|
HELP, HOW TOs,
and
FAQs
Read
the "Important Notices" located below this index!
Check out our new info icons
located throughout the site.
Just hover your cursor over any info icon for quick & easy answers and
information.
Important Notices To All Members:
*
FRAUD & SCAM ALERT:
There
are a number of fraudulent buyers and sellers out there who are
trying to take your hard earned money and inventory. The most
popular scam these days seems to be the offer (or "mistake") of
sending more money than you’re asking for your item so you can give
the "change" to the person who picks up or delivers the item; their
own "shipping company" or similar wording. DON'T FALL FOR IT!! The
check or money order is almost always bad.
Another
common scam is when someone insists on using ONLY bank
transfers or Western Union, Money Gram, or other types of wire
transfers. NEVER engage in a bank transfer or use of wire transfers
with someone you do not trust completely; very often there is some
kind of scam or fraud involved. For more complete information, and
tips on how to stay ahead of the bad guys and thieves, please take
the time to read the FAQs section on
Frauds & Scams.
*
ABOUT the NEW GUNSAMERICA WEBSITE:
If
you were a member prior to January 2007 then you know GunsAmerica
has made many changes. Right now GunsAmerica is in Beta phase. That
means we are still updating, upgrading, and still doing some
testing. So please don't be alarmed or get too miffed at us if you
see something you do not like or notice something is not working
properly. All you need to do is contact customer service and let us
know. More than likely it's something we can easily change or fix.
We may even already be working on it. Keep in mind some changes take
only a few minutes or a few hours while other changes may take a few
days or a few weeks. But you can rest assured we are working
diligently to make GunsAmerica the premier site on the web to buy
and sell guns and firearms.
*
PHONE NUMBERS are NO LONGER automatically GIVEN OUT:
Members who were with us before our site changes in January
2007 will remember we use to automatically give out phone numbers
and other contact information for sellers and buyers when contact
was made through the GunsAmerica messaging system. Its important to
know that we no longer do this.
This decision was made mainly due to privacy issues. For
example; many potential buyers were concerned that their phone
number or email address was being given to a seller (a stranger)
before they could decide if they wanted to do business with that
seller. Sellers also expressed concern that their information was
being given out before they could decide if they wanted to do
business with the customer; opening them up to unwanted phone calls
by those who were under age, foreign visitors, and those with
unrealistic price & policy expectations, or worse.
While GunsAmerica's goal is to make the process of buying and
selling easy and enjoyable, we are also dedicated to maintaining the
privacy of all of our members.
Important Note:
It is against GunsAmerica policy for sellers to enter a
phone number, email address, or website URLs in listings or seller
profile (a.k.a. "Additional Details", located under your listings).
“Trusted” level members will have their
phone number automatically displayed in their "Seller Details" box
(under each listing) but NO member is allowed to enter contact
information or website URLs in their listings or seller profile.
Please DO NOT ask
customer service for anyone's phone number (or any
other personal or contact information) because we cannot give it to
you for ANY reason. If you ask customer service for contact
information you will be directed to the FAQs. NO EXCEPTIONS.
*
READ the FAQs BEFORE contacting Customer Service:
We've taken the time to cover every question or issue you might
think of and we've included HOW TOs to help you use and navigate
your account and the GunsAmerica website. We update the FAQs
regularly to make sure all topics and questions are answered - using
your actual questions and suggestions as a guide so we know what you
want & need.
To save yourself time and aggravation, please read the FAQs
before contacting customer service, and don't forget to check for
FAQs updates.
Keep in mind, if you contact customer service with a question
that is answered here your email to customer service will be
answered only with a reply that directs you to this page
*
FTC GUIDE FOR BUYERS & SELLERS:
Here is a link to some very
helpful and interesting information about buying and seller on the
Internet.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/auctions.shtm
FAQs Index Top of Page
Account Closures
Q. I want to close my GunsAmerica account, how do I do this?
A. Just email customer
service, from the email address in your GA account, with your request.
(see
Important Note
below)
Q. I want to reopen an account I closed. Or should I just
re-register?
A. NO, please do NOT
re-register. Having more than one account (even if one is closed)
can cause errors and confusion. Never re-register unless you are
instructed to do so by customer service. Just email customer service
with your request to reopen your account.
(see
Important Note below)
Important Note: If you do not remember
your email address, or if you no longer have access to it, you will
need to send us the following information. This information is
needed so we can look up your account as well as to make sure you
are who you say you are and not someone who is trying to get access
to another person's account and personal information. We take
privacy very seriously.
Full Name:
Nickname you may have used:
Street:
Town:
State:
Zip:
Any/All phone numbers you may have given us:
Log In ID (if you remember it):
Lister/Seller Name:
Any/All email addresses you may have given us:
Membership level: FAQs Index Top of Page
Q.
When I try to log in I get a message that says my account is
closed. Why, and what can I do about it?
A.
There can be many reasons why an account is closed. In most cases
when you try to log in to a closed account there will be a message
with instructions that appears above the login fields. Below you will find information on the most common
reasons accounts will be closed and what you might need to do:
*
User Request
If you get a message that mentions "closed by
member/user request" or
"disabled as per customer request" or similar wording this means
exactly what it sounds like; we closed the account because you (the
user/member) asked
us to. BUT, if you changed your mind OR if you believe the account
was closed by mistake don't worry; all you need to do is contact
customer service by email and request we re-open the account for
you.
When you
email customer service you must send your request from the email
address that was in your GunsAmerica account. If you no longer have
access to that email address (or have forgotten what it is) you must
supply customer service with all of the information from your
registration: Full Name, Full Physical Address, Email Address (even
if no longer used, if you can remember it), Phone Number, Login ID,
and Seller Name (if you had one). This information is needed so we
can look up your account as well as to make sure you are who you say
you are and not someone who is trying to get access to another
person's account and personal information. We take privacy very seriously.
*
Duplicate Account
If you
see this message it means we found you had more than one
registration and we closed the one(s) you were not using or have not
used in a long time. The reason we do this is because having more
than one account can and will cause confusion and can also cause
technical trouble with your account. This is especially true if more
than one account has the same email address. IMPORTANT NOTE:
Accounts cannot be merged or combined.
Since duplicate
accounts cause so much trouble, members are only allowed one account
(unless you have been given permission by GunsAmerica to have more
than one account). If you are confused about which account is open
and closed or you need the login ID and password for the account
that remains open please see the FAQs on LOGIN first, before
contacting customer service.
When you email customer service you must send your
request from the email address that was in your GunsAmerica account.
If you no longer have access to that email address (or have
forgotten what it is) you must supply customer service with all of
the information from your registration: Full Name, Full Physical
Address, Email Address (even if no longer used, if you can remember
it), Phone Number, Login ID, and Seller Name (if you had one). This
information is needed so we can look up your account as well as to
make sure you are who you say you are and not someone who is trying
to get access to another person's account and personal information.
We take privacy very seriously.
If you need more than one account contact
customer service first to find out the best way to set it up. And please NEVER re-register if you cannot login unless you are
instructed to do so by customer service. See the FAQs on
Password and Login FIRST, if you are having trouble logging in.
Contact customer service if you have read the FAQs and are still
having trouble logging in.
FAQs Index Top of Page
*
Outstanding Balance
We will
disable or close your account if you have an outstanding balance
only under one of three conditions:
1) You have invoices that are at
least 60 days past due and you have NOT contacted customer service
and come to an
agreement with us or given us information about payment.
2) Your account is
at least 60 days past due and we cannot contact you or you have not
replied to our attempts to contact you.
3) We contacted you but you
have not followed instructions or refuse to make payment or refuse
to give us the information
we need to clear your account.
The last one is rare, but
unfortunately it does
happen.
If your account is closed for this reason we may OR may not close or delete
any listings you have, depending on the individual situation. But
this is totally up to GunsAmerica's discretion so don't be surprised
if this happens - we do rely heavily on the honor system but we must
take action when we believe an account has been abandoned, a member
does not intend to pay invoices, or if someone
is breaking the rules.
If
you see your account has been closed for "outstanding balance" it
can be reopened if you send payment. If you need to access your
account to make payment you must contact customer service explaining
your intent to pay. We may
enable your account so you can log in and make payment (or view
invoices) OR we may give you our payment address, depending on the
situation.
Or, if you have already sent
payment, you need to send customer service an email with
complete payment information:
>> If you paid by credit card
we need; the exact date it was paid, the exact amount that was paid,
the invoice numbers the payment was for, the last four digits of the
credit card charged, the name imprinted on the credit card.
>> If you paid by check or money
order you must email customer service with; the invoice
number paid, check or m/o number, check or m/o date, amount paid,
and the name imprinted on the check (or name written on the money
order).
For more
information see the FAQs section on Billing / Invoices / Payment.
*
Full Name Needed
We
now require all accounts have a full name (first and last) in the
member/user section of the registration. The reason we now require
this is twofold: to help us identify who we must ask for if we need
to contact someone in regards to your account, and also to help
reduce the possibility of frauds and scamming. Keep in mind the first and last name
must be REAL and valid. It must be the name of the person who is
responsible for the account and/or the name of the person we should
contact if there is an issue related to the account.
Again,
this information is for the member/user section of the registration.
It does not change your seller name or information and it does not change
your LOGIN or USER ID. Rest assured this information is for OUR EYES
ONLY and will not be given out as per our TOS and privacy policy.
*
Invalid Contact Information
If you
see this message it means one or more pieces of information are
missing from your account. It may be missing because you never
entered it (we now require different information than we used to), OR it
may mean it was inadvertently purged from your account, OR it may
mean the information in your account does not appear to be valid.
We
now require complete and valid contact information
to help us identify who we
must ask for if we need to contact someone in regards to your
account, and also to help reduce frauds and scamming.
If you see this message when you try to log in all you need to do, to
enable your account again, is to email customer service with your
complete contact information. On rare occasions the customer service
representative may ask you for additional information. This would be
for confirmation and security purposes:
> First & Last Name
> Full Physical Address (including state
and zip code)
> Valid Email Address (a second
email address is always a good idea too)
> Valid Telephone Number (where you can
be reached - not a fax, not just a phone ringing and is never
answered) - in some cases we may require a landline that can be
verified/confirmed through the white pages (not an unlisted number).
*
No FFL Number
We now require anyone who enters information
into the FFL section of your account registration to supply us with a valid FFL number. The reason for this is
to make sure you are in fact an FFL holder or dealer. We've found some members have placed themselves on the FFL
list in order to be "seen" by members when they are not actually an FFL dealer. So, to remedy this we
now require the FFL number.
If you see the "no FFL number" message when you try to login you can have your account
enabled by doing one of two things: 1) Email customer service with your FFL number (we only need the first 3 and
last 5 digits), and the physical address that corresponds with the number. Or,
2) If you made a mistake by filling
out the FFL registration or you are no longer an FFL just email us and tell us to remove the FFL information. You
can also remove your FFL information by clicking on Control Panel, My User Info, scroll down to the FFL link and
click on the remove/delete FFL link.FAQs Index Top of Page
* Policy Violations
If you see this message when you try to login it most likely means you violated one or
more GunsAmerica rules or policies. It can be anything from entering contact information into your listings, to
non payment, to deliberately not reporting an item sold, sending spam or harassing emails to GA or to a member,
not shipping an item that a member paid for, or other infractions. Keep in mind
that GunsAmerica is under no obligation to get your permission or
"warn" you before closing your account (especially for policy
violations) as per our TOS.
In some cases we realize it may have been an
honest mistake, and when the infraction is not too severe we are usually willing to forgive and forget (each situation
is different) if all parties involved make an honest effort to rectify the situation and make amends.
So if you see this message and you'd like your account
enabled again simply email customer service and ask what the policy
violation was and if the account can be reopened, and what you may
need to do or be aware of. Then wait for instructions
or a message from a customer service representative.
Please note: These situations are best handled with a friendly attitude; nasty or
rude messages to customer service
will NOT prompt us to re-open your account.
*
Fraud
If you see this message it's a more severe infraction than just a policy violation. It
means we know or have good reason to believe you have deliberately violated a law, or GA policy with intend to
commit fraud. If you see this message and you KNOW it is a mistake, just email customer service and let us know.
But if you know you did in fact commit fraud or break a very serious rule or law, best just let it go and keep
moving. We'd rather part without harsh feelings or angry words.
*
Non-deliverable Email
You'll
see this message if we've tried to send you an email and the email
bounced back to us as non-deliverable for ANY reason (other than
obvious temporary technical problems). Since having a valid and
working email address (in all sections of your registration) is a requirement of being
a GunsAmerica member you will need to take steps to insure the email
addresses you want to use in your GunsAmerica account can receive
email from us. Keep in mind, you have a member (or user) email
address and you may also have a seller email address. They can be
different and if you've changed one the other does not automatically
change too. So, what to do?
> If you want to keep the
email
address that is in your GunsAmerica account you must find out why it
is bouncing and fix the problem. This is the member's
responsibility, not ours. It may be an issue with
your ISP, your email program (Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc.), or
it may be due to your email provider. To help you
figure this out the only thing we can tell you is what type of "bounce" message we
received BUT YOU MUST REQUEST THIS INFORMATION BY SENDING US AN
EMAIL FROM AN EMAIL ACCOUNT DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT BOUNCED. So
please, use common sense and don't send us an email using the email account that's in
your GA registration, asking us questions. More than likely you
won't be able to receive our reply and you'll be wasting your time
as well as ours. We recommend you create a free Gmail account
(supplied by Google) and contact us using that.
> If you fixed the problem
you CAN email us from the email address in your GA account - just be
sure to let us know you fixed the problem. Then we will send you an
email to confirm you can receive our emails. To enable your account
you must reply to that email and FOLLOW ANY DIRECTIONS IN THE EMAIL
EXACTLY.
>
Read the FAQs on Email.
We strongly recommend you read the FAQs on Email. This will give you
more information that may help, including a list of ISPs and Email
providers that have a tendency to block us (or other Gun sites) or
block their own customer's emails without their permission.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
*
Email sent to you is Blocked
This
is basically the same situation as above, but we know the problem is
specifically related to a block. This might be a Spam block by your
security system, your email program, or your ISP. It may be a
block because you only allow email from people on a specific list.
What ever the reason, if you want to remain a member of GunsAmerica
you must remove the block before we can enable your account BUT you
MUST remove the block for any and all emails coming from the
GunsAmerica.com domain, not just the customer service email address.
The reason for this is that we send different messages from
different addresses. This is common Internet business practice. It
is the way things are done, therefore you must remove the block for
our entire domain - NO EXCEPTIONS.
Once the block is
removed simply email us and tell us it has been done. We
will then send you an email to confirm you can receive our emails.
To enable your account you must reply to that email and FOLLOW ANY
DIRECTIONS IN THE EMAIL EXACTLY. Please do NOT email us
until you have investigated and removed the block. Do NOT email us
from the address in your GA account to say you have no block - we do
not disable for a block when there is no block. If we disable for
blocked email you can be sure there is one, even if you do not know
about it, and it is up to you to find out about it and stop the
block or give us another address we can use in your account.
Read
the FAQs on Email. We strongly recommend you read the FAQs
on Email. This will give you more information that may help,
including a list of ISPs and Email providers that have a tendency to
block us (or other Gun sites) or block their own customer's emails
without their permission.
*
Email to Your Centurytel.net Account (or other email provider) is Blocked
This
is basically the same situation as above, but we know the problem is
specifically related to Centurytel.net. This situation has been going on for a
long time; Centurytel blocks our emails to it's customers and basically lies to
it's customers, telling them there is no block or they removed the block. Each
and every time they give an excuse or say the block is lifted we find it is
either not lifted or it is lifted for only a few minutes or a few hours. This
problem with Centurytel.net has caused GunsAmerica and it's members a great deal
of aggravation. So, if you have a Centurytel.net email account and you get this
message when you try to log in, you MUST follow the directions below before we
can enable your account again.
You
must contact us using another email account, one that is NOT from
Centurytel.net. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU NEED TO CHANGE YOUR INTERNET
SERVICE PROVIDER!! It simply means you need to obtain an additional email
address for use with GunsAmerica. We recommend using Gmail (supplied for free by Google) because
we have had no troubles with them to date, because it is free, and you can
retrieve your email through Google's website or using any email program you like
(Outlook Express, Thunderbird, etc.). When you email GunsAmerica you can use any
email address you want EXCEPT EMAIL FROM CENTURYTEL.NET. We will then send you a
confirmation email. To enable your account you must reply to that email and
FOLLOW ANY DIRECTIONS IN THE EMAIL EXACTLY.
Again, what ever you do, DO NOT CONTACT US USING AN EMAIL
ADDRESS FROM CENTURYTEL.NET. If you do we will not waste our time by
attempting to answer.
Read
the FAQs on Email: We strongly recommend you read the FAQs on Email.
This will give you more information that may help, including a list of ISPs and
Email providers that have been known to block us (or other Gun sites) without
permission from or warning to their own customers.
*
Foreign Registration
If you
see this message when you try to log in it means your residence (or
place of business) is not located in the United States, Puerto Rico,
or Canada. Yes, at one time anyone from any country could register
as a member with GunsAmerica but we unfortunately had to change our
policy. With our apologies to our foreign friends (past, present,
and future) there will be no exceptions. Please see below:
ABOUT REGISTRATION & MEMBERSHIP OUTSIDE
THE U.S.:
We’re
sorry for the inconvenience but at this time only those residing in
(or who have a business address in) the United States, Puerto Rico,
and Canada can register and become members of GunsAmerica. All other
registrations will be blocked, disabled, or removed from our system.
We do
understand that there are legitimate buyers and sellers outside the
U.S., PR, and Canada, however the growing number of scams, as well
as the complicated issues and difficulties of cross border selling,
has led to this change in our policy.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. I can't login. I think my account may have been closed but the
only message I get is that my login/user ID or password is invalid.
What can I do?
A. Some accounts may have
been closed prior to our change over and because of this there may
not be a specific message displayed saying why it was closed. If you
cannot login first, please make sure you have cookies and
JavaScript enabled. If that does not work, see below.
If you have cookies and JavaScript enabled and you still cannot
login try using your telephone number (no dashes, no spaces) as your
login ID. If that doesn't work and you believe you had an account
with us, simply email customer service to find out if the account
was closed or if you should re-register. You will need to supply us
with the information below, so we can search our database for your
registration.
What ever you do, if you
are having trouble logging in, DO NOT re-register unless we
have instructed you to do so. Registering again will only
complicate the issue. Please let us know if you have re-registered
and when. If you have, we would need the information below for both;
your old registration and your new registration. Give us as much
information as you can remember. The more information you give us
the better chance we'll have of finding your old registration.
Full Name:
Nickname you may have used:
Street:
Town:
State:
Zip:
Any/All phone numbers you may have given us:
Log In ID (if you remember it):
Lister/Seller Name:
Any/All email addresses you may have given us:
Membership level:
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Advertising /
Ads (Outside
& Commercial Advertising, Pay-Per-Click, Affiliate Program)
Q. Do you accept commercial
(outside) advertisements on GunsAmerica?
A. Yes. Please
click on this link for information about advertising on
GunsAmerica.
Q. What's the difference
between ads and listings?
A. Sometimes the two words
are interchangeable so it can be confusing. On GunsAmerica when we
refer to "listings" we're referring to Traditional Classified Ads,
Offers Only (a.k.a. Best Accepted Offers) Ads, and Auctions. These are
usually posted by gun dealers, collectors, and/or other private
citizens and non-commercial traders and sellers. With listings, all of the information about the listing,
and the means to contact the seller, is found on and done through
the GunsAmerica website. While ads, or advertisements, are
commercial ads (text links like the kind you might see in the right
margin when you do a Google search). When you click on these links
they may take you to a GA listing for that advertiser OR to a website outside of
GunsAmerica. GunsAmerica allows commercial ads we feel will be of
interest to our members.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. What is an "outside" advertiser?
A.
The name "outside" advertiser traditionally comes from the fact that the link
usually brings you to a place outside the website the advertisement
is on. GunsAmerica allows select commercial (outside) advertisers if
we feel will be of interest to our members.
Q. I've been to the Advertiser's login
page, and read the "Get Started Now" pop up synopsis, but I still have questions. Who do I contact?
A. If you received an email about advertising please REPLY to that email for the
quickest and most accurate answers. If you no longer have that email
you can email customer service (see "contact" link at bottom of
any page). Please include in your email some basics about you,
your company, and if you have any specific questions. Someone will respond within
a few hours or the next business day (if contacted within
business hours).
Q. My question about advertising and affiliate programs wasn't
answered here. Who do I contact?
A. Please
click on this link
for information.
FAQs
Index Top of
Page
Auctions
> Auctions can NOT be changed, modified, edited, or altered.
And they cannot be ended early without consequence.
> Deleting or closing an Auction, before it has run its course
and without permission
from GunsAmerica, may result in a penalty fee or suspension of your account.
> Deleting an Auction does NOT automatically void your responsibility to pay any posting
fees related to that auction. That decision is up to the discretion of GunsAmerica and will be decided on a case
by case basis.
> If you listed an Auction and notice a mistake you MUST contact customer service immediately
for assistance (see the link at the bottom of any page) BEFORE there are any bids or offers.
> If you list an item for Auction on GunsAmerica you are committing that item to be
available for the duration of the Auction and you must make the item available to the winner of the Auction.
> Sellers who make a habit out of ending Auctions early, asking for changes, or withdrawing
the availability of an item in an Auction may incur penalty fees or suspension of their account.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q.
How do I create an Auction listing?
A. Creating (posting) an Auction or Approved Bidder Auction is very
easy, however there are a few steps you need to take before you post
any listing.
* Make sure you
know exactly what you want to say; how you want to describe your
item or service. Use keywords related to the item/service that will
help GunsAmerica's search engine find your ad as well as other
search engines such a Google, Yahoo, and MSN.
* Take a clear
photo of your item or photos related to a service. The bigger the
better but make sure it is clear, in focus, detailed, and less than
1.5 MB, in .jpg form. We recommend one wide shot plus close ups of
key points and features.
* Know how much the
item/service is worth; how much you want to charge for the
item/service and how much it will cost for shipping.
* Familiarize
yourself with all federal, state, and local laws regarding the
selling and shipping of firearms including (but not limited to) if
you need to use an FFL dealer to ship an item.
* Once you've done
your research, taken your photos, and know the laws and regulations
you are ready to post your item or service.
1. Click on any SELL NOW or START SELLING link or button.
2. Choose the Auction listing type, and then
check off the Approved Bidder
Auction if desired.
3. Follow any prompts
and fill in all information that pertains to your item; title,
condition, price, duration of listing, and description of the item.
You can also chose to offer members a BUY IT NOW
feature.
NOTE ABOUT CONTENT: You are not allowed to place
contact information, phone numbers, website names, email addresses,
or any HTML in your listings.
4. Upload any photos you have. (The first
one is free)
Please visit the
FEEs
page for details.
NOTE ABOUT PHOTOS: A common mistake is to click on
the browse button to place the photo in the list of photos BUT then
forget to actually click on the "Upload" button. Be careful, because
once you list your auction it can NOT be edited or altered in any
way.
5. Choose any Advanced Special Features you
want. (Special Features are available at additional cost)
Please visit the
FEEs
page for details.
6. Click on post and
you're good to go! (You may have to scroll to the right so see the
post button) And remember, Auctions can NOT be edited or modified
later. Auctions cannot be ended early (unless you chose the
BUY IT NOW option and a member uses this option) You MUST take care and make sure your choices and what you
type is exactly what you want.
* Your auction can be
seen by you immediately when you use the "click here" link on the "Your
post is complete!" page (that's the page with the father and son at
the shooting range) but your auction will not go live for all to see
for about 1 hour. If you do not see the changes you made after
waiting one full hour please clear your browser cache (see the
Technical or Trouble Shooting link in this FAQs) before contacting us.
*
IF YOU MADE A
MISTAKE ON YOUR AUCTION listing you can NOT make
changes!! Contact customer
service immediately for assistance. Be sure to send us the listing
number and the exact reason for wanting to delete or end an auction.
Repeated requests for deleting auctions or early closings may result in a penalty fee
OR closure of your account. It is very important you take the time
to list your auction carefully!
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Q. How does an Auction work?
A. An Auction means that there is no pre-determined final sale
price. Potential buyers will "bid" and at the end of the auction
period, often right down to the last second, the highest bidder will
"win" the right to buy for its final price.
>
The seller posts an auction for a predetermined time period (it
cannot be ended early unless using BUY IT NOW ).
>
Members place bids during the time the auction is posted - right
until the last second of the last day.
>
The seller can view bids by going to their My GunsAmerica home page,
hover over Selling, click on My Auctions, and then click on the
number of bids there are (to the right of the auction title and
price) under the "BIDS" column.
>
At the end of the auction the highest bidder wins the right to
purchase the item (of course all laws and regulations must be
followed for them to actually make the purchase).
>
If the BUY IT NOW choice was offered by the seller (optional), and a
member uses it, the auction and bidding ends at that time and that
member wins the right to purchase the item immediately.
Advantages:
* Auctions have
emotion and a sense of urgency and competition, which can make
people pay more than you anticipated or would ask for in a
traditional classified ad.
* You can put a "reserve" or "BUY IT NOW " option on it so you don't
sell it for less than you want.
Disadvantages:
* Auctions tend to
bring about more "buyer's remorse" than when an item is purchased
through a classified ad because of the emotion surrounding the
competition to buy. This can cause more returns and/or complaints.
* Auctions
generally do not last as long as classified ads (classifieds can run
for months, waiting for the right price or the right buyer) which
means the right buyer might not come along for your auction before
it ends.
* You don't know,
until the auction is over and it's time to collect money and ship,
if the person who won a gun is legally allowed to own or receive
shipment. (see Approved Bidder Auction below)
*
You cannot end an auction early!
* Once the auction
is posted you cannot make changes to the listing. This is a common
rule in the world of auctions. This is done to be fair to anyone who
has bid or who has plans to bid.
Who Can Post:
Only Verified, Gold, and Trusted members can post an auction.
Fees:
Auctions, unlike basic bare-bones classified ads, have some small
up-front posting fees (due even if the item does not sell). There are also after sale fees on Auctions
(just like the other types of ads), but only if you sell the item.
Who Can Bid:
All registered members are generally eligible to bid on auctions BUT
we have introduced a new feature where the seller ultimately gets to
choose what member level can bid on each of their auctions (same for
all listings).
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Q. What is an Approved Bidder Auction and how does it work?
A. An Approved Bidder Auction is just like regular auctions with one
major difference; the seller gets to pre-qualify bidders before they
can bid. This type of auction is primarily for EXPENSIVE or RARE
guns because most people will not take the time to register as an
approved bidder to bid on a common gun. (A check box for this listing choice will
appear if you chose auctions on the "Select a Listing Type" page ). All other aspects
apply to an Approved Bidder Auction that apply to a regular auction.
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Q. How do I make changes to (edit) or end my Auction?
A. You cannot edit,
change, or add information to an auction. You cannot end an auction
early. This is to level the playing field for everyone; making it
fair to bidders and potential bidders. This is a common rule the
world of auctions - whether the auction is held online or in a barn
- NO changes.
*
IF YOU MADE A
MISTAKE ON YOUR AUCTION listing
you can NOT make changes. Contact customer
service immediately for assistance. Be sure to send us the listing
number and the exact reason for wanting to delete or end an auction.
Repeated requests for deleting auctions or early closings may result in a penalty fee
OR closure of your account. It is very important you take the time
to list your auction carefully!
Q. I want to change my Auction to
a Classified Ad, E-Z Ad, or Offers Only Ad. How do I do this?
A. You cannot do this because
Auctions and Offers Only type listings cannot be modified.
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Q. I want to relist a
closed/ended Auction but I want to change the listing type. How do I do
this?
A.
To relist an item as a new listing
type:
* Login and go to the My GunsAmerica.
*
Hover over Selling in the menu at left.
*
Click on My Auctions.
* Choose filter by "Ended" (only open/active listings are displayed
by default).
* Click the Options link of the listing you
want to relist/renew.
* Click on renew - DO NOT POST yet.
* Scroll down to the bottom of the
listing creation page and click on Change Category or Listing Type button.
* Change the listing type and follow the
prompts as you would when you first list an item.
* Be sure to click the POST (not "save") button when
you're done.
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Q. Help! I can't find my auctions
in my control panel!!
Due to the different nature of how auctions are managed,
Auctions are now listed in a separate section of your control panel.
They are no longer listed together with Classifieds, E-Z Ads, and
Offers Only listings. You can view and manage all of your Auctions
by clicking on the My Auctions link under the Selling
section of your control panel (menu at left when on My GunsAmerica).
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Q. Can you tell me why an Auction closed or comes up as "invalid"?
A. If an Auction "closed" that means it came to an end of it's allotted run,
with or without a winner. If there is a winner this information will be
displayed in the Auction listing and the winner will be notified via the GA
messaging system. If an Auction comes up as invalid it could simply be
that the Auction came to a close and was deleted from the system.
Or, on very rare occasions, if an Auction comes up as
"invalid" it could be something happened either with the seller, the listing, or
the with the item listed for auction, and the Auction had to be closed early. It
could be there was a problem with the listing, a problem with the item, or any
other reason.
If an Auction listing comes up as "invalid" or closed you should assume
it is no longer available. If you are a buyer and have paid for an item or if
you were officially declared the "winner" and the auction is now "invalid" or closed
AND you are having trouble with the transaction please contact the seller using
the GA messaging system - you should have already received a message stating you
are the accepted buyer or winner in the messaging section of your GA account
panel. You should also view the Communication/Messaging
section of this FAQs.
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Q. How do I report an item I sold
in an Auction?
A. For Auctions the system will automatically generate a "sold item" invoice for you when the auction comes
to a close and there is a winning bidder. If the auction came to a close without a winner but you sold the item through
GunsAmerica anyway, please contact customer service for help.
Q. How do I just close an
Auction?
A. For Auctions the system will automatically close the listing when the auction
comes to an end. You cannot end/close an auction early. If you feel you must
close an auction early please contact customer service.
Q. How do I
report an item sold, after an Auction closes, if there was no winner?
A. If your Auction has no winner, but you choose to sell to an under bidder for
a lesser price OR to someone who did not bid, you will need to relist the item
as a Classified Ad.
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For
more information see the
Managing Listings section
of this FAQs.
Billing / Invoices / Payment / Credit Cards / Checks
All MEMBERS Are Responsible For:
* Familiarizing yourself with all fees BEFORE posting a listing or using our services.
* Checking your invoice page regularly and checking the
details of your invoices.
* Making sure payment of all invoices is made on time and
by following the payment instructions.
* Immediately reporting any invoice you feel is incorrect
by following the instructions in this FAQs.
* Requesting refunds in a timely manner by following the
instructions in this FAQs.
* No matter why you feel you should not pay an invoice you MUST NOT ignore an invoice.
Q.
How do I see what my invoice is for?
A. HOW TO OPEN & READ AN
INVOICE:
* Log In.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Accounting
in the menu at left.
* Click on
Invoices.
* Click on an
invoice number, this will open the invoice.
* The fees and what
they are for are listed inside the invoice. If you do not understand
the fees, visit the
FEEs
page.
* To see the actual
listing the invoice pertains to, click on "view". As long as you
have not deleted the listing from your account, you'll be able to
see it.
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Q.
How do I pay my membership fees and other invoices?
HOW TO PAY AN INVOICE:
First, make sure you know and understand your payment terms, before
making any payment.
Most members are on "auto-pay" by credit card payment terms. This means
you are required to enter a credit or debit card on file (secure) and all (or
some) invoices are charged to that card when they come due, or monthly. It's
important you know and understand your payment terms so that you don't send a
check or money order and have your credit card charged for the
same invoices. Your payment terms will be displayed on your Invoices page; just
hover over the blue info icon
 on your invoices
page for an explanation of your payment terms.
NOTE: Members do not choose their payment terms - your
payment terms are assigned to you by GunsAmerica. All members must
make payment according to their assigned payment terms. If you would
like to change your payment terms, send your request to customer
service.
TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD
(if not on automatic payment terms):
> Log In.
> Click on My GunsAmerica.
> Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
> Click on the Invoices link.
> If an invoice is open (not paid) there will be an empty check box to the
left of the invoice number.
> Click on the box to the left of the
invoice you want to pay, to place a check mark in the box.
> Click on the "Pay By CC" button.
> If you have a credit card on file a small pop up window will
appear with your credit card information, the list of invoice
numbers you checked off, and the total of those invoices.
> If you need to add a credit card to your account, click on the
"Credit Cards" link in the left menu (under accounting) and fill out the
credit card form.
TO PAY BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER
(if not on automatic payment terms):
> Log In.
> Click on My GunsAmerica.
> Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
> Click on the Invoices link.
> If an invoice is open (not paid) there will be an empty check box to the
left of the invoice number.
> Click on the box to the left of the
invoice you want to pay, to place a check mark in the box.
> Click on the "Pay By Check" button.
> You will then be brought to directions for mailing a check or
money order payment. BE SURE TO SEND A PRINT OUT OF THE PAYMENT PAGE
AND WRITE ALL
INVOICE NUMBERS ON THE FACE OF YOUR CHECK OR MONEY ORDER!!
(please write invoice numbers on your check just in case the check
gets separated from your payment page during mailing)
IF YOU HAVE GA CREDIT:
* If you have GA Credit this credit may NOT automatically be applied to
any outstanding invoice(s). To make sure your GA Credit is applied please
contact customer service via email when you a ready to use it OR
state how you would like to use credit when you send other payment
by mail.
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Q.
I sold something, but I don't see an invoice. Will GunsAmerica email
it to me?
A. Actual invoices are not emailed. We only email notifications that
an invoice has been generated, an auction won, an offer accepted,
etc. All invoices (with details, ready to print) are placed in your account under
the Accounting section of your My GunsAmerica home page (formerly
known as your "control panel").
Important Note:
You will NOT get an invoice (or be able to
get/receive feedback) for an item sold in a Classified Ad or Offers
Only listing if you have not used the "offers" system.
All sellers
must use the offers system for Classifieds and Offers
Only listings to generate invoices and confirm & finalize sales -
no exceptions. Failure to do so may result in the suspension of
your account.
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Q.
Will I get an email when I pay my bill, to confirm payment is
received?
A. At this time we do not email
payment receipt of payment made or received, although this is a feature we may be offering in
the near future.
Q.
Do I have to use a credit card? Or can I pay by check or money
order?
A. Payment terms are set and determined by GunsAmerica. Most
members' payment terms are auto-pay, by credit card on file, by
default. Your payment terms will be displayed on your invoices page
with an info icon next to it that gives you details about your
payment terms. If you do not have an automatic credit
card payment agreement set up, you can pay your GunsAmerica invoices
with a check or money order. Check and money order payments for
invoices that are due and payable "immediately" (like special
features) must reach us within 2 weeks or you will most likely get a
past due notice. If you are unsure of or do not understand your payment agreement,
please contact customer service for more information.
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Q. Do you accept debits/check cards?
A. Yes, GunsAmerica accepts debit/check cards, which carry the VISA or MasterCard logo, for payment
in place of regular credit cards.
See important note below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Most businesses, including GunsAmerica, that accept
any kind of
card will "validate" the card when you first enter it into the system or with your first payment. To
validate the card a temporary charge of $1 or
more will be held against your
account. This is not a true charge and will be removed/refunded within a few hours or a few days. BUT it is important
to keep this in mind for two reasons: 1) We don't want you to think the validation is a true charge or that
we are overcharging you. And 2) You want to make sure you have enough funds in the account to allow
for these types of validations because even though they are not true "charges" they will temporarily
tie up that amount of money (over and above the actually invoice you are paying) for up to a few days. Again, this
is a common and accepted business practice that many business now follow. If you have questions about this type
of "validation" please contact the bank you get your card from.
* We strongly caution anyone who is using a debit/check card NOT to do so if you
do not have enough funds in your account to allow for these validations and any
invoices you may incur but not plan for.
* Keep in mind, GunsAmerica
does NOT collect payment for items purchased from sellers. You must contact the seller of the item you are interested in for instructions on the
what's and how's to pay for that item. GunsAmerica is not involved in any transaction between buyer and seller
(pre or post sale).
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Q.
I don't like to use my credit card on the Internet. How can I pay
GunsAmerica by mail?
A. Please keep in mind GunsAmerica sets the payment terms for it's
members. That means payment needs to be made as per GunsAmerica
policy with the payment terms you have been assigned. If you are on
immediate or monthly payment terms that requires a credit card but
you are not comfortable entering your credit card online please
contact us and explain the situation. You will be required to keep a
credit card on file with us, however we will be able to find a way
for you to transmit the information in a way that will make you more
comfortable.
The great
majority of members participate in auto-pay with credit card on file by default.
If you're not sure what your payment agreement is you .
Your payment terms will be displayed on your invoices page with an
info icon next to it that gives you details about your payment
terms.
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Q.
Can I pay my invoices all at once or certain invoices before others?
A. All invoices must be paid by the due date shown on your invoices
page. If you are set up for auto-pay by credit card, your invoices will be charged
per day, per week, or per month (depending on your individual
payment agreement). If you pay by check, all invoices are due on the
date posted in red (due date) unless you have an agreement with
GunsAmerica that allows you to pay every 30 days. For specific information on your personal
payment terms, hover over the info icon next to your payment terms
on your invoices page, or contact customer service.
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