PostPool - help

PostPool is a unique online community. Our purpose is to serve as a valuable resource in helping you accomplish your goals and create a wonderful web experience for you. Whether it be helping you make a career change, buying your house, finding home improvement or auto repair, to meeting that special someone, or voicing your opinion on a topic, PostPool is the place for you. Some key benefits include:

-it's fast and easy.

-no registration or sign-in required.

-post for free.

-post instantly. (no waiting for representatives to get back to you)

-post anonymously. (choose what information you want to show)

-upload up to 4 pictures.

-make unlimited changes to your post at any time.

-remove your post at any time.

-more categories to choose from than other places.

-no pop-ups, no banner advertisements, no headaches.

-w3c compliant Html 5 (visit us in just about any browser).

-vote to remove abusive and inappropriate posts automatically.

-have your RSS reader retrieve the most recent posts for you.

-become part of a growing community.

3. how do i use PostPool? [back to top]

PostPool has a home page that is setup as a website map. This page features a search box where you can perform category and keyword searches on specific items, an event calendar with links to today's and this month's events, and several main categories to choose from. Clicking on a (sub)category will show you a pool of posts within that particular (sub)category listed by most recent post first. You can sort the posts by date, title, or location by clicking these links just under the results for the page. You can view specific posts by clicking on the title of the post under the "title" section of the page. By clicking on the view -> title or details link in the upper right side will list posts with titles only or title and the details within each post. You can create your own post online at anytime by clicking on the "post ad" link usually found at the top of each page. If you would like to create a new event, simply go to the home page, and click on the "post event" link located on the left pane of the page. You can visit the home page by clicking on the "PostPool" link located in the top left corner of each page.

4. do i have to register or login or become a member? [back to top]

No. There is no long registration process to go through or personal information that needs to be given out other than your email address. Your email is kept confidential and we do not sell or share it with anyone else. Read our policy for further details.

5. what do all of the categories mean? [back to top]

Announcements - find classes, coupons, clubs, marriages, missing persons, shows, etc.

at Home - a directory of home improvement and remodeling services

Autos - find automobiles, trucks, campers, off-road recreational vehicles

Blogs - is a web log to write your own personal diary, respond to and meet others

Business - find opportunities, investments, marketing programs

Events - find community events, classes, seminars, shows, festivals, fund-raisers, garage yard sales

Equipment - find commercial business equipment, heavy duty construction, light duty office machinery, restaurant equipment

Film - just for film and photography lovers, find cameras, flash, projectors, photos for sale

Jobs - a to z employment categories, part-time

Lost and Found - lost items, lost pets

Maintenance - a directory of motor improvement and repair services

Merchandise - find different things for sale

Music - just for music lovers, find instruments for sale, connect with other musicians

Opinion - find discussion forums, beliefs, judgements, and blogs on different topics from arts to news

Personals - find love, romance, sex

Pets - find different kinds of pets and livestock for sale including accessories

Real Estate - find houses, apartments, condos, offices for sale or rent; roommates, housemates, vacation

Services - a to z professional services from automobile to wedding

6. how is the content organized? [back to top]

The content is organized as a pool of different categories with subcategories listed under each category. Usually the subcategories are listed alphabetically although some (sub)categories are listed by in order of popularity first. The default view for each post within a subcategory is by most recent date first.

7. where are you located? [back to top]

We are located at 110 Meadowlands Parkway, Secaucus, NJ 07094.

Posts

8. does it cost to make a new post? [back to top]

Basic listings are free. Premium listings are available for a fee.

9. how do i create a new post? [back to top]

Follow the general instructions below.

1. Click the "post ad" link.

2. Select a topic (category) if applicable. (You do not need to select a (sub)topic for new events.)

3. Select a subtopic (subcategory) if applicable. (Some categories do not have subcategories such as Announcements and Lost & Found. )

4. Create your post. Required fields include your email, location, title of post, and message. The end date is also required for posting new events. Location need not be a specific address. Usually, visitors type a specific part of the city or town where they are located. A general geographic area such as the northern or southern part of the state or even zip codes are good. You may even write that your post is located from the planet Mars, but remember some people may not see your post if they are performing a keyword search or a sort based on location.

5. Preview screen has a "view start" and "view finish" section. This will show you how your post will look. If you like it, click "next" link and wait for an email confirmation. From there you will have the option to post,edit, or delete your Ad. Then you will be taken to the "Thank you" screen. Once there, you are done. The system will publish your ad to our site. If you want to make changes, click the 'go back' link to edit your post. You must agree read and agree to the Terms of Service prior to creating a post.

10. how do i submit something to be listed on your site? [back to top]

Our site is designed to be a self-service site meaning you have the ability to create a new post, publish it, edit it, and remove it at anytime by yourself instantly. To create a new post, click on the "post ad" link found at the top right and middle left of the home page and at the top of every other page. To create a new event, click on the "post event" found just beneath the events calendar on the home page.

11. how do i know what category to post under? [back to top]

Ideally, you would want to post under the category that best fits the description of the product or service you want to buy or sell. We have tried to cover most items; please realize that we cannot provide a category for every possible thing. If you do not see a specific category, use your judgement to post under a similar category. See the question "What do all of the categories mean"? for further help.

12. can i select multiple categories or subcategories for my post? [back to top]

Yes this option is available as for premium Ads. You can create different posts and list each one in different categories if you like. When you post in a subcategory, your post will automatically show in the main category for that particular subcategory. This is to maximize the attention your post receives for others. For example, you post a job under the subcategory "Legal". Your post will show under both the subcategory "Legal" and its parent category "Jobs".

13. can i post anonymously or confidential? [back to top]

Yes. Although your email address is required when creating a new post, it will not be displayed. This means your real email address remains confidential with us. Others can reach you by email but they will not know your true email address until you respond to them. This is a good way of preventing spam as well.

14. what am i not allowed to sell? [back to top]

Some things that are not allowed include: illegal drugs, firearms, explosives, police items, human tissue, stolen goods, stocks, bonds, securities, hacking and illegal surveillance equipment, non-transferable contracts, etc.. Please review your local laws for other items that may be illegal before you post. You create posts at your own free will and we do not claim responsibility for any consequences that may result. You must agree to the You must agree read and agree to the Terms of Service prior to creating a new post.

15. why is my email address needed? [back to top]

It allows others a way of contacting you and it helps us with system administration purposes. We do not sell or share with third parties.

Email Address Options:

"Hide" will hide your email address and it will be invisible on the website. This is the default selection. Select this option if you want your email address to remain hidden. Others can still send a reply your post but they will not know your real email address.

"Show" will show your email address and it will be visible on the website. Select this option if you are ok with others knowing your email address.

"None" will not show your email address. Select this option if you don't want anyone to reply to your post by email. A valid email address is still required to post on the website.

Your information is kept confidential. Please read our policy for further details.

16. why is the location of my post needed? [back to top]

The location of your post is needed to help others understand where your location is in reference to theirs. This is to help local users, buyers and sellers connect with each other.

17. what should i put for the location of my post? [back to top]

Location need not be a specific address. Usually, visitors type a specific part of the city or town where they are located. A general geographic area such as the northern or southern part of the state or even zip codes are good. You may even write that your post is located from the planet Mars, but remember some people may not see your post if they are performing a keyword search or a sort based on location.

18. if my post doesn't have any contact information, how will people get in touch with me? [back to top]

If you choose the "No Reply to" option when creating a new post and you don't leave any contact information in the body of the message, then others will not be able to get in touch with you. This is good if you are creating an informational post or you would like to voice your opinion on a touchy subject. Keep in mind that others may respond to your post by creating a post of their opinion. This still does not change the matter that others will not be able to get in touch with you.

19. how do i contact someone that submitted a post? [back to top]

You can only contact someone if their information is available on their post. For example, Mary submitted a post, chose to hide her email address, and decided not to type any contact information such as phone number or address in the body of her message. Joe wants to reply to her post. The only way he can do so is by clicking the "email me" link just beneath the title of the post to send her an email. Joe will be taken to a page where he can send his response to her.

20. can i use Html? [back to top]

Yes. Html tags can be used to customize the appearance of your post. We wrap html around your post, so use the tags as if you were coding within the <body> tags of an html document. Please be aware that some tags were deprecated in favor of the new HTML 5 standard.

To make line breaks use between lines, or the new way is  .

To make words bold use text goes here.

To underline words use text goes here.

To italicize words use text goes here.

21. can i use scripts? [back to top]

No. Some scripts are written with malicious intent and are potentially harmful. For eveyone's safety, we have a system in place to detect and remove script definitions. This applies to web languages including javascript, jscript, vbscript, asp, perlscript, php, jsp, ssi, java, .net.

22. can i add links to my post? [back to top]

Web addresses can be included as regular text. Hyperlinks are disabled to protect our community from harmful or otherwise malicious links.

23. can i add images? [back to top]

Yes. You can attach and post up to four photos with your post.

24. can i add a logo to my post? [back to top]

Yes. All you need to do is to attach the logo at the time you create your post. You can also insert html to point to a logo stored on your web site by typing in the tag <img src="hyperlink to your logo">.

25. i am having trouble uploading my photos? [back to top]

There are a few things to check. 1) We have a limit on the size of each photo so as not to overload ourselves with huge files and prevent any problems a user may encounter while waiting to download a huge file. The limit is usually 10 MB (MegaBytes) . 2) Check the file type of the picture and change it if necessary. Usually pictures taken directly from a digital camera can be uploaded. We restrict files that are not considered standard picture formats and you will see a list of these files on the page you are trying to upload. File types that are acceptable include bmp, gif, jpg, png, psd, psp, and tiff only. Remember, pictures are optional. 3) You should see a "Browse" button where you can find the picture you want to upload. If you don't see it, you should upgrade to a more recent version of your browser.

26. how do i make my images smaller? [back to top]

You will need photo editing software to make your image smaller. There are many programs available to manipulate image sizes including Adobe Photoshop, ACD Systems for Mac, and Microsoft Paint. Freeware programs may also be available.

27. what should i include in my post? [back to top]

You should include every piece of information that is related to what you are trying to sell or buy. Buyers and sellers have a much better response rate when specific information about the item or service is given. Remember, all information you type in the post will be public and available to everyone. Some helpful tips:

- Make sure the title and location is relevant to your post as other users will be searching on specific criteria.

- Make sure you list your post in the correct category.

- Add pictures or place a link to your photos if they are already online. A picture is worth a thousand words.

- Check the spelling before submitting your post.

- Add html to customize your post.(Use only html code that would be typed between the <body> tags.)

28. how long should my text be? [back to top]

There is no limit for the number of words you write in the body of the message. However, the title of the post is limited to one hundred characters. Please keep in mind that you will only be able to retrieve the first eight hundred characters of a post in the event that you need to make changes after the post has been published.

29. can i edit or make changes to my post? [back to top]

You will be given the option to edit your post at the time you create it. From the "preview" screen, simply click the "back" link at the bottom of the form to go back and edit your message.

You can also make changes to your post at any time after it is published. Note the following points when doing so:

- the title of the post within the post can be changed but the title of the post as it is listed will not be changed.

- only the first eight hundred characters of the post message is retained to conserve resources. This means longer messages will partially appear in the text area of the "Edit Post" form. Note: You can copy and paste the text from your old post and change your message from there.

- any pictures attached to the old post will be lost.

- for posting events, start and end dates will be lost.

When the post was created, you should have received an email with directions and information on how to change it. Did you forget or lose this information? Have it resent.

30. how can i tell when a post was created? [back to top]

All posts have a date and time stamp showing when it was created. The date and time is shown just beneath the title of the post on the left hand side of the post. The page that shows the result number of posts for a (sub)category will show the day of week, month, and day each post was created as it lists them.

31. how can i tell if I already read a post? [back to top]

The hyperlink will have changed to a purple color. However, some links will retain their colors even after they have been visited.

32. how can i know that you received my post? [back to top]

You will be taken to a "Thank You" page that will confirm the end of your post creation and that your post is being published to the site.

33. how long does it take for my post to appear online? [back to top]

Your post is usually published immediately to our site. There may be times when a large volume of people are online and our servers are experiencing heavy traffic in which it may take up to fifteen minutes.

34. i created a new post and still don't see it. what's wrong? [back to top]

You may have posted during a busy time. Wait a few more minutes and look for you post again. Make sure you search in the category that you posted in. You may be looking at old data on the page, try refreshing your browser. Try closing, then reopen your browser and visit the page again.

35. i saw a post online and now it's gone? [back to top]

The post may have expired or was removed. Also check you are in the same category where you previously saw it.

36. how long does a post stay active until it expires? [back to top]

Your post will be public generally for up to six months. Some posts may expire earlier under circumstances such as : posts in popular categories, illegal posts, or posts that were removed by their author.

37. how can i look at my post online? [back to top]

The "Thank you" page will show the link to your Ad or simply go the (sub)category where you created your post and you should see your post listed.

38. can i renew my post? [Back to top]

Only posts considered to be commercial in nature have the option for renewal.

39. how do I remove or expire my post? [back to top]

You have the option to remove your post by yourself at any time. When you created the post, you should have received an email with directions and information on how to remove it. Did you forget or lose this information? Have it resent.

40. my post was locked? [back to top]

The post will lock after too many incorrect attempts were made. This is to protect your post from unauthorized access or tampering. It will unlock automatically after . Please wait until then and try again. If has passed and you still see the message, try to refresh your browser.

41. i forgot or lost my pin? [back to top]

Visit our resend page to have your pin emailed to you. Your email address and post id is needed.

Searching

42. how do i search for posts? [back to top]

There are two ways you can search for posts. 1) by keyword. Type in the keyword(s) and press the "Search" button. Note: Pressing the "Search" button without typing anything will be seen as a subcategory search for everything. 2) by category. Select a subcategory from the dropdown selection box that you want to search in.

43. how far back can i search or browse for posts? [back to top]

You can search for posts as far back anytime as long as they have not expired or were removed. You may also choose to search for posts within a particular time frame. See "how do i use advanced search?"

44. how do i use advanced search? [back to top]

Each search box has a link to the page that allows you to perform an advanced search. You may refine your search to include or exclude keywords, perform Boolean searches, title or location only search option, search specific categories, specific time frames, and view up to two hundred results per page. Simply enter the search criteria and press the "Advanced Search" button found at the bottom of the page.

Support

45. what browsers do you support? [back to top]

We try to design our site to be viewable in all browsers. We are w3c (world wide consortium ) compliant for the new Html 5 standard. If your browser does not support style sheets, we recommend upgrading to a newer version of your browser. This site has been tested for accessibility in Jaws and Lynx browsers.

46. why doesn't the link you sent me in the email work? [back to top]

Sometimes your browser may break up the url if it is too long. Try copy and pasting the entire url from the email into your browser address bar. Another possibility is your browser may have opened the link already in a separate window so be sure to check other web pages that you may have open.

47. what can i do about abusive and inappropriate posts? [back to top]

You have the power to protect and keep your community safe by voting against a post. At the side or bottom of each post is a "flag" statement followed by a few categories. Simply click the appropriate category and your vote will be counted. The Ad will be automatically removed once the number of votes reaches the threshold. In all fairness, each vote is limited to one per person. The following is a description of each category:

wrong category - The post is not related to the category it is in.

spam / flooding - The same post is repeated several times in a category causing an overflow effect.

fraud / illegal - The post is a scheme or has a criminal intent to defraud someone. The post contains illegal items for sale on the web.

48. what can i do about someone harassing me by email? [back to top]

You made a post, someone emailed you, and you replied. Now they have your email address and are harassing you in ways such as inappropriate content or language. There is a feature in your email program that allows you to filter incoming emails which is a highly effective way of eliminating this type of abuse. You can add the sender's email address to your "junk senders list" and your email program will automatically delete it. In essence, you should never see another email from that sender's address again. Check with your email program documentation for further details. If you are receiving serious threats, you should keep a paper copy of the emails and notify your local police authority.

49. what can i do if i am a victim of an illegal or falsely advertised post? [back to top]

Please make a copy of the post and call your local law enforcement authority to file a report.

50. when does your site get updated? [back to top]

Our site provides new information twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. News and information is provided by visitors that submit new posts to our site and by our site designers. If you would like to give us a recommendation, feedback, or suggestions, please visit our "Contact Us" page and email us.

51. why am i getting a "Service Unavailable" or "script produced no output" message? [back to top]

Sometimes during busy periods, our servers may not be able to show some web pages. Some steps to follow if you see one of these messages: Try refreshing your browser. Try clicking the back button and click forward again. Close out of your browser completely, reopen it, and try revisiting the web page. If that doesn't work, try waiting several minutes and refresh your browser. If you are still seeing the message, please contact us so that we can provide further support for you.

52. i tried to post and never made it to the 'Thank you' screen? [back to top]

The information that you submit for your post is time-sensitive. The information that you send us from the 'Create post, Create event, or Preview' screens is generally lost after about twenty minutes of no activity. This can occur if you leave your computer and then come back in the middle of making your post. You may encounter messages such as "Object reference not set to an instance of an object" which means that your information was discarded. Simply refresh your browser and start again. We recommend that you complete all the steps straight through to ensure an accurate and efficient posting. Closing and reopening your browser should also work.

53. i went to preview my post and got a "page cannot be displayed" message? [back to top]

Sometimes your browser may not wait for our system to make a preview of your post. Simply click the "Back" button on your browser to go back to the "Create Post" screen. Then click the "Post it" link again and it will usually work. Repeat these steps if you continue to see the message. If you still see the message after several tries, please refresh your browser, wait a few minutes and try again.

54. none of the above helped me, what else can i do? [back to top]

You can also email us questions or concerns that you may have. Our email is located on the "Contact Us" form.