~FAQ~

Frequently Asked Questions

Star Collector is a labor of love for me.  Over the years, I have noticed a lot of the same questions being asked repeatedly.  As most of you know, I do my best to answer what I can.  I have compiled a lot of the repeats here.

Q.  Why don't you update the website more often?  Why isn't my autograph success I sent you on the website yet?

A.  This is a very huge website that is growing by the week.  I am the only one that does the maintenance, so that means I can only do updates when I have free time, usually twice a week, when I can.  To be frank, I have to keep this in perspective.  This is a hobby that I work on when reality does not interfere. :-)

Q.  Why don't you get help?

A.  Honestly, since this is a non-profit website, I do not have money to pay anybody to help out.  I have built Star Collector from the ground up, by myself, since it's inception as a GeoCities website in 2000.  I am pretty set on how things are laid out.

Q.  Do you sell your autographs?

A.  No.  The scans that I provide are of my own personal collection to show examples of what you might receive.  I am a collector, not a seller.

Q.  Why can't I provide scans of my own autographs?

A.  I do not have enough drive space with my hosting company.  My main goal is to use the space for addresses.  If I were to start putting scans of the site users, I would run out of space very quickly.

Q.  What is the purpose of the "Quick TV/Movie Involvement Reference"?

A.  There are people that are "completist" collectors.  This means that they take a movie like 'Star Wars' or a TV show like 'Star Trek' and they want to get autographs from everyone that they can.  This could range from the stars, to the director, all the way to the stunt people.  The pictures in the squares are reference points to let site users know that the celeb has a connection to a movie or show in some fashion or another.

Q.  An entry states "Address removed by request".  Can I still get it from you?

A.  No.  I respect the privacy of the people that I list on the website.  I make it a habit of trying my best to NOT list private residence or email addresses, unless it is an acceptable form of fan communication.  When I get requests from celebs and/or their representatives to remove the address, it is done immediately.  That means that the address has been completely deleted from my records with no way of retrieving them.

Q.  What is the difference between "Tester Results" and "My personal successes with this address"?

A.  Tester Results mean that the success/failure information was provided by a fellow site user.  I can only provide the information as it is given to me in their emails.  If they do not tell me send/receive dates or what they sent and/or received, I can not tell you.  The personal successes is simply items that I have received successes with.

Q.  What is the difference between "Address Status: reported as RTS" and "Address Status: definite RTS"?

A.  Reported as RTS means that an address was attempted and it was returned as unusable.  This could mean that the celeb in question has moved, put a hold on incoming mail or simply does not want to accept unsolicited mail at the address.  Definite RTS means that there is proof that the address is a dead end.  Examples would be that the celeb is no longer represented by the agency, it is a wrong address or not the right person in question.

Q.  Can you get an autograph for me?

A.  No.  I have no personal contact with any of the celebs listed on the website.  I do not know them or their representatives.  Please do not email me with your mailing address and a list of people that you want autographs from.  Star Collector is designed as a tool to help you send off your own requests with your own postage/supplies, not mine. :-)

Q.  I tried an address and received an RTS.  Do you refund postage?  I sent an item for an autograph and never got it back.  Will you replace it?

A.  Absolutely not.  I state in the disclaimer at the top of each address page that I can not guarantee that an address that was successful yesterday will be active tomorrow.  I have no way of having that knowledge.  If you send a request, especially a personal item, you are doing this at your own risk.  This is a hobby of no absolutes...

Q.  You don't have an address listed.  Can you find it for me?

A.  I try my best to do address searches.  I can not always guarantee that I will find something though.

Q.  Why do you leave RTS addresses on the website?

A.  Star Collector is designed as a tool for fellow collectors.  If I only listed successful/tested addresses, that would only be half the job.  As there are many sources that list addresses too, their info may not be up to date.  My listing dead addresses lets people know not to use it and save postage at the same time.

Q.  I'm not comfortable with addresses for adult actresses/models being listed on the website.  Will you remove them?

A.  No.  This website is used by collectors of different genres.  I can not short one field of collecting simply because someone else might find it offensive.  In the case of the adult actresses/models, I am simply providing the addresses.  I can not guarantee what the celeb will send or what their age screening policies are.  If I were to remove adult addresses because one faction of the site users does not like them, then that would mean that I would have to remove religious-related addresses because someone else may not share that faith or sports addresses because he/she does not follow them.

Q.  Why don't you make adult address password protected?

A.  Honestly, there is no way for me to verify that the person applying for access is really the age that he/she claims to be.  The only way that I could do that would be to charge a fee for access.  My standing rule is that Star Collector will never become a pay site.  There is no reason to pay for free addresses.

Q.  How do I provide address results or ask questions to you?

A.  Click on the swinging email icon roughly half way down the main welcome page.  Once there, pick the link that fits your email content.

Q.  Can you give me tips on the hobby?

A.  Most definitely.  Click this link, Autographs 101, and it will take you to that page.

Q.  Why is the conventions page not updated more often?

A.  Frankly, I can only update the page when I am let known of upcoming events.  The main purpose of the page is for people to share upcoming conventions from around the country and the world, that others may not have been aware of otherwise.  The more info provided, the better the page will be useful.

Q.  I provided an address to you, but it still hasn't been posted on the site.  Why?

A.  I reserve the right to add and not add celebs to my website for one reason or another.  With that said, 98% of the addresses sent to me are added.  I have a criteria that will keep me from posting an address.  This could be because I can not find any information on the person (as I personally look up every new entry) to warrant being on the website or the celeb is excessively elderly and I do not want to be responsible for him/her receiving too much mail, especially from people that are only sending a request to just have another autograph in their collection.  I will add that person if it's proven what makes the person a "celeb" or if the elderly celeb is still signing regularly with requests.

Q.  I would like to make a donation, but I don't have a PayPal account.  How can I help?

A.  As always, donations are completely voluntary and no dollar amount is set.  While I prefer PayPal for the convenience, I have made alternative avenues for donating.  Send me an email and I'll provide the information.

nredusty2005