we consider it to be inappropriately advertising multiple items or if the price listed for the multiple items is undervalued. See Terms of Use for details.

Breaching these rules and policies

Breaching our advertising rules & policies may result in ad cancellation, account suspension and the loss of fees on cancelled ads.

Related topics

Terms of Use
Advertising rules & policies
Selecting a category
Trading Post Policies
Creating your ad
HTML Guidelines