win notifications--help!

B

bonniesawinner

Member
Sweepstakes Plus Subscriber
Hello all,

I've been using this site and sweeping since last summer, thank you all again for all of your help. I've won a few items (coupons from IW, a blog win of facial masks, a magazine win of anti-aging cream, and a win of a gift card from a small store's website) and in every case I was notified by email. I made the assumption, after reading the rules of (almost) all the contests, that I would ALWAYS be notified personally, either by mail, email, or phone, or that the prize would just show up.

After reading a post here on a different topic, I have a terrible sinking feeling that on some contests I was supposed to have been checking back on the site to determine if I had won, rather than waiting for a personalized notification! Please tell me that isn't so, or at least tell me how to tell when I need to do that, and what is a good system for such contests. I know that often winners are <listed> on the sites, but I've always assumed that that is after they have been contacted by some other means. I've been completely subscribing to the "enter and forget it" concept and this complicates things.

It's not like I would have missed out on a ton of wins, but I feel sick at the thought of having wasted time entering and then not properly following up :cussing:!

Thanks for your advice,
Bonnie
 
:wave:

Hi bonnieisawinner,

I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. It is more likely that a prize would just show up, or you would receive an email notification...unless you have been entering mainly sweeps that require the winner to check back at their site, respond or forfeit the win - and those sweeps are the exception, to me anyway.

I only enter a handful of sweeps per year which require that I check the site to see who won, and I bookmark those sites, e.g. "ck after 4-30."

I'm going to look for a related post about "how do you know you won" and will post the link here.
 
I found a few threads on this topic. They all say the same things and none specifically addresses your question about having to check the site and respond or lose the win. Again, try not to worry about the past and have a plan to check sites in the future. :)

Your question---
"I have a terrible sinking feeling that on some contests I was supposed to have been checking back on the site to determine if I had won, rather than waiting for a personalized notification! Please tell me that isn't so, or at least tell me how to tell when I need to do that, and what is a good system for such contests."

Simple plan - read the rules and bookmark sites that require you to check back. You could make a folder just for "check back" sites.

Another option - for SweepsPlus members, you can make your own category for this type of sweep and give it any title you like, e.g. "Must check site for winner."

Newsletters - some (usually smaller) sponsors require that you receive their newsletter, and winners are announced in the newsletter, and must reply within a given time. I enter two of these. One is weekly and the other monthly (or bi-monthly). Somehow, I remember to check my email for them, possibly because I only enter two of this type.

Here's a link to one thread which covers winning notifications:
http://www.sweepstakesplus.com/smf/when-you-have-won-how-do-you-get-contacted-t81169.0.html
 
Thanks all--
I will come up with a system to use from now on and take the good advice: "don't lose too much sleep over it"!
 
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