General
- How do I get started?
It's easy. Make sure you have an account with TheHoopla.com, and you're logged in. Then, from your home screen, click to create an "Online Store." Follow the on-screen instructions, and you're done!
- Do I need a merchant account?
Nope, you don't need a merchant account to start accepting transactions on your online store, but you will need at least a PayPal account. If you have a merchant account, you can use it to accept payments over your merchant's account payment gateway. And we can help you get a merchant account, too. Otherwise, your store will use PayPal by default.
- What payment gateways are supported?
Currently, we support Authorize.net and FirstData merchant accounts. Support for other payment gateways is coming soon.
- Do I need an SSL certificate?
If you publish your store on your own website, yes, you'll need an SSL Certificate. If your store is published on TheHoopla.com, you won't need an SSL Certificate.
Design
- How can I customize the design of my store?
Take advantage of TheHoopla.com's design tools to completely customize the look of your store. Select a template, or create your own.
- Will my store look good on mobile devices?
Yes! When someone visits your store via a mobile device, they will automatically see a mobile version, optimized for their screen.
- Can you help me design my site?
Products
- How many products can I post?
There's no limit. You can post as many products as you want.
- Can I post multiple photos for each product?
Yes! You can post an unlimited number of photos for each product.
- How do I organize my products into categories?
When you are uploading your products, there is a box that you fill out with each category. If a new product falls into a new category, just add the new category to the list.
- Is inventory tracking supported?
Yes! If you'd like to keep track of a given product's inventory so it's hidden when your supply is depleted, click the "Track Inventory" option in the product's settings.
- Can I use Amazon Fulfillment?
- Can I use Amazon Flexible Payments Service (FPS)?
- Is there a fee per transaction?
Nope. TheHoopla.com charges no transaction fee. (You may, however, incur transaction fees from your merchant or PayPal account).
- Can I sell digital products, like e-books?
Yes! When you insert a product, select "This is a digital product" and upload the file you are selling (PDF, MP3, etc.) Then, when customers purchase the product, they will be given a unique link to download the product -- and the link will expire in 24 hours.
- Can I use my store to accept donations?
Yes! When entering a new product, click "This is a donation request." Your store customers will be able to enter a donation amount -- any amount -- and complete the donation using your online checkout page.
Payments
- When do I receive payment?
It depends on your merchant account. No funds are processed by TheHoopla.com -- only the transaction data. We send the data to your selected payment gateway securely and in real-time, where it is processed if approved, or ignored if denied.
- How do I issue a refund?
It depends on your merchant account -- all refunds will need to be placed through them. If you're using PayPal (the default option), you can login to your PayPal account to issue the refund. It's a similar process with Authorize.net.
Reports
- How can I view my sales reports?
Login to your Hoopla account, and click your online store. Once there, you have access to your sales reports, your website stats, and more. And you can download your reports as CSV format for use in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel.
- How can I download my sales reports?
You can download your reports in CSV format, for use in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel. Simply login to your account and click your online store.
