A question about : Comping Guide
General message to all compers:
Questions are answered more quickly in the The Compers Chat Corner Board which is a sub board of the Competitions Time Forum.
This thread is best used for alerting compers to new tips/hints - also means I can throw them into the main Guide at the start of this thread if they aren't already in there. Thanks 
Introduction
The following Guide has been put together by shamelessly stealing good ideas posted in this forum by MSE Compers. To all those who have contributed (unknowingly) to this Guide, by sharing their hints, tips & great ideas within various threads, I hope your Comping Kharma is increased & may the Comping Fairy sprinkle winning dust over you!
If you are after general information about how the forum software works & how to do things then there is an excellent guide here Beginner's Guide to the forums
If you are looking for tips on how best to search this forum please refer to How do I search to see if a comp has been posted? below
Before you go any further can I please direct you to READ the Basic Rules About the Competitions Forum. This will help you to understand & give you a better idea of what can & can't be done in this Forum.
WARNING: Comping can become extremely addictive!
How to use this Guide
You can either read through the whole Guide at your leisure or if you see a question in the list below that you would like the answer to, simply click on the section title for that question & you will be taken directly to that section of the Guide. (I was hoping to be able to take you to the question itself but unfortunately this forum has HTML off which means I can't use HTML anchors, sorry!)
This Guide focuses on different topics & will suggest ways to achieve a particular result. As with most things there are multiple ways of, For Example, adding a signature, etc. I have mainly focused on one particular way.
Initial Information
1 How do you win all this stuff?
2 How many comps do you enter a day? / How long do you spend entering comps?
3 How much can I expect to win?
4 Do you only enter comps from this site? / What about comping mags that you pay for?
5 How long did you have to wait for your first win?
6 Do you keep a list of what you enter?
7 Do you keep a list of what you win?
8 I'm worried about identity theft from giving out my personal details to enter comps, what do you suggest?
9 How do you stop loads of spam in your email inbox?
10 How do you stop loads of spam coming via post to your door?
11 If you opt in or out of their mailing / 3rd party mailings, does it affect your chances?
Getting Started (I)
1 I want to enter comps, what should I do first? / Where do I start?!
2 Why can't I search for comps that are ending on a certain date?
3 Does the email address I use affect my chances of winning a comp?
4 How many times do you enter a comp?
5 How do you enter so many? / Is there a way to save me having to type in all my info time after time?
6 Should I put my home number?
7 A comp site wants me to register before I can enter, what should I do?
Getting Started (II)
1 Does it matter what sex you are for entering comps?
2 How do I keep track of which comps I've entered and what are the green ticks and red crosses for?
3 When I closed that comp window, there was another window behind it advertising another comp! Shall I enter?
4 How do I solve the puzzle or answer the question?
5 I've found a comp I'd like to enter, what should I be aware of?
6 What tips are there for when I enter an email comp?
7 What tips are there for when I enter a postcard entry comp?
8 Are there any comps that can be entered regularly?
9 Can I enter the radio station / newspaper comps on more than one of the radio station / newspaper websites?
10 What does it mean when someone posts on a thread 'Check your thanks'?
More Advanced
1 What do I do if I see a comp which has already expired / been posted on here? / How do I send a merge request to a Board Guide?
2 There is a closed comp on the main board, should I do anything?
3 There is a spam post on the main board, should I do anything?
4 Sometimes there seems to be the same comp & question on lots of different sites, can I enter them all?
5 Do you have any tips for entering Rafflecopter comps?
6 Do you have any tips for the multiple entry comps (Like Real Deal or Golden Balls, etc)?
7 Do you have any tips for the multiple answer comps (Like Radio Times, Take a Break, Pick Me Up Magazine, Chat Puzzles, etc)
8 I don't understand the Puzzler thread, there are lots of comps in there but how I do enter them?
9 Is there an easier way to enter the daily magazine comps that you have 5 or so questions to answer 'No Thanks' to?
Winning
1 How long after a comp closes are you notified?
2 How are winners contacted? / What does the comping jargon actually mean?
3 Do I have to check if I've won or do I get contacted?
4 If I win & they ask for money / have to attend a presentation, have I won?
5 How will I know if it is a genuine prize winning letter / call / email?
6 OMG! I've won, where can I share my great news?
7 What happens if my prize doesn't turn up?
8 Is there anywhere to swap / sell unwanted prizes on here?
9 How can I put what I've won into the bottom of my posts?
10 If I win with a company does that stop me winning from them again?
Posting Comps
1 How can I find comps to post on here, I've entered loads & want to give some back?
2 How do I search to see if a comp has been posted?
3 What is an affiliate link?
4 Do any sites not want their comps/answers posted?
5 Why am I unable to post a link/URL for a comp?
6 How do I post a comp on here?
7 How can I amend my thread title if I need to?
8 How can I delete my post if I need to?
9 How do I do a 'clicky' instead of putting the full URL?
10 How can I put a picture in my post?
11 Are there any sites, from experience, which are likely to generate lots of spam?
Is there a gentler way to flag up that someone has made a mistake?
I have a question which hasn't been covered here, what should I do?
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Best answers:
- Initial Information
1 How do you win all this stuff?
At the end of the day, it is purely down to luck. If you enter lots of comps then hopefully you should see some wins.
Comps that require some effort or skill, like tie-breaker comps or those that need a video, poem, story, picture etc, usually have fewer entries so chances of winning are higher.
Don’t forget about comps in your local newspapers! These seem to have high success rates according to other MSE Compers, although there are no guarantees as to how much you win & when.
2 How many comps do you enter a day? / How long do you spend entering comps?
For many MSE Compers, how many & how long depends on the time we have available. It can be anywhere from 10 – 200 comps a day. I look at all the comps which are posted then after selecting which ones I want to enter, it probably drops to around 120 – 150 a day, which includes Regular Comps which I’ll cover later in the Guide.
It is personal choice but do remember, the more comps you enter, the more chances you have of winning something.
When I started I entered comps for anything & everything, resulting in some very unusual wins for things I just don’t know what to do with now! As time went on I became more selective about the comps I entered, I still enter loads but at least when I win now, it is for something I wanted to win. I have seen many other MSE Compers say the same thing too.
3 How much can I expect to win?
Firstly, if you expect to win then this hobby may not be for you.
Winnings could be anything or nothing & everywhere in between! With luck, & entering lots of comps you should hopefully win something, although I have seen some MSE Compers who report they hadn’t won anything after 6 months of comping.
Just remember one thing - comping should be for fun not just for prizes.
If I undertook a clinical analysis of time spent & reward received then it probably isn't worth my time, but I don't look at it that way. I've been really lucky with the wins I have enjoyed thanks to this forum, but that isn’t all. I've sat here with tears of laughter rolling down my face from some of the fun & games which goes on & felt sad to the bottom of my heart for some of the lows which have been shared by other MSE Compers. Personally, I'm in this for the community as well as the rush of the win.
4 Do you only enter comps from this site? / What about comping mags that you pay for?
There are other comping sites & even magazines that you pay for but for the most part, all comps end up on here eventually as there are some very dedicated MSE Compers who love to share the comps they have found, even though it will reduce their chances of winning. Different comping sites have slightly different ways of doing things, unlike MSE, some comp sites don’t like the answers posted so you have the chance to work it out for yourself. If you wanted to check out some other comp sites then some examples would be Loquax, The Prize Finder, UK Competitions etc, a quick Google search should find them for you.
A word of warning though, if you are thinking of using multiple sites to enter comps then you do need to be careful not to duplicate your entries as some comps will disqualify you if you enter more times than allowed & that would be a huge waste of time for you.
5 How long did you have to wait for your first win?
My first win was after 2 weeks, it was a text comp that notified me immediately that I’d won. That bottle of Diet Coke tasted better than any other I had ever drunk!
Your first win can be quick or it can take a while. There are some good reasons why I’m being deliberately vague on this, as the comps you enter have to end... then winners have to be drawn... then winners have to be notified.
Wins can be like buses though, none for a while then several at once. In terms of hours put in the returns can be well below the minimum wage if you were to sit & work it out, but the fun & thrill factor are priceless.
6 Do you keep a list of what you enter?
Some MSE Compers do have a system to record the comps they enter, either into a book or onto a spreadsheet. This can come in handy if the forum Search function becomes unavailable as these MSE Compers usually alert the rest of us to duplicates which have been accidentally posted. A lot of us though, just enter & move on, if we win then we win (yay!), if we don’t then we don’t need to remember it!
7 Do you keep a list of what you win?
Most of us keep a list of what we win so we can see how we are doing.
It can also be a good idea to keep a list of what we have been told we’ve won but the prize hasn’t arrived yet. This can prove very useful, as some comp organisors / PR companies can be a little slow getting the prizes out & need a little reminder every now & then.
I record what I've won, if it hasn’t arrived yet it is on a list, I keep copies of the email / comp slip / letter that arrived in a ‘Comping Wins’ folder. (In plastic pockets, in date order - yes I have mild OCD). Looking back through the folder gives me a sense of hope during the times when wins are a bit thin on the ground.
8 I’m worried about identity theft from giving out my personal details to enter comps, what do you suggest?
Firstly, don’t use the same password / username for a comp website as any of your financial services sites, like your internet banking site, etc. Secondly, I would run a mile from any comp that asked for my bank details!
Some MSE Compers make a deliberate change to their date of birth, (For Example, instead of May they use June as their month of birth), but at the end of the day you need to decide if you want to ‘risk’ it.
Here in the Comping Corner of MSE, we all look out for each other & if anyone has an idea that a site or comp isn’t legitimate then they will usually post on the thread & then the investigative members really start to look into the background of the site, who owns it, when it was set up etc. Obviously there is no guarantee that a comp isn’t being run simply to harvest personal details, however, there are some very eagle eyed members on here & let’s face it you risk credit / debit card fraud whenever you use your card in a petrol station or a restaurant nowadays.
Finally, if you are in any doubt as to the legitimacy of a particular comp then for your own peace of mind don’t enter it. There are hundreds of comps posted on this site every day so missing the odd few won’t make a big difference in the grand scheme of things, but may help you rest easier.
9 How do you stop loads of spam in your email inbox?
Some MSE Compers set up a separate email account just to use for comp entries, so any junk sent will not clog up your usual email account. If you set up a separate account though, make sure you check it!
I am what you would call an organised MSE Comper, (or I am a little OCD about some things), so if I have to register for a newsletter to enter a comp, I make a note of the promoter & the comp end date, (using a program written especially for me), but you could use a spreadsheet, a word document or even a piece of paper. Once the end date has passed I know I can safely unsubscribe from that newsletter without disqualifying myself from the comp if I’m not interested in receiving the newsletter anymore. Other MSE Compers don’t worry about unsubscribing though as it is just a comping email address & they trawl through each day to check for Winning Emails (WEMs).
You just need to decide what works for you.
10 How do you stop loads of junk mail coming via post to your door?
Just be careful when completing the comp entry forms & make sure that you tick the correct opt out boxes. It can be tricky as some sites say things like “If you do not want to receive emails from this company then untick the box” so just make sure you read it carefully & if in doubt just post a reply on that comp thread & ask other MSE Compers for some guidance, we are a friendly bunch & will help each other out where we can.
The Mailing Preference Service is a great way to stop loads of junk mail. If you register with them they ensure your preference for no junk mail is known by Direct Mail companies. This is a free service for anyone to use, not just compers!
There is also The Telephone Preference Service again, free of charge to register, which can help cut out cold calling on your home & mobile phones. This is another free service & again, not just for compers!
11 If you opt in or out of their mailing / 3rd party mailings, does it affect your chances?
I ALWAYS indicate a big fat 'no' to both of those, unless it is something that I'd really like to hear more about or a comp you enter by signing up for their newsletter.
It should make no difference to whether you are included in the comp or not, although some smaller companies may break the rules. I have to say I’ve been really lucky with wins & it seems to have made no difference whatsoever to my chances by always opting out where I can. It just means that I end up with less spam & on less junk mail lists.
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. - Getting Started (I)
1 I want to enter comps, what should I do first? / Where do I start?!
This is going to be a personal choice but I can let you know some of the ways other MSE Compers work their way through the comps.
You could go back to the oldest comps (highest page number, usually just over 200 odd pages) & start working your way forwards just entering the ones you want to win, it will take a while but once you are caught up it does get easier. Each time you stop comping for the day, make sure you write down the date & time of the last comp you actually entered & then you'll know where to start again. When you come back again to enter some more comps, start from the last one you entered & work back towards page 1 again. Do make sure the Display Options, at the bottom of the Forum page (any page which lists all the comp threads), are set to show you all the pages though, as it usually defaults to just 2 weeks, please see the diagram below: - Getting Started (II)
1 Does it matter what sex you are for entering comps?
Unless stated in a comp T & C, blokes can enter for spa pamper days & handbag comps & girlies can enter for men’s razors, laptops & toolboxes. Do be careful though as some comps will not allow the prize to be transferred, so think twice before entering for a full body wax or a visit to playboy mansion!
2 How do I keep track of which comps I’ve entered and what are the green ticks and red crosses for?
Do make sure you are a member of MSE because when you are logged in it will make keeping track of the comps you have already entered a lot easier.
Note: If you are not logged in ‘Thanks’, ‘green tick’ and ‘red cross’ buttons do not appear.
When I look at the forum, I can sometimes tell from the title of the thread if it is a comp that I would be interested in entering. If I see a comp that I don’t want to enter then I click the faded red cross button to indicate to myself that I have already made a decision about entering and have decided to skip it.
If I can’t tell from looking at the title if I want to enter, I open that thread and read more to make my decision. If I don't want to enter, then I click the 'Thanks' button (since I’m in the thread anyway) to thank the OP (Original Poster) for sharing. (It is hard work to find a comp that hasn’t already been posted!) I also click the red cross button to let me know that I’ve already checked out that comp and decided to skip it. Either of the red crosses that you can see on the post will do the job!
If I decide to enter, I click the 'Thanks' button to thank the OP, but will also click the green tick button to show me that I've entered.
By using the red cross and green tick buttons, I can very quickly see the comps that I haven’t yet reviewed. If you click any of these buttons by mistake then click again to reverse the action.
Some comps will void your entries if you enter more than once so I strongly recommend using these buttons to help you keep track.
When you return to the main forum page, you will see which comps you have skipped/entered as they will have a red cross or a green tick. You can focus your comping time and energy most efficiently on the comps with just a faded red cross as these are the comps that you still need to review.
Please note: Don’t reply to the post "thanks" or "just entered" etc. This will bump the thread back to the top of the Forum which can result in eager MSE Compers entering again by accident. This is very frustrating as they can then potentially disqualify themselves. ‘Bumping’ is also against the Forum rules (which I asked you to read in the Introduction). Don't be a bumper!
Before we had these buttons, the only way we could try to keep track was by subscribing to the threads themselves once the decision to enter/not enter had been made, (as well as click the ‘Thanks’ button to show your thanks to the OP). That displays a symbol beside each thread subscribed to. This is not something I would now recommend as it is clumsy and takes a more clicks than our lovely new buttons. (Please see insert below from MSE, as having too many subscribed threads can cause issues).
MoneySavingExpert.com Insert: Could compers please try to ensure you subscribe to no more than 10,000 threads please as it can slow down the forum. Many thanks!
To subscribe to a thread, open the thread & click the 'Thread Tools' > 'Subscribe to this Thread'. - More Advanced
1 What do I do if I see a comp which has already expired / been posted on here? / How do I send a merge request to a Board Guide?
On any page of the Forum, towards the bottom right of the page under the list of comp threads, it says who the Board Guides (BGs) are for this forum. Below is the current list:
**Note: Whilst an additional BG is being selected please be gentle with Dalkirst and Glad - they will be rushed off their feet!! - Winning
1 How long after a comp closes are you notified?
This is going to be individual to each comp. Usually it will state in the T & C for each comp, although sometimes you aren't notified at all & a prize just turns up.
2 How are winners contacted? / What does the comping jargon actually mean?
There are different ways that you could be contacted when you win a comp. It will usually state in the comp T & Cs what the method will be. Below are some of the ways with their common abbreviations:
Winning Email (WEM)
Winning Phone Call (WPC/WTC)
Long White Envelope (as usually wins are notified in one of these) also know as Long Winners Envelope ( LWE)
There is a thread 'How you are informed of wins' which has pooled information regarding how you are informed of wins from the various sites
Some wins just turn up! This can be nearly as much fun (or frustration) as entering the actual comps, trying to guess who the prize is from when it comes with no info or comp slip.
3 Do I have to check if I've won or do I get contacted?
The majority of comps will contact you somehow if you are a winner, but this isn't the only outcome. There are some site which you need to check to see if you are a winner with them. There is a thread 'Are you a winner?' which has pooled information regarding sites you need to check on to see if you have won.
Some MSE Compers, Google their name every few days / week to check to see if they have appeared on any winners lists.
They will usually search for: - "firstname surname" winner
- "firstname surname" - but there might be lots to rake through if you have a common name
- firstname surname "prize winners"
- Then the same for your username (if you have a regular one!)
- Posting Comps
1 How can I find comps to post on here, I've entered loads & want to give some back?
Regular compers on MSE already post the daily ITV comps & will arrange for someone to cover them if they aren't going to be around - because the search facility won't pick something up for at least 30 mins after posting, please remember that regular posters will probably already have this in hand! Also, the magazine comps that have their own threads will have lists of people that buy the magazines, answer the puzzles then post the answers on here for others. Please respect these existing posters as it is their money they are handing over to buy the mags & give us the answers. If you are interested in helping out or posting a particular magazine then either post in that mags thread or if you can't find the actual thread then post in the Compers Chat Corner Board to ask about it & another comper will be along to help point you in the right direction.
At the end of the day, no comper 'owns the right' to post a particular comp but please take a moment, have a look around & ask in the Compers Chat Corner Board, if necessary, to ask if there is a regular poster for a particular comp. Let's keep this a friendly place to play, avoid duplication & misunderstandings
As you surf you may come across a comp which hasn't been posted here yet, although you will find a lot of them have already been hunted out & posted. Some MSE Compers have regular sites that they check for new comps & others will just come across comps in their email or when they surf the net. If you do a Google search for comps then do be careful that they are still running as it is easy to find comps which have ended but haven't been taken offline. Obvious places to look for new comps are magazine websites, TV channels etc.
You can also find comps on magazines websites. If you need some ideas then try looking on WH Smith to give you the more unusual magazine names. Then Google a particular magazine name to find out if it has a website. Then it is just a matter of looking on the website to see if they have any comps which aren't already on here!
If you are looking for other places to find comps that may not have been found yet, then your local library can be an excellent source of new comps as they have a lot of non mainstream mags / publications. When you go to the library take a pen / paper (to write comps down), if you have a camera phone then you could even take pictures of the comp pages to look at on your computer when you get back home. Some libraries have a photocopier, although they may charge to copy things. Also a big plus for libraries (unlike newsagents) is that staff don't hassle you writing the comp info down, photographing it or even photocopying it for sharing later.
Don't feel bad if you can't find any new comps to post, you can contribute in other ways like posting answers where they need to be researched, joining in with discussions, PM'ing BGs with closed comps that are still in the main forum, spotting duplicate comps, etc. Even if you're not able to help with answers or feel a little shy about posting then please don't worry. The only thing that would be slightly unfair is if you were off finding loads of other comps yourself & then not sharing them with everyone else as that would be a little selfish.
2 How do I search to see if a comp has been posted?
The Forum Search is not foolproof although if you take a couple of easy steps then it can help you not to post duplicate comps.
On any Forum page, just above where the threads are listed you will see the option to 'Search this Forum', click this & then select 'Advanced Search'. - Is there a gentler way to flag up that someone has made a mistake?
Sometimes, unfortunately, what is meant & what actually comes across, when communicating with just words, is very different. Things can be taken the wrong way & members can become upset. A quick message droped into a thread by someone trying to help but also trying to get on with entering their comps can (at times) appear abrupt & rude to the recipient.
With that in mind, Cheeky Chicken has made a few smilies which can be used for highlighting an issue in a more fun way. She has also said these are now public property & can be used whenever the need arises. Thanks Cheeky!
Examples of the gentle smilies:
Useful when perhaps a newer comper decides they have to post a personal thank you message for each comp, as well as hitting the 'Thanks' button
Perhaps if someone is posting a few comps which are already on here & thereby creating a situation where other compers could get disqualified from the comp for entering more times that the T & C allows.
Let other compers know you've found a duplicate so they don't potentially enter it again and that you have sent a merge request to a Board Guide all in one easy step! Just don't forget that the thread will still need the URL of the Original thread so people can check to see if they have already entered.
This can be used to help show another comper there is a Comping Guide thread & that there are some useful hints & tips, especially to do with searching for comps which are already on MSE.
'Bumpers' can be really frustrating for other Compers, especially when they have pulled a very old thread back through to the front by adding a comment like 'Thanks!' or 'Entered this one!'
A very visible warning to other Compers so they hopefully look out for a naughty little tick box to opt out of marketing which may be hidden just out of view!
IMPORTANT:
End date format is vital to cluster the comps which end on a certain date together. To help us to politely let our fab comp posters know that their thread title needs to be corrected, Cheeky has made us all another smilie (which can also be used with the accompanying text if you want- simply copy & paste it all - don't forget to change the xxx to the OPs name ):
Hi xxxx, please would you be able to add/amend the end date in your thread title so that it follows the forum rules for end dates, posted here again by diva. This will also make it much easier for other compers to find your comp when the end date is getting near - so more people can enter it! It will also make it a bit easier for our Board Guides, who have to find the ending ones to move them into Game Over. Thanks!
They can be used by either copying their location from the example above (right click & 'copy image location' & then click the delete the 'http' already in the pop up box & paste the image location) or by going directly to the source where they are stored which is the Comping Signs at ImageShack. Some browsers will even allow you to drag & drop the smilies!
Feel free to post further tips and/or questions in this thread - One tip to speed up the ITV comps.
Select the correct answer (A/B/C/D) and fill out your contact details before typing the text into the Captcha box. When you have correctly typed the text in Captcha, press these three keys in this order to submit your entry: - TAB (moves to the I Agree tickbox)
- SPACE (puts a tick in the I Agree tickbox)
- ENTER (submits the comp entry)
- I'm not sure if this is worth including or not, but when entering comps with lots of answers (Radio Times, Chat, Take A Break etc) I find it easier to open a separate window and have one on top of the other, then you can just type the answers one after another without having to keep switching back and forth. Also on the RT ones, you can click the next number while the answer box is still on your screen which keep it in the right place on the screen. I have mine like this:-
- I have a searching-related tip, if it's of any use. It's a way of checking for competitions specifically fitting one's interests, whether a given competition has already been posted, looking for things ending on a specific date, and so on, for those who prefer the interface of Google.
What you need to do is enter your terms in quotation marks, "like so" (you can add several if you wish - you must add "competition" or "competitions" as one of them, though, to restrict the search to, well, competitions ), and add site:forums.moneysavingexpert.com after your search terms. Here's an example of how this should look;
EDIT: @Cheeky Chicken - you would be better off using tabs if you're using Mozilla Firefox - they function like multiple windows, within the same window. You can open a new tab by pressing CTRL and T at the same time on the Linux or Windows versions, or Command (the Apple logo key) and T on the Mac OS X version. It's possible to cycle through them by clicking on them, or using CTRL and Tab (Linux and Windows), or Command and either Tab or the arrow keys for Mac OS X (I always seem to forget this one, I'm afraid!). Also, if you see a link you like, you can click on it with your mouse's wheel or middle button (if it has one), or by holding down CTRL whilst clicking it (on a Mac, this is done by holding down Command when you click the link) to open it in a new tab, as well. I hope this is useful!
EDIT2: Oops, I see from your screenshot that you're already using them. I have no idea how I missed that. Sorry! - Thanks for these! I'll give the Guide a mini-makeover with these tips added at the weekend
- For comps that require a long list of answers like those in Radio Times or the puzzles website ones, I use the Firefox extension Split Pannel. It saves a lot of faffing about moving between tabs or windows.
I also find pop up windows to be incredibly annoying when comping. To force everything to open in tabs I use TabMixPlus and tweak the settings. - Oh, I have another tip, regarding the use of tabs.
In the current versions of Firefox, if you set newly-clicked links to always open in a new tab, when you close the newly-opened tab after finishing with it, it will usually hop right back to the tab in which you clicked the link (it sometimes doesn't if you end up being forwarded to another page in the newly-opened tab, though). I find this quite handy for entering competitions that catch my interest when I have a LOT of tabs open, and then (once finished) moving right back to the thread where I found them in order to click the relevant "Thanks" buttons therein. - thanks very much for this.I am fairly new at this and it is all still a minefield.I wanted to know how to mark a comp that i had entered so i followed all your instructions above.However, when i press the thanks button, although it dissappears from the screen,when i go back to it later it has reappeared.Also if I 'subscribe to this thread' sometimes the symbol appears on the list but sometimes it doesnt. Any tips?
- Hi
The thanks button will never reappear if you have clicked it, its one way of knowing for sure you have entered a competition.
If you have subscribed to the thread to keep track of what you have entered you can track it in your user cp, that link can be found at the top of the page - The thanks button doesn't show when you are logged out? only the quote button shows
Ensure you remember the speech marks either side of your name as that will cut down the number of matches returned.
Something else you can do is set up a Google Alert. This feature is one that can do your searching for you each day & then email you when it gets a result! Again, this works really well if you have a more unusual name. If you don't already have a Google or a Gmail account then you can sign up for one so you can utilise this feature.
4 If I win & they ask for money / have to attend a presentation, have I won?
Usually it is safe to say that if you have won something you wouldn't usually be expected to pay anything for a win. If you aren't sure though, you can always post the info on a new thread in the the I Won Forum & then see what 'seasoned' MSE Compers think as they may have come across the same thing before.
If you are asked to attend a presentation before being given your prize then it might be a timeshare type of prize, so it is your personal choice as to whether to do it. Again, post the info in the I Won Forum & see what other 'seasoned' MSE Compers think of it. There are some stories of MSE Compers attending the presentations, sitting there for a few hours managing to keep saying no & walking away with a lovely holiday for the price of a small admin fee. You would need to decide whether that is something you would want to or even could do.
5 How will I know if it is a genuine prize winning letter / call / email?
Basically, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is. Shams & scams can sometimes be easily spotted due to their appalling spelling mistakes & strange email address, (i.e. would Mercedes really send email from a Hotmail account…?)
You can become more familiar with dodgy 'wins' on this thread 'Competitions Scams'
6 OMG! I've won, where can I share my great news?
The I won! I won! I won! Forum is a sub forum of Competitions Time & is just for us to share our great news about wins with each other. Post a new thread there to let everyone know about your good fortune.
7 What happens if my prize doesn't turn up?
This is going to be individual to each comp. Usually it will state in the T & C for each comp how long it should take for the prizes to be dispatched to winners. As a general rule though or in the absence of any particular details in the T & C, allow 28 days, (allow more if we are experiencing postal strikes or extreme weather conditions). If the prize hasn't arrived by then, get in touch with the company offering the prize. Try to contact the person whose details you have & ask politely if there is a problem with delivery. A telephone call is the best way, but failing that try emailing them. If they don't reply, look on the original website for contact details & contact them, again being as polite as you can.
If you still get no response from them, there are a few different things you can try.
The Institute of Promotional Marketing complaints@theipm.org.uk lay down the guidelines which comp organisors must follow. MSE Compers have reported that they are very good at investigating dodgy comps & missing prizes. (The IPM was formerly known as the Institute of Sales Promotion, the name changed in May 2010.)
The Advertising Standards Authority have an online complaints form.
I had an issue with a prize not turning up & after chasing politely for 5 months, I mentioned that I had been advised to talk to the IPM about the matter. Funnily enough that resulted in a letter of apology within a few days, along with a box of 'Apology Goodies' & my prize turned up 2 weeks later. Just remember to keep your cool & remain polite.
8 Is there anywhere to swap / sell unwanted prizes on here?
No, the Forum Rules for MSE strictly forbid this. Some MSE Compers will sell duplicate prizes on eBay (you might want to visit the eBay Forum to get some hints & tips on selling via eBay).
9 How can I put what I've won into the bottom of my posts?
Near the top of the page, along the thin green bar, just below where is says 'Welcome (username)', select 'Quick Links'. A drop down list will appear, select 'Edit Signature'.
Do it slowly the first few times to get the hang of it and then you'll find you can speed up. This saves me several seconds per entry, which adds up quickly on the mutliple-entry comps.
It reduces the RSI in your mouse wrist slightly too, by making you use the keyboard more. Also, it flows well from the end of the captcha box because you are already typing text. And it has a nice feel to it, like pressing carriage return on old-fashioned typewriters.
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