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--- help:deal_posting_guidelines [2020/07/14 09:37]
moocher [Financial Services]
+++ help:deal_posting_guidelines [2025/06/11 21:18] (current)
alvian Corrected text used in the example
@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 |**[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#group_buy_deals|POST]] only active deals for [[:list_of_group_buy_sites|group buy sites]].**    | **[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#competitions|NO]] Competitions or private sales.**    |
 |**DEALS that are available to Australia.**    | **[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#affiliate_referral_links|NO]] Affiliate Links anywhere. [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#affiliate_referral_links|NO]] Referral Links anywhere ([[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:deal_posting_guidelines?#affiliate_referral_links|see exception]]).**    |
-|**[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#multiple_bargains_for_the_same_site_store|COMBINE]] deals from the same merchant.**    | **[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#price_matching_in-store_negotiations|NO]] Price Matched or In-store negotiated deals.**    |
+|**[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#multiple_bargains_for_the_same_site_store|COMBINE]] deals from the same merchant.**    | **[[help:deal_posting_guidelines#price_beat_negotiated_deals|NO]] Price Match/Beat or Negotiated deals.**    |
 ----------
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
   * Auctions.
   * Competitions or contests within the deal as this detracts from the bargain. [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#competitions|More information.]]
-  * Adult sites or adult items. Check [[help:banned_items|banned items]].
+  * [[help:banned_items|Adult sites or adult items.]]
-  * Gambling or Betting websites.
+  * [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#gambling_betting_deals|Gambling or Betting websites.]]
   * Deals that resemble work or a job.
-  * Deals available only to staff or employees.
+  * [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#staff_deals|Deals available only to staff or employees.]]
-  * Government Programs
+  * [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#government_programs|Government Programs (Social Services/Programs that produce income).]]
-  * Crowd Funding Sites
+  * Crowd Funding Sites.
-  * Incomparable Services
+  * [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#incomparable_services|Incomparable Services Listed here.]]
-  * Amazon eBooks & Udemy Courses (If you are associated)
+  * [[help:deal_posting_guidelines#amazon_ebooks_udemy_courses_excludes_regular_members|Amazon eBooks & Udemy Courses (If you are associated).]]
@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
   * If you are affiliated with the company.
-If any of the above is true, check the //I am Associated with the Store or Product// box.
+If any of the above is true, select your association in the //I am Associated with// dropdown box.
-Do not ask users to vote on your deal or attempt to solicit votes (in your deal description or by any other means).
 Do not ask users to vote on your deal, attempt to solicit votes, solicit subscriptions for your user profile or for the related store (in your deal description or by any other means).
 ==== Search first ====
@@ Line 66: / Line 65: @@
   - See [[help:tagging_guideline|product tags]] to see recent deals posted that are tagged with your product.
+Refer to the [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:deal_posting_guidelines#duplicates|Duplicate Guidelines]] for more information.
 ==== Starting Etiquette ====
@@ Line 139: / Line 139: @@
 ==== Multiple Bargains for the Same Site/Store ====
-Think twice if you are posting more than one deal for the same site/store.  Are they all really good deals?
+Think twice before you post more than one deal for the same site/store within a short period of time. Are they all really good bargains that require new deal posts?
-It's also possible to post a deal, mentioning the best offer, and mention "+ more" in the title, then put details of the other bargains in the same posting (along with direct links to those items too)
+It is possible to post a single deal for multiple bargains, mention the best ones, and add "+ More" in the title. The other bargains in the deal can be listed in the description along with direct links to them.
-If more than one post is made for the same site/store within 24 hours, it may be removed (especially where postings aren't considered bargains or are related sales/products). Moderator discretion applies.
+If more than one post is made for the same site/store within a short period of time, the posts may be combined into one. Moderator discretion applies, we generally will not combine posts that have different expiry dates, are in different categories, if there is not enough space in the title, or if a significant number of useful comments were made. Moderators will also avoid combining a new or less popular deal with an old or more popular deal at the time the report is actioned, because doing this will misrepresent the deal votes.
+==== Price Beat & Negotiated Deals ====
-==== Price Matching &amp; In-store Negotiations ====
+Some merchants offer [[:pricematch]]/price beat against the same product listed online or in other shops. However, the price beat itself **is not a deal**, but rather a method to make a merchant sell you the same product at a lower price than another merchant&#039;s publicly listed price (which is usually the lowest price around).
-Some merchants offer [[:pricematch]] against the same product listed online or in other shops. However, price match itself **is not a deal**, but rather a method to make a merchant to sell you the same product at a lower price than another merchant's publicly listed price (which is usually the lowest price around).
+Therefore, instead of posting the price beat as a bargain, the //real deal// should be from the merchant who is offering the lowest price. Price beat is a bonus, and other members of OzBargain need to arrange their own price beat. For example, an Amazon Echo Hub is cheapest at Amazon Australia, and you bought one at 5% less from Officeworks with a price beat. To post this deal:
-Therefore, instead of posting the price match as a bargain, the //real deal// should be from the merchant who is offering the lowest price. Price matching is a bonus, and other members of OzBargain need to arrange their own price match. For example a specific model of HP laptop is cheapest at DickSmith, and you get Officeworks to price match at 5% less. To post this deal:
+  * Use Amazon AU as the primary merchant and add Officeworks as the price beat merchant.
+    * Title: Amazon Echo Hub $249 Delivered @ Amazon AU (Price Beat $236.55 @ Officeworks)
+    * URL: //Amazon Echo Hub// product page at Amazon AU.
+    * Description: Add a link to //Amazon Echo Hub// at Officeworks which shows a higher price before price beat. Give a summary on how to price beat, such as asking a sales assistant, calling a customer service centre, or chatting online.
-  * Use the merchant you are price match against. For example:
+If you chose to add price beat information to the title, then the deal that you are price beating against must be active at the time of submitting the post. Your title must not speculate that a price beat will be offered at a future date. Instead, mention the possibility of a price beat in your description.
-    * Title: HP Laptop $500 at DickSmith ($475 at Officeworks via Price Match)
-    * URL: URL of the product at DickSmith's website.
-  * Mention that you are able to use price match at a competing merchant.
-  * Remember to have a link to your receipt as a proof that (in this example) Officeworks do allow price matching on this product. Use [[media file uploader]] if you need to.
-In-store negotiated deals are dependent on the store, salesperson and other circumstances. In-store negotiated prices (haggling to receive a further discount on the ticketed price) aren't available to everyone and are not guaranteed. You should post a deal for the ticketed/guaranteed price, you can then add your experience with negotiating further discount in the deal description only. Alternatively you may wish to post your experience in the forums.
+Negotiated deals are dependent on the store, salesperson and other circumstances. Negotiated prices (haggling to receive a further discount on the ticketed price) aren't available to everyone and are not guaranteed. You should post a deal for the ticketed/guaranteed price, you can then add your experience with negotiating further discount in the deal description only. Alternatively you may wish to post your experience in the forums.
  ==== Affiliate & Referral Links ====
-Referral links & codes are prohibited almost* everywhere on OzBargain; this includes all deal, forum and classified posts and comments. Referral links & codes can however be added to our automated [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:referral_links|referral system]] from My Account - Edit - Referrals. Do not solicit referrals by any means in your posts (eg asking users to PM you, drawing attention to the referral system or linking to your own deal posts if you are in the OzBargain referral system for that merchant). Affiliate links are prohibited on OzBargain.
+Referral links & codes are prohibited almost everywhere on OzBargain; this includes all deal, forum and classified posts and comments. Affiliate links are completely prohibited on OzBargain.
-**EXCEPTIONS:**
+However, referral links & codes **can** be added to our automated [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:referral_links|referral system randomiser]] from [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/user/-/edit/referrals|My Account Menu: Settings> Edit> Referrals]]. If you have a referral link or code for a deal you are posting AND the store is not already in the automated system, please add the referral link or code to the bottom of your post description ONLY & a moderator will move it from the description to the referral system.
-  * Competition referral links (to gain entries) ARE permitted in competition posts (at the bottom of the post) and competition comments.
-  * If you have a referral link or code for a deal you are posting AND it is not in the automated system, please add it to the bottom of your post & a moderator will add it into the referral system (and remove it from your post).
-**Can I post a deal for the Referral offer itself?**
+**You CAN:**
-   *  If the retailer offers a referral program, you may post it as a deal (e.g. signup to ABC site via referral code and earn $10 credit) if all of the following conditions are met:
+  * (Deals) Provide relevant and helpful information about the referral offer in your deal post description (such as it stacking with another offer, or the best way to apply it).
-          -  The referee also earns credit.
+  * (Competitions) Place your competition referral links (to gain entries) in competition post comments section (only).
-          -  The current offer has NOT been posted as a deal previously.
+  * (Everywhere Else) Link to your deal post elsewhere, if you are in the referral system for that merchant, as long as it is relevant to the post or comment that you are replying to.
-          -  It's a limited time referral offer or it's a new addition to the OzBargain referral system (added less than 7 days ago).
+**You CANNOT:**
+  * (Deals) Solicit referrals in the post description (e.g., "PM me"), or draw attention to the referral system box without context/reason (e.g., "Remember referral system below").
+  * (Competitions) Link a competition referral link as the main post link or within the post description.
+  * (Everywhere Else) Link to your deal post elsewhere, if your intent is to gain referrals, in this case it will be deemed as referral solicitation.
+**Can I post a deal for the Referral offer itself?**
+You may post a referral offer as a deal (e.g., "Sign up with referral code for $10 credit") if:
+          - The referee also receives a benefit (e.g. credit or discount).
+          - No active deal exists for that offer.
 //Main article: [[referral and affiliate link differences]]//
@@ Line 189: / Line 198: @@
 Physical Goods - Only post deals that can be paid for using Australian payment methods. If the deal does not ship to Australia and freight/mail forwarding is required, your deal MUST include the final price including shipping and the name of the freight/mail forwarding company used for the calculations. Deals without a final price will be removed.
-Virtual Goods - Some deals require a VPN or similar to access them, including the [[http://www.hola.org|Hola]] browser extension. These deals are acceptable but please write clearly in the title 'VPN Required' or similar and give basic instructions in the deal.
+Virtual Goods - Some deals require a VPN or similar to access them. These deals are acceptable but please write clearly in the title 'VPN Required' or similar and give basic instructions in the deal. Deals that require a non-Australian identification card or phone number are not possible to obtain for most users and should not be posted.
 Deals in Overseas Countries - Deals available overseas may be applicable to Australians traveling to that destination. Some deals located overseas may not be applicable to the majority of Australians in reasonable circumstances however. Currently only travel/tourist related deals should be posted on OzBargain, these include but are not limited to: Flights, Accommodation, Tours, Airport Facilities/Transport, Special Events (World Cup, Olympics etc) & Communication (Sim Cards, Roaming internet etc). Deals outside of these categories or not realistically applicable to the majority of members may be removed by a moderator. [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/183283|See Discussion]]
@@ Line 217: / Line 226: @@
 If the airfare is part of an advertised sale, please include both the booking period and travel period. If it is not an advertised sale, please provide at least one sample itinerary that shows the discounted fare as described.
+From July 2024, airfare deals without a fixed discount or a percentage discount must give prices (or price ranges) for departure and arrival cities in the titles. This new requirement is needed because the prices differ too much between different departure cities.
 ==== Financial Services ====
-Deals for loans (such as home, car or personal loans) that quote an interest rate must include a comparison rate in the title or description. Deals that specify a loan offer from a financial institution should link directly to the financial institution. The only case where the deal can be linked to a loan broker is if the deal is exclusive to the broker.
+Deals for loans (such as home, car or personal loans) that quote an interest rate must include a comparison rate in the title or description. Deals that specify a loan offer from a financial institution should link directly to the financial institution. The only case where the deal can be linked to a broker website is if the deal is exclusive to that broker only. Further guidelines for deals posted by a loan broker or bank representative as follows:
+Brokers and bank representatives must quote their **credit licence number** & **authorised credit representative number** when posting a deal.
+**If the deal involves a bank offer:**
+  * Check for duplicates to make sure the bank offer hasn’t already been posted by someone else.
+  * The deal title must only mention the bank offer in the title.
+  * No broker offers can be mentioned in the title of the deal. **Aug 2021: If your financial services site also contains an offer (e.g. increased broker cashback), you may also include it in the title.**
+  * The deal should be linked to the bank’s website in the URL field and not the broker’s website.
+  * The deal should be marked as ‘associated’ with your broker website instead of the bank
+  * The broker details can be mentioned at the bottom of the deal description only as per [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:price_comparison_site|third-party deal-posting guidelines]].
+  * The information at the bottom of the deal description should be minimal and not take up a large portion of the description. If a large portion of the description is about the broker offer then it should be posted as a standalone broker deal as outlined in the next section.
+  * The deal will be marked as ‘third-party’ by OzBargain and [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:referral_posting_limit|third-party posting limits]] apply.
+**If the deal is about an exclusive broker offer:**
+  * The deal title can be only about the broker offer without any mention of the bank’s current interest rates or the bank’s cashback offers.
+  * The deal URL should be linked to the broker’s website.
+  * The deal should be marked as ‘associated’
+  * Normal [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:store_representative#posting_limits|store representative posting limits]] apply.
+==== Therapeutic Goods ====
+The [[https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/C2004A03952|Therapeutic Goods Act 1989]] and the [[https://www.legislation.gov.au/Series/F2021L01661|Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code]] restrict how therapeutic goods (medicines, medical devices, complementary medicines, sunscreens, and weight management therapeutic goods) can be advertised. The easiest way to comply with the law is to make no claim of therapeutic benefits and only include the names and the prices of the therapeutic goods in your posts.
+A full explanation and useful links are given on [[:Therapeutic Goods]] wiki page.
-Brokers must quote their credit license number when posting a deal. Deals that are not exclusive to the broker should only mention or link to the broker at the bottom of the deal description, as specified in the guidelines for [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:price_comparison_site|third-party website operators]]
 ==== Fuel Deals ====
@@ Line 235: / Line 270: @@
   * Only deals that are active are allowed to be posted on Ozbargain. A deal is considered active when a user goes to purchase the deal and their sale is immediately finalised. A deal is inactive when a site requires X amount of people for the purchase to go through and that number hasn't been reached. (e.g. 35 bought, 65 more required to get the deal)
-  * Please remember to include the state that the deal is applicable to (e.g. $49 for a $100 Dinner Voucher & a Bottle of Wine at Example Restaurant [NSW])
+  * Please remember to include the state that the deal is applicable to (e.g. [NSW] $49 for a $100 Dinner Voucher & a Bottle of Wine at Example Restaurant)
@@ Line 246: / Line 281: @@
 Exceptions:
-  * The original deal is older than one month, and was expired or sold out between then and now.
+  * The original post is older than 1 month, and was marked as expired or sold out between then and now.
-  * The original deal is active but older than 6 months.
+  * The original post is active, but older than 6 months, and has not been reposted to the front page in the past 6 months.
   * The duplicate gains an excessive amount of positive votes (100+) and the original deal was posted and had become active more than 24 hours ago.
@@ Line 278: / Line 313: @@
 There are so many useful free multimedia content (e.g. ebooks, videos, photos, software, apps etc.) and websites out there that if we listed every great one, then we would be inundated with deals. Feel free to discuss any of these in one of our [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/forum|forums]]. Alternatively, add the freeware to its dedicated free software wiki page -- [[:Useful Free Software]].
-In general, multimedia content that are always free and available to everyone should be posted in the forums, but if something that was not previously free is offered free temporarily or permanently, it qualifies as a deal. In some cases, decisions on whether a post should stay as a deal or be moved to a forum post is at moderators discretion. As this is an evolving subject, community feedback is welcomed in our Site Discussion forum.
+In general, always-free multimedia content that is available to everyone should be posted in the forums. Content that is temporarily free or have become permanently free qualify as a deal. Moderators will make informed decisions on whether posts should stay as deals or be moved to the [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/forum/30381|Free Software forum.]] As this is an evolving subject, community feedback is welcomed in our [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/50729|Site Discussion forum.]]
 Examples of what you **shouldn't** post:
@@ Line 322: / Line 357: @@
 ==== Gambling / Betting Deals ====
-Deals which involve betting and/or gambling should not be posted. Offers that requires membership of gambling sites / venues cannot be posted either. Please see [[https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/operating-a-business/gaming-licences/gaming-licences-permits/gambling-advertising-restrictions|Gambling advertising restrictions]] at Liquor & Gaming NSW.
+Deals which involve betting and/or gambling should not be posted. Offers that requires membership of gambling sites / venues cannot be posted either. Please see [[https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au/documents/gl/GL4015-Publication-of-gambling-advertising-guidelines.pdf|Gambling advertising and inducements]] at Liquor & Gaming NSW.
 While discussions on betting and/or gambling may be discussed in the forums, moderators reserve the right to remove them at their discretion.
@@ Line 332: / Line 367: @@
 ==== Staff Deals ====
-Deals available only available to staff members (e.g. Woolworths) are not permitted to be posted as a deal. Feel free to post a thread in the [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/forum|forums.]]
+Deals available internally to staff members (for example, [[https://teambenefits.woolworths.com.au|Woolworths Team Benefits]]) are not permitted to be posted as deals.
+Deals from providers external to the workplace (for example, [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/702501|free Maritime Museum entry for NSW Health employees]]) are permitted as deals. In this example, free entry to the Maritime Museum for its own employees will not be allowed as a deal.
 ==== Government Programs ====
-Government programs that are cost saving measures (e.g. free public transport) are permissible to be posted as deals. However income producing programs or social services (e.g. increase to Centrelink payments) should not be posted. [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/127347|Related discussion]]. Moderator discretion will apply.
+Government programs that are cost saving measures (e.g. free public transport) are permissible to be posted as deals. However programs and social services that produce income (e.g. increase to Centrelink payments) should not be posted. [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/127347|Related discussion]]. Moderator discretion will apply.
 ==== Refund Policies ====
@@ Line 359: / Line 396: @@
   * Investment Opportunities
   * Wedding/Marriage Services
+  * Psychic Readings
 ==== Amazon eBooks & Udemy Courses (Excludes Regular Members) ====
@@ Line 365: / Line 403: @@
 If you are an instructor/rep and would like to post a Udemy course, you can and may only do so in [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/163533| this thread]].
+==== Targeted Offer ====
+Targeted offers are deals that are only available to select people, where the requirements are unstated. Targeted offers can be posted on OzBargain, moderators will mark them as 'targeted' after posting, please report a deal if you believe it is targeted. To hide targeted offers, or to understand what a targeted offer is, please refer to [[https://www.ozbargain.com.au/wiki/help:targeted_offer|Targeted Offer]].

Last edited by alvian on 2025/06/11 21:18

[[help:deal_posting_guidelines]]

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