FAQ and Guidelines SHOP NEW HAMPSHIRE Web Ring

Thank you for your interest in our Web Ring.

The Shop New Hampshire Web Ring is designed to increase traffic to websites of merchants located in New Hampshire and serving local Granite State shoppers. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions and the guidelines for joining our site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Web Ring? 

A Web Ring is a way to group sites with a similar interest together in a "ring". Links on each page in the ring allow you to move from one site to the next, allowing one to (eventually) traverse the entire ring and end up where they started. 

What is a Ring ID? 

The Ring ID is a string (sequence of characters) that uniquely identify a particular ring on the Web Ring server. Ring ID's are composed of letters and numbers, contain no spaces or punctuation, and are not case-sensitive. Our Web Ring's ID is "shopnh".

What is a Site ID? 

A Site ID is simply a number that uniquely identifies a particular site in a Web Ring. Site ID's start at 1 and go up from there. Sites are assigned a Site ID when the site information is submitted to the queue. Site ID's never change. They also have absolutely nothing to do with the order in which sites are arranged in the ring. Their sole purpose is to uniquely identify sites in the Web Ring database. Site ID's are used only on the sites that they were assigned to. Doing this lets the Web Ring know where to move from in the ring. 

How do I join the Shop New Hampshire Web Ring?

First read our guidelines below. If you agree, click the link to go to our registration page.

Once the site submission is complete the following will occur: 

1). An Email will be sent to the requestor acknowledging receipt of the request for site inclusion, containing the specific Site ID for the new site to be included, and directing the requestor to the page containing the HTML or JAVA code that can be copied and pasted into your Web pages. 

2). Select the HTML or JAVA code you wish to use from the HTML or JAVA code pages and paste as instructed. Be sure to substitute your Site ID where indicated. Copy and paste one of the "Shop New Hampshire Web Ring" icons from the IMAGES page to your site.

3). The site will be reviewed for completeness and (if everything is satisfactory) will be included in the Web Ring after the review. 

4). Once included, an Email will be sent to the requestor informing them of completion. 

That's it... sound complicated? It's not as bad as it sounds - it just takes a little bit of time. If you don't know HTML or are reluctant to try to make these changes, please contact us. We will be glad to help.  

Guidelines

Here are the simple guidelines for inclusion in the Ring: 

Your site should contain information about goods and services available to New Hampshire shoppers. A physical location in New Hampshire is preferred, however sites where customers can buy goods and services only on the Internet will be allowed if the preponderance of the goods or services are unique to New Hampshire or are predominantly of interest to New Hampshire shoppers. Your site should be attractive yet functional. We presume shoppers want to find goods and services, not pretty graphics or gimmicks. The page you register with the Web Ring must be your site's main page giving direct access to its features. This page must be easy for shoppers to return to after they have visited any of your secondary pages. This is the page that you are required to install the Web Ring code on (unless your site has a primary focus other than retail - if this is the case, it would be fine to have the Web Ring code on a page more suited to the retail aspect of your business). If you are not prepared to carry the Web Ring code on your main page then you can not be a part of this ring! Pages containing only (or even mainly) reciprocal links or promotional banners will not qualify. The page you register with the web-ring should load within quickly.  Ring navigation links similar to the that at the bottom of our first page must be on the page you register with the Web Ring (see the HTML CODE and JAVA CODE pages for more information). 

Here are the specific rules you must follow:

1) If you take orders online with credit cards you must provide a secure mechanism for ordering, such as SSL (Secure Sockets Layers, an encryption technology supported by most browsers). Internet shoppers find security of their personal and financial information over the Internet to be of utmost importance to them. We are striving to maintain that privacy and security for the customers who visit our ring. 

2) NO ADULT SITES! PERIOD!! This ring is for the family surfing to find what they want and like online. NO Business Opportunities or Multi-Level Networking sites. This is not a ring for opportunity seekers but those who enjoy shopping in New Hampshire! 

3) You must add the code supplied to you within 14 days or you will be automatically removed from the addition list (queue). This is an automated function of the Web Ring Organization's server. If you are removed, you will have to submit your site again for consideration. 

4) Please make sure that the URL (Web address of your site) you provide is correct. If your URL is incorrect the site will be dropped from the addition list at the time of verification. ALL SITES ARE VERIFIED BEFORE BEING ADDED TO THE RING! 

5) DO NOT create a new, separate homepage for your site that differs only in that it has the ShopNH Web Ring tags on it! Other sites may already have links to your main homepage, and you will be preventing new visitors to your site from those destinations from seeing the Web Ring. This is unfair to other members of the Web Ring, and is a practice we simply cannot allow.

6) Please make sure that the Email address you provide is correct, as all Email addresses will be verified as well. Any false or incorrect Email addresses would need to be corrected before we could proceed with adding a site, or else the site will be removed from the addition list. 

7) Webmasters of sites in the ShopNH Web Ring must maintain the quality and performance of their sites. If a site is consistently  unavailable, unprofessional, or offensive in any way it will be dropped from the ring after failure to rectify the stuation upon request. The Ring Master is the final arbiter of what constitutes an unacceptable site. If you are removed, you will have to submit your site again for consideration. Only after an in-depth review of the site and approval on the part of the Ring Master would a site be accepted a second time for inclusion.

8) This ring is strictly for commercial sites. No personal home-pages. If you have goods or services to sell to New Hampshire consumers then you are welcome to submit your site to be added to the ring. 

To read up on how the ring works and why it is so easy to be a part of, you may want to visit the Web Ring home page. If you want to join the Shop New Hampshire Web Ring, click here to add your site to the web ring queue, then follow the instructions on getting started.