Worst "Win" ever! Fishbowl / WaterCheck returned item giveaway!

W

wstuck7020

New member
I entered a drawing for a WaterCheck 30 Liter Water dispenser & stand thru Fishbowl. The promotion clearly stated a $300 value.

I was excited to receive the item... that is until I started to open the package. The packing peanuts smelled like they'd been at a campfire. Both the stand and the dispenser were damaged. The stand would need TLC to bend it back into shape so the canister won't slide off. The cardboard packaging on the canister had been torn from top to bottom and TAPED back together! On the inside of the packaging was hand-written the words 'customer service' and a phone number! The canister itself was dinged in a couple of places - it might hold water.... My guess the canister is worth about $20, if it holds water, otherwise it's scrap metal.

I contacted the dispenser company and twice spoke with the same person. I was told "Every once in a while we get a return - and we deem the item functional and put it out on a free giveaway site." They stand by the product as useful and did not offer to replace the "win."

Needless to say I was flabbergasted! I've been sweeping on & off for years & this is my most unusual experience. I'm hopeful that at least thru my contact with the company they will re-think listing returned / damaged items at full retail value so future "winners" won't be surprised.

I tried to contact fishbowl without success.
 
Wow, that is between depressing and feeling swindled.... I will be sure to not enter that sweep. I hope you have an awesome win in replace of that bad one.
 
what a bummer!

Ok go here to company website--go all the way down on left side are all of their social media bookmarks-i would try to hopefully contact a different person to help you out.
https://www.watercheck.biz/pages/no-hassle-returns

i dont understand why a company would do that to a potential new customer? i would think that they would send you a $300 valued NEW item that you won in hopes that you would possibly return to buy something based on their great products and wonderful customer service.

If you get that same person ask to speak with supervisor and get names of everyone you speak to. Also take pics of what you received

good luck!
 
I "won" a Fishbowl sweepstakes a couple of years ago and didn't receive my prize. When I contacted Fishbowl they replied that it was between me and the sponsor of the sweepstakes. I contacted the sponsoring company and they never replied to my emails. I haven't entered a Fishbowl sweepstakes since.
 
Thank you for the feedback.I won’t be entering Fishbowl sweeps in the future. Have won great prizes from other sweeps, will stick with reputable companies.
 
RIGHT - FishbowlPrizes.com is a platform - like {Facebook/Twitter/Instagram} where they allow [usually small] sponsors to run a giveaway

arnold_ziffel said:
I "won" a Fishbowl sweepstakes a couple of years ago and didn't receive my prize. When I contacted Fishbowl they replied that it was between me and the sponsor of the sweepstakes. I contacted the sponsoring company and they never replied to my emails. I haven't entered a Fishbowl sweepstakes since.
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wstuck7020 - FishbowlPrizes.com is just the platform - the sponsor is the heavy here & I agree with luckycatme2 - sometimes politely posting to their [SPONSOR or JA] FB page [I usually post a stand alone & under their most recent post] gets the fastest response - Remember - honey over vinegar gives sweeter results!

luckycatme2 said:
what a bummer!

Ok go here to company website--go all the way down on left side are all of their social media bookmarks-i would try to hopefully contact a different person to help you out.
https://www.watercheck.biz/pages/no-hassle-returns

i dont understand why a company would do that to a potential new customer? i would think that they would send you a $300 valued NEW item that you won in hopes that you would possibly return to buy something based on their great products and wonderful customer service.

If you get that same person ask to speak with supervisor and get names of everyone you speak to. Also take pics of what you received

good luck!
Click to expand...




wstuck7020 said:
I entered a drawing for a WaterCheck 30 Liter Water dispenser & stand thru Fishbowl. The promotion clearly stated a $300 value.

I was excited to receive the item... that is until I started to open the package. The packing peanuts smelled like they'd been at a campfire. Both the stand and the dispenser were damaged. The stand would need TLC to bend it back into shape so the canister won't slide off. The cardboard packaging on the canister had been torn from top to bottom and TAPED back together! On the inside of the packaging was hand-written the words 'customer service' and a phone number! The canister itself was dinged in a couple of places - it might hold water.... My guess the canister is worth about $20, if it holds water, otherwise it's scrap metal.

I contacted the dispenser company and twice spoke with the same person. I was told "Every once in a while we get a return - and we deem the item functional and put it out on a free giveaway site." They stand by the product as useful and did not offer to replace the "win."

Needless to say I was flabbergasted! I've been sweeping on & off for years & this is my most unusual experience. I'm hopeful that at least thru my contact with the company they will re-think listing returned / damaged items at full retail value so future "winners" won't be surprised.

I tried to contact fishbowl without success.
Click to expand...
 
When I initially contacted the company via phone, the person that answered claimed to be the head of the company. After thinking it over for a week or so, I contacted the company via "chat" on their website. Again, same person replied on chat! Our conversation was almost verbatim, like it had been rehearsed. I was told their promotion never claimed the item was new. (But the value listed was the full retail price of a NEW item.)

I'm not blaming Fishbowl on this. I only tried to contact them so they would know & not get caught in any potential cross-fire on future promotions. My email to them came back as un-deliverable and it does not appear their facebook page is monitored or current.

I'm going to let this drop. But it definitely gets a chapter in my "sweepstaking" book! Ya gotta laugh, this is a fun hobby and you just never know what might show up in your mailbox!!
 
Ah yes - some sponsors can get somewhat fast and loose with the ARV [Approximate Retail Value] and because the IRS uses FMV [Fair Market Value] for taxing us their ARV is rarely the true FMV - that's why we sweepers should always be prepared to contest ARV


Thread: ***ARV and your taxes*** {TY to LIDARKSIDE}
https://www.sweepsadvantage.com/forum/questions-and-answers/17790-arv-your-taxes-ty-lidarkside.html

amyshulk said:
Information courtesy of this link ~ How to Dispute an ARV on Your Sweepstakes Taxes

When you win a sweepstakes prize, you are only required by the IRS to report the fair market value (FMV), not the sponsor's approximate retail value (ARV); but how do you go about finding out what the FMV is and how do you handle the difference on your taxes? Find out here.

How to Dispute an ARV on Your Sweepstakes Taxes
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wstuck7020 said:
When I initially contacted the company via phone, the person that answered claimed to be the head of the company. After thinking it over for a week or so, I contacted the company via "chat" on their website. Again, same person replied on chat! Our conversation was almost verbatim, like it had been rehearsed. I was told their promotion never claimed the item was new. (But the value listed was the full retail price of a NEW item.)

I'm not blaming Fishbowl on this. I only tried to contact them so they would know & not get caught in any potential cross-fire on future promotions. My email to them came back as un-deliverable and it does not appear their facebook page is monitored or current.

I'm going to let this drop. But it definitely gets a chapter in my "sweepstaking" book! Ya gotta laugh, this is a fun hobby and you just never know what might show up in your mailbox!!
Click to expand...
 
Look at their rules for FishbowlPrizes.com Luxury Wine Kit Giveaway

9. Terms: lists who is giving away the prize
&
13. Merchant : lists The Merchant of the Giveaway

Both name OBLIVION LUXURY not FishbowlPrizes :cool:

lokigsd said:
Really? Learn something new everyday - I didn't know it was only a platform.
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arnold_ziffel said:
I "won" a Fishbowl sweepstakes a couple of years ago and didn't receive my prize. When I contacted Fishbowl they replied that it was between me and the sponsor of the sweepstakes. I contacted the sponsoring company and they never replied to my emails. I haven't entered a Fishbowl sweepstakes since.
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Agreed arnold_ziffel - this is why I pass on promos on FishbowlPrizes.com

Fishbowl seems to only provide a platform for sponsors [they call them MERCHANTS] to give away prizes

Fishbowl doesn't seem to do anything [except promote FishbowlPrizes.com] else :rolleyes:

amyshulk said:
Sponsors/JA's [Judging Agency/Agencies]

curmudgeon posted

There are typically two companies involved in a sweepstakes. The Sponsor (S C Johnson) and the Administrator/Promoter (PrizeLogic). Usually the Sponsor lacks the knowledge of the Federal and various State sweepstakes laws, so they hire a Promoter/Administrator to design the sweepstakes and manage it. The Sponsor provides the prize(S), and the Promoter acts as the Fulfillment Co. that awards and send out the prize(s). PrizeLogic is a Promoter and has been around for years. If you check the rules for the various sweeps you enter, you'll usually find a Promotion Co. listed. ePrize, Don Jagoda, Marden-Kane and Ventura Associates are other Promotion companies that you may find, although there probably are hundreds of them in the US.
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I won a "Daniel Wellington" watch through Fishbowl. It arrived in a plastic pouch with a hole at the top for hanging on a pegboard - total piece of crap. I haven't entered a Fishbowl sweep since.
 
I stopped entering their sweeps a long time ago. When I signed up, the website asked if I ran a business and I said yes. At the time i was doing some occasional home and office organizing. I then started getting emails about how to get more people's emails and personal information in constant email ads from Fishbowl. At that point I started to fill like the contests might not be legit and just a way to get peoples info for spam and marketing purposes. That's when I stopped and I have no regrets.
 
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