Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Rules & Fairness



It has been brought to my attention that there are a few bloggers out there who has been using multiple accounts to enter giveaways. Most of the names I have seen posted on other blogs haven't entered on my blog, but there is at least one person that may be entering unfairly. Therefore, effective today, I will be adding a new stipulation to ALL giveaways. There will be only one set of entries per person/household/IP address.  If I see multiple entries coming in from the same IP address, all of those entries will be disqualified. I'm sure there are a few legitimate husband and wife teams who both enter giveaways, but there are more than enough blog giveaways out there that you can enter different ones and stick with the rules. Why put all your eggs in one basket? Spread the entries around and make it fair for everyone.

While I'm on the subject of rules, I just want to mention a few other points. First, please be sure to read the rules carefully on all giveaways. While most of them contain the same bonus entries, there are times when companies ask for specific entries.  Each contest clearly states all the options you have to enter. If there is one with only two or three entries, and you enter 20 times, you are wasting my time and yours because the entries won't count and I have to go in and delete them.

Finally, please make sure I am able to contact you if you win. If your email is visible if your profile, you are all set and don't have to worry about this. But if your email isn't visible, you MUST put your email address in EVERY entry. If I pick a number and there is no email in that entry, I am not going to search through 600 entries to find your original entry that may or may not have their required information.  I just pick another winner.

I want to thank all my wonderful followers who have been entering giveaways and supporting my blog the last two years. You are what helps to make my blog a success. Let's keep it successful by playing fair so the giveaways can keep coming.

12 comments:

Barb said...

Yikes! I always make sure my email is visible & I add it to the first entry. I didn't know everyone expected it in each entry. I'll have to start doing that. barb g.

GabbyLowe said...

If your email is visible in your profile you don't have to add it to the comment.

Scott said...

Angie and I have been entering as husband and wife with you for almost two years, so I hope that we are not the problem or that another reader mistook our entries as cheating when it is/was not. We won't both enter from here on out though, since your rules have now changed. I hope you are OK with the fact that we did enter a giveaway this afternoon together. If not, feel free to delete my entries and keep Angie's. Thanks!
Scott
nynekats at gmail dot com

GabbyLowe said...

Scott-the new rules will not apply to entries until I start adding that stipulation of one per household tomorrow. So any entries from today will be okay. I know you guys are legit but there are a few people out there entering under multiple email addresses and this is the only way I know how to keep things fair and make everyone happy. It was not you that I received the complaint about.

Jan Messali said...

These rules make perfect sense. I'd also like people to know that it's important to be honest. I've had people enter my giveaways saying, "I follow you on Twitter," for example. Their name is drawn as a winner, and I go to Twitter to verify... and, surprise! They're not on my list of followers. I immediately draw a new winner. It's surprising how often people do this.
I appreciate all the hard work you do for the great giveaways you have.
Thanks!

Unknown said...

I just checked another blog's winner post to see if my name was there and she wrote that she had to draw four times because when she went to verify, all of the first three "winners" were not legitimate. I'm noticing a lot of posts like yours. Thank you for taking the time to check on the entries for those of us who do follow the rules!

celebrie2 said...

Laura, thank you for making it fair for all of us who follow the rules! I really enjoy your blog and the giveaway's and the last thing i would want to happen is they stop because there are people who are not playing fair! I have seen, just today, 4blogs reviewing their entering and fairness policies. Thank-you!

Scott said...

Thanks so much! Glad to know it wasn't us! Sorry too that people are cheating so much. Like Alicia C., we are noticing more and more bloggers going to this format due to cheaters. Really very sad.
Scott
nynekats at gmail dot com

Kari said...

Wow, that's awful!! I personally don't know how people could find the time to do that, it takes me quite a bit of time to enter as it is! Thank you for making these new rules, it's a shame there are cheaters out there that ruin for the rest of us :(

Betty C said...

My son and I own a duplex. He and his wife life in one unit and I and my grandson live in the other unit. We have separate mailing addresses and telephones but we share one internet and cable system.
Would we have the same IP address or would they be different because we have separate computers?
What about people who enter at libraries or WiFi hot spots? Would they be inelegible?c

AngelaK said...

I know I've entered a few of your giveaways, but not sure about Twin. But guess we'll have to write a list of which ones we enter so we don't accidentally enter the same one. Stupid cheaters.



rainpendragon2684[at]yahoo[dot]com

lolamichele said...

thanks for the clarification. I used to do something similar to this a couple of years ago, & I know it can be a PITA dealing with people who are trying to get an extra entry. Thanks for continuing to do what you do. If it weren't for people like you, I would get to try as many wonderful products as I do.