> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.explorium.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Support & Help Center

## How to Contact Support

For any issues, questions, or assistance, our support team is available to help. You can reach us through the following channels:

**Email Support:** [support@explorium.ai](mailto:support@explorium.ai)
**Slack Channel:** If you have a dedicated Slack channel with us, you can post your question there.

## Submitting a Support Request

To help us resolve your issue efficiently, please provide the following details when submitting a request:

1. **Steps to Replicate:** Describe the exact steps you took before encountering the issue.
2. **API Endpoint Used:** Specify which API endpoint you were using.
3. **Exact Request Sent:** Include the request payload.

<CodeGroup>
  ```json JSON expandable theme={null}
  {
      "request_context": {
      "seller_id": "sample_seller"
      },
      "businesses_to_match": [
      {
          "name": "apple",
          "domain": "apple.com"
      },
      {
          "name": "explorium",
          "domain": "explorium.ai"
      }
      ]
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

4. **Expected Response:** What result did you expect to receive?
5. **Actual Response:** Provide the actual response you received.

<CodeGroup>
  ```json JSON expandable theme={null}
  {
      "response_context": {
      "correlation_id": "7a446e57517e43c187f89339ab552dad",
      "request_status": "success",
      "time_took_in_seconds": 5.17
      },
      "total_results": 2,
      "total_matches": 2,
      "matched_businesses": [
      {
          "input": {
          "name": "apple",
          "domain": "apple.com",
          "url": null
          },
          "business_id": "8adce3ca1cef0c986b22310e369a0793"
      },
      {
          "input": {
          "name": "explorium",
          "domain": "explorium.ai",
          "url": null
          },
          "business_id": "340c8040bd50cbab9c7df718bbe51cc9"
      }
      ]
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

6. **Error Message (if any):** Copy and paste any error message you encountered.
7. **Correlation ID (if available):** This can be found in the API response and helps us track your request faster.

### Example Support Request:

<CodeGroup>
  ```json JSON expandable theme={null}
  {
  "issue": "Received a 403 error when calling the Fetch Business Events API",
  "steps_to_replicate": "Sent a request to \`/businesses/events\` with valid parameters",
  "exact_request_send": "<copy the exact request payload here>",
  "expected_response": "A list of recent business events",
  "actual_response": {
  "error": "You have insufficient credits to perform this operation."
  },
  "correlation_id": "4826416550f648e58cc9e2ceee2529b7"
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Credit Usage Policy:

* If a request **returns an error** (e.g., `403 Forbidden`, `400 Bad Request`), no credits will be deducted.
* If a request **returns no results** (i.e., no relevant data is available for the given parameters), no credits will be deducted.
* Credits are consumed **only when valid, billable data is returned** from the API.

## Common Issues & Troubleshooting

### I received a `403 Forbidden` error.

* Check if your API key is valid and has sufficient permissions.
* Ensure you have available credits for the requested operation.
* If using a protected endpoint, confirm you have the necessary access rights.

### I received a `400 Bad Request` error.

* Verify that all request parameters are formatted correctly.
* Ensure the required fields are included in the request.

### I received a `429 Too Many Requests` error.

* You have exceeded the rate limit for API calls. Implement **exponential backoff** before retrying.
* Monitor your API usage and consider upgrading your plan if needed.

### I received a `500 Internal Server Error`.

* This could indicate a temporary issue on our side. Try again later, and if the problem persists, contact support with your correlation ID.