Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I search using a zip code different than the one in my personal information?

Sure, the zip code is enter when you register is automatically entered for convenience but once you log in you can replace it with any zip code that you would like.

2. How are miles between zip codes measured?

3. Miles between zip codes are measured from each city or town center to the other as the crow flies. Therefore, if you find that the number of miles that you have chosen produces a smaller or larger area than you would like to use, increase or decrease the number of miles in your service listing from the "My GoldLatch" page.

3. What if the number of miles I am located from the Patron doesn't matter in order to provide my service?

If you offer a service such as designing a website or making wedding favors where you can provide your service without ever having to meet with the Patron face to face, you can enter 3500 miles in order to cover the entire country.

4. Is it better to enter a word to search for a need or service or to choose a category?

GoldLatch makes it easy for you to do this either way that you choose. If you prefer to choose by word search and don’t find what you are looking for, try entering only part of the word. This may product more results for you. Our 22 top categories have as many as 2 layers of sub-categories beyond them. If you choose one of the top categories, you can then select the drop down list and view the entire category list.

5. What if the category that best defines your service or need is not on the list?

If you don’t see the category that you need, you can request a new category and suggest up to 3 different sub-categories that you would like it to be placed under. We’ll notify you by email whether or not your new category has been added. Once you have logged in, you’ll see the option to suggest a new category after choosing either the “I Need Help” or the “I Can Help” latch tabs.

6. If Pros have listed help that seems to match what I need, why should I list my need?

Since in all of your communications with Pros, your identity is never revealed, it makes sense to list your need and communicate back and forth with as many Pros as possible in order to choose the best to help you.

7. Why are Patron’s identities kept form Pros?

Have you ever felt intimidated when asking for details about how someone will handle a job that you need completed or embarrassed to ask about the cost? By remaining anonymous, you can feel free to ask anything that you would like and to take as long as you feel you have to to make your decision. No one will ever harass you with phone calls.

8. What will I find when I enter a search or choose a category on the “I Can Help” side?

By entering a word(s) to search or choosing a category and then the zip code and number of miles, you will get a list of Patrons within the miles that you have designated of your zip code that may need your help.

9. If Patrons have listed needs for what I do, why should I list the help that I provide?

By listing your need, you allow Patrons to contact you continuously. GoldLatch makes it easy to communicate with them so you can always be scheduling your next jobs while you are helping your current customer.

10. What information will a Patron see when they choose my listing?

If you have not purchased a payment plan, they will see your first name and zip code only. Once you have purchased a payment plan, even if they are choosing a service listing that you have not subscribed, they will see your business name if you have listed one, (your first name if you have not) and your zip code on the initial lists. All of the information that you include in your personal information will be visible when your name is selected from a listing.

11. Why should I register as a Patron with GoldLatch.com?

As a Patron you don’t have to register in order to see listings of Pros that can help you. As long as the Pro has subscribed and has designated the help listing that you are interested in as paid, you can see his listing without registering. However, if you would like to take advantage of communicating with the Pro anonymously, would like to let Pros that have not yet paid for their listing know that you need their help or would like to list your need so that Pros can see that you need their help, you have to register.

12. Why should I register as a Pro with GoldLatch.com?

As a Pro you can look up Patrons needing the service that you offer without registering but in order to list your service with limited information, enough to let Patrons know that you are out there, you must register.

13. What if I don't have a business name?

You don't need a business name. If you don't have one, when your name comes up on a list, your first name will appear. But, if you do have a business name, once you have purchased a payment plan and have included your business name in your personal information, it will appear in lists rather than your first name.

14. What is an unsubscribed listing?

You may choose to have more than 5 service listings if, for instance, you do seasonal work and do not want to recreate your listings each season. So in the summer months, you can choose to unsubscrbe your snow plow listing in order to subscribe your landscaping listing. If a Patron is interested in your unsubscribed listing, they can write a message to you. We will then send you an email letting you know that a message is waiting and as soon as you subscribe the service listing, you will see their message and be able to communicate with them.

15. How Do I Purchase a Payment Plan in order to list my services?

Once you register and log in you will be brought to the My GoldLatch page. Choose to SEARCH categories for services you provide . When you find the category that you would like to list your service under, choose to Purchase a Payment Plan, complete the credit card information and purchase either a monthly or an annual plan. This will allow you to subscribe up to 5 service listings.

16. How do you keep my credit card number safe?

We have chosen Trust Commerce to process payments for GoldLatch. Your credit card information is more than safe with TrustCommerce. They are a Visa CISP/PCI compliant service provider. All communications that include your credit card information are encrypted end-to-end with 1024-bit RSA public/private keypairs assuring authenticity and invulnerability to man-in-the-middle attacks. Your credit card number will never be seen by anyone at GoldLatch or entered onto our server. TrustCommerce never stores it in plaintext, but instead encrypts it before it goes to their disk. Their servers are monitored round-the-clock by armed guards in high-security NOCs. Only authorized personnal are allowed access to the machines, and all access is logged. All transactions happen behind TrustCommerce's firewalls, achieving a level of security not available anywhere else.

17. How do I Showcase my Service Listing in the pictures on the top of each page?

If you have purchased an annual payment plan you can have your service listing showcased randomly at the top of our pages as they are viewed for FREE. For each annual payment plan purchased, choose one of your service listings to be showcased. Just click on the "Listed Pros" link to the right of the row of pictures, complete and submit the form and we'll take it from there.

18. What if I choose to cancel my payment plan with GoldLatch?

In order to cancel, you’ll have to close out any open jobs that you have with either Pros or Patrons so that they realize that they can no longer communicate with you. Once all are closed out, simply choose “Cancel Your Payment Plan” at the bottom of the My GoldLatch page. No further charges will be made to your credit card. We are unable to provide credit for any portion of the payment period following the date that you cancel. You can continue to use GoldLatch.com as a Patron or for unsubscribed service listings after you have cancelled your payment plan.

19. When can I provide my opinion of a Pro or a Patron that I have communicated with?

After communicating back and forth with either a Pro or a Patron, either you or they can make the decision that the job is either closed or completed. At this point, you can no longer communicate but each of you can provide a rating with comments about your experience working with each other. If you find that you would like to communicate with the same Pro or Patron again, you will have to open a new job.

20. Can I review past communications that I have had with Pros and Patrons?

The “My GoldLatch” page, as well as having all of your current Needs and Service listings, also lists all of your past communications with Pros and Patrons. Simply choose whether you are looking for a closed, completed or open job in order to choose the one that you’d like to review.

21. How can I change my address, add a phone number or any of the other information that I provided when I registered?

Simply choose “Edit Personal Information” at the bottom of the “My GoldLatch” page to update your information.

22. Is it possible to change my password occasionally?

You can change your password at any time that you would like by choosing “Reset Password” at the bottom of the “My GoldLatch” page.

23. When I click on a question mark nothing pops up?

Make sure that the pop up window is not already open behind your browser.