Frequently asked questions:
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| Have a question not seen here? Contact us. |
How Much does Ringfo cost?Ringfo is free to use. Your phone provider may charge you for minutes used, but we do not charge anything extra. The toll-free number is good anywhere in the US. The local (617) number is in Massachussetts. |
How do you make money, then?We make a small commission whenever you click though your wishlist and make a purchase at one of our affiliates such as amazon.com. This comission comes our of their pocket, not yours, so you are sure to always get the best price.Besides, money isn't everything. Right? |
How Do I use Ringfo?Simply call the toll-free number and follow the directions. For a detailed step-by-step tutorial, see our tutorial page. |
Isn't this hurting the independent shops?Sadly, fewer and fewer independent bookstores and record shops exist today. This is due, in part, to big-box chains such as Barnes and Noble, Virgin, but also due to the Internet and sites like amazon.com. We support our local merchants, and encourage you to do so as well. We believe Ringfo encourages people to buy in their local shops just as much as it encourages them to shop online. Most of our users shop online already, and know they can usually find a lower price online. Ringfo allows them to see how competitive the local shop is, and decide if it's worth it to them to have it in their hands right away.Some of our users also use Ringfo to purchase low-cost books and cds in their local shops, then sell them for a profit online. As a result, more people buy from local shops because of Ringfo. We know some of you will disagree with us, and we welcome your comments. Please let us know what you think. |
Where does Ringfo get its information?Currently, all product data comes from Amazon.com via the Amazon API. However, we are constantly enhancing Ringfo and hope to offer relevant information from other sources. Stay tuned! |
Why does the price given on the phone differ from that on my wishlist?Ringfo gives you the best information it has at the time. If a price changes, the new price will be reflected in your wishlist, and if you call again you will hear the new price. For example, the best used price for a CD may be $2.99 when you call Ringfo, but when you return to your wishlist that offer has sold. In this case, the next lowest price will be shown in your wishlist. Ringfo updates all its product information nightly, so you're sure to have up-to-date prices. |
Can I use Ringfo from my home phone?Ringfo works from any phone in the USA, via the 617-area number. If you are calling from outside the United States, dial the US country code (1) followed by the 617 number. Remember, however, all prices are given in US dollars, so callers from other countries may not find the price info that useful. The language used is US English, so non-English speakers may have trouble using the service.We are looking to expand Ringfo into other countries in the future. If you are interested in Rinfo outside the United States, let us know. |
I called Ringfo, but the website doesn't recognize my phone number.Ringfo uses ANI to identify the caller's phone number. ANI does not always correctly identify the caller, for reasons out of our control. If you are blocking caller ID, try turning it off before calling Ringfo. If you call from outside the US or from inside the US using a foreign mobile phone, your call may be re-routed through a US-based number. In this case, you will not be able to see your wishlist either. We are working to resolve these issues, so please bear with us. We believe few of our users will be affected by this issue, so feel free to contact us if you're having trouble. |
How can I share my wishlist?You can share your wishlist with friends to let them know what items you are interested in. From your wishlist page, copy the URL from your browser's address bar, and send it to your friends. If you use RSS, you can tell your friends to subscribe to a RSS feed of your wishlist. Follow the directions on the RSS question. |
I called, but there was no answer.Ringfo may occasionally experience outages. We do our best to minimize downtime, but sometimes it may occur. Ringfo supports two simultaneous calls -- if both lines are in use when you call, you may get no answer or a busy signal. If this occurs, try calling again in a few minutes. |
Can I get my wishlist in RSS?Ringfo supports RSS (Real Simple Syndication) for your wishlist. Simply click on the RSS button on your wishlist page. We use and recommend Bloglines for RSS. |
Ringfo couldn't find the product I entered.Not every product will be recorded in our database. Only those products offered by our data services (such as Amazon.com) will be accessible via Ringfo. Be sure you entered the ISBN or UPC number correctly; a mistake in entering the number may cause Ringfo to return the wrong product or none at all. |
Are shipping costs included in the price?Shipping prices vary from vendor to vendor, and depend on the destination. Therefore it is impossible for Ringfo to provide accurate shipping estimates. Please take shipping and handling costs into consideration when making your purchase decisions, and see our vendor sites such as Amazon.com for detailed shipping info. |
What technology does Ringfo use?Ringfo was created using free and open source software: |
What happened to amabuddy?Amabuddy.com is now Ringfo. We've redesigned the site and the service to better serve you. We'll be rolling out new features in the coming months, so come back soon to see what we've been working on.If you'd like to be informed of updates to Ringfo, subscribe to our mailing list. |