Well some companies don’t and have their own definition to it. The story goes like this:
They contacted me to ask if I would like to hold their giveaway. I checked the site and found the products nice. I also noticed that they were sponsoring giveaways for a few other bloggers as well. Everything looked fine and I went ahead with the announcement. A few days later a reader commented that her friend won a similar giveaway with them and had some issues. Upon investigation, it was found that the girl was indeed right. The “$50 Gift Card” is actually a $50 discount. So you can use it ONLY if you buy something from them which by the way starts at a minimum of $100! Yes this is their idea of a giveaway.
Well how is that supposed to be a “gift card“? And they are claiming that they have a “very good giveaway record” and its the first time a blogger has got issues. Yes all the winners are so happy that they now are warning others again entering their giveaways.
And after days of all that research I’m so pissed off that now I’m no longer interested in any kind of association with them. Later they ask me if I want to review their jewelry instead! Well I’ve no comments on their jewelry since I’ve not tried it and neither am I interested now.
A giveaway should just be a giveaway without any terms and conditions attached.
Imagine had I gone ahead with the giveaway? Its time these companies take us bloggers very seriously and not take us for granted.
To make up for all this mess, I’ll announce another giveaway very soon. And yes a Christmas giveaway is in the pipeline and I’ve already started saving up for it. Hint: Its something every one wants but only a few have access to.
Whats your take on this matter? Isn’t it time companies stop thinking of bloggers as just a promotional and marketing tool? Pen is mightier than a sword. In this case, keyboard!
I’m still mad though.
Ohhh thats so bad…. Same thing happened with me.. an upcoming brush company contacted me and a few bloggers- I donno about them but as usual I asked them a few questions and then the result was that people need to buy something from them and the gift card would apply to the next purchase… seriously, I was like @#$@#$$#…. why do they even suggest such a thing?
seriously?? a 50$ discount coupon?? That’s what I hate about some companies- The terms & conditions applied thing !! I mean come on, you are giving a freebie to the readers, not bounding them to have to buy something to get their gifts !! Thanks god you got to know by time and cancelled the giveaway !! So wise of u : )
Omg!! That’s ridiculous!!
That’s crazy. And not a GIVEAWAY at all. Just a coupon pretty much. Sorry, I am not getting anything for free if I still have to pay 50 bucks!! Geez. Good for you for taking a stand against them :)
that company has a weird idea of giveaway :P
anyway fortunately you discovered it in time :)
at leat it didn’t damage your blog’s reputation :)
@beena really? how can they even think that ppl would like this? seriously i was like @#$@#$ too!
@nitika yeah..how is dat supposed to be a freebie then?!
@stavroula yeah it is!!
@sarah exactly..a coupon, nothing more than that. i stay away from such brands. and thanks :)
@lilith seriously man. exactly or i wud hv been screwed! :P
Ya they contacted me too..But when I checked the whole site and products I found there is no item below 100$ and I told them that even if they offer a 50$ card noone would be interested in this giveway as the minimum amount is also more than double !
hmmm….so that’s what you were pissed about yesterday!!! its ok, these kinds of hitches do happen and it really is frustrating but take them to be experiences and leave it…they wanted to make money out of their giveaways too…anyways good that you got out of it early enough..imagine having run the giveaway completely and then, it would have been a mess!!!
thats not a giveaway! thanks for letting us know.. its better to be careful
It’s shocking that they would do something like this! It’s dishonest & unethical. I cannot believe the level some companies will stoop to.
I think you need to be congratulated for having the guts to write a post like this, it must have been tough.
thats so bad indeed..
Thanks for letting us know!! don’t me mad, it happens. :)
@bhumika gud dat u got to know in time
@sawti it would have been a total mess. yes ds and some others as well ;)
zatz exactly, its not a giveaway in v.simple words!
@pookhie these days a lot of co. resort to such practices. i had to tell you guys about ds, yes difficult initially but after seing d response, m happy dat i took d step
@miha yes it is
@jiya shit happens ;)
Hi Girl,
Like you I too was approached by the company but the link of the sample giveaway which they gave didn’t look genuine so I thought of delaying the issue and think about it more.
I am glad that you came up with the post and helped all of us out.This must have irritated you a lot.
You know this make me proud of the Indian companies because they never do that.If they promise to offer they dutifully oblige to it.
Hey Anshita, I just came here to enter the giveaway & I read your experience! I’m glad you got to know about this before the giveaway ended.
I can imagine how you must be feeling!Everybody would get to know about this so called company through word of mouth for sure!
BTW do enter my PIcture Polish nail colors giveway with simple rules :))
thanks for bringing this to notice. some companies really take customers for a ride, as they have no ethics wathsoever