FAQs

As we get to know what people find confusing about the mBay.es system we will adapt the pages to become simpler and even more straight forward. If that is not possible, we will add the most frequent questions and their answers here - in the FAQs.

However, if you have browsed around, read the info articles and looked over these FAQs and still cannot find an answer to your question we have a failsafe backup - send your question in an email to admin@mbay.es and we will send back an answer as soon as possible. If your question is a really good one that many folks need to know about, we'll add it here. Bit by bit, as people ask questions and the answers get posted we should be able to cover all possible questions. 

Words appearing blue in these answers, and often elsewhere on the website, are links to further information or features. A lot of the information on how mBay.es works is all linked together. Like pieces of a jigsaw each links to another, making up the big picture. FAQs are by convention short answers. Sometimes the questions they are meant to answer are not short and simple. It is then links are used to allow you to click on a word or phrase to read a deeper explanation of the answer. If you see a blue word or phrase in the text, click on it to read more.

Example: Click here to go to the website Home Page

You will see references to the 'frontend' of the website and others to the 'backend'.

The frontend is the collection of pages you see when you browse around mBay.es no matter if you are logged in as a registered user or not. The basic frontend pages are always public to all visitors.

The backend is another distinct collection of pages, including your own personal control panel or dashboard. Here you control all your auctions, bids and profile (personal contact details and password). You only get to see this when you are logged in. It is completely private to you. Nobody else can see this information - only you. 

However, logged-in users get to see a different frontend as well. Several extra features become available - you get to see and control your own personal Watch List allowing you to tag auctions you want to keep an eye on and get to quickly. More importantly, the frontend changes when you are logged in and you can bid on other people's auction items.

1. When you first register and whenever you come back and log in, you are taken to your personal dashboard. Here you have a link to your Profile.
2. Clicking on Profile will take you to a page where you can edit your details - name, password, telephone number and add a personal picture.
3. The only thing you cannot change is your email. If you have made an error or need to use a different email, you will need to re-register. 
4. All data, bids, auctions etc. linked to the earlier email is lost. You will be starting afresh.

There are two principal reasons for complaints about auctions - the auction item itself and the way a seller or bidder behaved when it was completed.

1. Complaints about an auction - For better or for worse, the mBay.es developers still have faith that just about every person who takes part in the site will do so with goodwill. However, we are not so ‘wet behind the ears’ as to think this will be 100% of the users. That's why we have terms and conditions that everybody agrees to when they register. mBay.es Terms & Conditions expressly forbid auction items such as Firearms, Adult Material, Medical, Pharmaceutical Items: All such items are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN and will be removed immediately. Repeat infractions of this condition will result in the permanent banning of that Seller. Equally. false data or information will incur a suspension or permanent banning from the website. Every auction item has a special purple link bottom right on the page allowing anybody to bring an unsuitable auction item to the admin's attention. Further details are available at this link here.
2. Complaints about post-auction behaviour - Both as an auction Seller and top Bidder you agree to complete the auction transaction within two weeks of a Buy Now or auction time-expiry.  Once again a quick check of the Terms & Conditions will give you the details.

Trust and good-faith is an essential part of the mBay.es process. If you feel somebody has overstepped the mark of decent behaviour there is always our contact form to pass Admin the details. We will investigate and try to come to a fair and just decision but it must always be recognised, Admin's decision is final. We cannot and will not enter into an extended discussion with any party. Our task is to provide an online service that benefits our local charities. We are not magistrates or lawyers.

First and foremost - thank you. We and our supported charities need all the help we can get. A quick read of the Pledges & Donations article is a good place to start - but if you want to jump to just choosing the charity and making a donation…

→ Go to the Charities Page

You can also help by keeping mBay.es going. We too need all the help we can get!

1. Spread the word - tell all your friends, Facebook, Tweet - tell everybody!
2. Make a contribution to the mBay.es maintenance fund.

Here's what you do

1. Before you even start doing anything online, get your information prepared offline.
   1. Write out your title in your own language
   2. Write under that the Title in any of the other two languages (both is best).
   3. Do the same for the Description - a text for each language
   4. Translation using Google is probably the easiest and simplest to use - https://translate.google.com/
   5. Find a nice photo (or take one with your mobile phone) ensuring it shows your item off at it's best. You can several photos if you wish.
   6. Finally, decide on your:
      1. Decide on a category
      2. Auction duration - 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21 or 28 days.
      3. If you are setting a start price - if not, enter zero
      4. If you are setting a Buy Now price (optional) and if so, how much?
2. You are now fully prepared with all the information you need and can calmly add your auction without having to scurry about finding stuff halfway through - never a good idea, and a sure way to make mistakes.
3. Log in, go to your control panel and choose to add an auction from the menu of items on the left.
4. Fill in all the form boxes AND…
   1. If you add your action in only one language, that's the one that appears for everybody looking at your item.
   2. Use Google translation to add all three languages to take full benefit of the mBay.es system.
   3. One point to watch out for - the Title and Description tabs are independent of each other - you can select English in the Title tab whilst Spanish is selected for the description.
   4. When you are done, just click both the Title and Description tabs in all languages to ENSURE you have the right language in the correct tab.
   5. Remember to check all tabs in BOTH the Title and Description boxes.
   6. All the rest of the information you add is language independent so there is no need for any more tabs or multiple entries in those boxes
   7. Make sure you have uploaded your picture(s) and you are done.
   8. Press the Submit button and your auction is live on the Internet - in three languages.

Good luck!