FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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GENERAL

What is Upspring?

Upspring is a local directory that helps businesses use the Internet to acquire more customers easily and cost effectively. We make it easy and fast for businesses to promote online. We provide a space for businesses to express themselves, connect with other professionals and businesses, and promote their brands, products and services on the Internet, while improving visibility in search engines.

Businesses can create and manage their company profile, coupons, testimonials, customer emails, videos, and photo albums – all on Upspring. We give businesses complete control over their online business information.

Additionally, businesses can network with the community of professionals and businesses in their local area and nationwide. Businesses can create and join connection clubs, groups, and other local community forum, as a way to build relationships and generate leads.

If you're a retailer or manufacturer, Upspring can help you showcase your in-store products on the Web so people can find you and buy products from you. Our user-friendly tools make it super easy for businesses to create and manage their products.

Our mission is to help businesses convert online searches to offline sales.

Does Upspring serve outside of the Bay Area?

Upspring currently serves just the Bay Area market. We look forward to expanding our services to more cities in the near future. We hope our members will find the Upspring site useful and invite other businesses to join.

Is Upspring free?

Yes and no.

We offer a Free Basic Listing membership package. This free offer allows businesses to display their company profile, products and services, business hours, payment methods, professional certifications or credentials and other relevant information pertaining to their businesses.

You can upgrade your account by purchasing the Premium Listing or Storefront membership package, which comes with all of the features offered in the Free Basic Listing package plus more.

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ACCOUNT

Why should I register my business on Upspring?

Upspring provides you with the tools to promote your business and reach your target customers when they search for your products or services online. We offer a business social network platform that allows you to connect with your customers and business partners to build relationships, while generating leads.

You can start with the Free Basic Listing plan.

How do I register my business on Upspring?

Registering for an account is easy – and it's free! First, check to see if your business is already listed on Upspring. You can do this using Upspring search to locate your business. If you find your business, click on the "Claim your business" link and follow the simple steps to register your business, add/edit content, and make corrections to your listing.

Alternatively, you can register your business by clicking on the Register link located on the top right corner. Then lookup your business and claim it. Follow through the easy steps to get your business published.

If your business is not listed on Upspring, you can add a business.

My business or organization is not listed on Upspring, how do I add it?

Upspring currently displays over 290 listings in the Bay Area. If your business or organization is not listed on Upspring, you can add it for free. Click on the Add a Business link located in the footer. Fill the Add a Business form.

To protect the ownership of the listing and ensure the integrity of our directory, we require that all free members do one of the following:

Enter an invitation code. If you receive an invitation code from one of Upspring's current members, enter it on the form.
Upload a file such as a business license, business card, utility bill, etc. – the file must show the listing address. This allows us to certify you as the owner, an executive member or staff of the business/organization of the listing you are claiming. The Upspring team will review your submission and notify you via email upon approval.

It may take up to two (2) weeks for us to review your submission and respond to you. All files will be used for review purposes only and will not be shared with any third party. The file must be less than 2MB and can be in any of the following formats: jpeg, gif, png, doc, pdf.

I've forgotten my password? How can I retrieve it?

Click here, enter your email address, and we will email you a link so you can activate a new password.

How do I change my email address?

To change your email address, simply:

Log in to your account,
Go to the Account Management menu on the right sidebar. Select the "Change Login Email" link.
Enter your new email address in the field provided.
Hit the Update button.

How do I upgrade my plan?

Upgrading your membership to Premium Listing or Storefront plan allows you to do more on Upspring and get more benefits. Follow the steps below to upgrade your membership:

Log in to your account,
Select the Account Management menu on the right sidebar. Click on the "Upgrade Account" link.
Select a plan to upgrade and the number of months.
Hit the green Upgrade button
Next, if you (have) a promotion code, enter it in the field provided. Then click on the Google Checkout button. You will be transferred to the Google Checkout page to make a payment.

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PROFILE

How do I add/edit my business address, phone number, or web site address?

In order to edit your business information, you need to have an Upspring account. If you don't have one, claim your business now. After you register your business, follow the simple steps below to edit your basic business information:

Log in to your account,
Select the Business Profile menu on the right sidebar. Select the "Basic" link.
Click on the green Edit button. Complete all * required fields. Here you can select a photo (i.e. your company's logo) to be displayed next to your address on your Upspring site. You can add your company's URL on Upspring for free.
Hit the Save button.

Note: When you submit your business information, we post it immediately on the web. You can edit it anytime.

Am I required to have a web site?

No, you are not required to maintain a web site. When you register your business with us, we allow you to create your own unique subdomain (example: your-company-name.upspring.com), which can be used as your main web site.

How do I profile my company, products or services?

Upspring is all about helping businesses increase exposure online and get more customers. We allow you to profile your company, products or services, giving you the opportunity to express yourself and tell others about your business – you can write just about anything you want. The more details you provide, the more likely your business will be found in search engines like Google, MSN or Yahoo. To add/edit your detailed profile, follow the simple steps below:

Log in to your account
Select the Business Profile menu on the right sidebar. Select the "Details" link.
Click on the pen:. Enter the description of your business, products, services, etc., using the WYSWYG editor.
Hit the Save button.

Voila, you have just completed editing the Detailed Profile of your company and it will be displayed immediately.

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COUPONS AND PROMOTIONS

What are coupons and how can I benefit from creating coupons?

Upspring coupons and promotions are designed for you to attract customers to your business. Upspring Coupons are a great way to promote your products or services. You can create coupons to reward loyal customers, move overstocked items or simply just give your customers a reason to do business with you.

You need to be a Premium or Storefront member in order to create coupons.

How can I add a coupon?

Adding a coupon is quick and easy. Follow the simple steps below (complete all * required fields):

After logging in, select Coupons & Promotions and click on the Create a Coupon link
Add a category pertaining to your coupon. You can add up to two (2) categories.
Add a coupon headline. You can choose one of the common coupon headlines or enter your own headline description.
Enter a coupon description or details about the promotions.
Select a publication date for your coupon by selecting a coupon "Start Date" in the calendar window or enter it in the entry field.
Enter an expiration date for your coupon.
Click Save to save your coupon design. If you are ready to publish it, click Publish and your coupon will be displayed on your Upspring site. You can always edit the coupon anytime.

Complete all * required fields.

How can I edit a coupon?

You can edit any coupon that has been saved. However, once the coupon or promotion is published, you cannot edit it. You can delete a coupon anytime, and create a new one.

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TESTIMONIALS

What are testimonials?

Testimonials are customer reviews. We allow you to tell people how your customers feel about your company, products and services. Whether you receive the testimonials verbally or in writing, you can share them with the Upspring community.

We give you complete control over the display of testimonials.

You need to be a Premium or Storefront member in order to create and manage testimonials.

How can I add a testimonial?

Adding a testimonial is quick and easy. You can enter in your customer testimonials manually using the Create a Testimonial form. After logging in, select Testimonials menu, then click on "Create a Testimonial" link. Enter the testimonial subject and description.

Customers who visit your Upspring site can give you a testimonial by filling out the Contact Us form and submitting it. You will then receive the testimonial message in your Inbox. You can move the testimonial from your Inbox to your testimonial list. If you choose to display the testimonials publicly, you can change the testimonial's status to "publish".

How can I edit a testimonial?

It's super simple to manage your testimonials. After logging in, select Testimonials menu, click on Manage Testimonials.

Here you can edit the testimonial description. You may also delete any testimonials. We give you the option to move the testimonials back to your Message Inbox queue.

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GROUPS

What are groups and how can a business benefit from them?

We created groups to help businesses get more out of their business community. Business can come together to make connections using groups that you and others create. You can ask for business advice, provide support, or share leads with others in the business community. Joining groups of common interests is a great way to network, and build relationships that lead to potential business opportunities.

How do I join a group?

Like other features on Upspring, joining groups is easy. You must be an Upspring registered member to join groups. Here's how to join a group:

Log in to your account
Under the Groups menu, select the "Active Groups" link. You may select the "Search Groups" link.
Locate a group that interests you and select it
On the Main tap of the group page, click on Join this Group! button. If it is a private group, you will need to get approval from the moderator in order to join. You may be required to answer question(s) prepared by the group moderator.

Any Upspring member can join groups.

What is the difference a private and public group?

Upspring Groups are designed with the users in mind. You can create a private or public group. There are two types of private groups: a private group where all Upspring members can view the posts and images; and another private group in which the posts and images are viewable only by members within the group. With private groups, people outside of the Upspring community cannot view the posts or images.

With public groups, all posts, images, and member listings are viewable by the public. Public groups get maximum exposure.

How do I start a group?

Here's how to start a group:

Log in to your account
Click on the Start a Group link
Enter the City, State and Zip and click next. If you create a group in a city that already has active groups, you will see the Similar Groups page. You may join the group of similar interests or create a new one. If you can't find a group that falls in the same category or interest, click next.
Enter a group name, select an industry related to your group, enter the tags (keywords) that best describe your group, and enter the brief description of your group.
Set the privacy for your group. You may create a question in which the potential members need to answer before joining.

Voila, you have just created a group.

Note: Only Upspring's Premium or Storefront members can create groups.

How do I edit a group?

Editing your group details is easy. Here's how:

Log in to your account
Select Groups menu and click on the "My Groups" link
Locate your group in which you want to edit and click on its name. (note: the group that you created will be displayed as "organizer" under group type.)
Click on the pen ( ) to edit the content.

What are products?

If you're a retailer or manufacturer, Upspring is for you. We provide a platform for retailers and manufacturers to showcase their products and get discovered by people who are actively shopping online for their products.

We provide spaces for you to display your products and product information including prices, product photos, product codes, descriptions, and availability status. Each product will have its own page. Your business/store information will be showcased online and on popular search engines like Google and Yahoo.

The founder of the company has founded and managed a retail store so he knows how difficult (and expensive) it is to get customers to visit a retail store. Upspring tries to make it easier and inexpensive for retailers and manufacturers to promote their products, drive traffic to the store and increase in-store sales.

Upspring Products is easy-to-use and simple-to-manage -- it takes just a few clicks to post hundreds of products on our web site. Upspring Products is a paid feature as a part of the Storefront membership package.

What are the benefits of listing my products on Upspring Storefronts?

We design Upspring Products platform with one mission: getting your products in front of the people who are shopping online and driving offline sales.

Benefits include:

Target customers who are actively searching online for their products;
Increase exposure in search engines, including Google and Yahoo, and convert online searches into offline sales;
No online credit card system is required. Customers find your products on our web site; call you or make a pick-up reservation, and then visit your store to purchase;
Generate leads through word-of-mouth referrals among the professionals and businesses in the Upspring community; and
Display up to 500 products for only $49.98. That's a fraction of the advertising cost in the local newspapers.

Storefront members enjoy all of the features available in Free Basic Listing and Premium Listing memberships.

Do I need an online store or web site to use your service?

No, you do not need to have an online store to use our service. Upspring Storefronts is designed for retailers with physical store location. We offer you a platform to create your own online store front and showcase your products online. We drive traffic directly to your store.

How do I upload the products?

Uploading your products is easy. You can enter the product information using our single product form or upload your entire product lists using .CSV spreadsheet onto Upspring Storefront.

» Here's how to enter each product manually:

Log in to your Storefront account
Go to the Products menu on the right sidebar. Select the "Add Product" link
Enter the product name
Select up to two (2) categories related to your product
Select a photo for your product. It helps to visualize what you're selling.
Enter the availability status of your product
Enter the product features and descriptions
Enter the pick-up hours and location information. Your pickup is pre-populated by default, but you can change it.

» Here's how to upload your products using .CSV spreadsheet:

Log in to your Storefront account
Go to the Products menu on the right sidebar. Select the "Add from CSV" link
Click on the Browse button and locate your .CSV product spreadsheet on your local drive.
Click Upload

You can upload 300 or 500 products using the CSV spreadsheet in as little as two (2) minutes.

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TAGS

What is a tag (or tagging)?

A tag is a label based on a keyword or category that is used to help people find businesses on the Upspring site faster and easier. By classifying or tagging the business, you are able to group the businesses into predefined categories for future recall.

In the coming weeks, we will launch new tag features that make searching on Upspring easier and faster, and we're excited to share them with you.

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