www.TheBrokerSite.com allows you to subscribe to about any search performed on our Broadcast by using RSS. RSS also enables you to send content automatically to several media based on the content of a feed. We have prepared this set of instructions for you to use the RSS Broadcast Feeds on you Social Media (Twitter, Buzz, etc), email marketing, or in your own website using Google’s FeedBurner.

To use FeedBurner.com you will need a Google Account. To manage your RSS Feed, please follow these steps.

1.       Go to www.TheBrokerSite.com and log in.

2.       Go to our Broadcast section and search for the name of your company.

3.       When you see only broadcast sent by you or your colleagues, go to the “Click here to subscribe to these results” Button.

4.       You will see an RSS feed from www.TheBrokerSite.com, copy the address.

5.       Go to www.FeedBurner.com and login with your Google account.

6.       You will see a form. Paste the Feed Address to the “Burn a feed right this instant. Type your blog or feed address here:” field.

7.       Click on Next.

8.       Choose a Feed Title and a preferred address.

9.       Click on Next.

Your Feed will be created. And you can manage it from FeedBurner.com.

FeedBurner gives you the options to optimize (add your logo, enhance compatibility, etc..), publicize (sent your Broadcast through twitter, email subscription, add to your website), or even allow your Google AdSense account to display ads on your content.

In order to send your Broadcasts to Twitter, just follow these instructions:

1.       On FeedBurner.com go to your TBS Feed

2.       Go to the “Publicize” Tab

3.       Click on “Socialize”, you will be asked to add a Twitter Account.

4.       Login to your Twitter and Allow Access

5.       Click on Activate.

All the broadcasts you send through www.TheBrokerSite.com will be also sent to Twitter. This will allow you to link all your Social Media Efforts to your account on www.TheBrokerSite.com.

Please feel free to contact us if you need assistance.

www.TheBrokerSite.com is the B2B e-marketplace for buying and selling computer parts and equipment in Europe with over 1000 registered companies. The simplified Broadcasting process, active part-search open to everyone, optimized company profiles, active inventory management and IE integration make www.TheBrokersite.com the most active solution for IT Traders, Brokers and sales executives.

We have prepared a brief video-explanation of www.TheBrokerSite.com.

The Broker Site offers a 2-month free trial period so you can try and see that it really works! During the free trial you will be able to use all the services and add as many contacts as necessary. There are no obligations, no hidden charges, and no renewals without previous authorization.

Registration for a Free Trial.

Dear Reader,
Every now and then we hear stories about Fraud being committed in the Computer Trading Market. There is no way we can ban the Frauds out of our market but we can protect ourselves against them! I have written this blog to start a discussion on Fraud in our market and I hope many of you respond to this blog with your own experiences and advice thus helping all readers to better protect themselves.
2 Common types of Fraud in our Market:
I Selling fake products. This kind of Fraud is very common with companies operating from China/Hong Kong they pretend to sell original Cisco, HP or other tier1 brands but when the goods arrive they are not original products they might look the same or even be the exact same product but they are not covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty.
When you buy from China always ask for trade references there are a couple of good traders located in China/Hong Kong and they will give you trade references without any problems. Do not accept excuses like we are new to the European Market so we do not have references yet or we cannot give you the names of our customers from a competitive point of view.
China/Hong Kong members on TBS are thoroughly checked by us and we did not get any complaints about them from other members.
II Identity Fraud: We saw this happening a lot the past months frauds hide behind a real company, use the real company’s name, address but use different email addresses, phone numbers and banking details. They ask for prepayment on their account and, of course, they never ship the goods you ordered. These people mostly operate with Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo addresses and when you call them you can usually hear they are using a Skype or other internet phone.
Our advice when doing business with a new supplier/customer:
1 Check them out with www.TheBrokerSite.com if they are a member we can tell you how long they have been a member and if there have been any problems in the past. Companies on TBS are checked out by us before they can join for a free trial, we ask for trade references we check VAT numbers etc. On www.TheBrokerSite.com/info.asp we list our Trusted members. These companies have been on TBS for more than 3 years and we do not have any unsolved complaints against them listed. Please note in a case of identity fraud a fraud can be hiding behind a real TBS member so also compare the details of the company you are about to do business with, with the details for that company listed on the TBS Companies page.
2 Always check a company’s VAT number and make sure that address of the VAT number is the same address the company operates from.
3 Ask for trade references! If a company cannot give references do NOT deal with them, accept only trade references from companies you know and make sure to actually check on the trade references.

There is much more to be said about Fraud in our market and I hope many of you will comment on this blog so we can all learn from it.

Finally when a price is too good to be true it usually is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

We have created a Google account for each Broadcast list on www.TheBrokerSite.com. You can now follow the Broadcast using your Google Buzz section on your Gmail too!
All you have to do is search for TheBrokerSite.com Buzz or add us a contact.
None of the lists is showing their followers or contacts to anyone.
The profiles are:

• PC TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Laptops TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Server & Storage TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Networking & Telecom TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• GSM & Mobile TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Electronics TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Printers TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Software TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• Point-of-Sales TheBrokerSite.com Buzz
• The European Broker Meeting TheBrokerSite.com Buzz

You can also subscribe to any combination of keywords, lists and type of Broadcast by using our RSS tool and subscribing using your Google Reader. You will be able to buzz you own offers!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!

TBS has launched its Mobile optimized version!

Now on TBS Mobile you can Send Broadcasts, Perform a Part Search and Look for a Company or Contact registered in Europe’s Largest Computer Trading Exchange from your iPhone, Blackberry, Sidekick or any other smartphone!

Just access www.TheBrokerSite.com from your mobile or go to www.TheBrokerSite.com/mobile

Let us know what you think

www.TheBrokerSite.com now offers the possibility for all members to have their own Micro-Site free of charge.

The Micro-Sites offer the following:

• Parts and Equipment Search in your database and the TBS database
• Contact Information
• Personalized Logo
• Personal sub-domain

These companies already have their own Micro-Site:
http://www.thebrokersite.com/members/gsd-remarketing
http://www.thebrokersite.com/members/tanitec
http://www.thebrokersite.com/members/netland.computers
http://www.thebrokersite.com/members/bbnet

In order to get your own Micro-Site, just send us your logo and the Micro-Site address you would prefer to use and we will set it up for you.

Why Micro-Sites?

TBS Micro-Sites are connected to your profile in TBS. This means you will be able to make changes in your Micro-Site by updating or optimizing your profile for better results. It can lower your PPC cost because the Micro-Site can focus on specific keywords improving your Quality Score.

TBS Micro-Sites can display line items available in www.TheBrokerSite.com. This means your Micro-Site can promote all the line items listed in the TBS database. However, all RFQ’s will go through you and you can decide how to proceed (whether it is to pass the RFQ to the company which has the stock or to mediate the deal yourself).

TBS Micro-Sites are a very powerful reference in the industry. You will be endorsed by Europe’s Largest Computer Trading Exchange. You can list it as another website on your LinkedIn or Xing Profile, you can promote all the products available to you for being part of TBS and you can follow your favorite traders through their own Micro-Site.

1. Log-in to www.TheBrokerSite.com
2. Go to the ‘Broadcast’ section
3. Perform a search
4. On the header of the Broadcast Search Results you will see the button: “Click here to Subscribe to these results”
5. A page with the RSS feed will appear. Copy the address to your reader ’or’ subscribe using the page your browser displays.

1. Copy the Address of the RSS feed
2. On Microsoft Outlook 2007, On the ‘Tools’ menu, click ‘Account Settings’
3. On the ‘RSS Feeds’ tab, click ‘New’
4. Paste the address in the ‘New RSS Feed’ dialog box
5. Click Add
6. Click OK

1. When in the ‘Subscribe’ page, The RSS icon in Internet Explorer will be highlighted. This means you can subscribe to the page.
2. Click on the RSS Icon
3. A new Feed page will appear. On the top, click ‘Subscribe to this feed’
4. On the ‘Subscribe to this Feed’ dialog box, type the name of your search.
5. Click ‘Subscribe’

1. When in the ‘Subscribe’ page, select ‘Live Bookmarks’ from the list menu “Subscribe to this feed using”
2. On the ‘Add Live Bookmark’ dialog box, type a name for your search
3. Select ‘Bookmarks toolbar’ from the list menu
4. Click Add