Ok it would appear that I’ve wandered into a huge competition storm (not something I want to be dealing with on a Sunday morning!) and its made me rethink whether to run competitions on here at all to be honest. Let me clear up a few things for everyone, so hopefully I wont need to reply to lots of messages.
- All our competitions are drawn at random using Rafflecopter. Anyone could win that has entered as long as they have done the requirements for that entry.
- I never use a competition where I want you to leave me a story/something funny/picture purely as I don’t want to be drawn into any arguments on sob stories, lies etc.
- I can’t force people to enter the competition if they only intend to keep the prize. Of course I would love to live in a world where people only enter if its something they want to win, however in reality there are going to be people who enter to try to raise money via other revenues.
So you see we now have a little issue. July sees my blog turn 1 and I want to organise a birthday bonanza, however I’m not prepared to do so if its going to drag the blog into a huge debate I really don’t particularly want to be in. So we have a couple of options:
- We don’t run any competitions full stop. This way there are no issues at all.
- I run them but the winner (selected at random) is the winner. I can’t moderate what the winner does with the prizes & I’m not prepared to ban people in case they are going to sell the prize. So anyone can enter as long as the follow the same rules as everyone else.
Ok there are the options, so without turning this into another debate, I would just like to hear people’s opinions. What would you like to see regarding competitions in future?
I think keep as-is. I’m lucky in that I’ve had no storms with my competitions so everything has gone by smoothly, but if it makes things hard work and people don’t appreciate the work you’re putting into it, I can understand where you’re coming from.
Ultimately as you say, Rafflecopter is random and that’s about as fair as it goes. If people don’t like that, I suspect you’ll never win – you can’t argue with random!
Jo, your right. I think regardless of things that may happen or if i stop running competitions i wont please everyone :S
As long as you’re happy with way you’re doing things that’s all that matters, I shouldn’t worry about it beyond that.
Hi Gillian, Thank you. Today was the first time i had seen such a reaction to be honest & it shocked me. Especially as it was drawn at random as usual 🙂
You run the competitions as you wish. I use rafflecopter too as its totally fair.
I love entering comps and only do those I genuinely want to win but that’s my choice! You cannot stop people from doing what they want with the prize once it’s in their hands!
Thank you Kara for your comment 🙂
I’m a ‘comper’ and enter for prizes that I would like to win. BUT – by entering competitions on blogs I’ve come across quite a few that are interesting to read and to interact with. I now follow quite a few and also list favourites on my own blogroll. (including this one!)
It was via a twitter blog update that I came across #project366 and decided to take part in it. I now consider myself a blogger too! I love getting comments and likes and that makes running a blog more interesting.
Unfortuately there always people who comp to try to win anything and everything and happy to add any old lame sob story!! Or even suck up to the companies etc that run the comp in a vain hope of increasing their chances..really cringe worthy!!
Carry on doing comps via rafflecopter it’s a fair way of picking a winner. Don’t get hung up on who wins..remember that there are more peeps out there that enter ‘legitimately’ (for want of a better word) for the prize that they want to own!
Thank you for your comment Sue. It is drawn at random & the winner has entered fairly so i’m not sure how their can be any negativity towards it. I’m sure over the 1000’s that win prizes not everyone keeps their prizes!
I enjoy you blog and I think the Rafflecopter is fair. There are several bad losers out there who tend to accuse people of things when they know nothing about that person at all! I am thrilled to have won via you blog today and my little girl is going to get lots of pleasure from using her prize when it arrives! It is a shame that you have to be bombarded with such negativity!
Thanks Tracy 🙂
I think you should continue as you are. Rafflecopter is a fair way of doing things as long as you verify that someone has done the task (which I’m sure you did). Most people enter to win the item to use, I know there are some exceptions, but I’m not sure it really matters. Afterall if they do sell a prize on ebay someone will get a bargain that they might not otherwise be able to afford.
Hi Erica, I always check the entry drawn has been completed correctly. Thanks for your comment 🙂
run them as you want to. i like rafflecopter, not only is it easier to enter using it, but its also a random draw.
Thank you for your comment 🙂
I think as long as the draws are random then carry on. Its pure luck who wins and we all stand as much chance as each other. What people do with their prizes is their own choice; if they win and sell on then they may get much needed money to pay bills or buy more essential items.
Kirstie, the draws are completely random. Drawn straight through rafflecopter which links into random.org 🙂 Thank you for your commet.
I personally feel the people who provide the prizes would prefer to see the winner as the end user. But I also feel that the rafflecopter is a fair way of drawing the winner.
They probably do Olivia, its all about getting their product out there & word of mouth promotion when it comes to a competition. Thanks for the comment 🙂
I prefer to enter via rafflecopter, so much easier, and as it is random, fairer too, love your blog too xx
Thank you Tracy! 🙂
I love your blog and i think rafflecopter is the fairest way of doing it, i just think its a shame especially blog comps that do giveaways for children that some people take advantage and make up stories about how there kids would love it etc when they dont even have kids themselves or the kids dont actually live with the parent anymore, im sure you can see what i mean.
Mandy – Thank you for your comments, however if you are making a personal dig at anyone in particular please can you keep it off my blog. In none of the competitions does it state that the person that wins has to have a child nor does it ask for stories to be told so i’m not sure of the relevance of this in the comment, Please feel free to e-mail me at paula@mummyvswork.co.uk if you would like to discuss this further, however i have a sneaky suspision that it will be the same i’ve already had today which prompted this post and the clarification on my competition rules on the blog.
Thank you for your comments Lyns 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
you are doing a good job i am happy with what you are doing keep up the good work 🙂
Thanks Kim 🙂
Carry on doing things as you are, as with all competitions it’s just the luck of the draw and you will never please everybody unfortunately. You are doing a great job
Thank you Alison! 🙂
As you say, you can’t say how anything will be used or sold once it has been won. I’ve been pushed for cash in the past so I will not judge those who sell things on as I know how a tenner can make the difference between eating or not and judging by some of the comments around the different forums, some cannot even afford a pair of shoes or winter coat or have to put up with damp walls and not being able to afford to pay their electricity bills. Life is tough out there and the internet with its opportunity to talk to people and win things for free is an absolute lifeline to many stuck at home. I’m fortunate in that most of my time can be given to those I love and care about and helping those I know who are out there in need of a little pick me up, so for the sake of the odd one or two who abuse the spirit of things I say ignore the whining and carry on regardless as you are not only offering the “prize as stated”, you are offering a little emotional lift and we all need one of those in one way or another!
Thank you so much for your comment Arabella 🙂
I think rafflecopter competitions are the fairest way. I know that some persons do sell prizes for financial gain which is a shame when there are people who would put the prizes to good use but I don’t think that this should prevent you from running competitions full stop as 9 times out of ten, the person will keep and enjoy the prize.
Thank you Esther for your comment
As long as the winner is picked at random and fairly I don’t see how people can complain! Everyone has the same chance if they complete the entrys on the rafflecopter form so that is the fairest way. Would be a shame to stop competitions completely because people complain!
Hi Katherine, Thank you for your comments 🙂
Thank you very much for your comments Jane.
I support you 100%. This would not happen if someone randomly wins something at a shop then sells it on would it??? If people are not happy with how competions are run then simple don’t enter lol
I think you run your competitions fairly, rafflecopter is the best way so stick with that.
I am a comper and I enter competitions which I genuinely want to win, however I have won some runner up prizes that weren’t really suitable such as games for a games console that we don’t have and I have sold them or given them away. I recently won a huge amount of vouchers for a designer store, I bought myself a few things to keep and bought a couple of things to sell as I desperately needed the money and it wasn’t out of greed it was out of necessity. The people who usually kick up a fuss are usually just bitter. As a comper you have to accept that you win some you lose some and that’s the name of the game. There are some outright cheats on facebook but that’s life, and sooner or later they get found out, people need to spend less time causing drama and more time doing something positive.
Shame it has to be so stressful, supposed to be fun, I say just do what you’d like to do, it’s your blog! xx
I think this is a fair and balanced account of the place that anyone who operates a comp finds themselves. As someone who enjoys entering competitions of course it is frustrating to know that people cheat, however I think that the most we can can expect of those who run the prize draws is that they are operated fairly. I personally like rafflecopter and not simply for its impartiality. Quite often the tasks involved make me examine parts of the blog I might not have visited. This can lead to some really interesting discoveries. It must benefit bloggers too to have people navigate through their posts rather than just dip in to fill out a comping form. Thank you for the piece and keep up the good work x
I can’t believe people are complaining about the way a competition is run. Surely that is the point-anyone can win. I think if you are happy to, you should keep running the competitions, it very kind of you. How can people hold you responsible for what other people do with the prize that has been won. Easy for me to say ignore the debate I know, but you are not doing anything wrong, everyone has the chance of winning. I would not have a clue, nor be bothered to find out if someone had sold a prize. Good luck and I hope to be able to take part in one of your competitions soon.
I think that it is totally up to the winner what they do with the prize, once they’ve won it, it’s theirs so they can choose to do as they wish. I think as long as you are happy with the way the blog is running, then it’s up to you ultimately to decide 🙂 as for rafflecopter, it is a completely fair way to draw the winner and there shouldn’t be any pettiness or arguments, it is a computer generator and definitely the fairest way to draw the winners 🙂
Keep up the good work and don’t let people get to you.
Hi, sorry you’ve had to worry about something lovely that the you do. I enjoy your competitions (it’s always great to think you might win something) and I enter quite a few competitions across the internet every day. If it’s causing you any heartache don’t offer any more. Your blog is great and I know I’ll come back and visit whether there’s something to win or not xxxx
Loops, just noticed its an old thread…. glad you kept on offering competitions! X
I think your blog & competitions are fab. Rafflecopter seems a simple and fair way people can join in and once a prize is won it has to be up to the winner what they do with their prize that has been won fair & square, if this means they sell it on then its a shame but totally up to the randomly drawn winner. I love competitions and try to enter ones I will either keep for my family or give as gifts to family/friends, so please don’t stop xx
Thanks for the Rafflecopter love! We strive to make our software as simple and user friendly as possible. It’s great to hear that’s been your experience with Rafflecopter so far!
I haven’t seen the hoo ha surrounding this post but I only enter competitions that draw fairly via rafflecopter, and whilst I personally only enter competitions that I would want to win surely the winner can do whatever he/she likes with the prize? If you don’t like that fact, don’t enter!
I don’t understand the issue. If u win, the prize is yours and it’s no one’s business what u do with it… If you loose then congratulate the winner and enter another. I hate bad loosers no one owes you anything if someone else win fair and square stop finding a reason to moan.
Sorry for the rant ?
I don’t understand the issue. If u win, the prize is yours and it’s no one’s business what u do with it… If you loose then congratulate the winner and enter another. I hate bad loosers no one owes you anything if someone else win fair and square stop finding a reason to moan.
Sorry for the rant ?