Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully this section will answer questions as they arise and serve as a guide for using the site. If you have a question that is not answered here, please get in touch using the Contact Us page.
Click on the question to go straight to the answer:
How do I re-list an item if it expires? (as each listing does after 90 days)
I am having problems registering / listing an item. What do I do next?
What do I do if I'm having problems activating my account?
Why haven't I received my activation email?
Why am I having problems putting my postcode in at registration?
Why am I having problems uploading photographs?
How do I delete a classified once it is sold?
How do I get a link on the DisabledGear.com Links Page?
We love the site! Can we help?!
I keep being given a Time Out message and can't seem to list my item.
Have we thought about doing a Wanted section?
The Answers to Questions We've Been Asked:
How do I re-list an item if it expires? (as each listing does after 90 days)
You will be sent two emails (one a week before expiry and one on the day of expiry to remind you and provide you with a link to re-list your item. However, if you have deleted that email you can re-list very easily via your account!
1) Log In
2) click on My Account at top of page
3) click View/Edit/Delete Classified Postings
4) click on the listing you want to re-list
5) click Re-Post, then OK.
I am having problems listing an item. What do I do next?
The site is designed to be as easy to use as possible, though we fully recognise that not everyone is confident using computers. Usually the problem is a very simple one to resolve, as it may just be a case of helping you to become familiar with the system If you are having difficulty registering or listing an item please get in touch with us so that we can talk you through the process and make it work for you. Unless you know how to do a screen snapshot, we will probably need to talk to you, as we can't know what you are doing from a one liner email! So don't be shy: email us with your number and we'll call you back, or just ring us on the number in the Contact Us pages: 020 7193 1941.
That said, sometimes a computer system can throw up a glitch. And if that's the case, we need to know about it as early as possible so that we can fix it. We can't know if it's going wrong unless we're told!
What do I do if I'm having problems activating my account?
You get in touch with us! We want you to use DisabledGear.com with ease and success so that you pass the word on. This way it'll work best for everyone. If you don't tell us, we can't fix it, and it won't help the next person either.
Why haven't I received my activation email?
It may be that you have made a small typo when writing your email address, or that we have tried to send but there is a problem with your server that has meant our email has been returned. Don't worry! We can sort this out easily if you bring it to our attention. Use the Contact Us page.
Why am I having problems putting my postcode in at registration?
The postcode is a strict field so that the "Search By Distance" feature works. Please avoid mixing letters and numbers in the wrong place - such as number "0" and letter "o". If you still have problems, send us an email with your postcode so we can look into and get straight back to you. We want it to work as much as you do!
Why am I having problems uploading photographs?
Most likely the size of image you are trying to upload is too big. All the photos uploaded are automatically resized to one standard size which you can see in any classified, but they need to be small enough to start with for this to happen. Bigger is just a waste here! By reducing it, you will not reduce the quality of the photograph as seen on the site. Because of the size of the image on the screen, you do not need to use the best quality when taking the digital picure. What people see will not be affected. What IS important is how you compose the picture.
How to do it:
On a Mac (OSX):
1) View the picture you wish to upload in Preview
2) Go to Tools > Adjust Size
3) under Fit Into click on the drop down menu and click 800x600
4) Click OK
5) Go to File > Save As
6) Then choose a name and location you'll find easily.
7) Return to DisabledGear.com listing and repeat the adding photograph process with resized picture.
Or it may be that you are using Safari (especially Mac users). If you are having problems, please try going through the process on another web browser such as Firefox.
On a PC:
There are different versions of Windows available, and no standard application for resizing. You can try one of the following:
1. Email the photo to yourself - as, depending on which version of Windows you have, this either gives you the option to resize or automatically resizes to a workable size.
2. Contact Us, and we will work through the problem with you until we have it sorted!
Thank you.
How do I delete a classified once it is sold?
Very easily!
1) Log In
2) click on My Account at top of page
3) click View/Edit/Delete Classified Postings
4) click on the listing you want to delete
5) click Delete, then confirm
Sadly not! DisabledGear.com is designed to put you in control of your own listings. But we hope that you'll find the registering and listing process so easy that you'll recommend us to others. (The more people that know, the more buyers there'll be for sellers and the more choice for buyers.)
How do I get a link on the DisabledGear.com Links Page?
Talk to us! We will consider all websites that are clear and of use to the disabled community. Naturally, we will ask for a reciprocal arrangement. If you are a business, we will use our discretion to decide. Ultimately, we're here to make things a little better for people.
If we go ahead with a link, we will need a little visual button (jpeg format) from you which must be 149 x 68 px.
We love the site! Can we help?!
Yes, absolutely! This site was created through need, and the response has been positive and supportive of what we set out to achieve. It will really work when everyone knows about us. We need your help to spread the word.
Direct Action you can take to help us help you:
1. Pass the website address on to friends, colleagues or someone on a low income in need of equipment. In fact there are so many people that could benefit.
2. Telephone or email your own disability charity to tell them about us and ask them to run a small feature in their next newsletter, or give us a link from their website.
3. We have A6 flyers (same size as a postcard) that say who we are and what we do. We'll send you a few or whole load. We'd love to hear about them appearing in local shop windows, on hospital notice boards, in elderly care homes, in charity shops, in fact anywhere you can think of. Just email or phone us and we''ll send them out with our thanks. (Click here to go to the Contact Us page).
I keep being given a Time Out message and can't seem to list my item.
Look to see if the Log In box (on right hand side) says "Logged In As [your name]"
If YES, then click Log Out, close the browser window (i.e. Internet Explorer or Firefox, etc..) then open it up again and try again (Log In & list item).
if NO, then Log In again and re-try listing your item.
The site does not automatically log you out at the end of a session. You need to do this by clicking on "Log Out " when you have finished looking through. However, it has an automatic cut off after an hour. If you want to spend longer on the site, it is no problem, but you may need to log out and log back in again.
Have we thought about doing a Wanted section?
We are asked this question on a regular basis which shows me that there is a real need for a wide second-hand market - what we are trying to create here. New equipment is sometimes too expensive to afford people to get what they need.
I decided against a Wanted Section early on in the planning stage of development as I looked at many other Classifieds sites, and as often as not, where the feature exised, two people, wanting and selling the same item, would make their posts and not check the other sections, leaving the site looking ineffective, as neither got what they wanted. By making people do a modicum of work, the system seemed to fare better for all. That said, I know that people can post a FREE-Ad as a wanted, and I really don't mind this - provided it is not abused, and prevents the good use of the system for others.
For other issues or if you have repeated problems, please let us know!
