|
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
Q. I want to reopen an account that was 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!
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top of Page
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).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
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.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
What does "do not have payment methods in the system" mean?
A. The payment methods are for use in paying monthly membership fees
and/or listing and auction fees with a credit card. Your credit card
information can be added, found, and changed, by going to My
GunsAmerica, Accounting, and clicking on
the
Credit Cards link.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
What's the advantage to adding payment methods?
A. Entering your payment method allows you to manually pay invoices
and not have to enter your payment information again and again each
time you pay an invoice OR it means your invoices will be
automatically charged to your credit card - depending on the payment
agreement you have with GunsAmerica. Nearly all members have an
auto-pay agreement by default. We find most members like auto-pay
because it makes things much easier. For specific information on
your payment terms see your invoices page. To arrange or change to specific payment terms, please
contact customer service.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
What are the different kinds of payment terms, how do the work, how is this
decided?
A. There are two kinds of payment terms: automatic
payment by credit card or as needed payment by check, money order, or credit card. Most members
are on credit card auto-payment by default. And some have a combination of both
(monthly membership fees on auto-pay, all other invoices are paid as
needed by check or cc).
The decision as to what payment plan you are on is made at the sole discretion
of GunsAmerica, however if you prefer one payment plan over another you can
request a review of your payment terms with the possibility of making a change.
Auto-Pay By Credit Card:
*
You keep a credit card on file and
your invoices are charged to that card automatically. You do not have to worry
about payment due dates.
*
Your
invoices are charged as they come due (daily, weekly, or monthly) OR they may be
charged once monthly. Most members are on the "as they come due" payment plan by
default. Monthly payments are usually reserved for Gold Sellers and/or
commercial dealers with a long history of regular payment with us or who have
industry references. This is a common practice in the business world - to give a
30 day payment plan to commercial businesses with a good payment record.
*
No information is kept on the
Internet, your complete credit card number is not available to anyone but the
credit card processing agency that works with your bank or credit card company.
Pay By Check or Money Order (or credit card
as needed):
*
When your payment agreement is "by
check" you are responsible for keeping track of the due dates of every invoice
and making sure payment is made on time. You must also go through the manual
process of checking off invoices, printing the payment page, writing invoices
numbers on checks, or paying each invoice as it comes due with a credit card, etc. This can become a bit difficult if you have many
invoices, have a tendency to forget to log in and review your invoices, or
simply don't have the time.
*
Just like with credit card
auto-payment, some sellers that pay by manually are given the option of paying all
of their invoices monthly. But again, this type of payment plan is usually
reserved for long time sellers and/or commercial businesses
and it not a decision the member makes. Payment terms are decided by
GunsAmerica. If you have not been told you're payment terms are "monthly" then
you are expected to make sure your payments are made before an invoice becomes
past due.
*
If you
are not on a monthly payment plan then payment of special feature invoices and
auction posting invoices are especially urgent since the are due "immediately".
This means you should get that check out in the mail about the same day you
post the listing that generated the invoice or manually pay using a credit card.
*
When you are on the
pay by check plan you can pay manually by credit card BUT just placing your
credit card on file does not make the payment to your invoices. When you are on
the "pay by check" payment plan you must go through the payment steps outlined
above (and on the invoice page).
*
If you would like your
invoices to be automatically charged to your credit card please contact customer
service and request this.
No matter what payment plan you are on you can always review your
invoices AND your payment history by logging in and going to the Accounting
section at you My GunsAmerica home page.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
How do I add or change a credit card on file?
A. Currently, to "edit" or change credit card information you must
delete the old information completely and enter the updated
information as a "new" card. While in the Accounting
section, click on Credit Cards then delete or add a card as needed.
There will be a
field for a CVH code. With most cards the CVH code is the three digit security code
found on the back of your credit card, to the right of your credit
card account number. On AMEX it will be a four digit number on the
front of your card.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
How do I create an Invoice for my customer, for an item I sold?
A. GunsAmerica does not
currently offer a feature to help you create an invoice for your customers.
You will need to create one yourself in an email or with a word
processing program like Microsoft Word. If you are a private seller
and not familiar with invoicing, you may want to Google the
words "create an invoice" for more information.
Q.
How do I pay for an item I bought from a seller?
A.
The seller is expected to give you this
information. If you do not understand the instructions the seller gave you or if
the seller has not given you payment information you should contact the seller
by replying to an existing message from the seller (found in your GA
messaging system) OR use the
Ask
Seller a Question button in the listing or in any of the
seller's other listings. For more information click on the
Contacting Sellers
or Seller Does Not Respond link here in the FAQs.
Important Note:
NEVER pay for a gun using PayPal. PayPal
does NOT allow this and if they catch you doing it they can freeze your PayPal
account. Yes, they have been known to do this.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Can / Should I use an
escrow or bonding service to pay for what I want to buy?
A. First and foremost please remember GunsAmerica is not involved in
transactions between buyer and seller (pre or post sale) so we cannot tell you if you can or should use escrow/bonding
or not. That is up to you and the seller to work out between you.
Usually the seller picks the payment policy and explains the
options to the buyer. If the seller does not offer a payment
option you would like to use, like
escrow, you can of course ask if they are willing to do this. If you do not agree with the seller's payment
policy you should not purchase from that seller.
About Escrow Services and Bonding Services.
You might want to consider using an escrow service, or purchasing from a bonded (or insured) seller, if you are purchasing a high priced item from someone you do not know or have never done business with before.
We explain these options to you not because we recommend them (that
is totally up to you and the seller) but because we want to give you
as much information as you might need to make an informed decision.
Escrow Services: An escrow service accepts and holds payment from a buyer until the buyer receives and approves the merchandise the seller sends.
Only then will the escrow service forward your payment to the seller.
You, the buyer pays the escrow service a fee for this, which is usually a percentage of the cost of the item. Before using an escrow service, both the buyer and the seller should verify that it is a legitimate, reputable company. There should be no mistaking that you both agree to use a particular escrow service.
Buying from a Bonded (or insured) Seller: Some sellers may tell you they are bonded or insured so escrow isn't needed. If a you intend to rely on a seller’s bonded/insured status you should investigate the legitimacy of the seller's bonding/insurance company AND then make sure the seller really is certified by that company. But keep in mind; if there is a dispute between you and the seller you most likely will have to follow a specific resolution process (outlined by the bonding/insurance company) before being able to
even submit a claim to the bonding/insurance company. Protection is not automatic or
guaranteed. You should also keep in mind that it is the seller who pays for the bonding/insurance and there is no
guarantee there is no prejudice involved there.
WARNING: There are scams out there that involve fake escrow
services or fraudulent sellers stating they are bonded but are not.
Do your research and be sure to verify ALL information before
handing over your hard earned cash!!
NOTE: Another option, when buying a high ticket item from a
stranger, or over the Internet, is to use your credit card (not debit
card). When you use the average credit card every purchase you make
is in some way protected by your credit card company. Check with your credit
card company/bank to be sure how these options work and if this
option is for you.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How are invoices generated?
A. Invoices are generated mainly by the actions of the member
(seller or buyer).
*
If you upgrade your membership from Free Basic to Verified, Gold, or
Trusted - see FEEs page for details.
*
If you choose any Advanced Special Features for ANY listing - see
FEEs page for details.
*
If you list/post an Auction - see FEEs page for details.
*
If you accept an "offer to buy" or if a buyer accepts your "offer to
sell" - see FAQs on Classifieds & E-Z ads.
*
If an Auction or Offers Only ad closes with a winning bid/offer.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I report an item I sold
so I can pay the GunsAmerica fee?
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 you chose to allow BUY IT NOW in your auction you will need to follow
the HOW TO for Classified Ads below.
A. For Offers Only and Classifieds the system will automatically generate a
"sold item" invoice for you whey you accept an "offer to buy" OR if a member
accepts your "offer to sell".
A. For E-Z Ads - you do not need to report a sale.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How to I just close a listing
that I did not sell?
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.
A. For
Offers Only listings the system will automatically close the listing when the Offer comes
to an end. Just like an Auction,
you cannot end/close an Offers
Only listing early. If you feel you must close an Offer early please see the Offers
Only section of this FAQs.
A. For
Traditional Classified Ads Please see the HOW TO below.
HOW TO CLOSE A CLASSIFIED
(or E-Z Ad) LISTING:
* Log in.
* Click My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Selling in the menu at left, and click on My Selling.
* Find your listing, (you can enter the GA listing # in the Find a Listing search box just
above the listings).
* Click on the "Options" link to the far right of the listing
and click on "no longer available".
* The listing will close but will still be in your account to renew
later if you wish.
FAQs Index Top of Page
FAILED CHARGES NOTICE
Q. I was sent a "failed charges"
email notice. Why? What is this?
A. A "failed charge" notice would be sent to you only if you have auto-payment terms (your invoices are
automatically charged to a credit card on file weekly or monthly, as most members are) and a charge was attempted
and failed. We are not informed by the credit card reporting agency or bank as to why the charge failed so we cannot
tell you "why". There is no need to be upset or angry or be embarrassed or apologize. We understand "stuff"
happens. All we ask is that you take action to remedy the situation. Please see the Q&A below for more information.
Q. What do I need to do if I get a failed
charge notice? How do I fix this?
A. You do not necessarily have to contact us. Please follow the instructions below:
Check to see if the expiration date has
past on the card you have on file in your GunsAmerica account. If that's all it is you will
then need to:
1. Delete the old card information and enter the information again, with the updated expiration date
(see the HOW TOs below).
2. Activate the new card information in our system by manually making payment for any invoice that is due
or past due (see the HOW TOs below). Auto-payment will resume with the next billing cycle.
If the expiration date was not the reason for the failed charge you will need to contact the issuer of your
card and ask them why the charge failed. We are not given that information. We cannot tell you "why".
Based on the information they give you, you should do one of the following:
1. If they say there is no problem OR the problem
is resolved you will need to test the card
information in your GunsAmerica account by manually making payment for any invoice that is due or past due (see
the HOW TO PAY INVOICES below). If it works, and you get a "Thank you for your payment" message, auto-payment
will resume with the next billing cycle. If it does not work see # 2.
2. If there is a problem that cannot be immediately
resolved with the card you will need to remove
the old card in your GunsAmerica account and place a new card on file (follow HOW TO UPDATE/CHANGE CREDIT CARD
INFO below).
HOW TO UPDATE/CHANGE CREDIT CARD INFO:
* Login
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
* Click on Credit Cards.
* Delete the old card (yes, even if just the expiration date needs to be changed)
* Add new card information.
* If there are past due invoices in your account you must now activate the new card information in
our system by manually making payment for any invoice that is due or past due (see the HOW TO below). Auto-payment
will resume with the next billing cycle.
HOW TO MANUALLY PAY INVOICES,
with your CREDIT CARD ON FILE:
> Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
> Click on Invoices to bring up all invoices.
> If an invoice is open (not paid) there will be a small box to the left of the listing.
> 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.
> A small window will open with your credit card and invoice
information.
> Click on the Make Payment button.
FAQs Index Top of Page
DAYS PAST DUE NOTICES (30,
45, or 60 days)
Q. Why am I getting an past due notice
when I have credit in my account?
A. GA credit is not always automatically
applied to open invoices. Please contact
customer service and ask them to apply the credit for you.
Q. I was sent a "past due" email
notice. Why? What is this?
A. Simply put, a "past due" notice would be sent to you only if you have invoices in your account that
are showing as past due in your account.
This can happen if you did not realize you had an invoice to pay, or you thought you paid it, or you sent a check
and you did not use the Pay By Check button on your invoices page to record payment (important you do this
to avoid past due notices), or payment has not yet been received (lost in the mail?) or has not yet been applied
to your account (deposited and cashed, but no invoice number or way to identify your account on the check), or
any other number of reasons.
There is no need to be upset or angry or be embarrassed or apologize. We understand "stuff" happens.
But understand we must send notices. We must do what we can to get invoices paid on a timely basis. Not because
we're money hungry or greedy, but because it is a fact of life that businesses can't run without capitol. If you
get a past due notice all we ask is that you take proper action to remedy the situation. Please see the Q&A
below for more information.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why did I get a 30 day "past due"
notice when I never got the original invoice in the first place?
A. The original invoice for any special feature fees or Auction posting fees are sent to you moments after the
listing is posted. Usually this is combined with your "Posting Complete" notice
that confirms the item you listed had just been posted. Also, if you add on special features later, you will get
a similar notice by email.
Whether or not you actually get the notice by email is not under our control. We control sending
the notice out. You are responsible for making sure you can "get" it.
Email notices may be missed (accidentally deleted) or blocked (by you or your ISP or your email provider) or sent
to a Spam folder. Ether way, you the member, are responsible for making sure you can receive and read the emails
we send to you. So we cannot tell you "why" you did not get any particular notice. That is something
you need to figure out and resolve. See the Communications/Messaging section of this FAQs for more information.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why did I get a 45 day "past due"
notice when I never got the 30 day notice?
Q. Why did I get a 60 day "past
due" notice when I never got the 45 day notice?
A. The first notice we send is the 30 day past due, then the 45 day, then the 60 day.
Whether or not you actually get the notice is not under our control. We control sending
the notice. You are responsible for making sure you can "get" it.
Email notices may be missed (accidentally deleted) or blocked (by you or your ISP or your email provider) or sent
to a Spam folder. Ether way, you the member, are responsible for making sure you can receive and read the emails
we send to you. So we cannot tell you "why" you did not get any particular notice. That is something
you need to figure out and resolve. See the Communications/Messaging/Email section of this FAQs for more information.
Regardless of why you did not get a previous notice, there is no need to be upset, or get angry or be embarrassed
or apologize. We understand "stuff" happens. But understand we must send notices. We must do what we
can to get invoices paid on a timely basis. Not because we're money hungry or greedy, but because it is a fact
of life that businesses can't run without capitol. All we ask is that you take proper action to remedy the situation.
Please see the Q&A below for more information.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I thought my invoices were automatically
charged to my credit card. What happened? How do we fix this?
A. You do not necessarily have to contact us. Please follow the instructions below:
First check to see what your payment terms are. You can find this
information on your Invoices page, next to your total balance due
(above the invoice list). If your payment terms do not indicate
automatic payment by credit card and you feel it should, or would
like it to, please contact customer service with your request. If
your payment terms are in fact set for automatic payment by credit
card on file but you have past due invoices, follow the steps below.
Check to see if the expiration date has
past on the card you have on file in your GunsAmerica account. If that's all it is you will
then need to:
1. Delete the old card information and enter the information again, with the updated expiration date
(just use the "delete" and "add new" links/buttons, see the HOW TOs below).
2. Activate the new card information in our system by manually making payment for any invoice that is due
or past due (see the HOW TOs below).
3. If you do in fact have auto-charge payment
terms the auto-payment will resume with the
next billing cycle. If you aren't sure if you have auto payment set up or not, contact customer service and
ask (see link at the bottom of any page).
If the expiration date of your credit card
was not the reason your invoices weren't paid
and you thought (or want) your invoices to be automatically charged to the card on file,
you can attempt to make payment by credit card manully. If that does not work,
contact your bank.
If your received a "failed charges"
message when you logged in please see the Q&A
about failed charges above.
HOW TO UPDATE/CHANGE CREDIT CARD INFO:
* Login
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
* Click on Credit Cards.
* Delete the old card (yes, even if just the expiration date needs to be changed)
* Add new card information.
* If there are past due invoices in your account you must now activate the new card information in
our system by manually making payment for any invoice that is due or past due (see the HOW TO below). Auto-payment
will resume with the next billing cycle.
HOW TO MANUALLY PAY INVOICES,
with your CREDIT CARD ON FILE:
> Hover over Accounting in the menu at left.
> Click on Invoices to bring up all invoices.
> If an invoice is open (not paid) there will be a small box to the left of the listing.
> 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.
> A small window will open with your credit card and invoice
information.
> Click on the Make Payment button.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Already Paid? Think an invoice
in Wrong? Don't understand why you're being invoiced?
A.
Do NOT just shoot off an email to customer service stating you do not owe us anything. We will only reply
by asking you to visit this FAQs and follow the directions found here.
Do NOT react by first asking us
"what is this for?" We will only reply by asking you to visit this FAQs and follow the directions found
here. You must
FIRST follow proper procedures for checking the details of your accounting section of your GunsAmerica
account. See below for details and for information on how to do this.
HOW TO OPEN, READ, AND UNDERSTAND
DETAILS OF 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.
(Remember; you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with all fees BEFORE listing, see the
fees
page for details)
HOW TO REVIEW PAYMENTS YOU HAVE
MADE:
* Log In.
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Accounting.
* Click on Payments.
* There will be a list of payment dates with the total amount paid.
* To see which invoices were paid on that date click on the plus sign + to the left of the date.
* This will reveal a list of all invoices paid with that exact payment.
* You can click on the invoice number to open and view it.
* Keep in mind it can take up to 2 weeks for payments made by mail to show in your account.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ALREADY PAID
AN INVOICE:
If you paid an invoice and it is not yet marked as paid (giving at least 2 weeks for checks and money orders
to be applied) please contact customer service (see link at the bottom of any page or reply to the email you received)
and send us the details.
So that we can confirm your
payment and apply credit to your account, you MUST send the detailed payment information outlined below
for EACH
invoice in question. Not providing ALL of the detailed information we have requested (below) for each invoice may
prevent us from addressing your issue in an accurate and timely manner.
IF PAID BY CREDIT/DEBIT CARD
Invoice number in question:
Exact amount of charge:
Date charged to your account:
Last four digits of the card charged:
Last name on the card charged:
or
IF PAID BY CHECK OR MONEY ORDER (MO)
Invoice number in question:
Number of check or MO:
Name on check or MO:
Amount of check or MO:
Date on the check or MO
About what date the check or MO was mailed:
WHAT TO DO IF YOU FIND AN INCORRECT
INVOICE:
> Do not ignore an invoice if you feel it is incorrect.
> If you feel an invoice is incorrect or invalid for some reason other than already paid, please contact
customer service and explain in DETAIL.
> You must include the INVOICE NUMBER in question as well as any GA listing number it pertains to,
and the detailed reason you feel the invoice is invalid.
> Do not just say, "I don't owe you anything" or "I did not sell anything." as
this is not a valid and detailed reason.
> Remember, it is the actions of the member/seller that generates invoices. Please read the HOW INVOICES
ARE GENERATED and HOW TO REPORT AN ITEM AS SOLD in this FAQs to understand how/why an invoice may have been generated
by mistake.
> If you do not include the invoice number and details your issue cannot be addressed.
> All invoices contain descriptions for fees and the GA listing it pertains to. See the instructions
above to know how to open, view, and understand your invoice.
> It is the seller's responsibility to open and view each invoice and review our fees page before contacting GunsAmerica with an invoice inquiry.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why am I getting an emailed
invoice if it's $0.00?
A. All "posting complete" notices come with a break down of what fees (if any) have been incurred by
that listing. It is not an actual "invoice". It is a "notice" of what fees have been incurred
(if any) and if there was a fee it is a notice that an invoice has been generated and placed in your account.
(see above for HOW TO on opening and reading invoices in your account) This is our standard "form mail".
Therefore, if you incurred no fees it will also tell you this. There is no need for you to respond to a posting
complete notice or contact us about it unless you feel there is something wrong (and you've already read this FAQs
for answers).
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why am I getting a Monthly
Account Summary if I don't owe anything and I haven't listed or sold anything?
A. We send Monthly Account Summaries to all Verified and Gold members or members
who sell or have sold. This summary may include information about
sales and listings (if you are a seller), information about your monthly membership fees (if you are a Gold member),
and/or it may contain important notices that ALL members need to read. There is no need to respond to this summary.
It is not an invoice. If there is an amount due you can consider it as an invoice "reminder" If there
is no amount due look for important notices that may be in the email.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Blogs
Q. The membership page mentions
blogs. Where are they?
A. This feature is coming soon.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Buyer
Does Not Respond / Buyer Does Not Pay
Q. What am I supposed to do if a
buyer does not pay?
A. First and foremost you
should make sure your payment instructions are clear and easy to understand
and make sure the buyer actually received the instructions. Second,
it's important to remember email
can be lost, misdirected, or end up in a Spam folder so it is always
a good idea to solidify a deal by email AND by phone (once you
accept a member's offer to buy you should exchange phone numbers to
confirm all and to use just in case email fails). If payment
terms were undoubtedly received, and clearly understood, you should
attempt to keep friendly and businesslike communications open with
the buyer. Angry words and nasty comments will most likely just make
matters worse and you can kiss any payment goodbye.
If, after a
reasonable about of time (according to your policies which you
clearly spelled out for the buyer), the buyer has not paid for the
item he/she agreed to purchase you should consider it a "no sale"
and move on. It's not worth further aggravation to get yourself all
worked up over it.
If you incurred an invoice or paid a fee for any
part of the listing or sale please click on the Refunds
link here in the FAQs to see if you are entitled to a refund (or
voided invoice) and how to go about getting it. Do not wait too
long. If you need to report a "no sale" or "non payer" to get a
refund or voided invoice you must do so immediately. If you wish to
leave "bad" feedback for a non-paying member please see the Feedback section
of the FAQs.
The Communications/Messaging section of the FAQs may also be
helpful.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Will GunsAmerica help me
collect my money if a buyer does not pay?
A. No, GunsAmerica is not involved in any transaction (pre or post
sale). We will NOT get involved in collection of payment for items
you sell so please don't ask. This is completely the seller's
responsibility. If you are not willing to accept this responsibility
please do not list items for sale on GunsAmerica.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Does GunsAmerica take any
action against non paying buyers?
A. Only if the member makes a habit of it or if there was clearly an
attempt to scam you. Feel free to report a non payer to us, we will
place a note in the member's file, but we will not take any action
against the member unless it is clearly a case of fraud/scamming or
if it is a regular habit of that member. You may not be informed of
the action taken due to privacy issues.
Q. Do I have to pay my fee to
GunsAmerica if a buyer does not pay or if a deal falls through?
A. Generally speaking the answer is no, BUT you cannot just ignore an
invoice that has been generated. You must report a "no sale"
immediately if you expect not to pay for the sale. For more
information please click on the Refunds link here
in the FAQs.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. What should I do if a buyer
does not respond to my email or phone calls?
A. First and foremost make sure the buyer actually received the
instructions you sent for payment and/or communications - do not
just "assume" they did. Email can
be lost, misdirected, or end up in a Spam folder so it is always a
good idea to solidify a deal by email AND by phone. (of course, if
you made a deal, you exchanged phone numbers with the buyer)
If you supplied your email AND your phone number you are sure
they were undoubtedly received, and clearly understood, you should
attempt to continue to communicate with they buyer in a friendly and
businesslike manner. Angry words and nasty comments will most likely
just make matters worse and you can kiss any payment goodbye.
If, after a reasonable about of time (according to your
policies which you clearly spelled out for the buyer), if the buyer has
not contacted you or paid for the item you should consider it a "no
sale" and move on. It's not worth further the aggravation to get
yourself all worked up over it.
If you incurred an invoice or paid a fee for any part
of the listing or sale please click on the Refunds
link here in the FAQs to see if you are entitled to a refund (or
voided invoice) and how to go about getting it. Do not wait too
long. If you need to report a "no sale" or "non payer" to get a
refund or voided invoice you must do so immediately.
If you wish to leave "bad" feedback for the non-payer please see the
Feedback section of the FAQs.
The Communications/Messaging section of the FAQs
is also a must.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Buying &
Bidding
TIPS FOR SAFE BUYING & BIDDING:
> ALWAYS get complete contact information from a seller before you
send any payment. This is a MUST. As a
buyer you are responsible for doing this. Do not rely on GunsAmerica
or anyone else to give you this information. For privacy and other
policy reason we cannot give you ANY contact information for any
member.
> ALWAYS research a seller's contact information. For details on
this please see the FAQs sections Contact and Fraud.
> NEVER pay with cash through the mail. If you pay in cash in person
ALWAYS get an official receipt.
> NEVER pay with PayPal - they do
not permit the use of their services to purchase firearms and they
discover you have done this they may freeze your account and your
funds. They have been known to do this.
> If you can pay with a credit
card, do so. Paying with a credit card affords you guarantees
against fraud that you cannot get with any other kind of payment. Many members ask us if GunsAmerica has a buyer guarantee. The answer
is no, your credit card company is in the position to do this for
you - utilize this perk!!
> ALWAYS find out, understand, and agree to a seller's terms and
refund policy before sending payment.
> If you don't agree to a seller's terms or if you are not sure if
you'll be happy with an item DO NOT BUY.
>
Be
sure to read the Fraud/Scam section of the FAQs.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Do I have to be a member
to buy or bid?
A. Yes. Basic FREE membership/registration is required to contact
sellers, make offers, or bid on auctions.
Q. How do I bid on an
auction?
A. Simply decide how much you want to bid and enter your bid for that
listing in the box next to the red
BID NOW button, click on BID NOW.
You will be notified via the GunsAmerica messaging system (with a
copy to your regular email) if you are the highest bidder, if you've
been out bid, or if you are the winning bidder. See the Auction
section of this FAQs for more information.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I buy without bidding?
A. You can only buy without bidding from Classified ads, E-Z ads, OR from Offers Only
listings or Auctions that offer the BUY IT NOW
option. Sellers can NOT end an auction early if they did not choose
to offer the BUY IT NOW
feature to bidders. You can choose which types of listings and ads to search
for when using Advanced Search. BUT, if you're not sure of the
seller's terms or if you have questions about the listing, first use
the
Ask Seller a Question button located in the
listing.
Q. How do I let a seller
know I want to buy from a Classified ad?
A. If you know for sure you want the item, and you are willing to pay
the price the seller has listed as well as agree to his/her terms,
click on the red OFFER TO BUY button. BUT, if
you're not sure or if you have any questions, first use the
Ask
Seller a Question
button located in the listing.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I make an offer
on an Offers Only listing?
A. Click on the red MAKE AN OFFER
button. This will allow you to enter your
offer and see if there's been a "best accepted offer" before you.
You would of course have to beat that offer OR you can leave the
seller a messages like "if previous offer does not work out I'm
willing to match it" or similar messages is acceptable. Or, if you
want to ask question about the item or discuss the terms/offer or if you have questions about the
listing, first use the
Ask
Seller a Question button located in the
listing.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How can I find and
manage offers I made to sellers?
A. To see a list of items you've made OFFERS on:
* Log in.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* Hover over
Buying, then click on My Buying.
* There you will
see listing titles and asking prices, and whether or not the listing
is active or closed or if your offer was accepted or rejected.
* While on the
My Buying page you can click on the listing title to bring you
to the listing.
* The status of
your offer will appear to the right of the item on the list.
Click n the Actions link to the right of the offer to view messages
from the seller, pick an FFL, mark the item paid, leave feedback, or
archive the item.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. What if I buy something
and I'm not happy with it?
A. Keep in mind GunsAmerica is not involved in transactions between
buyer and seller (pre or post sale). If you are unhappy with
something you've purchased you must first and foremost communicate
with the seller and follow the seller's return policy and
instructions - which you agreed to when you purchased the item. This
is MOST important.
We strongly suggest always keeping open and
friendly communications, even if you are angry or unhappy with your
purchase. Angry words can only aggravate the situation. We've found
that the great majority of sellers are hardworking and honest
individuals and/or businessmen and women who will work with you as long as you
are abiding by the agreed to return policy and keep a cool head.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I ask a seller a
question before bidding or making an offer to buy?
A. Simply click on the Ask
Seller a Question button . This
link is located in every listing. You must be registered and logged
in to use this feature.
Q. How do I pay for an item I
bought from a seller?
A. The seller is expected to give you this information.
If you do not understand the instructions the seller gave you or if
the seller has not given you payment information you must contact
the seller using the contact information you already have for
him/her OR use the Ask
Seller a Question
button in any of the seller's listings. If you are not sure how to
contact the seller click on the Contacting Sellers
link here in the FAQs. Important Note: NEVER pay for a gun
or firearms related item using
PayPal. PayPal does NOT allow this and if they catch you doing it they can
freeze your PayPal account. Yes, they have been known to do this.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Can / Should I use an
escrow or bonding service to pay for what I want to buy?
A. First and foremost please remember GunsAmerica is not involved in
transactions between buyer and seller (pre or post sale) so we cannot tell you if you can or should use escrow/bonding
or not. That is up to you and the seller to work out between you.
Usually the seller picks the payment policy and explains the
options to the buyer. If the seller does not offer a payment
option you would like to use, like
escrow, you can of course ask if they are willing to do this. If you do not agree with the seller's payment
policy you should not purchase from that seller.
About Escrow Services and Bonding Services.
You might want to consider using an escrow service, or purchasing from a bonded (or insured) seller, if you are purchasing a high priced item from someone you do not know or have never done business with before.
We explain these options to you not because we recommend them (that
is totally up to you and the seller) but because we want to give you
as much information as you might need to make an informed decision.
Escrow Services: An escrow service accepts and holds payment from a buyer until the buyer receives and approves the merchandise the seller sends.
Only then will the escrow service forward your payment to the seller.
You, the buyer pays the escrow service a fee for this, which is usually a percentage of the cost of the item. Before using an escrow service, both the buyer and the seller should verify that it is a legitimate, reputable company. There should be no mistaking that you both agree to use a particular escrow service.
Buying from a Bonded (or insured) Seller: Some sellers may tell you they are bonded or insured so escrow isn't needed. If a you intend to rely on a seller’s bonded/insured status you should investigate the legitimacy of the seller's bonding/insurance company AND then make sure the seller really is certified by that company. But keep in mind; if there is a dispute between you and the seller you most likely will have to follow a specific resolution process (outlined by the bonding/insurance company) before being able to
even submit a claim to the bonding/insurance company. Protection is not automatic or
guaranteed. You should also keep in mind that it is the seller who pays for the bonding/insurance and there is no
guarantee there is no prejudice involved there.
WARNING: There are scams out there that involve fake escrow
services or fraudulent sellers stating they are bonded but are not.
Do your research and be sure to verify ALL information before
handing over your hard earned cash!!
NOTE: Another option, when buying a high ticket item from a
stranger, or over the Internet, is using your credit card (not debit
card). When you use the average credit card every purchase you make
is in some way protected by your credit card company either through
something commonly known as a "charge back" process or your card may
actually offer purchase protection insurance. Check with your credit
card company/bank to be sure how these options work and if this
option is for you.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How old do I have to be
to buy a gun or firearm?
A. Each state has different age and eligibility requirements for
firearms purchases. Usually the age requirement is between 18 and 21
yrs old. Check with your local authorities for the correct age and
requirements in your area.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I know if I can legally buy or sell
a gun?
A. Each state has different age and eligibility requirements for
firearms purchases and sales. Usually the age requirement is between 18 and 21 yrs old.
Check with your local authorities for the correct age and requirements in your
area.
It
is the BUYER's responsibility to know their own state and local laws. One way to
find out quick is to check with a local licensed firearms dealer (FFL dealer).
If
you can legally own a gun, then you can buy or sell it on GunsAmerica.com. But
again, remember you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with and
complying with all Federal, state, and local laws when buying or selling and
when using this site.
By
Federal law, the person who ships a gun or received the shipment of a gun must
be a licensed dealer (FFL Dealer). There are a few exceptions, such as certain
antiques or parts. We recommend you check with the ATF, the NRA, and/or a local
FFL dealer for details.
If
the buyer/seller is not a licensed dealer, the buyer/seller must make
arrangements with a licensed dealer in his state to transfer the firearm. See
below for links to more detailed information.
About Selling
About Buying page
ATF web site
(this link will open in a new window)
NRA's state-by-state gun laws guide
(this link will open in a new window)
Firearm Shipping Guide
Find an FFL Dealer page
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Classified Listings & E-Z Ads
Q.
How do I create a Classified ad/listing?
A. Creating (posting) a Classified Ad is very easy, however there are a few
steps you need to take before you post any ad.
* 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
Classified listing type.
3. Follow any prompts
and fill in all information that pertains to your item. Make sure
you do NOT type a dollar sign in the price field, as this will make
your price "invalid".
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)
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.
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)
* You will be able to
view your listing 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 listing 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 link in this
FAQs) before contacting us.
Q.
How do I create an E-Z Ad?
A. Same as creating a Classified ad (see above) with two major
advantages - With an E-Z Ad you CAN put your phone number and email
add ress
in your listing! And, with E-Z Ads the seller can choose to allow
anyone (even non-members) to contact them!
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How does a Classified Ad work?
A. A traditional Classified ad on GunsAmerica is very much like a
line ad in your local newspaper. You list (describe) what you are
selling along with the price and photo(s), and potential buyers will
contact you with an offer to buy or ask questions to get more
information.
Advantages:
* You pick the
price and you retain control.
* Setting a price
means you deal with less "low-ballers" wasting your time.
* You can edit or
change the ad at any time.
* T he
ad can remain live until the right buyer comes along (if following
all policies).
* You don't pay for
a basic no-frills Classified Ad until the item is sold. (Except for special
features, which may be added for an extra fee and are due and
payable immediately, even if the item does not sell, and in addition to any
sale fee when it sells.)
Disadvantages:
* A classified ad
does not create a sense of urgency like an auction does.
* If you over-price
the item, not allowing bids or offers can scare off potential
buyers.
Who Can Post:
Under our current policy, any registered member can post a
classified ad, although there is a limit to how many you can post
before needing to upgrade to Verified or Gold membership.
Fees:
Fees vary, depending on your membership level and any special
features you might choose.
Please visit the
fees
page for details.
Who Can Contact & Buy:
Generally any registered member can contact sellers, but we now have
a new feature which lets the seller choose what membership level can
make offers on their listings .
This opens the playing field a bit but also allows lookyloos and
scammers to float in. But you can choose who you deal with; choosing
not to deal with those who are not Verified members (credit card
verification) or Gold & Trusted members (all Gold & Trusted members are also verified),
if wish.
Q. How does an E-Z Ad work?
A. Same as a Classified Ad only with an E-Z Ad anyone can contact
you - they don't even have to be a member of GunsAmerica! OR, you
can choose to only allow members to contact you. And you don't have to go through
the GA messaging system.
With the E-Z Ad you have total freedom of choice!
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. What exactly are these Special
Features shown when I create a listing?
A. See the Special Features section of this FAQs and/or the FEEs
page.
Special features range in price depending on your membership
level.
Please visit the
fees
page for details on the cost of special features.
Q. How do I make changes to (edit) my Classified ad?
A. HOW TO MODIFY, EDIT or
ADD TO a CLASSIFIED LISTING:
* Log in.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* H over over
the Selling link in the menu at left, click on My Selling.
* Find your
listing, (you can enter the GA listing # in the Find a Listing
search box if you have many).
* Click on
"Options" to the far right of the listing.
* Click on Modify.
* After you click
on Modify you will be brought to another page where you will be able
to view the listing details and make changes (this will look just
like the from you filled out to create the original listing).
* To CHANGE A
CATEGORY click on the "Change Category or Listing Type" button
(located at the bottom of the listing page near the post button),
click through the category and subcategory boxes, then click on
continue.
* When you are
done, please be sure to proof read your listing for possible typos,
category or listing errors, etc. - better to find them now than
later!
* When finished,
scroll down the page and click on POST. (clicking on "save" will
allow you to finish later, but it will not post your changes and go
live)
* Any changes you make
can be seen 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 changes 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 link in this
FAQs) before contacting us.
THINK TWICE BEFORE DELETING OR REMOVING A LISTING FROM YOUR ACCOUNT!!
* Once deleted, a
listing cannot be retrieved except by an act of congress and a tech
search of our archives, and a fee may be applied to retrieve it.
* If you delete a
listing and/or any messages related to it we may not be able to help
you in a timely manner with billing/invoicing/payment/sales issues.
* You should never
delete a listing if the item is still "in play", might be returned,
etc.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. I want to change a Classified
listing to an Auction or Offers Only. How do I do this?
A. To change an active Classified listing to an
Auction or Offers Only you need to follow the instructions to
"modify" as shown above:
* Click on Modify.
* 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 button when
you're done.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I report an item I sold
through a Classified type listing?
A. Any item listed in a Classified Ad is automatically reported as "sold" when
you accept an "Offer to Buy" or if the member accepts your "Offer to
Sell". An invoice for a sale (your fee payable to GA) is also automatically generated when you accept an offer to
buy or if the member accepts your offer to sell. You can
no longer manually report an item as sold without using the offers
system. For
important information
on reporting items sold, and accepting offers,
go to the
Selling / Sold
section of this FAQs.
Q. How to I
simply close a
Classified Ad type listing, because the item is no longer available or sold
outside GunsAmerica?
A. Please see the HOW TO below.
HOW TO CLOSE A CLASSIFIED LISTING:
* Log in.
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Selling, click on My Selling.
* Find your listing, (you can enter the GA listing # in the Find a Listing search box just
above the listings).
* Click on the "Options" link to the far right of the listing.
* If you sold the item somewhere else (or if the item is simply no longer available) click on "No
Longer Available". This will close the listing without generating an invoice.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Can you tell me when a Classified Ad
was posted or how long it will last?
A. Since Classified Ads can be extended and renewed indefinitely and can be closed at any time, any information
we may have would be useless to you since it can change at any time. Therefore researching and supplying this information
would be a waste of time and effort.Q. Why don't Classified Ads have dates
on them?
A. We're sent commentary and requests on this subject on a regular basis. People's opinions are split; many sellers
& buyers want Classified Ads to be dated, and many don't want dates. Although we do strive to make our members
and visitors happy, sometimes it's impossible to make everyone happy, especially when popular opinion is split
in this way. So, after a lot of thought we decided when a Classified Ad was posted and the current length of time it
is set for is not really all that important (due to the constant possibility of changes) as long as the information
in the listing is accurate.
For
more information see the
Managing Listings section
of this FAQs.
Communications, Email, and the GA Messaging System
IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL MEMBERS ABOUT
CONTACT INFORMATION:
It has come to our attention that a
number of members have old, out of date, invalid, or incorrect email addresses
in their GunsAmerica account. This happens for many reasons, for example;
typographical errors when the email address was entered, many people use .com
when it may need to be .net, they forget to update their account when they
change email providers, etc.
There is
also a growing problem with members who use Spam filters and do not make
provisions to receive email from GunsAmerica and/or from GunsAmerica members who
need to exchange messages.
We've also
found that many sellers believe their phone number is automatically sent to a
member who inquires about a listing, as was
once
our policy, and therefore the seller does not bother to update their email
address or log in to check for messages. Due to privacy & policy changes a
seller's/buyer's phone number is no longer
automatically
sent to members using the GunsAmerica messaging system.
All members
are required to and responsible for making sure the email addresses they have in
their GunsAmerica account (User and Seller accounts) are valid and can accept
email from GunsAmerica. All members are responsible for logging into their
GunsAmerica account regularly to check for offers, messages, and replies. Please
do NOT rely solely on your email, as emails are known to fail for any number of
reasons and ISPs are known to block "gun" related emails. Please do not assume
that because you are getting emails from some people that you are getting emails
from all who are trying to get through to you. See our "Email" section of the
FAQs for more information about email blocking, spam, etc.
The
GunsAmerica messaging system is designed as a fail-safe for the reasons stated
above. Please make sure you log in and check your account, offers, and messaging
system regularly.
We ask all
members to please also take the time to log in to their GunsAmerica account and
update their email addresses and other contact information. Thank you.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Why is GunsAmerica recommending I don't
use a specific email provider?
A. Many email providers (may or may not be the same as your ISP) will take it upon themselves to block/filter certain
emails to you (not all emails, only some emails), without asking if you want them to be blocked. The excuse use
is that they are protecting you from Spam, junk mail, porn, etc.
Good intentions or not, many of these email "protectors"
or filters are often programmed in a very imperfect and prejudicial way. They may block anything with certain words in the
"from" or "subject" line, or in the text of the email. They may block a website that has been
reported for Spamming even if they did not send Spam (happens more often than
you might think). They may block a website because it deals with
what they consider to be a "dangerous" or "adult" subject
like guns or firearms. They may block some emails and not
others, and unless someone finds another way to contact you and tell you their emails to you are being blocked,
you may have no way of knowing what emails you are NOT getting. But the most important thing to remember is they
block emails THEY want to block using an imperfect system, not by your choice, and it is not under your control.
These email providers often don't
let you choose to place certain emails or websites on an "allowed" list.
Many don't give you that choice
(or they don't make it clear that you can do this). How they get away with this is hard to say, since it is the
email equivalent of your local post master choosing what envelopes and packages you will and will not get
delivered to
your home or office, but still they do get away with it.
Below is a partial list of email providers who have demonstrated
that they will block email without your permission and may not give it's customers control over what to block
and what not to block or they may not give clear instructions on how you can
gain control over your own email inbox. You may not want to use these email providers if you want to have
complete control over
what email you do and do not get.
Adelphia.net
AOL.com
CenturyTel.net
Clearwire.net
Earthlink.net (if using the Earthlink Spaminator or SpamBlocker)
Optonline.net (if using the SenderScore.net system)
Verizon.net
Yahoo.com
And the list keeps growing.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. What should I do if my email provider
is blocking/filtering emails without my permission?
A. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do unless they give you the option to "opt out" of the blocking/filter
system OR unless they allow you to receive all emails in a "Spam folder" so you can check
the folder for emails from "friendly" sources. If they do not give you one of these two options you will never know for sure if you are getting all
the emails that are being sent to you.
Q. Why can't I just put GunsAmerica on
an allowed list or ask my email provider not to block GunsAmerica?
A. If your email provider blocks/filters emails but you can place specific email addresses or domain names or websites
on an "allowed list" that's great, but it's not enough if you do any kind of business on the Internet.
If you're a buyer (and inquire to businesses or sellers on the Internet) or if you're a seller (and expect just
about anyone to respond to your ads), either way, it is impossible for you to know who may be trying to contact
you by email so it will be impossible to put them on your "allowed" list.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. What about the kind of email blocker
that sends an email inviting the person who sent me an email to click on a link asking to be on my "approved"
list?
A. These types of email protection systems can be very troublesome for many reasons.
* Most businesses send and receive hundreds of emails per day and simply do not have the time to do this. In fact
most business will not even bother, it may even be their policy not to take the time to click through the link
and sign up on your "approved" list. They feel, and rightfully so, that if you want to do business with
them it is
your responsibility to add them to your "approved list." Imagine
if this happened in the physical world; if you visited a home improvement store for example, and brought with you
someone the salesman needed to talk to first before you would even acknowledge they existed or let them speak.
How much help do you think that salesman (or store manager, or cashier) would give you if they first had to get
permission to talk to you by asking this person you brought with you if they could. That would be ridiculous. But
these emails, that make you click through and ask for permission to communicate with you via email, are the same
thing.
*
Many people (and businesses) do not feel comfortable clicking on links in emails because they know it may take
them to a website that has a virus or worm.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. So, what's the solution? How do I protect
myself from Spam and viruses but not block emails from legitimate people and businesses?
A. That's a good question, and a very hard one to answer. The first thing you should know is that you do NOT have
to rely on your email provider or ISP to filter Spam and block viruses for you. You can
sign up with an email provider that let's you choose and then get a low cost or free
software program to do this. But whether or not your emails are filtered by your email provider, your ISP, or an
anti-spam/anti-virus software program, the one thing you do want to look for is that they do not block emails without
giving YOU the ability to monitor what they're blocking. That means you want all rejected emails to go into a folder
you can check (to make sure there's nothing in there you want or need) and then YOU decide when to empty the emails
in that folder into the trash bin.
One other think to keep in mind is that you do NOT have to
use the email given to you by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). Your ISP
does not mandate what email provider you use. They have no say in this matter.
This is totally your choice. You can use any email provider with any ISP. If you
want a good FREE email provider you may want to look into Google's Gmail. To
date there are no reports that we know of with Google hi-jacking email and
keeping it from it's users.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I change my MEMBER (user) email
address?
A. Follow these steps to change your member/user email address (used
for membership communication and/or communicating with sellers):
* Log in.
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Account Details
(in the menu at left), click on User Details.
* Change your email address and
click on the submit or save button at the bottom of the page.
* Make sure the email address
you entered is valid, typed correctly and completely, and be sure you do not
have a Spam filter which might block correspondence from GunsAmerica or members
you have contacted. You must make sure our domain is on your "allowed" or
"white" list.
*
Don't forget to edit and update your SELLER email address (which is
separate) if it has also changed. The Seller Details link is located directly
below the User Details link in your Account Details (in menu at left).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I change my
SELLER email address?
A. Follow these steps to change your seller email address (used for
communicating with buyers and potential customers who contact you
about your listings):
* Log in.
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Account Details (in the menu at left), click on Seller
Details.
* Change your email address and click on the save or submit button
at the bottom of the page.
* Make sure the email address you entered is valid, typed correctly
and completely, and be sure you do not have a Spam filter which
might block correspondence from GunsAmerica or members you have
contacted. You must make sure our domain is on your "allowed" or
"white" list.
* Don't forget to edit and update your User email address (which is
separate) if it has also changed. The User Details link is located
directly above the Seller Details link in your Account Details (in
menu at left).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How does the GunsAmerica
messaging system work?
A. When you communicate with another member (seller or buyer) using
any GunsAmerica link or button
Ask
Seller a Question
button, or
BUY IT NOW, OFFER TO BUY,
BID NOW buttons) the message you send goes directly into
that member's GunsAmerica account. And, as a safeguard, it will also
be sent to that member's email account.
* The member's
email address must be valid (and is not blocking messages with a
Spam filter) in order for your message to go into their email
account too. Your message will always go to the member's GA account
but we cannot guarantee it will get to them by email - that is the
member's responsibility (maintaining a valid email address and
checking email messages).
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I ask a seller a
question about their listing?
A. Open the listing you are interested in and click on the
Ask
Seller a Question button. You must be registered and logged in to communicate with a
seller.
Q. How can I find or
contact another member?
A. At this time we do not currently have a feature where you can
locate and contact a member who does not have active listings. But
we may ad this feature in the future. To contact a member who has
listings posted you can type their Seller name in the search box,
open any of their listings, and click on the
Ask
Seller a Question
button.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How can I find or contact a seller?
A. HOW TO CONTACT A SELLER
* Your first contact with a
seller will be through one of their listings.
* Click on the red Ask
Seller a Question
button found in the listing .
* Type your question or message
in the box and click on the blue Contact button.
* You MUST be registered and
logged in before you can contact a seller (or to make an offer, or bid on any
item).
* For privacy reasons,
GunsAmerica will not give out any member's contact information, so please do NOT
ask. If you want to converse with the seller by phone you need to ask that
seller for his/her phone number. Gold Seller members will have their phone
number in their seller information in their listings.
* Once you've made contact
about an item you can continue to message back and forth through your Messaging
page (under your Account Panel) or use regular email, your choice.
CONFIRMATION OF MESSAGE SENT TO SELLER
*
Immediately after clicking on the blue Contact button your question/message is
emailed to the seller's regular email account AND it is sent to the seller's GA
messaging system.
*
You will be notified this was done with the words "Message Sent" shown on the
screen.
*
Your message will also appear in your GA messaging system SENT page.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
SELLERS!
VIEW AND RESPOND TO OFFERS & MESSAGES
KEEP TRACK OF AUCTIONS
Our new Offers & Messaging system combined with our new control
panel makes it easy to organize and keep track of everything
regarding your Classified Ads and Offer Only listings.
* Log in.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* Hover over
Selling (in the menu at left), then click on My Selling.
*
All of your Classifieds & Offers Only listings will be there.
(Auctions are listed separately)
VIEW & RESPOND TO OFFERS
*
Locate the listing you want to check on, and click on the number to
the right of the listing, in the Offers column. This will display a
section where you will see all offers AND messages related to that
item. Under the main Offers tab, you will have a choice of
the following:
Open Items: offers you have not yet responded to.
Offers to Sell: offers you extended to members who may have
asked you a question (visible only if offer was extended).
Transactions: offers/deals waiting to be closed/finished
(waiting to be marked as "shipped").
Closed Items: offers/deals that are closed (accepted and
marked as "shipped", or rejected).
OPEN ITEMS TAB
> Hover over "Set Status" (to
the right of the offer) and choose to "accept", "reject" or mark as
"under consideration".
ACCEPTING AN OFFER GENERATES AN INVOICE FOR THE SALE - do not
"accept" an offer unless you expect to close the deal. If you are
not sure, choose "under consideration". You can always come back
later and set the offer as "accepted".
> You will also be given the
opportunity to send a message.
Be sure to
give the member instructions for payment & FFL requirements, etc.,
and exchange phone numbers, email addresses, and/or physical addresses
just in case you need them later. For privacy reasons GA will not
supply you with this information.
OPTIONAL
SELECT A MESSAGE FEATURE on the OFFERS PAGE:
* Select a Message
is an option where you can create a standard response and save it so
you do not have to type it each time you reply to an offer.
* You can save a
standard "rejected" response that can say something like, "Thank you
for your interest, but my price stands firm." or anything you'd like
to say.
* You can save a
standard "accepted" response that can say, "Congratulations! Your
offer to buy has been accepted." and you can add contact info or
payment instructions, etc.
* To create or edit
an Message click on Saved Messages under Selling in the menu to the left.
*
Click on the tab for the type of listing.
*
Click on the Add Message button (or edit one that is already there).
*
Choose a status, message name, and message.
*
Click on save.
*
And, for advanced users or anyone who wants to try it
out, there's even a feature there that allows you to automatically
inject the listing number, title, or display names into your message
- just like form mail in a Word document!
OFFERS TO SELL TAB
> The Offers to Sell tab
will only be visible if you made an "offer to sell" to a member who
asked you a question.
> Here you will find any offers
you made on that specific listing.
TRANSACTIONS TAB
> Here is where you find any
items considered to be "sold" to someone either because someone
accepted your "offer to sell" our you accepted their "offer to buy".
Remember, each listing has its own section for offers but if you
have multiples of an item you can of course have more than one of
that item under the Transactions tab.
CLOSED ITEMS TAB
> Here is where you'll find
listings where offers were rejected, or offers that were accepted
and marked the item as shipped.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I find and reply to
messages/questions?
A. Follow the steps outlined above to find get to your listings. If
you have messages for a listing you will see a number other than zero to the
right of the listing, under the column that has an envelope at the top of it.
Click on the number and all messages for that item will appear below. Just click
on a message to read and reply. It's easier than it ever was.
Keeping track of Auctions is just as easy - just click on My
Auctions under the Selling section!
FAQs Index Top
of Page
BUYERS!
VIEW & RESPOND TO OFFERS & MESSAGES
KEEP TRACK OF BIDS & WINS
Our new Offers & Messaging system combined with our new control
panel makes it easy to organize and keep track of everything
regarding offers, purchases, and questions you've asked.
* Log in.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Buying
(in the menu at left), then click on My Buying.
*
Any offer you've made on Classifieds & Offers Only listings will be
there and any Winning Bids. (pending Auctions are listed separately)
FIND THE STATUS OF AN OFFER
In My Buying you will see all offers you've made with their status.
No matter what the status, you can also check to see if the seller
sent you a message too.
Offer To Buy Made: is an offer you made on a Classified Ad
or Offers Only listing, and the seller has not yet responded.
Offered: is an offer you've made on a seller's store
inventory, and the seller has not yet responded
Bought: is an offer you've made, and the seller has accepted
you offer.
Under Consideration: is an offer you've made, and the seller
is taking it under consideration & most likely sent you a message or
question regarding your offer.
Rejected: the seller has rejected your offer, but may have
also sent you a message.
Offer from Seller: the seller has extended an offer to you,
to buy an item you inquired about (price may be lower).
VIEW
RELATED MESSAGES & MUCH MORE
No matter what the status, click on the Actions link (to the right
of the offer) to:
* "View messages" related to that
offer/item.
* Choose an FFL (if your offer was
accepted).
* Mark an item paid.
* Check to see if the seller marked an
item shipped.
* Leave feedback.
* Archive the item.
FAQs
Index Top of
Page
Q. Why isn't a seller
responding to my offer/message?
A. If You Suspect a Message or Offer Was Not Sent or Received:
Please keep in mind there is a lot of activity on
our site and some sellers are swamped with emails/offers/messages for this reason as
well as the fact that they are more than likely getting emails from
many other sources. Simply put, some people are just too busy to
answer emails every day and can only get to them every few days and
in some cases only once a week or so. For this reason we suggest you
give a seller at least five business days (one week) to respond,
even if you've experienced quicker responses in the past, because
things and situations do change.
Once in a while, yes, emails get "bounced" back
or cannot be delivered. This can happen for many reasons, including
but not limited too: the seller's email box is full, the seller's
email program or ISP (Internet Service Provider) is having temporary
trouble, or any number of other reasons that are very common when
using email and the Internet. But rest assured, even if you get a
bounced email message, even if the member's email client (Yahoo,
Gmail, Hotmail, etc.) or ISP is blown off the map;
if you use the GA
messaging system to send your message to a GA member your message
will get through to their Messaging page. All they have to do is log
in to view and reply to your message.
It is the responsibility of the member to log in
and reply to messages. GA cannot force members to do this. For
privacy reasons, GA will not give out any member's contact
information, so please do NOT ask.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How do I get a seller or member's phone
number & email address?
A. For privacy reasons, GunsAmerica will not give out any member's
contact information, so please do NOT ask.
If you want to converse with the seller by
phone you need to ask that seller for his/her phone number when you make contact
using the GA messaging system. Gold Seller members
will have their phone number in their seller information section of their
listings.
Q. How do I contact customer
service?
A. There is a "Contact GunsAmerica" link at the bottom of every page.
When you contact customer service be sure to identify yourself with
your User ID (log in ID) and/or email address you entered during
registration. Concise details about your inquiry are important for fastest service and
accuracy in answering your emails.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. How long does it take for customer
service to reply?
A. Customer Service will usually respond to you within a few hours or
even a few minutes. However, there are times when it can take 24-72 hours or
more for us to respond to your inquiry - especially on weekends or holidays or
if there is an exceptional large volume of emails coming to us. For example;
email sent on a Friday night might not be answered until Monday or Tuesday,
depending on how many emails were received over the weekend. But we promise all
emails sent to customer service are read and replied to when warranted (as long as a valid
return email address is given). The only exception to the "we answer all emails"
rule is if your email is considered to be spam, harassment, or contains foul
language. In these cases we may just send your email to the delete bin.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Is someone there at GunsAmerica 24
hours a day, 7 days a week to help?
A. Different departments and different personnel work various hours;
depending on the day of the week & holidays, the number of emails coming in, and
what projects and upgrades we may be working on. However, we do NOT answer
emails and phone calls 24/7. Most emails and calls are answered during regular
business hours; Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. If you are
forwarded to voice mail during regular business hours it most likely means we're
very busy. Please leave a clear and detailed message, with your name, phone
number, best time to call you back, and the reason for your call.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. Will the reply from customer service go to
my GunsAmerica messaging page?
A. No, it will go to your regular email account. One reason for this
is to insure you have a valid and working email account. If you would like
customer service to send a message to your GunsAmerica messaging page, as a
test, just ask customer service to "perform a test message to your GunsAmerica
messaging system" - be sure to say you read the FAQs and saw this offer to test
in the FAQs. We will not attempt to trace messages to you from others, but we
can send a message to you to make sure the system is working.
Q. I don't want to email
customer service. What is your telephone number?
A. To reduce costs and allow us to offer our Internet listing
services at lower rates we do not have standard customer service by
phone for most issues. Most matters can be handled via email. Customer service via
phone is utilized on a case by case basis at the sole discretion of
the customer service representative. If you take the time explain your need
or question in detail via email we will most likely be able to help
you very quickly.
Feedback
Q. How can I find a member's
feedback before buying from them or selling to them?
A. Feedback for sellers will be found in their listings. Buyer
feedback is not available at this time, that feature is coming.
However, keep in mind, members can choose to suppress their feedback
and reveal it only to those who ask. If you cannot see the member's
feedback you can use the
Ask Seller a Question
button in one of their listings and ask them to reveal their
feedback.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. How do I leave feedback?
A. Only those members who use the GunsAmerica Offers System (on a
Classified Ad or Offers Only listing, buyer or seller), or those
involved in a winning auction, can leave feedback for one another.
* SELLERS: To leave feedback for a buyer go to your Outgoing
Feedback pages (click on My GunsAmerica and look under Selling
in the index at left).
* BUYERS: To leave feedback for a seller go to your Outgoing
Feedback page (click on My GunsAmerica and look in the Buying
section of the index at left).
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Q. How do I see feedback
others left for me?
A. Only those members who use the
GunsAmerica Offers System (on a Classified Ad or Offers Only
listing, buyer or seller), or those involved in a winning auction,
can leave feedback for one another.
* SELLERS: To view feedback a buyer left for you go to your My
Feedback pages (click on My GunsAmerica and look under Selling
section
in the index at left).
* BUYERS: To view feedback a seller left for you go to your My
Feedback page (click on My GunsAmerica and look under the Buying
section of the index at left).
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Q. How do I reveal my feedback to others?
A. At this time only Sellers can reveal their feedback to other
automatically. Follow these steps:
* Log in.
* Click on My GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Account details
and click on Seller Details.
* Scroll down to "Show feedback
& #
in listings" and click on "yes". This will make your feedback
available to others AND number
of sales completed when your listings appear in search results.
Q. Can I change, remove, or
add to feedback I gave?
A. No..
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Q. I got an unfair
feedback, can it be removed?
A. No, you cannot edit or remove any feedback given. If you feel
the feedback you received was due to out and out "fraud" please
contact customer service with the details/proof of the fraud.
Fees
(listings, selling, and membership)
Q.
Fees?! I thought listing items on GunsAmerica was Free!
A. Free listings is a fantastic feature no other website of our kind
offers and we are proud to be able to continue to offer this
feature, however due to changing times and rising costs we have had
to place a limit on how many "free" listings are allowed per member.
So, here it is in a nut-shell: All registered sellers
can post a limited amount of basic,
no-frills * Classified ads and Offers Only type ads
that are FREE to list,
but there is a fee when
the item sells and there is a LIMIT to how many of these free
listings you can post.
For the whole kit-n-kaboodle see
the
FEEs
and
the
Registration Upgrade
pages.
*
RE: "no-frills": If you want
extra, advanced,
special
features in your
Classified Ads and Offers Only listings (like highlighting, bold font, outlined photos, home
page placement, etc.) these special features are NOT free and are
due and payable as soon as the ad is posted, even if the item does
not sell or you remove the ad.
Auctions and
Approved Bidder Auction type listings are not free to list at any
time. There
are upfront fees as well as fees when you sell. And of course, as
with all ads, if you want extra, advanced, special features in your
classified ad (like highlighting, bold font, outlined photos, home
page placement, etc.) these special features are NOT free and are
due and payable as soon as the ad is posted, even if the item does
not sell or you remove the ad.
Please carefully
review our fees page
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Fees.aspx BEFORE placing any ad, listing, or auction.
There are no refunds if you change your mind after listing an ad or
if you choose special features and get "buyer's remorse".
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FEES AS SHOWN ON THE FEES PAGE - ASK BEFORE LISTING AN ITEM!!!
FAQs Index Top
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Q. What exactly are these Special
Features you want me to pay for?
A. Advanced Special Features (also known only as Special
Features) are the extras features you can chose when
creating your listing/ad to make it stand out and get noticed over
other ads. Here is a list of the Special Features currently
available for you to chose from:
* Bold Font: Makes the font (text) in your item
"description" bold
so it looks stronger and stands out. The text will be seen this way
when listed on a page with other seller's ads. The title is
not bold, the text for
the item description is bold. And, when someone clicks
through to view your ad alone, the text is no longer bold because it
is no longer needed, making it easier on the eyes to read.
* Featured Listing: Your listing/ad will be moved
to the top of the category/subcategory in which it has been placed.
It will be at the top along with other feature listings (in listing
number order). Keep in mind this means it will be a "featured
listing" in the exact category/subcategory you put it in, not the
general or main category. For example, if you listed a gun in the
Guns / Rifles / Browning / Bolt Action / Hunting
category/subcategories, that means your gun will appear at the top
of the Guns / Rifles / Browning / Bolt Action / Hunting
category/subcategories and NOT necessarily at the top of the
Gun category, NOT at the top of the Rifles
category, NOT at the top of the Browning category. The
best part of this special feature (besides coming out on top) is
that if someone sorts the listings in any way (price, time, etc.)
your item will still be at the top with all other Featured Listings,
regardless of the sort order the visitor chooses. This is a great
advantage!
|
*
Highlighted Summary:
Highlights your ad summary in yellow (while listed on a page with other
seller's items) to make it stand out from other listings. |
* Display My Other
Listings: Places a
graphic image in your listings when they come up in search results.
The graphic image reads: "More from this Seller". When members click
on the image it takes them to a special page with all of your
listings.
* Bordered Listing: Places a
thick, crisp, dark red, hard line border around your main
listing photo (this will be seen when your ad is on a page
with other seller's listings), making your photo stand out from the
rest. A bordered listing combined with Highlighted Summary makes a
big impact, and will no doubt catches the eye!
 |
* Home Page: This very special feature places your
ad on the GunsAmerica home page within one hour of when you posted
it. It will be the first (will be one of five) of all listings seen
by anyone who visits the GunsAmerica's home page. Although this is a
very special feature, since there are only a few prime spots on the
home page, keep in mind you can get "knocked off" the home page at
any time. Meaning, your ad may appear for anywhere from a few days,
to a few weeks, or even just a few minutes. How long your ad stays
on the home page depends completely on how many other sellers chose
the home page feature while your ad is there. There is NO guarantee
as to how long your ad will appear on the home page and there are NO
refunds if you get knocked off the home page sooner than you
expected. Choose the Home Page feature only if you want immediate
exposure but understand there is no time guarantee and you can
afford the extra fee.
* Additional Images:
The first photo for every ad is always free. There is a small fee
for additional images, depending on your membership level and how
many images you upload.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. How much do Special Features cost?
A. Special Feature costs depend on what Special Feature you choose
and what membership level you are in. The cost of Special Features
is displayed and totaled for you on your listing creating page. You
will be given the total and the ability to make change before you
post your listing. Again, these Special Feature fees are due and
payable immediately, are separate from fees incurred from the sale
of an item, and are due even if the item does not sell. The fees
below reflect current membership tiers, NOT old membership tiers
(pre 2007) that some members may still be working with.
Basic & Verified Membership:
* Bold
Font Summary: $1.50
* Featured
Listing: $6.00
* Highlighted
Summary: $3.00
* Display My Other Listings:
$6.00
* Bordered
(Photo) Listing: $1.00
* Additional Images: $2.00 (for 2 to 5 images)
* Home
Page: $20.00
Gold BUYER Membership
* Bold Font Summary:
$1.00
* Featured Listing:
$3.00
* Highlighted Summary:
$1.50
* Display My Other Listings:
$2.00
* Bordered (Photo) Listing:
$0.50
* Additional Images:
$1.00 (for 2 to 5 images)
* Home Page: $14.00
Gold SELLER, Gold SELLER PLUS, and Trusted Memberships:
* Bold
Font: $0.75
* Featured
Listing: $2.00
* Highlighted
Summary: $1.00
* Display My Other Listings:
n/a
* Bordered
(Photo) Listing: $0.00
* Additional Images: $0.00
* Home
Page: $10.00
FAQs Index Top
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Q. Do I have to pay again for special
features when I relist/renew or extend a listing?
A. Yes, because a relisted/renewed
listing is treated like a "new" listing. If you do not want to be invoiced again for listing and special
feature fees you need to "extend" the listing BEFORE it closes. No exceptions.
Q. There's a charge on my card that I don't
see listed as "fees" on my invoice page. What is this!!?
A. You might be referring to "validations" and "place holders". These are not real charges BUT a word of caution: they can
affect your debit/check card balance....
IMPORTANT NOTE: Most businesses, including GunsAmerica, that accept credit, debit
or check cards 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 credit or
debit/check card 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 a debit/check card 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 and not plan for.
FAQs Index Top
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Q.
What are your fees for membership?
A. Please see the FAQs section on membership or visit the fees
page for complete details:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Fees.htm
* Basic membership
is FREE.
* Verified
membership is a one time fee of $7.95
* Gold Buyer
membership is $9.95 monthly.
* Gold Seller
membership is $19.95 monthly.
* Gold Seller Plus membership is $25.95 monthly.
* Trusted (top level Gold) membership is $49.95 monthly.
MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP
FEES ARE DUE & PAYABLE EVEN IN YOU DO NOT LIST ITEMS TO SELL OR IF YOU DO NOT
LOG IN!!!
FAQs Index Top
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Q. I think I'm paying more for Membership than I should. Why?
A. The first thing you need to determine is if you are in fact on
the membership level you believe you're on. To do this simply login,
go to your My User Info page, and look at the text just off the top
right corner of the blue box that contains your contact information.
It will tell you what membership/user level you are. If you think
your membership/user level is wrong or if your membership level does
not match the fees you are paying, simply contact customer service.
You will need to give customer service specific information: your
User ID (log in ID) what membership level you are, what level you
think you should be, how much you are paying for your monthly
membership.
FAQs Index Top
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Q.
What are your selling and listing fees?
A. Selling fees depend on what type of listing you chose, the price
of the item you are selling, and your membership level.
There are
three types of listing and selling fees that you may be invoiced for:
* Post Listing
Charge; for Special Features (bold font, highlighting, home page
placement, etc.).
* Post Listing
Charge; for the posting of Auctions & Approved Bidder Auction type
listings.
* GA Listing Sale;
for the sale of an item.
Please visit the Fees Page for
complete details on listing/selling fees:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/Fees.aspx
Important Note About GunsAmerica Listing Fees:
* A limited number of basic (no frills,
no special features) Classified Ads are Free to list,
pay only when your item sells.
* E-Z Ads, Auctions and
Approved Bidder Auction type listings are NOT free to post
and are NON-REFUNDABLE.
*
Special features for ANY & ALL ads/listings (bold, highlighting,
home page placement, etc.) are invoiced separately and ARE DUE THE
DAY THE LISTING IS POSTED. This applies to ALL listings, ALL types.
These fees are due even if it is part of your allotted "free
listings" and if the item does not sell or if you close or
remove the listing Special feature fees are non-refundable. Make
sure you understand the fees before you click on "post".
* Fees for special
features are shown during the listing creation process.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. I think I'm paying more for selling/listing fees than I should.
Why?
A. The first thing you need to determine is if you are in fact on
the membership level you believe you're on because how much your
selling/listing fees are depends on your membership level. To do
this simply login, go to your My User Info page, and look at the
text just off the top right corner of the blue box that contains
your contact information. It will tell you what membership/user
level you are.
If you think your membership/user level is wrong or
if your membership level does not match the fees you are paying,
simply contact customer service. You will need to give customer
service specific information: your User ID (log in ID) what
membership level you are, what level you think you should be, and
all of the invoice numbers that demonstrates the incorrect fees. Do
NOT ask customer service to review all of your invoices for
accuracy.
It is the responsibility of the member to open and check
all invoice as they are added to your account and contact customer
service as soon as they see something that does not "look right".
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q.
Does the buyer have to pay a fee to GunsAmerica when they buy
something from a seller?
A. NO. Absolutely NOT.
Buyers do not pay GunsAmerica any fee when they make a purchase from
a seller. All fees associated with a transaction or sale are due and
payable to the seller only. The seller sets the price of their item
and the payment terms. GunsAmerica is not in any way involved in the
fees, payment, or transaction associated with a sale between buyer
and seller.
FAQs Index Top
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Q.
How do I pay my GunsAmerica fees and invoices?
A. Please click on the Billing link in the FAQs index.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. How do I pay for an item I
bought from a seller?
A. The seller is expected to give you this information. If
you do not understand the instructions the seller gave you or if the
seller has not given you payment information you must contact the
seller using the contact information you already have for him/her OR
use the Ask
Seller a Question button in any of the seller's listings. If you are not sure how to
contact the seller click on the Contacting Sellers
link here in the FAQs. Important Note: NEVER pay for a gun using
PayPal. PayPal does NOT allow this and if they catch you doing it
they can freeze your PayPal account. Yes, they have been known to do
this.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. My question wasn't answered
here. What next?
A. Please carefully check the
FAQs index.
FAQs Index Top of Page
FFL
Q. What does FFL stand for?
A. FFL stands for Federal Firearm License. An FFL is issued by the
U.S. Government and is required of any individual or company engaged
in the business of selling firearms. The key word there is in the
"business" of. You do not necessarily need an FFL to sell a firearm
as much as you need someone with an FFL to "sell" or transfer it for
you. The FFL must be the middle man between those who do not have an
FFL.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. How do I find an FFL dealer?
A. You can use this Find an FFL dealer link:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/FFLSearch.aspx,
OR you can use the form found to the right of every listing on GunsAmerica, OR you can check your local yellow
pages.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I know if an FFL Dealer is legit?
A. Please understand that GunsAmerica cannot
advise any member as to whom they should or should not do business with.
No one can guarantee the legitimacy of any dealer - no matter what
guarantees or promises a website may make and no matter what type of "feedback" a seller has.
Having said that, we should also point out if an FFL dealer has demonstrated
any fraud or inexcusable behavior his/her GunsAmerica account would be terminated. AND, if an FFL dealer has been
in serious trouble with the law their FFL license would be revoked. You can go to the ATF site and check
the license.
(this link will open in a new window).
Below are a few things you should keep in mind when trying to make a decision of who to do business
with through our website, or with any FFL dealer or gun seller. We also highly recommend you read our FAQs on Frauds
& Scams.
LICENSED FFL DEALERS (Federal Firearm Licensees):
FFL dealers are the ones you rely on to actually facilitate the transfer
of a firearm between private citizens. The FFL dealer may be the actual seller or they may be the person you are
using to transfer the purchased item - a legal requirement in the United States. (see ATF and NRA links below)
To know for sure if the FFL dealer is "legit" and their license
has not been revoked or expired you can check with the ATF. You will need the FFL dealer's license number (the
first three digits and the last 5 digits only) and corresponding address to do this.
If an FFL dealer will not reveal his license number and address, this
should raise a red flag of caution BUT it does not necessarily mean the FFL dealer is crooked. Just demanding an
FFL dealer's license number without good reason or without first establishing some kind of customer/seller rapport
may raise a red flag of caution for the seller, and he/she may be wary of giving information to a stranger on the
phone or via email. Keep in mind the FFL dealer's license number (especially in combination with his/her corresponding
address) is valuable to con artists and the seller must be able to protect his reputation and business information.
Be sure to be polite when asking, and have a good reason for asking - for example you are considering doing business
with him/her. YOU ONLY NEED THE FIRST 3 AND LAST 5 DIGITS. Again, don't just demand this information out of the
blue, justify the need by showing genuine interest in doing business with the FFL dealer.
Once you have the license number (first 3 and last 5) and corresponding
address you can go to the ATF site and check the license (this link will open
in a new window).
And remember, if the FFL dealer has done anything against the law his/her license would be pulled
and this will be shown when you check it at the ATF site. You will also be able to check if their address is correct. Obviously if the address
does not match up a huge red flag of caution should be raised. Again, FFL dealers must abide by the law to be allowed
to stay licensed.
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Q. I'm an FFL dealer, how
do I get listed on GunsAmerica?
A. All you need to do is register and fill out the seller and FFL
section of your registration - and be sure to chose YES for the
question asking if you are a transfer dealer (other wise you will
not be listed in our FFL search engine). Do not use the four digit
extension for your zip code in the FFL section of your registration.
This may cause the FFL search engine not to display your
information.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. What is FFL dealer registration?
A. If you're an FFL dealer (Licensed Federal Firearms Dealer) you can enter your FFL Dealer information and you
will be listed on our website and can be found in our searchable FFL Dealer database. You can edit or remove this
information at any time in the section just below your User information in your Account Panel.
Do NOT fill out
this section unless you hold a current valid FFL dealer license.
Lying about being an FFL can get you booted from GunsAmerica!
FFL REGISTRATION
FFL Dealer registration is the
information specific to your FFL Dealer license and MUST be valid and accurate.
Entering your FFL Dealer license number and corresponding information gives
customers and potential customers a sense of trust, comfort, and safety, knowing
they can
check your FFL Dealer status on the ATF website
(this link will open in a new window)
and this in turn may help generate
more business.
However, you do not need to enter
the entire number. In order for a customer to check your FFL number on the ATF
site only the first 3 and last 5 digits of the number are needed, so you can
enter your FFL number like this: 9-99-XXX-XX-XX-99999, replacing only the 9s
with your actual license numbers. The corresponding address must of course be
accurate.
Again, all FFL Dealer information
must be accurate. And please do NOT enter FFL information if you are not a
current licensed FFL Dealer. Doing so may result in our disabling or terminating
your account for policy violations and/or attempt to commit fraud.
If you are NOT an FFL
Dealer but
you would like your customers to know you hold an FFL or relics license you can put that
information in your Seller Profile (a.k.a. Additional Seller Information), which
appears in a box below every listing. See you Seller information page to enter
or edit your Seller Profile.
FAQs Index Top
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Q. How do I fill out or edit my FFL
information?
A. Simply navigate to your Account Details / FFL Details section of
your My GunsAmerica and make the changes needed. Please see the Registration link in the FAQs index
for details .
Q. How do I remove myself
from the FFL transfer dealer's list?
A. Choose "NO" in the FFL registration when asked if you
are a transfer dealer.
Q. How do I remove FFL information completely from my registration?
A. There's is a link or button in the FFL section of your
registration for you to completely remove all of your FFL
information.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. Do you have any special programs
FFL dealers can sign up for?
A. Yes, that is coming soon, please click on this
link for more information.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How can I become an FFL dealer?
A. Your first stop should be
the ATF and NRA websites to familiarize yourself with all the laws, rules, and regulations. Then, if you don't
have the answer you want, all you need do is Google FFL DEALER HOW or FFL LICENSE HOW and you'll get a slew of
websites with all kinds of information on what it is and how to get one. But don't just run with the first one
you see, read everything carefully and educate yourself before you act.
Forums
Q. You use to have a forums. What happened to it?
A. This feature is returning soon.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Fraud & Scams
FRAUD & SCAM ALERT!!
There are many scammers on the
Internet who pose as buyers and sellers.
The most common scam is actually someone who poses as a buyer!
Below are some warnings and tips to help stay a step ahead of the
bad guys.
*
NEVER accept a Money Gram or Western Union unless you know
the buyer personally or feel confident you can trust the buyer.
Although we never recommend Money Gram or Western Union
for any transactions.
*
NEVER accept a bank/wire transfer for payment. This is
almost
ALWAYS A SCAM!! Doing so may allow the buyer to hack into your bank
account!!
*
NEVER accept
payment for more than the price of the listing & shipment.
This is a typical scam - to pay for more than you ask. The excuse
will be that their spouse or secretary accidentally made out the
check or money order for too much OR it was done on purpose so the
remainder of the money can be used to pay the shipper they will send
to pick up the item. This is ALWAYS A SCAM!!
*
NEVER
ship before a check or money order has cleared!
Another common scam
is when the buyer asks the seller to ship before a check or money
order has cleared.
*
If accepting money
orders as payment we recommend the use of United States Postal Money
Orders. Postal money orders are hardest to forge AND can be cashed
at any post office - keeping you from incurring any fees from your
bank if the money order is bogus.
*
Yet another buyer
scam is to send the seller a small amount by check, for down-payment
or lay away, so the seller will hold the item for the buyer until
full payment is made. Sometimes the check bounces and sometimes it
does not, but the scam is that the check (good or bad) is eventually
returned to the buyer with YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER on it - giving the
scammer information that can help them hack into your account. NEVER
accept checks for lesser amounts to hold an item or lay away unless
you know the buyer personally or are willing to take a chance!
*
Sometimes an item
will be paid in full with a check that bounces in an effort to get
your account number - that is because some banks will return the
bounced check (or a copy of it) to the person who wrote the check as
well as sending a copy to you. To protect yourself you can either
cash the check at any branch of the bank the check is drawn on OR
you can call the exact branch of the bank the check is drawn on
BEFORE you cash it and ask if the funds are available.
*
If accepting any kind
of check as payment we recommend, whenever possible or if
suspicious, you cash the check at a branch of the bank the check is
from. This keeps you from incurring any fees if the check is no good
AND it since the check is not deposited into your account, at your
bank, your account number is not on the back of the check when it is
returned to the buyer.
*
Scammers (both buyers
& sellers) will often ask to ship without an FFL. Don't fall for it!
ALWAYS use an FFL if required by law.
*
Fraudulent buyers
have been known to give FFL information to lure sellers into
accepting bogus payment. If you are a seller, ALWAYS check out the
FFL dealer you are shipping to; visit the ATF website to verify
their license number and address AND call the dealer yourself to
verify.
*
Fraudulent sellers
have been known to give FFL information to lure buyers into paying
for items that will never ship OR when selling inferior products. If
you are a buyer, ALWAYS check out the FFL dealer that will be
shipping the item; visit the ATF website to verify their license
number and address AND call the dealer yourself or ask your FFL
dealer that will be receiving the package to verify the FFL shipper
for you.
*
Scammers usually use
prepaid cell phones or payphones for contact. We recommend
communicating with a member only if they can supply you with a phone
number that can be verified (name, number, and address match)
through an online directory such as Anywho.com or Infospace.com.
*
ALWAYS get complete
contact information from a buyer/seller before any payment is sent.
Do NOT rely on GunsAmerica to give you this information - we have a
strict privacy policy that prevents us from giving you contact
information about any member.
*
If you suspect a scam
please forward the suspicious email/evidence to GunsAmerica customer
service. The email must include the suspicious text and the member's
email address. We will terminate the member's account if it is clear
to us there is a scam or fraud or an attempt to scam or fraud is
clearly involved.
*
If you are the victim
of a scam or fraud contact your local authorities immediately!
GunsAmerica can terminate the scammer's account but you will need to
contact your local law enforcement and other local/state/federal
agencies in order to take further action.
*
ATF FAQs and other
helpful information: http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm
*
ATF FFL Dealer eZ
Check: https://www.atfonline.gov/fflezcheck
(you will need to know the first 3 and last 5 numbers of the
dealer's license AND their address to verify)
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I know if a seller is legit?
A. Please understand that GunsAmerica
cannot advise a buyer as to whom they should or should not do business with.
No one can guarantee the legitimacy of any seller - no
matter what guarantees or promises a website may make and no matter what type of "feedback" a seller
has.
Having said that, we should also point out that we've
found the great majority of sellers who list on GunsAmerica are honest, hard-working, gun enthusiasts like yourself
who will always try to do right by their customers. And, you can rest assured, if a seller (or buyer) has demonstrated
any fraud or inexcusable behavior his/her GunsAmerica account would be terminated.
Below are a few things you should keep in mind when trying to make a decision
of who to do business with through our website, or with any Internet or mail order sale.
There are generally two kinds of gun/firearms sellers; those who are licensed FFL dealers and then there are private
sellers....
LICENSED FFL DEALERS (Federal Firearm Licensees):
FFL dealers are the ones you rely on to actually facilitate
the transfer of a firearm between private citizens. The FFL dealer may be the actual seller or they may be the
person you are using to transfer the purchased item - a legal requirement in the United States. (see ATF and NRA
links below)
To know for sure if the FFL dealer is "legit"
and their license has not been revoked or expired you can check with the ATF. You will need the FFL dealer's license
number (the first three digits and the last 5 digits only) and corresponding address to do this.
If an FFL dealer will not reveal his license number and
address, this should raise a red flag of caution BUT it does not necessarily mean the FFL dealer is crooked. Just
demanding an FFL dealer's license number without good reason or without first establishing some kind of customer/seller
rapport may raise a red flag of caution for the seller, and he/she may be wary of giving information to a stranger
on the phone or via email. Keep in mind the FFL dealer's license number (especially in combination with his/her
corresponding address) is valuable to con artists and the seller must be able to protect his reputation and business
information. Be sure to be polite when asking, and have a good reason for asking - for example you are considering
doing business with him/her. Again, don't just demand this information out of the blue, justify the need by showing
genuine interest in doing business with the FFL dealer.
Once you have the license number and corresponding address
you can go to the ATF site and check the license (this link will open
in a new window).
And remember, if the FFL dealer has done anything against the law his/her license would be pulled and this will
be shown when you check it at the ATF site.
You will also be able to check if their address is correct. Obviously if the address does not match up a huge red
flag of caution should be raised. Again, FFL dealers must abide by the law to be allowed to stay licensed.
FAQs Index Top of Page
FFL DEALER OR PRIVATE SELLER: (links to other websites will open in a new window)
No matter what you are purchasing, when buying an item
from someone you do not know, there are a few things you can do and keep in mind in order to help prevent problems
and protect yourself against possible fraud.
Ask the seller for his/her first AND last name and phone
number (and business name if applicable) and use an Internet reverse directory to look it up. AnyWho.com is one such website, ReversePhoneDirectory.com and BigYellow.com are two more. Keep in mind that if the seller's phone number is unlisted or if it is
a cell phone it most likely will not be shown on any phone index/directory. If this happens you should politely
ask the seller to give you a number that is "traceable". Most sellers will comply, others may not for
privacy reasons or they simply may not have a land line to give you (becoming more common these days).
Although we strongly urge all of our sellers to supply
buyers with traceable phone numbers, this will be a judgment call on your part. Keep in mind; fraudulent sellers
are out there using prepaid cell phones that cannot be traced. We strongly caution anyone who is considering buying
from a seller who cannot or will not provide a traceable phone number, to reconsider. We simply cannot recommend
it. The seller may actually be an honest person but do you really want to take the chance? Thousands of guns are
listed on our site each month, there is always another that will come along. If a seller will not give you traceable
contact information you should seriously consider passing up that item and moving on.
Ask the seller for his/her address and confirm it. Once
you have the seller's address you can check it against the USPS.com website - there you can use the "find a zip code" link to confirm the address. You will be able to search this database for the street and
state the seller gave you and the database will confirm the zip code/address or it will tell you the address cannot
be found.
On very rare occasions an address will not be confirmed
via the USPS website. In that case you can call the seller's local post office to confirm their address. You can
get the phone number to any post office through USPS.com. In some cases the seller's address may be a box number - if it is a United States Post Office box,
know that the USPS keeps tight records on who can and does rent their PO boxes.
On the other hand, private mail boxes (a.k.a. a PMB)
are easily rented by anyone who has a driver's license. Again, another judgment call for the buyer. How do you
know for sure if a box number is a PMB or any other type of box? Even if the seller only gives you a "box"
number, when you check the address using USPS.com "find
a zip code" link the database
will tell you if it is a PMB, POB, or rural box, etc. You can also verify addresses at this website: ZabaSearch.com.
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE SELLER'S
ADDRESS:
Anyone who is selling guns or valuable items, especially
a private seller, will most likely be wary of giving their personal information out to strangers who ask for this
via email or phone. And they may have good reason for not wanting to give
this information out to just anyone - not because they may not be a legitimate seller, but because if they give
out information that allows a stranger to easily locate them this will make them feel at risk for robbery. For
reasons like this, the seller needs to be just as cautious as the buyer at times. You should keep this in mind
when you ask the seller for his/her contact information.
And, don't just ask for it without first showing an interest
in their item. Don't just demand it in your first contact. Let them know you are seriously interested in their
item but are worried about buying from a stranger and need some sort of gesture or assurance that he/she (the seller)
is someone you (the potential buyer) can count on. If you are cordial and respectful the seller will most likely
reply in kind by giving you the information you are asking for. The seller may not want to give his home address,
but instead may give you a Post Office Box or similar mailing address. Again, this can be checked out via USPS
and should be sufficient.
Lastly, the seller may be reluctant to give out this
information until they feel you are ready to buy and you have agreed on the deal, and that is acceptable, but you
should always have ALL the information you want BEFORE making any actual payment.
FAQs Index Top of Page
ALSO:
* Google any information you have. Very often you can get a wealth of information with
just a simple Internet search.
* Exercise extreme caution if considering a purchase from someone outside the United
States. We do NOT recommend it. In fact only residents and businesses with an address in the United States, Puerto
Rico, or Canada can become a member of GunsAmerica. We have enacted this policy because we've found too many scammers
from outside the United States trying to rip off our members.
Federal law does allow the import of certain firearms
from outside the U.S. by FFL dealers, but common sense should tell you that no matter what you buy, purchasing
from a foreign seller is a bit more risky than when dealing with someone within the U.S. who is bound by and obligated
to comply with our laws in any regard.
PLAY IT SAFE WITH PAYMENT:
* NEVER send a money or wire transfer, Western Union, or MoneyGram, to anyone inside
OR outside the U.S. NEVER send cash through the mail, and NEVER transfer money in our out of a bank account.
* NEVER use PayPal. Never purchase firearms from someone who insists you pay with PayPal.
An FFL dealer will know this, but private dealers and collectors may not. PayPal does not allow use of their system
for firearms transactions. If you do this, and they find out, they may freeze your funds and your account. Whether
they are allowed to or not is not the point, just be aware it's been known to happen.
* BidPay.com has announced their support of the 2nd amendment and will allow the use
of their services to buy and sell legally obtained and sold guns and firearms.
MORE:
* Familiarize yourself with federal, state, and local laws before considering purchasing
a firearm. YOU have responsibilities too, not just the seller.
* ALWAYS confirm and agree to, in writing (email is okay), what you are buying; the description
and condition of the item, as well as the seller's price, terms of sale, and return policy BEFORE making any kind
of payment.
* Understand and agree to, in writing, how the item will be shipped and who pays for
shipping/handling. Make sure the item will be shipped insured and with some kind of delivery tracking or confirmation,
through a reputable shipper. (see the shipping guide link below)
* Never assume anything. When in doubt, ask.
* If your gut tells you something's not right you should seriously reconsider going through
with the deal.
* If it's sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
FAQs Index Top of Page
VERIFIED MEMBERS, FEEDBACK, AND
SALES HISTORY:
You can check out the seller's GunsAmerica feedback and
information on how many sales they've made. Although, keep in mind some sellers may not have feedback, as many
buyers do not take the time to give formal feedback. And, some sellers may be new to GunsAmerica and may not have
many sales under their belt. Being a new seller with few sales or no/little feedback does not necessarily mean
the seller cannot be trusted. And by the same token a seller with hundreds of sales and great feedback does not
necessarily mean you are guaranteed a perfect transaction. You should always take precautions and rely on your
own gut feelings and good judgment.
If the seller's feedback and number of GunsAmerica sales
is not present in their listing, you can ask them to reveal it to you, as this is currently a feature the seller
can turn on and off.
When a GA member is "Verified" it means he/she
has undergone a transaction with GunsAmerica that allowed us to verify their personal and payment information such
as name and address. This type of verification is done through the use of a credit card.
FINAL NOTE ABOUT WHO TO TRUST:
As far as whether or not an FFL dealer or private seller
is a "good guy", a reliable dealer, someone with good moral values and/or someone who treats his/her
customers well - that is something no one can tell you for sure. Even the best of people may falter from time to
time. No one and no business is perfect all of the time. But you can save yourself a lot of potential grief and
aggravation if, before committing to a purchase, you follow the guidelines above.
If you have not done so already, you should also click
through the links below and familiarize yourself with the laws and other information surrounding buying and selling
of guns through the Internet and mail. The ATF and NRA websites are very informative and easy to navigate.
See below for the ATF web site:
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm
See below for the NRA's state-by-state
gun laws guide.
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Default.aspx
See below to read our detailed
Firearm Shipping Guide.
http://www.gunsamerica.com/GunShippingGuide.aspx
We hope this information helps you and gives you an idea
of how to go about choosing who is "safe" to buy from. Again, you can rest assured that if a seller has
demonstrated any proven fraud or inexcusable behavior his/her account would be terminated and you will not be able
to access his/her listings or ads. And, we've found the great majority of sellers are honest, hard-working, gun
enthusiasts like yourself who will always try to do right by their customers.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I think I've been scammed
by a seller, what can I do?
A. First, make sure you have
all your facts straight, gather and review any messages and emails, make sure it is not just a misunderstanding.
Keep an open and friendly dialogue with the seller and continue to try and negotiate a favorable outcome. However,
if you are 100% sure you have been scammed or the seller has committed fraud there are two things you should do:
1. Contact your local authorities and ask them what you need to do.
2. Email all the facts to customer service (we must have the GA listing number) so we can investigate the matter
and decide if the seller's account should be terminated. See the Report Abuse
section of the FAQs.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I think I've been scammed
by a buyer, what can I do?
A. First, make sure you have
all your facts straight, gather and review any messages and emails, make sure it is not just a misunderstanding.
Keep an open and friendly dialogue with the buyer and continue to try and negotiate a favorable outcome. However,
if you are 100% sure you have been scammed or the buyer has committed fraud there are two things you should do:
1. Contact your local authorities and ask them what you need to do.
2. Email all the facts to customer service (we must have the GA listing number) so we can investigate the matter
and decide if the buyer's account should be terminated. See the Report Abuse
section of the FAQs..
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. A buyer is proposing a strange
way to do business. Is this a scam?
A. There are a few very common
scams going around. If you get a message from a buyer that implies they want to engage in some type of illegal,
fraudulent, or unusual way to accept shipment or make payment please forward the message to us.
You can either "forward" a regular email to customer service OR you
can copy and paste the message into an email to customer service. We must have the
GA listing number and the buyer's or potential buyer's email address or GunsAmerica User ID. If we feel there is
a scam involved we'll let you know. But ultimately you must be the one to make the decision if you are to do business
with a particular buyer.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Someone is trying to get
me to break the law, what should I do?
A. Of course you should NOT break the law. Run, don't walk, the other
way. Do not do business with that person. No sale is worth going to
jail for, or losing an FFL license over. And we don't want to
encourage that kind of behavior, do we? Of course not!!
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I'm having trouble with another member
(buyer or seller). Can you help?
A. How much we can help you, when, and in what way, depends largely on the individual situation. However, it is
very important that you first understand GunsAmerica is not responsible for or involved in transactions (pre or
post sale). Furthermore, all members must understand and agree to the following if
they wish to be a member of GunsAmerica. * All members (buyers and sellers) are responsible for their own actions.
* GunsAmerica is not in any way responsible for any item sold.
* GunsAmerica is not in any way responsible for any member's actions (buyer or seller).
* All members are responsible for making their own decisions about buying and selling.
* All members are responsible for obtaining and verifying all contact information for buyer or seller.
* GunsAmerica is NOT involved in transactions in any way (pre or post sale).
* We do not mediate, intervene, or act as a go-between when there is a dispute between buyer and seller.
* We do not take sides.
* We cannot help you get your money back if you want a refund.
* We cannot force any member to do what you want them to do, or what they should do.
* We cannot act as legal counsel or give legal advice.
* We do not enforce laws.
FAQs Index Top of Page
What do we do? What will we
do?
* We are the listing service. We offer a place for sellers to advertise, buyers to browse, and allow
buyers & sellers to make contact.
* We will terminate the account of anyone who we
find to be doing something illegal or fraudulent.
* We may give warnings, or suspend or terminate the account of anyone who does not follow our terms,
rules, and policies - at our sole discretion.
* We may flag a member's account, placing the member on "internal watch", which may lead
to suspension or termination if there are additional reports.
* We can offer you suggestions on ways to handle certain situations or direct you to agencies and authorities
who can help you.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I report a member for abuse? (illegal or fraudulent activity or a policy violation)
A. First, be sure it is in fact illegal activity, fraud, or a policy violation. False reporting is considered a
policy violation. If you honestly think something another member is doing is illegal, fraudulent, or against our
policies here's how to bring it to our attention:
* Report evidence in GA messages by using the Report Abuse link in any message
received through the GA messaging system. All of the details of the message (the text of the message, who is is
from, etc.) will be automatically sent to us when you use this link.
* Forward regular emails to us by using the FORWARD
feature in your email program.
You must include the email header which shows the offender's email address and
date/time the email was sent. Forward it to customer service (see link at bottom
of any page).
* Report illegal or fraudulent activity pertaining to a particular listing by using the Report Abuse link in that exact listing.
* If a phone call is involved email
the details of the call to customer service:
who, what, when, how, etc. Details are important.
What NOT to report. What NOT to do:
* Don't report someone just because they don't reply to your question or offer on a Classified
Ad.
Read the FAQs section on Communication.
* Don't report that you are unhappy with an item you bought unless you truly believe the seller tried
to con you, and have proof. If you're unhappy with a purchase you must follow and abide by the seller's return
policies. Buyer beware! Know the seller's return policy! Ask questions! Get answers in print before you pay for
anything!
* Don't report a seller will not let you return an item if the seller had a "no return" policy
or if it is past the return time allowed. You must abide by the seller's return policies.
* Don't report payment from a buyer is late unless you truly feel the payment is not coming OR if it
has been more than 2 weeks since the buyer agreed to send payment. And then only report this
to us if the buyer does not respond to your inquiries with a realistic and reasonable explanation within a reasonable
amount of time (we believe on week should be the longest time you should wait for an email response or answer to
your voice mail). Read the FAQs section on Communication.
* Don't report shipment of an item you've paid for is late unless you truly feel the shipment is not
coming OR if it has been more than 2 weeks since the buyer agreed to ship. And then only report this to us if
the seller does not respond to your inquiries with a realistic and reasonable explanation within a reasonable amount
of time (we believe on week should be the longest time you should wait for an email response or answer to your
voice mail). Read the FAQs section on Communication.
*
Don't clutter your report with rhetoric and opinion. It's not that
we don't care about your opinion, but sifting through and separating opinion
from fact can delay our response and can lead to misunderstanding and confusion.
So please just send us the facts. As Sergeant Joe Friday would say, "JUST THE
FACTS".
* Do not demand what action we take. Do not expect us to tell you what action we will take. We will
tell you what action we will take only if we feel it is in your best interest to know and only if telling you does
not invade another member's privacy. Suffice to say we will acknowledge your report and handle it as per our terms
(and the law) requires. Each report will be handled on a case by case basis.
What should
you report? What should you do?
* Report anyone you know is committing (or attempting to commit) fraud or engaging in illegal activity
or if you have a reasonable suspicion.
* Report any seller who does not abide by their own return policies or agreements they made with you
(in print).
* Report any seller you paid IF the shipment is 2 weeks late AND the seller has not responded to your
emails AND phone calls (give them 1 week to respond).
* Report any seller who will not honor an Auction or Offers
Only (Best Accepted Offer) listing if you were
the winner or if yours was the "best offer".
* Report any buyer you made payment arrangements with, who promised to pay you, IF payment is 2 weeks
late AND the buyer has not responded to your emails AND phone calls (give them 1 week to respond).
* Report anyone you feel is trying to set up a scam - buyer OR seller.
* Report any member who sends you spam or harassing emails (or
harassing phone calls).
* Report any seller who will not honor the price posted in their listing.
* Report any seller who has an item posted for sale that is not available (you must allow the seller
a day or two to remove the listing).
* Report any member who does not follow GunsAmerica rules and polices.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Does GunsAmerica offer buyer
protection or fraud protection?
A. No. GunsAmerica is not in
any way involved in the actual transaction or sale between buyer and seller. The buyer and the seller are completely
and solely responsible for their own actions. GunsAmerica offers NO buyer protection. Keep in mind if you pay for
an item with your credit card that will be the best way to protect yourself against fraud as virtually all credit
card companies and banks offer some kind of buyer protection.
*
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.shtmFAQs Index Top of Page
GunsAmerica Store (GA STORE)
Q. The membership page mentions GunsAmerica
or GA Store. How do I get a store?
A. This feature is coming soon
and will be available to all Gold Seller members.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why do I see GA Store icons in some
listings?
A. Gold Sellers may have a red,
white, and blue GA Store icon. Until the GA Store program is up and running this icon/link will bring you to
a page with all listings that seller has to offer, similar to the More from this Seller icon/link.
Gun Laws & Regulations
GunsAmerica includes links and general information on
the subject of laws and regulations related to the buying and selling of guns, firearms, weapons, and accessories
as a service to its members - this information is not to be viewed as legal advice in any way. Neither should any
information we offer be considered the last or only word on any subject.
All members are responsible for familiarizing themselves
with all federal, state, and local laws before they buy or sell on GunsAmerica. If you are buying or selling cross
state or county lines or outside the country, you the buyer/seller are responsible for knowing and following the
laws and regulations of both; the point of sale and the delivery destination. GunsAmerica is not responsible for
any sale or transaction.
Q. Who can buy a gun?
A. Each state has different age
and eligibility requirements for firearms purchases. Usually the age requirement is between 18 and 21 yrs old.
Check with your local authorities for the correct age and requirements in your area.
Keep in mind it is the BUYER's responsibility to know
their own state and local laws. One way to find out quick is to check with a local licensed firearms dealer (FFL
dealer).
Here is our About Buying page:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/AboutBuying.aspx
See below for the ATF web site
for information on laws regarding the purchasing a firearm & background checks.
(this link will open in a new window)
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Who can sell a gun?
A. Each state has different age
and eligibility requirements for firearms purchases. Usually the age requirement is between 18 and 21 yrs old.
Check with your local authorities for the correct age and requirements in your area.
Keep in mind it is the BUYER's responsibility to know
their own state and local laws. One way to find out quick is to check with a local licensed firearms dealer (FFL
dealer).
If you can legally own a gun, then you can buy or sell
it on GunsAmerica.com. But again, remember you are responsible for familiarizing yourself with and complying with
all Federal, state, and local laws when buying or selling and when using this site.
By Federal law, the person who ships a gun or received
the shipment of a gun must be a licensed dealer (FFL Dealer). There are a few exceptions, such as certain antiques
or parts. We recommend you check with the ATF, the NRA, and/or a local FFL dealer
for details.
If the buyer/seller is not a licensed dealer, the buyer/seller
must make arrangements with a licensed dealer in his state to transfer the firearm. See below for links to more
detailed information.
Here is our About Selling page:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/AboutSelling.aspx
Here is our About Buying page:
http://www.gunsamerica.com/AboutBuying.aspx
See below for the ATF web site
for information on laws regarding the purchasing a firearm & background checks.
(this link will open in a new window)
http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I find out what the
federal laws are?
A. Visit the ATF
web site for information on laws
regarding the purchasing a firearm and background checks or visit the NRA's state-by-state gun laws guide.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I find out what the
laws are in a state?
A. To get the most reliable and
accurate information we recommend you contact your local authorities, the NRA, or a local FFL dealer.
Visit the NRA's state-by-state gun laws guide (this link
will open in a new window).
You can find an FFL dealer through your local yellow pages or you can search for FFL dealers on our website.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Are there local laws in individual
towns & cities I have to know about?
A. Yes. There are federal regulations
and laws, there are state laws, and there are laws that can pertain to certain municipalities or towns/cities.
Contact your local authorities or an FFL dealer closest to you for information.
You can find an FFL dealer through your local yellow
pages or you can search for FFL dealers
on our website.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Industry News / Articles / Events Calendar
Events
Calendar Articles Industry
News
Q.
You have an "Articles" link at the top of every page and you also
mention it on the membership page. Where are they?
A.
We'll be posting articles related to guns and firearms in the near
future. Thank you for your patience. We believe it will be worth the
wait.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Can anyone post an event
to the calendar?
A. You must be a registered member
to post on the event calendar.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I made a mistake on the events
calendar. How do I correct it?
A. Log in, click on the event
link. A form will allow you to edit or delete the item.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I found a mistake on the
events calendar. I don't know who posted it so who do I contact to correct it?
A. Only the member who posted
an event can edit or delete it. Please contact customer service with all the details of the mistake you found or
changes that need to be made.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I've written an article,
will you post it?
A. That depends on so many factors.
Please send the details of your inquiry to customer service.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Can I suggest article subjects?
A. Yes, feel free to send your
article subject suggestions to customer service.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Who decides what articles
are posted?
A. The "top guns" here at GunsAmerica
make the decisions, but we always welcome feedback and suggestions. So feel free to send your article suggestions
to customer service.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Insider's Club
Q. The membership page mentions
the Insider's Club. How to I sign up?
A. This feature is coming soon.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Managing Listings / Ads / Auctions
IT IS A POLICY VIOLATION TO
DISPLAY THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN YOUR LISTINGS, IN PHOTOS, OR AS YOUR SELLER NAME:
> Phone Number (E-Z Ad exceptions, and Gold Seller's phone number will automatically appear in seller information).
> Any URL or Website Name.
> Email Address (E-Z Ad exceptions)
> Information or reference to listings you have on competing websites.
If you're not sure if it's allowed,
ASK!!
We reserve the right to delete listings that violate policy without "warning". This is your warning!.
If we delete a listing that violates policy you will NOT be refunded any fees you may have incurred for the listing!!
Q. How do I make changes to (modify/edit)
my Classified ad?
A. HOW TO MODIFY, EDIT or ADD
TO a CLASSIFIED LISTING:
* Log in.
* Click on Control Panel.
* Click on "My Listings" under the Account Panel at left.
* Find your listing, (you can enter the GA listing # in the Find a Listing search box
if you have many).
* Hover over "Options" to the far right of the listing.
* Click on Modify. (NEVER delete or remove a listing. See below for reasons why.)
* After you click on Modify you will be brought to another page where you will be able
to view the listing details and make changes. You may need to scroll down or scroll to the right to see all prompts
and buttons, depending on your screen size and resolution.
* To CHANGE A CATEGORY click on Change Category or Listing Type, click through the category
and subcategory boxes, then click on continue.
* When you are done, please be sure to proof read your listing for possible typos, category
or listing errors, etc. - better to find them now than latter!
* When finished, scroll down the page and click on POST. (clicking on "save"
will allow you to finish later, it will not post your changes and go live)
* Any changes you make
can be seen 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 changes 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 link in this
FAQs) before contacting us.
DO NOT DELETE OR REMOVE A LISTING
FROM YOUR ACCOUNT!!
* Once deleted a listing cannot be retrieved except by an act of congress and a tech
search of our archives and a fee may be applied to retrieve it.
* If you delete a listing and/or any messages related to it we may not be able to help
you in a timely manner (with billing/invoicing/payment/sales issues).
*
For your convenience, only live/active listings in your control
panel will be shown unless you choose to sort them by "All" or
"Ended". This allows you to keep closed listings in your account for
an adequate period of time without having to wade through them each
time you review and manager your listings.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I make changes to
(modify/edit) my Offers Only ad?
A.
You cannot edit, change, or add to an Offers Only listing. You cannot
end an Offers Only listing early. This is to level the playing field
for everyone; making it fair to all who make offers. This is similar to
auctions. NO changes.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I make changes to
(modify/edit) or end my Auction?
A. You cannot edit, change, or
add 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.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Is there a way to change the
sorting of my listings in my control panel?
A. Yes, you can change the order or preference of the way
your listings are displayed. You have many choices:
FILTER BY:
ALL listings or just
ACTIVE (open) listings or just ENDED
(closed) listings by using the radio buttons in the "Filter
by Status" box above the listings. By default your
Active (live) listings will automatically be shown when you first
view your listings in your control panel.
SORT BY LISTING TYPE: You can use the radio
buttons to sort by "type". By default all are shown when
you first enter your listings (My Selling), but you can choose to show
only Classified Ads, E-Z Ads, or
OFFERS ONLY.
OTHER SORTING FEATURES: You can also sort by
GA listing # (ID#), Price, Title,
Offers and Messages received,
Date Added, and Seller Stock #.
Due to the different nature of how auctions are managed,
Auctions are now listed in a separate section of your control panel.
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).
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I RELIST a listing
that has closed?
A. You can relist many listings
at one time ("bulk" or "quick" renew) or you can relist one at a time. If you need to make
changes you MUST relist individually, not using the "bulk" or "quick" renew feature. Keep in
mind you cannot make changes to Auctions or Offer type listings therefore if you need to change these you should
not use the relist/renew feature. Keep
in mind that when you relist (renew) your listing gets a new GA listing number.
To relist one at a time:
* Login and go to the My Listings page.
* Hover your cursor over the Options link (to the far right) of the listing you want
to relist/renew.
* Click on renew.
* You will be brought to the same listing creation page you used when you first posted
the listing. There you are given the opportunity to make changes if you wish.
* Make changes and click on POST or if you do not need to make changes just click on
POST. Depending on your screen size and resolution settings you may have to scroll to the right (using your bottom
scroll bar) to see the POST button.
To relist more than one at a time: ("bulk" or "quick" renew or relist)
* Login and go to your My Selling page.
* Click on the "Bulk Renew Listings" button to the top
right of your listings.
*
By default ALL closed listings in your control panel will be checked off as to
be renewed. Make sure ONLY the listings you want to renew have check marks in the boxes next to
each listing. Click any check mark to remove it.
* Click on continue.
*
You can NOT make changes to the listing during this process. If you want
to make changes you must first renew, then modify/edit. BUT keep in mind
Auctions and Offers Only listings cannot
be modified later so you should NOT use bulk renew for an Auction or Offer listing if you think you may want to
make changes.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I RENEW a listing?
A. See "How do I RELIST
a listing" above, they are one in the same.
Q. How do I EXTEND more than one listing
at a time?
A.
This feature is not currently available to be done manually by the seller -
please contact customer service for help.
Q. How do I CLOSE more than one listing
at a time?
A.
You can do this in the same manner as "Bulk Renew" (see above) by clicking on
the "Bulk Close Listings" button, BUT keep in mind this function is ONLY to close a listing that is no longer available, NOT to close a listing and report a sale. You MUST now use the OFFER SYSTEM to report a sale - NO Exceptions!
Q. How do I MARK MORE THAN ONE ITEM
SOLD at a time?
A.
You can only mark an item "sold" by accepting an offer to buy.
Q. How do I print out a list of all of my listings?
A. There is a button on your My Selling page, above your listings.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. My listing still appears as "closed"
when I relist/renew it. What went wrong?
A. When you relist/renew you
are creating a NEW listing, using the old one as a base to start with. Therefore the old listing remains closed
and the newly relisted/renewed listing is created and gets a new GA listing number.
> The
old listing should be kept in your account panel on your listings page just in case it is needed for reference
or invoicing purposes. NEVER delete a closed listing unless you are 200% sure you will never need the information
in the listing again. We can retrieve certain deleted listings but there may be a penalty or fee involved for GA
to do this for you.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. When I try to create a listing it keeps saying my price is
invalid. Why?
A. The most common reason for this error messages is either you are
entering the dollar $ sign (don't) OR you are accidentally typing a
comma instead of a decimal point.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Will I get an email warning me that
my listing(s) are about to close soon?
A. This feature is not currently
available but will be in the future.
Q. Will I get an email to let me know
my listing(s) have closed?
A. At this time you will only
get an email if you listing has closed due to an offer being accepted or an
auction won.
Q. Will I get an email invoice for special
features?
A. You will be notified that
the invoice has been generated (placed in your account). This is included as part of your Posting Complete notice.
All members are responsible for reviewing their invoice page regularly. Do NOT
rely on email alone as email can and will fail, for numerous reasons and these
reasons are not always under our/your control.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Do I have to pay to make a change
to my listing?
A. Only if the change included
adding special features relisting/renewing a listing, or changing a listing type to an Auction. For more information
on how to understand your invoices please see the Billing/Payment section of this FAQs.
Q. How long does a listing last?
A. A listing lasts for as long
as you set it to run; until sold, or between 1 and 60 days.
> You
must be sure to set the desired listings length when you create the listing. This is especially important when
you list Auctions and Offers Only ads (Best Accepted Offers) because they cannot be changed or edited once you
post.
> How
long you can list depends on your membership level also. Basic/free members (not Verified, not Gold) can only list
for a maximum of 7 days. If you want to list longer you must upgrade to at least Verified membership (one time
fee of $7.95). NOTE: When you extend a listing it can only be extended for the length of time the original listing
ran for. For example, if you originally posted a listing for 30 days you can only extend it for 30 days at a time,
no more, no less.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I posted a listing but I can't find
it when I search. Can you tell me why?
A. Below are the most common reasons seller's cannot find their own listings.
> You did not wait one hour for
the listing to propagate through the system
- although you will be able to view your new listing when you click on the "view" link in your account,
the listing will not be available by a search (or in New Today or on the Home Page if you choose that special feature)
for up to one hour. That is how long it takes for the listing to propagate through the system. This type of wait
time is common in with most online listing services and on the Internet.
> You did not actually "post"
the listing - you may have clicked on "save"
instead of "post" which means the information is saved in your account but has not been posted live to
the GunsAmerica website. The "post" button in the listing creation page is located to the far right bottom
of the page. Depending on your screen size and resolution settings you may not be able to see the "post"
button unless you use your browser's bottom scroll bar and scroll to the right. If you believe this is what happened
you can find any saved (but not posted) listings in your account on your listings page and
looking for "unconfirmed" listings.
* Log in.
* Click on "Control Panel" (at top of page).
* Click on "My Listings" (at left).
* Click on the blue "Unconfirmed" tab.
* Click on the "Edit/Post" link to the right of the listing title.
* This brings you to the original listing creation page where you can make changes or add information
(if needed) and then click on the "post" button.
> You are looking in the wrong category - there are categories and sub categories and there are many choices.
If you want to know exactly what category your listing is under use the "view" link on your listings
page to go to the listing and hover your cursor over the category link in the listing (just below the GA listing
# and seller stock #). You will be able to see the entire URL for the category and sub category you placed your
listing in at the bottom of your browser window (if you have your browser set to allow you to see the links in
URLs).
> You are searching incorrectly - you may be searching in the wrong category, you may not understand
where your listing should appear, you may not be using the advanced search, you may have typed your search term
incorrectly or you may not be using the best search term to find that type of listing, etc. There are many possibilities
but for now we'll give you an example of one of the most common problems: not using the correct or best search
words or method.
For example:
Searching with too general (common) a word or words will most likely give you hundreds of seeming unrelated results.
If you listed a Winchester Model 70 Super
Shadow bolt action rifle and you searched
for it only by typing the the word WINCHESTER into the search box you will get any listing with the word WINCHESTER
in the title, in the description of the item, or if even if the search word you used is found in the seller's name,
the sellers additional details (seller profile), etc. Adding more details to your search may help. WINCHESTER MODEL
70 would be better, WINCHESTER MODEL 70 SHADOW even better, and WINCHESTER MODEL 70 SUPER SHADOW would of course
be best.
BUT, what if you didn't use the word "MODEL" in your title or description? What if you only typed M70
or M 70, or M-70 into your title and description and you (or a potential buyer) types MODEL into the search box?
Well, you may have a really tuff time finding your M70 listing when you tell the search engine you're looking for
a MODEL 70. For more information please see
below as well as the Searching/Browsing
section of this FAQs for more information.
> Poor choice of words in the listing
itself - choosing the best wording for your
listing title and description text is very important if you want visitors to find your listing quickly and easily.
If you don't use the best choice of text then you may impede your own (or any visitor's) ability to find your item.
In keeping with the referenced example above, the Winchester
Model 70 Super Shadow, let's look further
into this example of the MODEL 70 versus the M70 or M 70 or M-70. Since the search engine sees each of these versions
of the Model 70 as different words and will not "assume" you want to find them all
when you type in only one, the best way to
make sure your listing is found is to include ALL possible or probable search terms in your listing. Not that you have to put this all in your title, that of course would
be ridiculous, but you should find a way to incorporate each possible search word choice in your listing description.
This can be done by describing the item with your knowledge of the item you are listing and a bit of imaginative
writing.
> Typographical error in your listing
OR in your search - "typos" (typographical
errors or spelling errors) are extremely common. Take the time to make absolutely sure you are typing your search
words correctly. If you are looking for your own listing, to test that it has actually gone live, the best way
to insure you find it is to view the listing first by clicking on the "view" link on your listings page
of your account panel, then copy and paste part of your title or description directly into the search box and see
if your listing comes up.
FAQs Index Top
of Page
Q. What does "invalid" listing
mean? Why is it "invalid"?
A. When you see "invalid" listing or listing number it means either you typed the wrong listing number
in your search and it never existed OR it means the listing has been deleted from our system. If it is invalid
(deleted) it cannot be retrieved. If it is invalid has been deleted from the system GunsAmerica cannot give you
any information about that listing.
The reason the listing was deleted may vary. It may be because the seller closed
the listing and removed it from the system. A seller may do this for many reasons; the item was sold, the seller
changed his/her mind, the item simply is no longer available for any number of reasons.
Or it may be that GunsAmerica
closed the listing and removed it from the system. GunsAmerica may do this for any number of reasons; the seller's
account was terminated, the listing violated policy, the seller cannot be located (for any number of reasons) so
the account was closed and the listings removed.
If you come across a listing you were interested in and it is
no longer available due to being "invalid" please do not contact GunsAmerica about the listing. Due to
privacy reason we cannot disclose any information.
If you are the seller of an item and the listing unexpectedly
is shown as "invalid" you need to contact customer service with the exact GA listing number. If you do
not give us the exact GA listing number we will not be able to find out why the listing is showing as "invalid".
If you are a buyer and have paid for an item that is now "invalid" and you are having trouble with the
transaction please contact the seller. You should also view the Fraud/Scam section of this FAQs
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why do some listings appear without
sub-categories but when I create a listing I have to choose from sub-categories?
A. New listings must now select from the sub-categories if there are sub-categories to choose from. Some listings
(originally created before site changes in January) are not listed with sub-categories because they were
originally
listed at which time subcategories were not required. When a seller, who has a previous listing from the old system,
extends the listing (before it closes) it extends with the old category structure. If they allow the listing to
close and relist/renew they will also be required to choose from subcategories. These older listings will eventually
be removed from the system and updated.
Q. What are "Saved Listings"?
A. In your control panel
(My GunsAmerica) you will see a link for "Saved Listings" in the
index at left, under Selling. This is where you will find any
listing you created but did not actually post yet. You would have
clicked on the SAVE button instead of the POST button during listing
creation. You may have done this by mistake or on purpose (if you
wanted to finish later). You can edit/post a saved listing any time.
Q. What are "Saved Messages"?
A. Saved messages are
messages and text sellers can save for use as needed when you create
listings and/or use the GA messaging system. You can save messages
for replies to offers and questions and more. As you use the sytem,
you will see info icons for when Save Messages can be used.
Q. How does the Auto-responder
work?
A. If you will not be able
to reply to emails for any length of time you can set an
auto-responder to reply for you. This can be done for a long
weekend, ill health, vacation, or simply if you know you are going
to be too busy to reply to messages for a day or so.
While this feature can be very useful, it is
important that you don't leave your auto-responder "on" when you are
available, and (if you want to make deals) it is important you don't
use it for too long a period of time. If you can at all help it, be
especially careful not to use your auto-responder during a time when
you have Auctions or Offers Only listings about to expire.
For information about Creating, Editing, Modifying, and
Closing Listing:
See the FAQs index for the type of listing
(Classified, E-Z, Offers, Auction) you need to know about.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Misc. /
Other Topics
Q. Can you tell me how much my gun
(or other item) is worth?
A. At this time GunsAmerica does
not have a valuation service, however we will in the future. Until then we recommend you contact an FFL in your area or a local gun club. They may be able to help you or at least tell you who can.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Where can I get parts for
my gun?
A. Click on Browse Non Guns and
look for the appropriate category.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Where can I get a manual
for my gun?
A. Click on Browse Non Guns and
look for the appropriate category.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Can you recommend a reliable
FFL dealer in my area?
A. At this time we do not have a specific list of FFL Dealers we can
officially recommend, although we will be compiling such a list in the near
future.
For now we recommend you start with the FFL Dealer nearest you
through our searchable FFL dealer database. All FFL dealers in our
searchable database are members in good standing with GunsAmerica
(there are no GunsAmerica policy violations and their FFL license
has been checked with the ATF). Keep in mind if an FFL dealer has
broken the law their FFL license will be revoked. Please see the
Frauds/Scams section of this FAQs.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. What is GunsAmerica's Privacy
Policy?
A. Please click on this link
for our complete Privacy Policy.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Do you accept commercial
advertisements on GunsAmerica?
A. Please click on this link for information about advertising on GunsAmerica.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Membership
Q. Do I have to pay to be a GunsAmerica
member?
A. No. Becoming a
BASIC registered member is free.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. What are the benefits of
becoming a registered member?
A. All registered members can:
*
Contact sellers, buy, and bid.
*
List classified ads.
* Perform location-based & advanced searches.
* Enlarge thumbnail images to full size.
* Create customized Wishlists & Watchlists.
* Read and post on forums & blogs. (coming soon)
* Give and maintain buyer and seller feedback.
* Register as an FFL Dealer.
* Search the FFL Dealer database.
* View and search calendar information and events.
* Send offers and messages to other members.
* Access the Insider's Club. (coming soon)
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Is there more than one kind
of membership?
A. Yes, there's basic registration (free), Verified, Gold Buyer, Gold Seller, Gold Seller
Plus, and Trusted members. Please
visit the Fees page
for more information.
Q. How do I become a member?
A. Becoming a member is easy - all you need to do is register, and you'll be given the choice to pick the level
of membership that's right for you. And you can upgrade your membership at any time.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I upgrade my membership?
A. You can upgrade during registration OR from your Control Panel immediately after you register OR at any time
after that by clicking on My Membership Level, located at the top of every
page, by clicking on the My GunsAmerica section.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. My membership fee seems to high, who
can look into this for me?
A. The most common reason a member's fee may appear to be incorrect is either they did
not realize (or forgot) what membership they signed up for OR the member may be on one of the old membership fee
tiers (from before our change to the new website) that is no longer offered, therefore not listed in our current
membership information. In either case, if you have a question about your membership type or fee please contact
customer service. When you contact customer service be sure to identify yourself with your User ID (log in ID)
and email address you entered during registration.
FAQs Index Top of Page
NOTICES:
For information about Posting
Complete/Invoice Notices, FAILED CHARGES, and PAST DUE notices, see the
Invoice/Billing section of the FAQs.
MONTHLY ACCOUNT SUMMARY
Q. Why am I getting this? Is this an invoice?
Do I have to pay this?
A. We send Monthly Account Summaries to all Verified and Gold members. This summary may include information about
sales and listings (if you are a seller), information about your monthly membership fees (if you are a Gold member),
and/or it may contain important notices that ALL members need to read. There is no need to respond to this summary.
It is not an invoice. If there is an amount due you can consider it as an invoice "reminder".
FAQs Index Top of Page
Offers Made
BUYERS!
VIEW & RESPOND TO OFFERS & MESSAGES
KEEP TRACK OF BIDS & WINS
Our new Offers & Messaging system combined with our new control
panel makes it easy to organize and keep track of everything
regarding offers, purchases, and questions you've asked.
* Log in.
* Click on My
GunsAmerica.
* Hover over Buying
(in the menu at left), then click on My Buying.
*
Any offer you've made on Classifieds & Offers Only listings will be
there and any Winning Bids. (pending Auctions are listed separately)
FIND THE
STATUS OF AN OFFER
In My Buying you will see all offers you've made with their status.
No matter what the status, you can also check to see if the seller
sent you a message too.
Offer To Buy Made: is an offer you made on a Classified Ad
or Offers Only listing, and the seller has not yet responded.
Offered: is an offer you've made on a seller's store
inventory, and the seller has not yet responded
Bought: is an offer you've made, and the seller has accepted
you offer.
Under Consideration: is an offer you've made, and the seller
is taking it under consideration & most likely sent you a message or
question regarding your offer.
Rejected: the seller has rejected your offer, but may have
also sent you a message.
Offer from Seller: the seller has extended an offer to you,
to buy an item you inquired about (price may be lower).
VIEW
RELATED MESSAGES & MUCH MORE
No matter what the status, click on the Actions link (to the right
of the offer) to:
* "View messages" related to that
offer/item.
* Choose an FFL (if your offer was
accepted).
* Mark an item paid.
* Check to see if the seller marked an
item shipped.
* Leave feedback.
* Archive the item.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Offers Only Listings
> Offers Only listings can NOT be changed, modified, edited, altered, or ended early
without consequence.
> Deleting or closing an Offers Only listing, before it has run its course, without
permission from GunsAmerica, may result in a penalty fee or suspension of your account.
> Deleting an Offers Only listing 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 posted an Offers Only listing 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 offers.
> If you list an item in an Offers Only listing on GunsAmerica you are committing that
item to be available for the duration of the listing and you must make the item available to the winner of the
Offers Only listing.
> Sellers who make a habit out of ending Offers Only listings early, asking for changes,
or withdrawing the availability of an item in an Offers Only listing may incur penalty fees or suspension of their
account.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q.
How do I create an Offers Only listing?
A. Creating (posting) an Offers Only listing 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 Offers Only listing type.
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.
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, Offers Only listings can NOT be edited or modified
later. Offers Only listings 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 listing 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 OFFERS ONLY 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 Offers Only
listings 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!
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How does an Offers Only listing/ad
work?
A. An Offers Only ad allows you post an ad for sale where you are unsure of the price, or where there are potentially
special buyers out there who will pay a premium for your gun, yet you don't want to be forced to sell it to a "highest
bidder" as you would in an auction. You will get "offers" on your ad, which you
choose to accept or reject. You do NOT have to accept any offers and
you accept as many offers as you wish, BUT you must sell to the
highest of the offers when the listing comes to a close (similar to
an auction).
Advantages:
* You do not have to sell, as you would in an auction, unless you
accepted an offer.
* You can potentially get top dollar.
* Solid, serious, cash buyers will not feel alienated by a high and "wishful"
asking price.
* You can ignore offers below a threshold you set (similar to a reserve).
* You get to communicate with the potential buyer first, and sell to someone who's character
you prefer - a good feeling to have when dealing with firearms.
Disadvantages:
* There isn't as much compulsion to buy or sense of urgency as with an auction.
* Offers Only listings are a relatively new type of ad here at GunsAmerica (and in the
online selling world) and many people might not understand what it is all about at first.
* You could lose a buyer to someone selling with a classified ad, because the price is
up front and no need to take the time to "guess" (make an offer) at the price you are willing to sell.
* You might jump at the first good offer that comes your way and you'll never know if
you missed out on a better selling price.
*
Similar to auctions, you can NOT end an Offers Only listing/ad early.
* Once an Offers Only ad is posted you cannot make changes to the listing. Similar to
auctions, this is done to be fair to anyone who has made an offer or who might plan to make an offer.
Who Can Post:
Only Verified, Gold, and Trusted members can post an Offers Only ad.
Fees: Fees vary
depending on your membership level, what features you may choose.
See the FEEs page for details.
Who Can Contact & Buy:
Any registered member can contact you about an Offers Only ad, but you can
choose (when you create the listing) what membership level can
contact you and you can ignore any offer below a set
price.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I make changes to (edit) my Offers
Only ad?
A. You can NOT make changes to an Offers Only listing once it is posted. No exceptions!
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I want to change my Offers
Only to an Auction or Classified Ad. How do I do this?
A. You cannot do this while the
Offers Only listing is live/active because
Offers Only type listings cannot be modified.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I want to relist my
closed/ended Offers Only listing, but I want to change the listing type. How do I do
this?
A.
Choose to relist the item as you normally would, making sure to
click on the Change Category & Listing Type button before you post.
Q. How do I
report an item sold, after an Offers Only listing closes, if there was no
highest offer?
A. If your Offers Only listings did not sell to a highest offer, but you choose
to sell to an someone for a lesser price OR to someone who did not enter an
offer, you will need to relist the item as a Classified Ad.
FAQs Index Top of Page
For
more information see the
Managing Listings section
of this FAQs.
Photos
/ Images: What? How? Why?
Q. How do I upload photos to my ad?
A. When you're on the listing
creation page (the page where you ad your description and price, etc.) you will see five fields with "browse"
buttons to the right of each field. When you click on the browse button a new window will open (small) that you
use to navigate to the photo in your computer. Once you see that file in the window you want to upload, double
click on it. The entire "address" (location in your computer) for that photo will appear in the field
beside the browse button. It will most likely start with C:\My Documents or similar. Once you have browsed and
located all the photos you want for that listing click on upload.
Depending on your computer and your Internet connection
the upload can take several seconds to a minute or so. Sometimes, due to slow Internet connections, the process
of uploading can bog down your computer and it will "time out".
If you have trouble with "time outs", try uploading
and posting only one photo at a time.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I change or remove
photos from my ad?
A. Changing or
editing photos falls under the "edit" or "modify" category of
instructions. Click on the listing type (Classified, E-Z, Offers
Only, or Auction) in the FAQs for details.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. I'm having trouble uploading
images. Am I doing something wrong?
A. Please see the tips below.
If you still have trouble after following these tips and instructions, contact customer service with complete details
of exactly what you did when you had the problem and what you are seeing on your screen so we can further trouble
shoot.
* Be sure your Internet security is not on HIGH.
* Be sure you have cookies and JavaScript enabled.
* Close all other windows and programs on your PC.
* Use Internet Explorer or Mozilla to enter our website. Do NOT use AOL or Safari.
* Update your browser to the newest version. If you have not updated your browser in
2 years or more chances are it's an old version.
* If you are running Windows 95 this may be causing problems. Contact us for more help.
* Try to upload the images during a time when the fewest people are surfing the net -
NOT between 5 PM and 9 PM as this is when most day when most people get home and hop on the web.
* Make sure your images are smaller than 1.5 MB.
* Optimize your photos:
Most imaging software have optimization features. There are also free programs to be found on the Internet (you may
already have one) that can optimize images for faster loading. Look for the words "image optimization"
or similar in your current imaging program or Google it.
For example: http://www.netmechanic.com/products/accelerate.shtml (this link will open in a new window)
*
If you have a computer that is more than 3 years old or are on dial
up (slow ISP) you may need to upload & post one photo at a time so
as not to get a time out or error page.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why are some photos fuzzy
and unclear?
A. The quality of the photos
posted on GunsAmerica depends on the quality of the photos taken and uploaded by the seller as well as the quality
and settings of the computer you are viewing them on. Also, please keep in mind that thumbnail photos (the smaller
version you see before you enlarge) are compacted versions of the larger original photos. The action of compacting
the photo may make it appear a little distorted or fuzzy. This
distortion is sometimes temporary. Any distortion you see in the
thumbnails images will not
be seen once you enlarge the image.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. Why are the photos so
tiny?
A. The photos you
first see when you search our site or click through to a listing are
called "thumbnail" images. A thumbnail image is a miniature version
of an original, larger photo. Thumbnail images are commonly used on
the Internet for many reasons. On GunsAmerica the thumbnail photos
in the listings are about 80x80 pixels. That's about 1" square on
the typical computer screen. (pixel sizes can vary depending on your
monitor's resolutions settings)
We use these smaller thumbnail images for many reasons. One reason being
that if we displayed the largest photo available in each listing
there would be no room for much else on the page. Another reason
being that some sellers will upload humungous photos that can be up
to 3 feet wide ('gotta love those new digital cameras). This is
great because you can really see the detail of a gun with a photo
that large but these larger photos can take a lot of time to open
with slower ISPs and on older computers (sometimes several minutes).
Most visitors don't want to wait for these large images to open when
they're searching through listings so we offer thumbnails and
our thumbnail viewer for speed and convenience. Our thumbnail viewer
allows you to open a larger version of the thumbnails as well as
open the largest version available - the original photo uploaded by
the seller.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q. How do I enlarge the tiny
(thumbnail) photos? How do I use the thumbnail viewer?
A. To enlarge thumbnail photos all you need to do is
click on the photo. This brings up our thumbnail viewer. You must be
logged in to do this.
When you click on a thumbnail photo it will open the
GunsAmerica thumbnail viewer in the center of your screen,
enlarging the tiny 80x80 pixel thumbnail photo you clicked on to
640x480 pixels.
That's about 8" wide on the typical computer screen.
(Keeping in mind, if the seller only uploaded a 5" wide photo
the image displayed will not be 8" wide)
If the seller uploaded more than one photo the thumbnail
viewer will allow you to quickly switch from one photo to another in
the larger 8" window.
To view the largest size available for any photo; the original size uploaded by the seller (whether it be
5
inches wide or 3 feet wide) just click on the larger image in the
thumbnail viewer. The original photo uploaded by the seller will
open in a new browser window. Again, keep in mind, the size and quality of
the photo can only be as good as the photo uploaded by the seller
and may also depend on your computer and monitor; the quality & age
of your computer's graphics card, the quality and size of your
monitor, and your monitor's resolution settings.
Below is a link to a demonstration listing with an example
of how large a photo can be. Depending on what size photo the seller
uploaded, you will be able to view three sizes of the photo.
GA Demonstration Listing # 976900671
(this link will open in a new window)
THUMBNAIL PHOTO:
This is a mini version of the
seller's original photo
(80x80 pixels, about 1" wide). These thumbnails are used in a listing so
as not to take up too much room on the listing page.
THUMBNAIL VIEWER:
This is what you see when you log in and click on any thumbnail photo. This
brings up the GunsAmerica thumbnail viewer. The viewer allows you to
view larger versions of the thumbnails in a listing and quickly
switch from one thumbnail to the next (in listings that have
multiple images). The largest size you can see in the thumbnail
viewer will fill the viewer completely (640x480 pixels, about 8"
wide). Of
course the larger image can only be this size if the original image
uploaded by the seller was at least this size or larger. Remember,
you must be logged in to use the thumbnail viewer. If are logged in
and you cannot view the larger image in the thumbnail viewer see the
next question below; Why can't I enlarge the thumbnail photos?
ORIGINAL / LARGEST SIZE:
To view the original size uploaded by the seller (whether it
be 6 inches wide or 3 feet wide) just click on the larger image in
the thumbnail viewer. The original photo will open in a new browser
window.
In our demonstration listing the size of the original enlarged
photo is 2-4 times as large as a 17"
monitor (2576x1932 pixels). The photo is huge. You will need to
scroll up and down and side to side to see it all.
The photo is of a man holding a Striped Bass. The image
is so large, clear, and detailed you can count the scales on the fish. The photo was taken from about 6 feet away with a moderately
priced digital camera in regular mode. Imagine how detailed the photo could be if the photo was taken
with a better camera or in close-up
mode! This demonstration photo shows that clear, large images can be
viewed in GunsAmerica listings BUT only if the seller uploads a
clear, large photo.
GA Demonstration Listing # 976900671
If
you do not see a huge photo when you click on the
demonstration listing thumbnail, and then click on the larger image, it's because
your computer/monitor settings are keeping you from viewing
the larger photo, NOT because GunsAmerica photos are too small.
So, how do you change your settings so you can view the
larger photos on your computer? It's called allowing images to resize
(or image resizing) and the exact instructions can be different,
depending on your computer, your monitor, and your browser settings. Below are a few tips that may help you.
FAQs Index Top of Page
HOW TO ALLOW LARGER IMAGES IN
YOUR BROWSER:
No
matter what computer you are using, you need to DISABLE "automatic image resizing". What type of operating system you are using, your monitor quality and resolutions settings,
and what browser you are using can also affect image size and clarity. But you may be able to fix the problem by
just adjusting your browser settings.
Important Note: The instructions below are for general
informational and educational purposes only. GunsAmerica is not responsible for any changes you make to your PC,
monitor, or browser settings. If you are are not completely familiar with changing settings and/or if you are not
sure of what you are doing, we strongly suggest you ask a friend, family member, or professional for help. You
may want to contact the company you purchased your computer from or your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for help.
Internet Explorer
* Open IE browser.
* Click on Tools.
* Click on Internet Options.
* Click on the Advanced Tab.
* Scroll down until you see the Multimedia heading.
* Under the Browsing heading, uncheck the box which states "enable automatic image
resizing" or similar wording.
* Click on Apply, then click on OK.
Firefox
* Open Firefox browser.
* Click on Tools.
* Click on Options.
* Click on the General Tab (most likely shown by default already).
* Uncheck the box which states "resize large images to fit in the browser window"
or similar wording.
* Click on OK.
FAQs Index Top of Page
Q.
Why can't I enlarge the thumbnail photos?
A. The most common
reason why visitors to GunsAmerica cannot enlarge thumbnail photos
is because they are not logged in. Keep in mind you must be
registered to log in (basic registration is free and only takes a
few minutes). Please also make sure you have JavaScript enabled on
your computer. See the Technical Problems section of this FAQs.
But if you are logged in and still cannot enlarge thumbnails
the most common reason is if you are using a MAC with the Safari
browser. GunsAmerica members who use MACs report to us they have
trouble on many different sites when using Safari but have no
trouble with Firefox or Internet Explorer. Firefox is put out by
Mozilla and can be downloaded for free. Internet Explorer is also
free but downloads for MACs are no longer available. You may already
have a free version of Internet Explorer on your MAC.
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