How do I delete stores?
You have two options.
1) Simply delete them from your master spreadsheet file, and re-upload (the master spreadsheet is the file containing your store information - names, addresses etc).
2) Use the Quick Delete option.
How do I add or edit stores?
You basically have two options:
1) Add them to your master spreadsheet (or edit existing ones), and re-upload via the Upload page.
2) Use the "Quick Add" or "Quick Edit" functions.
My store is not appearing in the search results - why?
The most likely reason is that the address for the location was not complete enough to accurately geocode it (i.e. place it on the map). In the majority of such cases this is caused by incomplete address information in the spreadsheet. See the
tips for geocoding for more information.
Can I change the default red icon shown on the map?
Yes - log in to your account, go to "Configure", select the "Results page" tab, and upload a custom icon (PNG or JPG format). There are lots of free icons on the web. An excellent source of map icons is the
Map Icons collection run by Nicolas Mollet.
Help! I can't find my master spreadsheet. Can I download a copy of the data stored on Blipstar?
You certainly can. Sign in to your account, go to "Manage account" and choose the Download as CSV option (the resulting file can be imported into Excel).
Can I have a simple text only store locator without a map?
Yes - log in to your account, go to "Configure" and set the Text only store locator option to "Yes" (it's under the "Basic" tab).
Which countries does Blipstar Plus support?
Lots - basically if a country is mapped by Google Maps then your store locator can include locations within that country. See a list of currently
supported countries.
Which web browsers work with Blipstar Plus?
Basically all modern web browsers. See a list of currently
supported browsers for details. IE6? Forget it!
Can I add my own search bar which then calls Blipstar and displays the results on a map?
Yes. Take a look at this
tutorial for inspiration.
How do I change the various pieces of text (e.g. Find your nearest store...) in the store locator?
Sign in to your account, go to "Configure", then click the "Captions text" tab - you can edit all the text labels there, in any language you want.
Can my store locator use a different language (e.g. Spanish, French, German...)?
Sort of (but you'll need a separate store locator account for each language). To set all the text in the language of your choice sign in to your account, go to "Configure", click the "Captions text" tab and edit all the text labels there. Blipstar Plus supports UTF-8 encoding so it should be able to support pretty much any language you can think of.
Does it work with cell phones, smartphones and tablets?
Yes - see
info on mobile devices.
How do you get a store locator inside Facebook?
With Blipstar Plus it's easy. See the
Facebook store locator tutorial.
Why does the order of results change randomly for some searches?
When the user enters a placename into the search field (e.g. a city) rather than a precise address or postal code, the order of results might change. The reason for this is that Blipstar Plus takes into account the size of the geographic area searched for, and treats all locations within it equally (and randomly orders results within that area). If it didn't then store locations that happen to be near the geographic center point of the city would have an unfair advantage in that they will always appear first. This behaviour can be turned off in the Configure>Results page by setting "Mix results within search area" to No.
Can I remove the Powered by Blipstar link?
Yes (if you have more than 25 locations). You can change the setting at Configure > Advanced.
Can I install Blipstar Plus on my own server?
No. For that check out (the imaginatively named)
Blipstar Server.
How do I upgrade my account?
Log in to your account, click the "Upgrade" button, fill in the small form and click "Upgrade your account". An invoice will be emailed automatically.
How do I renew my account?
Log in to your account, click the "Renew" button, and then the "Confirm renewal" button. An invoice will be emailed automatically. From this page you can also set your account to auto-renew.
Can I use Blipstar as an app for finding things other than stores?
Yes - you can use Blipstar Plus to create all manner of "Find your nearest..." geolocation tools. If you sell products via a number of retailers or outlets, it's ideal as a way for your customers to find their nearest stockist. Or restaurants, clubs, libraries, churches, sales-persons etc etc. Check out this
ideas page for some inspiration.
How much does Blipstar Plus cost?
It depends on the number of stores you want to have. Check out the
price list.
How do I cancel my account?
You don't need to do anything or actively "opt out". Just stop using your account/store locator and ignore the renewal reminder to let the account expire. Please note subscription fees are non-refundable unless it is within 30 days of upgrading the account in which case you can get a full refund.
If I sign up will I get bombarded with emails?
No. Blipstar never do mass mailing or newsletters or give your email address to anyone else. We know how annoying it can be. The only thing we'll do is email you if your account is due for renewal or closed.
If I create a free account, am I obliged to upgrade?
Not at all.
The free version is not ad-supported - how does it make money?
It doesn't. If you have less than 25 locations then it's free to use Blipstar Plus - and the great thing is this version is fully-functioning with no annoying ads (bar a subtle link to Blipstar Plus itself). Our hope is that people will see what a great store finder it is, tell their friends, and perhaps upgrade later on - the so-called Freemium model.
How are you able to undercut your competitors?
Alas there's no magic formula but the service is so competitively priced for two main reasons.
- 1. Costs are kept low and the savings passed on to you
- 2. We're not greedy - providing a great product whilst still paying the bills is the basic approach
How long has Blipstar been running?
Since the summer of 2006.
How do I make a subscription payment?
Just go to the secure
payment page and follow the instructions. Blipstar uses PayPal which is fast, safe and secure. You can even use a credit card without having a PayPal account!
Can I set my account to renew automatically?
Yes. Just go to
Renew and set the auto-renew option to Yes.
