I have a major pet peeve that I need to get off of my chest. I cannot STAND bloggers who completely ignore emails that they receive from past winners, telling them that their prize hasn’t arrived yet.
Several times I have won prizes that just don’t arrive. As a review blogger myself, I know that the blogger rarely controls the shipping for the prize, but I know that it’s my job to email the blogger to let them know, so that they can contact the company. So after a month or so I kindly email the blogger, letting them know. From my experience, when I send out these such emails, around 75% of the time, I NEVER hear back from the blogger who hosted the contest. So I send a second email a week later. Then a third. And hear nothing.
Now, I obviously am also a giveaway blogger myself. I’d say that probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the time, I pick a winner, tell the company and then it turns out they forget to ship. So when I hear back from the winner, I email the company to remind them, and then 99 percent of the time the winner gets their prize within a week or so of that second email. This is because the PR rep simply forgets to email the prize out, and once reminded they promptly ship it out. Only one time have I ever had a company just not ever send the winners prize. and I’ve been doing this for 13 months now.
Meaning, for 1/4 to 1/3 of my winners, they will ONLY get their prize if they email me letting me know, and then I email the company to remind them. Making those emails very important. I take them seriously.
So, when I am in the winners shoes, without my prize, it frustrates me that I could most likely still get my prize if you would just REPLY to me and contact the company. Instead you just ignore me, for what reason?
I don’t know. But I do know that I personally feel an obligation to my winners, and all of my readers. I will always reply to you about your prize, even if the company just quits replying to me, I’ll at least update you and let you know. Even if it had nothing to do with a giveaway or a prize, I would always feel obligated to reply to one of my readers who took the time to email me. I also know that if I email you 3+ times with no response, I will quit following your blog and quit entering your giveaways. Sure it’s not much, but it’s my tiny statement and it feels good to make it!
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
I’m glad you wrote this post. I have had some instances where the prize I won hasn’t shown up. I am very shy when it comes to contacting the blog owner to let them know, but I do it. EVERYONE has been so nice and understanding. I even had one hostess recently email ME asking if I received item yet and kept in touch with me until it was received. HOWEVER, I still have three prizes from November in which my emails to the blog owners have gone unanswered. MAYBE I will email again. Thank you for a very well said post.
hannah
Thank you!
I have had a few problems lately with bloggers and getting a prize and you are right, it is VERY frustrating.
Bethany C.
I’ve had the same problem, don’t know why I bother sometimes (but the prize I won from you from tie guys came in no time- thanks!)
Jamie e.
I completely agree… I know that its not their fault, but you would think they would want to know and at least acknowledge it. Glad to hear you feel the same way!
Misty
I have had that problem… where stuff just dosent show up, and yet no matter how many times i contact the blog owner, nothing ever arrieves. its only happened with a few books and small things… but it ticks me off.
-Misty
Lauren Foster
I’ve had an experience from the winners side. I won something that I really wanted and that was over 9 months ago. All the times that I emailed the blogger she only responded once and said she would contact me back and has not…. very disappointing and I don’t visit her blog anymore.
THANK YOU ! I have been waiting on something since Oct. and the blog owner will not return my emails. Why do they host giveaways if they don’t want to follow up to make sure their readers are happy????
Before a blogger takes on giveaways, they need to ask themselves if they are prepared to do the follow up.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Thats what we ask of the sponsor, it should be number one with blog owners that do giveaways.
I was told by one “I gets hundreds of emails everyday” SO DO I !! But I would never ignore a complaint!
I’ve been very fortunate … when I’ve won a giveaway, communication between the giveaway host and myself has always been good. Unfortunately, not all companies are responsible … they promise a prize and then don’t follow through. In fact, I’m still waiting for “Art of Tea” to make good on their promise (since well before Thanksgiving). I feel sorry for the giveaway hosts when companies don’t follow through. Guess the bottom line is that all parties concerned shouldn’t be in the giveaway business if they aren’t willing to communicate and follow through.
Appreciate your rant … and your dedication to your participants!
I recently had an issue like this. I don’t want to call anybody out incase they read this, but it was pretty annoying.
I do have to say,
with everything I have going on in my life, I can understand that things can get really hectic, and very rarely I may have someone email me, and I miss it, and end up finding it later. However, it’s pretty much impossible to miss like 2 or 3 emails from someone. That is so messed up, and I could never completely ignore someone.
Situations happen, and I can sometimes understand.
But for the most part, there shouldn’t be an issue. I think it’s really disrespectful for the other bloggers to ignore you.
I have noticed lately that there are a lot of egotistical bloggers out there. (OMG I WISH I COULD MENTION NAMES, BECAUSE I SERIOUSLY HATE SOME OF THESE BLOGGERS LOL) But then again, you look back at there blogs 3 months from now and you’ll see that everything is biting them in the butt, because there blogs suck, they lack personalization, and that’s how they’ll always be. SOME bloggers seriously need to sit down, and think about how stupid some of their actions are.
(WHEW!) Thanks for the rant post! I like to rant sometimes too (And I have been doing that way too much on my blog) So it was nice to stop over and rant here too ^.^
-Amanda T
ratsandmore.com
Jessica H.
I just joined your site as a GFC follower, just because of this post!
I agree with you 100%! I have been having trouble with a few winnings not arriving, and like you, it seems if the host blogger emails the company I will receive the prize shortly (one was even overnighted because the company had failed to ship it). Most cases it just takes a simple email from the host and the issue is resolved.
I understand that some companies are poor and do not fulfill their promises. If the host blogger has tried to resolve the issue and has been in good communication with me, then I understand, and just chock it up to a lost prize. But when the blogger doesn’t even respond, that is frustrating and rude! Just my two cents!
I am excited to be a new follower, thanks for the great post!
misskallie2000
I too have not received some of the gifts I won and one has not replied or answered my email but the others did and said they would find out what happened and get back with me.
I have several others I need to email because I have not received these so will try to get to that tomorrow. I don’t know where my time goes now that I am retired. lol
I agree that if you email they should get back to you and email the sponsor to find out why.
Thanks for your ranting..
Sharon R
Wow, thank you. I always wondered if it was just me.
I also try to contact the blogger and let them know when the prize was received.
april yedinak
I have had both happen. The ones that answer and several that never did. I even had one try to blame ME! She said that she had tried to contact me, but that her email was returned. Um, that would be because she sent it to the wrong address! I realize that running giveaways is a lot of work, but no one forces them to do it and they are compensated in various ways. It is just poor business and I have a running list of sponsors and bloggers that have done me dirty that I warn my friends and family about. Thanks for brining this up so we can all vent!
Tamara B.
So funny reading your post after I had harsh emails from a blog that I won the AZO Vera Bradley bag from on 12/1 I was notified and I replied with my information within 10 minutes. Weeks passed so after the four week mark I email the blog owner, no reply, three more emails still no reply so I post a messgae on her Facebook hoping she would reply then. Well then I get a very nasty reply from Facebook from her saying I should have emailed her on her blog. Then was told I didn’t claim my prize in time so she gave it away to another person even after I forwarded my saved inital claim email. No I am sorry no trying to get me te prize nothing then she removed her Facebook page. Another one I won three coupons for Johnsonville sausage products I get them and they are expired. Still nothing for her either. So frustrating!!!!!!!!! I will say I had won from My Springfield Mommy’s blog she didn’t find my win reply so she repicked another winner. She has gone above and beyond to make it up to me. She sent me two free high end coupon products and a chocolate bliss cookbook! Hurray for her se ROCKS in my book and will always be a loyal fan of her blog for that 🙂 Here is the link to her site if you want to follow her http://www.MySpringfieldMommy.com
I couldn’t have said it better myself! I’ve had a couple forgetful companies not shipping out winners’ prizes while my computer was crashed. I felt horrible I didn’t get a chance to reply to those winners promptly but I DID reply to them and they were so understanding on how late it was. One of them didn’t realize my computer was down and messaged me almost every other day to remind me; talk about persistence. It makes me smile! AND she ended up getting her prize and leaving a glowing review for me to post.
Some companies truly do vanish off the face of the earth or don’t mail out prizes so I list them on my blog as DUDS and I have a “Wall of Appreciation” where I post feedback from happy winners.
I agree- review and giveaway bloggers need to do their JOB or get out of the business.
librarypat
My experiences have been similar to those posted above. I have several items won that I’ve not yet received. In some cases I haven’t gotten in touch with the blog owner. In a few cases, the blog owner said they had had problems with the sponsor and had had several complaints about prizes not going out. I’ve only had one blogger get snappy about the delay saying I hadn’t waited long enough. It had already been 6 weeks. I did contact her again after another 2 to 3 weeks later and she just said it was too late to do anything about it. I know we get busy, I have not acknowledged several prizes I have won and I try to do that right away. If a particular blog misses sending out too many prizes, I usually don’t bother following them any more.
Elaine Lund
hannah
Bethany C.
Jamie e.
Misty
Lauren Foster
Jessica H.
misskallie2000
Sharon R
april yedinak
Tamara B.
librarypat
Amen, Emmy! Very well said!