NotAProblem

FAQs

• Useful Information About NotAProblem.com
• Login & Password
• Pricing & Payment
• Registration
• Referring Others
• User Ratings
• Privacy & Security
• Closing My Account
• Miscellaneous

Useful Information About NotAProblem.com

Q: What is NotAProblem?

NotAProblem is an online service that helps Buyers quickly and easily identify and do business with trusted Service Providers without having to hunt those Service Providers down. Our system helps Buyers alert Service Providers to their needs, select the best Provider, and get the work done in a safe, escrow protected, payment environment.

Q: What makes NotAProblem special?

We offer a service you won't find anywhere else. In the traditional advertising world your ability to find Service Providers is limited by the amount of money they are able to spend money on advertising (like placing an ad in the yellow pages or running radio spots). We, however, allow them to advertise for free, charging them a modest fee only when you pay them for their work. Since advertising is free, this encourages more Service Providers to join NotAProblem.com, list their services, and thus provides you, as Buyer, access to potentially many more Providers from which to choose. At NotAProblem.com everyone wins!

Q: Do I need an account to use NotAProblem?

Absolutely not! The ability to search for Service Providers or Project Requests is free to all visitors. It works very much like a traditional yellow page website. Simply enter a word representing the service of interest and press "Search".

Q: Why would I want an account?

Accounts allow you access to enhanced services, including the ability to enter into transactions with Service Providers or Buyers. If you're a logged in Buyer, you have the added ability to submit various Project Requests (Work Requests). If you're a logged in Service Provider, we allow you to submit Deals to our site. Deals are specials you are offering for your services (perhaps a percentage off). Again, all of this is included in your free subscription.

Q: To establish an account what do I do?

Select "Sign Up!" and you're on your way. If you're a Buyer, provide a login, password, and a contact e-mail. If you're a Service Provider, we will need a little more information (including a valid credit card). Although as a Provider you may have chosen to sign up for our free account, we require a credit card to check your card for validity.

Q: Why is the service only available in Hawaii?

If NotAProblem were a ship we would say this is her inaugural voyage. Since we are based in Hawaii, and understand the local business community and its needs better than we do other parts of the world, we've decided it makes sense to launch here. It gives us a chance to make sure we're delivering the features you want and need in a controlled environment. In essence, you can think of yourself as playing an important part in a market and product test (for which we thank you!).

Login & Password

Q: I forgot my login or password, can you tell me what it is?

Unfortunately, if you forget your login, it is lost for good. For security reasons, NotAProblem does not store this information on file. When it comes to your password, we can (and will gladly) generate a new one and e-mail it to you. Believe it or not, even we don't know your password! NotAProblem stores your password and other pieces of critical information in an encrypted format. Once you receive the e-mail from us with your temporary password, you can then access the "Details" tab within the My Account area and change your password to whatever you'd like. Just click on Forgot Password and enter your login and e-mail address. We'll have you using the system again in no time. And please, don't worry - we won't let anyone who can't supply appropriate Account information change your password!
If you need more information or a little extra help please contact us.

Q: How do I change my password?

Visit the My Account section, click on the "Details" tab, and follow the simple steps.

Pricing & Payment

Q: What is the cost to join?

Membership for Buyers (and Service Providers) is absolutely free!

Q: Why do some features require "verification" and ask for a credit card?

For some activities, a credit card authorization will be required to authenticate your identity, but no charge will be made to your account until you enter into a transaction. NotAProblem only accepts credit cards with a valid US billing address.

Q: As a Buyer, when will my credit card be charged?

A Buyer's credit card will be charged once they have agreed to work with a particular Service Provider. NotAProblem will charge your card (only for the amount you agreed to pay the Provider) and hold it in escrow. Once both you and the Service Provider agree the work is complete and are both satisfied, then, and only then is the money transferred to the Provider who completed your job.

Q: As a Service Provider, how will my credit card be used.

All providers will use their credit card as a way to receive payment from NotAProblem on the behalf of the Buyer. In order to make sure both parties are happy with the agreed to business transaction, NotAProblem holds the money from the Buyer in escrow until after the Buyer and Service Provider both acknowlege that the work is satisfactorily complete. As part of our role in this escrow process, NotAProblem will charge a fee between 7% and 15% from the Provider. This fee is dependent on the Service Provider's reputation rating (the higher the reputation rating, the lower the fee). If, as a Provider, you have opted to go with a subscription that requires payment, your credit card will also be charged. However, if you have opted to join our free business plan, your card will not be charged to login to our site.

Q: What credit cards does NotAProblem accept?

NotAProblem.com accepts the following major credit cards at this time:

• Master Card
• Visa

Q: Why isn't my credit card information being accepted when I enter it?

We find the problem is usually related to something simple, like a mistyped credit card number, but other causes we've encountered include:

• A billing address which doesn't match the credit card account
• An incorrect or invalid credit card number
• An expired credit card
• An account which is over its credit limit

First, try re-entering the account information. If that doesn't work, consider using a different credit card. If you're still experiencing problems, please feel free to contact us.

Registration

Q: Do I need any special setup to use NotAProblem?

NotAProblem makes use of JavaScript and cookies to improve site security and enhance your user experience. Disabling these functions through your browser may cause pages to format incorrectly and could block use of some of NotAProblem's features completely.

Q: After registering, why can't I access my Account?

At the end of registration we send an email message which both welcomes you to NotAProblem and provides information you'll need to authenticate your Account. Follow the instructions provided to compete your registration and activate your account.

If you don't see it in your inbox check your bulk or junk mail folder. Some email systems consider messages received for any new address as unwanted. If it's there, simply move it to your inbox and follow the instructions it includes. You'll also want to add the NotAProblem.com domain name to your "whitelist" of senders so you don't have similar problems receiving important account information from us in the future. If you're still experiencing problems, please feel free to contact us.

Q: Why, when I entered my e-mail address, did I receive an error message indicating my address was already registered?

NotAProblem uses email addresses as unique Account identifiers, therefore no two Accounts can have the same email address. First, make sure you typed your address correctly. If you did then perhaps you already have an account and need to request your password. If you're still experiencing problems, please feel free to contact us.

Referring Others

Q: I have friends and family who would really benefit from NotAProblem, how can I easily share the news?

We're excited that you find our service so useful. Simply refer a friend to send as many invitations to join as you'd like.

Q: Can I refer both Buyers and Service Providers?

You can refer as many of either as you'd like!

User Ratings

Q: What is the NotAProblem rating system and how does it work?

At the end of a business transaction, but before payments are distributed from escrow, both Buyers and Service Providers are asked to rate one another. We do it this way out of a belief that only the parties to a financial transaction can provide truly useful rating information. Each are asked a series of questions such as "How was the quality of the Service Provider's work" or "Was the Buyer easy to deal with?". We then, through an amazingly complex mathematical process, weigh the results such that you can compare one to another. These scores appear on a Buyer's and a Service Provider's profiles as an indication of the Members who raters believe can be trusted.

Q: Can anyone just visiting NotAProblem leave a rating for me?

Absolutely not! Only those members with whom you have completed a transaction can rate your performance. It is our experience that most ratings of this type are balanced because, remember, you get to rate them too!

Q: Do ratings remain on a members profile forever?

They do, but they also change over time. Part of our "secret rating sauce" involves aging the ratings as time passes (a more recent rating is of greater value than one in the past). We also take into account which members rate everyone highly and which consider everyone as average. Part of the equation considers each rater's "style" when computing the final score. It's very sophisticated mathematical stuff...

Q: What if someone rates me unfairly?

Each transaction requires ratings before they are marked "completed" and payments are distributed. During the following seven (7) days each party to the transaction has an opportunity to respond to what the other may have left as feedback. We do this so everyone is allowed a "last say", if you will – either bad or (in most cases) good.

Q: Can I change a rating I have already submitted?

Not without (nearly) an act of congress. We take ratings very seriously, and want our members to do likewise. We don't allow changes unless a circumstance warrants such an action (and they have to be very compelling to even be considered). If, however, comments left are deemed clearly inappropriate we reserve the right to intervene at our sole discretion.

Q: What do the rating scores mean?

NotAProblem uses the numbers 0 to 4 to rate members (carried to one decimal place). The higher the number the better the rating. A Service Provider will be rated on price (how expense they are), quality (the quality of their work), value (a comparision between the cost of a Provider and the quality of work received by a Buyer), and satisfaction. Then, all four ratings are used to calculate a Provider's overall reputation (illustrated using four stars). Again,the more stars, the better the rating. A Buyer will be rated on payment (how quick and efficient they pay), conduct, and communication (how well they conveyed their project to a Service Provider). The same rating numbers (from 0 to 4) will be used. The average of all three scores will be used to represent their overall reputation as a fraction of four stars (the more stars, the better the rating).

Privacy & Security

Q: How are my privacy and anonymity protected?

We respect your privacy, and will keep your contact information confidential. Service Provider information is public for all to see, but Buyer's information is not. Only you (as Buyer) control when you make your real identity known and to whom. When you contact a Service Provider we use your member name, not your real name. If you agree to enter into a transaction it is up to you to tell them who you are and how you'd like to be contacted. Communication within all NotAProblem areas remains protected. Even electronic communication from members to members goes through a single-blind message system.

Q: Is my personal information safe?

Yes! We employ a wide range of security measures to ensure that your confidential and financial information remains protected.

Closing My Account

Q: How do I close my account?

To close your account, sign in, go to the My Account section, and click on the "Finances" tab. From here, click on the appropriate link to close your account. Please remember, if you do decide to close your account, all of your data is eliminated from our database and can't be retrieved. If, however, you could ever see yourself needing our service again in the future then you may want to leave it active. That way it will be there when you need it and you won't have to repeat the account setup steps.

Q: Can I reinstate my account later?

We're sorry, but once you close your account it cannot be reinstated. When you elect to rejoin you'll need to create a new account and will not be able to reuse the same login.

Q: What happens to my profile if I close my account?

Upon account closure your profile is immediately hidden from other members. Those with whom you have started a business arrangement through NotAProblem will (out of necessity) be made aware of your closed status. Those with whom you previously completed a transaction will continue to see related information. Any ratings you have earned are erased when the account is closed.

Miscellaneous

Q: Why does the site seem to be responding slowly?

Sometimes the Internet gets a bit congested, or occasionally we may be experiencing a surge of member activity. Either way if your difficulties continue please contact us, and we'll be happy to help.

Q: What do I do if I received an error message that I don't understand?

Providing a reliable Internet based service is a very complex challenge. Even we occasionally fail to anticipate every contingency. If you're having a problem and can't figure out what to do to solve it you can always contact us and we'll be glad to assist you.