FAQ
Alerts Membership (SMS & Email)
What do I receive alerts on with the Alerts membership?
With an Alerts membership you will recieve:
- Real Time triggers from the Watch List
- Intraday trade ideas and favorite set-ups from BPT management
- Text message & email alerts to the GDX system featured in the May 16th, 2010 Newsletter. CLICK HERE TO VIEW
Please note that alerts for the Mechanical Systems listed in the Premium Content area is currently NOT included in this product.
Can I receive text and email alerts?
Yes. Upon being signed up your account should be enabled to receive emails to the address that we have on file for you. Then you will have the option of inserting your cell phone number and carrier and sending yourslef a test text with a confirmation number inside. Upon receiving that text and inserting the confirmation number back into the box requesting it under the Alerts Manager you will be cofirmed and start receiving SMS alerts. You will also have the ability to enter into the Alerts manager and enable and disable the text and email alerts as you wish. You can also disable both and receive no alerts for a time being (maybe an option you would want for a period of time where you will be on vacation).
I am not receiving the email alerts, why?
Email alerts should have defaulted to on upon signing up but in order to diagnose this problem you can:
- First check in the Alerts Manager that you have emails Enabled, you will want the field to have "Yes" chosen.
- Second make sure the emails are not being directed into your Spam or Junk email boxes
- Lastly, add our email server, members@breakpointtrades.com, to your "safe" list.
You might be receiving our Nightly Newsletter emails but not the Alerts, still follow the steps above as they have normally solved the problem. If you still have issues receiving emails then immediately contact a BPT representative so they can review your account.
I am not receiving SMS (text) messages after signing up and paying, why?
If you have signed-up for the Alerts platform and received a payment verification yet are still not receiving SMS alerts then please:
- First log into the Alerts Manager and make sure that you have added your Cell Phone Number and Carrier into the system
- Then make sure that you sent yourself a test message containing the confirmation or key number needed to activate the system (the button to send is located underneath where you enter the number)
- If you have done the first two and received no text message then please log in and select the resent verification message.
- After receiving the verification number, add it into the requested box and submit.
If after completing all those steps you are still unable to receive SMS messages or the confirmation (key) number then please immediately contact a BPT representative to help.
I don't see my Carrier listed in your choices, what should I do?
If your Carrier is currently not listed as one we support then please first fill out the Request a New Carrier form. We will work with your carrier to add them to our service and confirm with you once they have been added so you can continue with the confirmation process.
How do I sign-up and manage my Alerts Membership?
Your first stop should be to view the video we created to help members through the sign-up and management process. If after watching this video you have additional questions not also answered in this FAQ section then please contact a BPT representative.
When will my Alerts Subscription be renewed?
The Alerts subscription is like a regular Membership in that our system will auto-renew your membership on your anniversary using the PayPal account or Credit Card on file unless the membership is canceled 24 hours prior to the anniversary date. To cancel the Membership you would go to the Memberships page but will be the same process as canceling a membership (detailed later in the FAQ with screen shots).
Member Account / Billing
How do I edit my member profile, account information and credit card information?
There are two ways to reach the section which will allow you to edit all your account data. After logging into the website you will be directed to the Members Home page and by selecting the Manage Subscriptions link you will be directed to your Membership page. The other option is if you are already on the website, you can select the Members Home tab from the left hand side navigation bar and will be directed to the Members Home page where you can select the Manage Subscriptions link. From the Membership page you will see links for changing your Credit Card Information, Billing Address, Passwords and Profile. You can also manage your memberships from this page including adding and canceling memberships (these are addressed in other questions).
Do I have to sign up again to keep my account from becoming inactive?
Breakpoint Trades has an auto-renew program which automatically re-bills your credit card (PayPal) for a subscription equal to the one you currently have. If you have taken advantage of a special rate via a coupon or special offer those are one time only and any future renewals will be at the regular stated website rates listed on the Sign-up page. You are re-billed at 12 a.m. EST the last day of your membership in order to ensure you do not have a loss in coverage.
My account has expired but I want to resign-up, how can I do this?
Since we have an auto-renew feature at BPT, your account should only expire if you had dated information on file (address, credit card, etc.) or if you canceled your subscription. Please verify that one of these were the case and if not then first contact BPT management to look into your situation. If one of those scenarios above was the case then first log into your account. After logging in you want to select your Manage Subscriptions link from the Members Welcome page. This will take you to a page where you should see ADD/RENEW subscription where you can select membership type and payment method. This will take you to a page where you will need to insert your credit card information(or paypal) and then click to process the transaction. See a step by step image display below.
What is the best way to reach a BPT Representative?
Whether it be questions about your Account, the Mechanical Systems, Technical Support or anything else regarding the website you can always contact a Representative by using the Contact Page. This page will also ask you to try and specify what your question or comment is concerning and then will direct your message to the appropriate party. You can access the Contact form by clicking here.
How do I cancel my membership?
A member can easily cancel their membership from the Membership page. You first access the membership page by selecting the Manage Subscriptions link from the Members Home page. After reaching the Membership page (the same page you use to edit all information) you will find the current membership located under the "Your Payment History" section and then click the Cancel option directly underneath that membership. Please note that canceling a membership at BPT disables the auto-renew feature, so your membership will remain active until the last day which you paid for and then will expire. Please also note that the membership must be canceled per the Terms & Conditions statement each members agreed to upon signing up. Members should receive a pop-up message and an email verifying their cancellation.
What are the Terms & Conditions of the site and where can I access them?
Each member is required to agree to the Terms & Conditions of the website upon signing up to a membership. You would have either clicked an I agree box or types your name as it appeared. To access a copy of the Terms & Conditions page you can view the website's disclaimer from the Home Page or by clicking here.
How do I upgrade my Free Trial membership?
You can upgrade your Free Trial membership at anytime throughout the Free Trial. The paying membership will "kick in" after the Free Trial is over. If your not taking advantage of the Mechanical Systems posted in the Premium Content section (which is blocked to members on a Free Trial) then this will work for you but if you are interested in the Premium Content section then contact a BPT Representative after upgrading your account and we will manually move your paying membership forward so you take advantage of the section immediately.
In order to access the page for adding a membership you will first log in using your Free Trial Username and Password and then either select the Manage Subscriptions link from the Members Home page or if you are already logged into the website and on a page then you can select the Members Home tab on the left hand sive Navigation bar. If your Free Trial is expired then upon logging in you will be taken directly to the membership page to sign-up and will not need to go through the previous step. Once on the membership page you will see a history of your past membership as well as a section to "Add/Renew Subscription". Under the "Add/Renew" section select the subscription and payment options you desire and follow through the directions until your order is complete.
The Newsletter
How often are the newsletters updated on the site?
Currently the website does a Newsletter nightly Monday through Thursday and then posts multiple Newsletters on Sunday night. Occasionally if a trading day was not very active or if not much has changed from the previous day we will do an abridged recording. The latest Newsletter can always be obtained the very second it becomes available by going to the Newsletters page.
How do I access a Newsletter?
In order play a newsletter you
must go to the Newsletter Page and move your mouse over the Date for
which you are looking to access. You will see a pop-up that verifies
the Newsletter by stating the title and date. You then select the
title and the newsletter will play. This
feature is helpful because on some days we will post more than one
Newsletter depending on the volatility of the market of if we are
featuring a new product etc. Also the Weekend Newsletter is almost
always in 2 parts so this feature allows you to choose which one you
will watch first. If there is only one Newsletter for a given day (which very often is the case during the week) then by also just clicking on the date box you will retrieve the latest Newsletter.
What is the "View Live Chart" link in the Newsletters and why can I not access the intraday ones?
The "View Live Chart" link is one that we are very happy to have as a part of our Newsletter. The only Newsletters would be Chart images, like they are today, but often members would ask if there was a way to get the links to the actual chart so they can monitor them on their own intraday instead of waiting for an updated image in the next newsletter. We use to often post the links on the Trading Community or email them to requesting members in order to help but now you can click the link to be taken directly to the chart and then this link can be saved on your side and viewed whenever you please. There are a few caveats to this and I will try and outline them here:
1. We use stockcharts.com for much of our posted content and while the charts that have a daily, weekly or monthly timeframe can be viewed by all, intraday charts require a stockcharts membership.
2. We use a set databse for creating our charts which means that it is more likely we will edit the links with updated notes and not crate a new link. Meaning if you are following a S&P index chart we posted it is likely that when we add new notes to the chart it will be done on the same link as the one you saved so the next time you refresh the notes will be there. While that is the likely case, it is not the always case and there could be times where a link becomes invalid. The probability of this increases when we look at invidual stocks as opposed to indexes and lastly increases again when we consider intraday vs long term charts. Reason being the databse is not unlimited so "house-keeping" needs to be done and generally the shorter time frame and individual stocks are what will be deleted.
3. Not every chart we post can have a live link because we do post and do analysis outside of the stockcharts.com platform and those charts might only be able to have the image posted (not just charts but also tables or statistics).
The Watch List
Is the Watch List a model portfolio?
Breakpoint Trades does not currently offer a model portfolio. The Watch List is a set of our favorite set-ups that we feel have the best chance for offering a profitable trade. We find these trades after searching through hundreds of charts across multiple sectors each night. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, we are not able to update the Watch List in the same manner in which we trade it and member's are generally left to make their own trading decisions. The Watch List is geared to more swing trade ideas and we will often use stops that maybe larger than an individuals preference as well as we may take profits earlier than a member would. Due to these situations the percent numbers are hypothetical and may not be reproduced by a member. If a member has a stock from the Watch List we do accept emails and general questions through the Blog in order to assist with their decisions.
How often is the Watch List updated?
The Watch List is updated each night after the close of trading. Updates will include written comments as well as changes in target prices, stops and theoretical position size. Members can ask or find intraday comments regarding the stocks listed on the Watch List by logging into and interacting with the Trading Community. Remember we are not financial advisers so we cannot answer specific questions on what you should do in your account but we can offer our technical opinion on the stock.
Should I look to play all the stocks on the Watch List?
No. We cannot always play all the stocks on the list. The goal is to do basically do the homework for you in looking through hundreds of charts in order to find the set-ups that look to provide the highest probability of follow through. Each person should review the ideas we post and choose which ones best fit their trading style, risk tolerances, preferences and then trade them as they see fit.
How do I know when edit to Watch List ideas are made?
By clicking on the specific stock that you are interested in you will receive a pop-up with the chart and the last comments which are dated. We also send out emails detailing which Watch List items have been edited, added or removed.
Where can I learn about all the Watch List features?
We understand that the Watch List is very involved and we tried to only list the most important data we use for anlalyzing a trade as well as some helpful features to alert members of trades getting close to a break point. For some detailed information about the Watch List please click here.
The Trading Community
Cannot access intra-day charts under the Dynamic Links section, why?
To view the intraday charts that we post using the stockcharts.com system require that you be a member to stockcharts. We frequently post pictures of those links.
Can I interact with some members but not the whole board?
Yes. The the Trading Community has a Private Message feature which allows you to interact with members without having to post to the general Trading Community. The system acts much like an email account allowing you to have an Inbox to store your favorite messages and an Outbox to track which messages you have sent.
Are there ways to find my favorite posts?
The Trading Community has a feature where, if you see a post that you like, you can click the star (which is located in the same bar as the Reply button and is next to the Delete button) and this post will be saved in a section called My Favorites. You can easily retrieve the old post by clicking the My Favorites button under the Tools section on the Trading Community.
Do I have to search through every post to find the one I am looking for?
No. The Trading Community has a feature located on the left hand side titled Search. The search box will allow you to look for posts using keywords, member names, From and/or To fields. Other features to help find posts are a separate section to follow only management's posts and multiple threads based on Topics so you can view everything being said or only the posts regarding a top your interested in.
The Mechanical Systems
Where are the Mechanical Systems listed?
The Mechanical Systems are currently found under the Premium Content section of the website. Under this section you will find the strategies detailed as well as past examples, video tutorials, links to real time charts and historical performance statistics
What trading platforms work with the Mechanical Systems?
The Systems will work with any trading platform that provides real-time charting along with basic technical analysis tools. Members of the website currently trade across a variety of platforms and if you happen to use a system that management is not familiar with, it is very likely you can find help from our Trading Community.
Do you automate the systems or trade them manually?
Whether to automate or manually trade the system is a question we believe comes down to preference. Across the website's members and management, you will find people doing both depending on their familiarity with automation and their personal comfort level. While we believe the systems do not provide more trades than someone is able to keep track of, people who have busier schedules or who cannot watch the market all day have found the automation option their best option. Regardless of the option you choose, by following the rules stated under the Premium Content Section you should achieve the same results.
What platforms offer automated trading for the Mechanical Systems?
Current we are aware of a few brokerage platforms that also offer automated trading and only two that can trade the systems as we have them designed. Tradestation and Multicharts would be our two favorites and the two that can definitely run the systems as we intend. Tradestation provides an automated entry and exit service as well as third party firms named Multicharts and TradeBullet have ways to take triggers and execute them in Interactive Brokers. There are other firms out there offering auto-trading platforms but the problem has been a specific setting that SOME of our systems utilize is custom to Tradestation (and therefore Multicharts as well) and other platforms have not been able to duplicate.
Are there general parameters for all the systems?
Yes there are basic rules that apply to all the systems which if not followed can affect the performance. To read over all the rules and obtain more information and exmaples of the systems please visit the Overview page by clicking here.
Dividends
What are Dividends?
Dividends are a way for companies to return profits back to the shareholders and create shareholder value. It is often believed that stable companies pay dividends because they have consistent cash flow and can continue to return that to shareholders. It can be a Huge mistake to ever lower or stop paying your dividend because this implies (whether right or wrong) that the company is in trouble and that is why a company normally institutes a dividend they can more than pay to make sure they will not only be able to continue paying it but also potential increase it over time.
The structure of the dividend process has roughly 4 parts:
Declaration Date - the date the company announces the dividend
Record Date - this date is set by the company and states that they must show you as a shareholder by this day to receive the dividend
Pay Date - this is the day the dividends will be sent by the company
Ex-Dividend Date - this is the only date NOT set by the company and this date is set by the exchange. It is 2 business days before the record date and exists to let investors know the date which they must own the stock before in order to be eligible for the dividend. If you purchase the stock on the Ex date you are agreeing to forfeit any right to that dividend so it must be before. It can literally be 1 minute before the close on the day before but still before. The Ex date is the most important date in my opinion.
The BPT Store
Who sells products in the BPT store?
The products located in the BPT Store are currently offered by Breakpoint Trades and a company named M3. You can tell which product is being offered because the Breakpoint products begin "BPT" and the M3 products begin with "M3".
Who is M3?
M3 is a programming company who we have had a long relationship with. They programmed the first automate code that was used to run the Mechanical Systems in management's accounts and since then have wowed us with their custom indicators and overall quality. What makes M3 so special is they are traders and therefore they work to create indicators that they use in their trading and that will fill a need for traders. We feel that members can benefit from M3's wide array of custom indicators or their unique spin on some classic favorites. We have also created a Breakpoint Trade email where members can contact the owner directly with any specific questions regarding an order or a products; peter@breakpointtrades.com.
When will I receive the product I purchased?
You will be contacted by the seller within 48 business hours from the time of purchase with either the code, instructions on where you can download the code or with details regarding when your product will be delivered.
Who should I contact with any questions?
If you are experiencing any difficult processing your order through the store then you can contact a BPT representative through the Trading Community (a BPT rep. is present in the Community during market hours) or by their direct email address. You can also use our Contact Form to send in an email and please reference "Store Support" as the subject. If your question is regarding a product you have purchased then you can contact the seller directly or again please use the Contact Form and again reference "Store Support" in the subject. If for any reason you are confused, need more assistance, or if the matter is urgent, please contact Thomas, thomas@breakpointtrades.com, and he will answer or direct your questions as neccessary.