If so, SonicGear (and everyone else) would like to see it. You can send in photo/s of anything you don't already see on the site and it will likely get posted. There's always something new and Sonic to discover. This site works by scouring the internet, and by photo donations of viewers like you!

Do you have questions about Sonic stuff?

Ask 'em! You can always email SonicGear with questions, comments or information. If you know something about an item, like a fact, correction, or addition, send it in for credit! Most (answerable) questions get answered. SonicGear is here to help you find things!

Do you want to buy Sonic stuff?

There's 2 ways to do it. First are the google ads down the edge (and sometimes middle) of every page. Google minds these ads at all times to try and ensure they lead you to stores which are selling things that are similar to what's already on the page. Why Google? They're the best at finding stuff on the internet...so they're trusted to put up relevant stores there for you to try. They also watch the content 24/7 and update it for you when a matching store is found!
When doesn't this work?
When the item is vintage (ie. it's from the 1990s or is "Classic" and not "Classic Style") the only side-bar thing you can click in that instance to get to goods would be Ebay. "Brick and mortar" and regular internet stores can't stock something that hasn't been made in years, so you'll have to look for a used one.

Or try The Sonic Gear Store! It has quite a few items from the pages of Gear, and some more that are only listed there. The store is growing all the time, as more items and catagories are added.

A. About as fast as possible. Questions are usually fastest to answer. Sometimes in a day or two. If it has a photo in it, it may be longer. Some weeks theres tons of mail, others not so much so. It could be a week or two (or possibly more) though, before you get a response, as SonicGear updates once a week (usually)

Q. What about Photo Credit?

A. All photos attempt to credit. Some are ancient though, so no-one knows who took them any more. If you send in a photo, and you would like credit (its optional) just send along with it the name you'd like used.

Q. I did a photo but it has been replaced. Where did it go?

A. SonicGear ALWAYS attempts to bring the fans the full story on every item. The best first-hand descritpions, and the most details. In order to do this, the best photos get used. If you had taken a very tiny, blurry, or way off-color photo of an item...and some one else at a later point sends in a crisp, clear, detailed, and on-color version of that same thing, the higher quality photo will win out.

See it in Action?
Yes you can. In the older Japan Sonic Items section. There were/are many ancient unknown blurry photos of strange items. Any time someone out-does one of those, it'll get replaced.

Q. How do I know if a photo gets used on SonicGear?

A. Usually everyone who sends in a photo is notified when it goes up on the site. However, the process isn't 100% perfect so sometimes something happens and a notifying email isn't sent out, but it's pretty rare.

Why?
Because mails with blank or empty subjects tend to get in the spam bin. Gear gets tons of spam for wierd irrelevant items like phony watches and illegal pills. Don't let your stuff get in there with it! Or it might not get seen. Putting something relevant/Sonic-ish in the title will prevent this. BLANK subject email deletion is forced due to stupid viruses that take over people's email boxes and spam their address book contacts endlessly. This is a forced move because too many people are infected by this thing, and it's ruining the submission inbox.

2. The photo won't get on SonicGear if it's already on SonicGear (and good)

Why?
If you're taking your time to do a photo of something, try the Google Search (on the main page) to look for the item before you get out the camera. You don't want to use up your precious time taking a photo of something that's already on the site. All photos are used on a first-send=first-post basis. That means if 5 people take a picture of the same item in 1 week whoever sent it first & best will get it onto the site.
But!
If you can out-do a photo (in that you notice a particular photo is shabby/blurry/out-of-focus/super tiny, off-color or the item in the photo is broken/ruined/scuffed or a bad angle which mis-represents it, then by all means send in a photo if you know that you can improve upon what's already there.

3. Photo Raids- They don't help!

A photo raid is where someone stumbles onto a site somewhere, clicks all the pictures out of it and sends them into SonicGear looking for photo credit. This doesn't work because it can cause the original photographer or web site owner to come after SonicGear.

There are a lot of places (news sites, Japan sites, blog type places etc) that turn up Sonic photos. Before you send them in, ASK to see if whoever is currently hosting them MINDS if SonicGear also posts them. Most of the time the person won't mind because it furthers Sonic items.

What can really be done about it?
Well, if the (sender-inner) of the photos can't get credit for something someone else has done leave it up to the original site owner/photo taker to do the leg-work. It saves time and is convenient for you!
How? Ask 'em! Instead of right off mailing to SonicGear, send the letter to the site you found the photos on. Again, most other Sonic sites are Sonic fans and they don't mind contacting other Sonic fans. Ask the owner if it's ok to display the pictures FIRST. That way, no one gets offended.

4. What about Ebay?

Ebay is generally an exception to the above rule. With old stuff or liquidated collections, the people (selling it) don't usually WANT the items any more. Or, in the cases of repeat or new-item sellers, it can actually help them get bids if more people know about the items they're selling. Still, it's nicest to ask first because people went to the trouble to take the picture.

5. What about broken stuff?

Broken items usually won't get on the site unless it has broken in a very specific way or it is used to illustrate that certain items are faulty. The exception here is with very rare or old items. Half-destroyed plushes, bits of action figures and chopped up shirts do not count. "Battle Damage Figures" fall into this category, and usually won't get on. So letting your dog eat a figure on purpose, just to send it in, won't work.

5. Other People's Fan Item Credit?

If you find a fan item that's not yours (as in, you didn't make it, or you dont know who did) first, try to find out who did it, and see if they actually want it added to the Fan Items section. If it's not possible, it can still be sent in HOWEVER you can't get any type of credit at all for sending it in (AKA: no 'finders credit') only the fan-item creators' name (if its known) can appear with the item regardless of whoever discovers it, unless the creator specifies otherwise. This is to help clarify just who was involved in doing it, as many fan items take many hours to make & are a labor of love for the creator.

6. NO Fan Characters Allowed?

No. All fan characters / objects made of them /things with fan characters also in them are ineligable. All the things on Gear must be of official licensed Sega characters from: Sonic Games, All Aired Sonic TV Shows, Published Sonic Comics, Official Sega Places. Games & hidden characters that are confirmed in data DO count. (Such as Honey The Cat who never made it into Fighters, "Nazo" which is a wierd screen cap from Sonic X, etc) Alternate costumes are fine, IF seen in a game somewhere. (Rouge the bat different outfits, SA2 Battle outfits etc) Fan Recolors also don't count. (ie 'green Tails' or 'black dress Amy') because they didn't appear anywhere official.

7. Fan Item Submission Help?
For the Fan Item Guidelines (and helpful directory of pages) You need the Fan Items Hub