We make no apologies for continuing our blogging on Automated Competition Entry Services, but this is a follow up to our Was Your Competition Targeted by Automated Entries in April. In our monthly round up blogs we comment mainly on two of the known Automated Competition Entry Services… a third which lists “a selection of online competitions they are currently entering members in” gets away scot free. Until today! By looking at the list of competitions that WeWin4U are entering for their members against competitions listed on Loquax, we’ve been able to discover what we believe are the identities of sites being targeted. And there’s some interesting revelations.
One Entry Per Person
Amongst the sites we believe getting entries from this site that claims to win for you are Toysrus, Kitchen Garden, Marie Claire, Harvey Nichols, The Guardian, Costcutter, Play.com, Holiday Inn, Rohantime, Zoo Weekly, Energy Saving Trust, Next and Sacla. Time limits us to do a full check, but whilst checking the sites listed we noted that a number do say they don’t accept automated entries. On Costcutter – “Only one entry per person. Bulk/third party entries will not be accepted”. On Next – “No bulk entries or entries from third parties will be accepted”. On Sacla – “Entries submitted by automated competition entry mechanisms are not eligible and will be deleted”. On ToysRUs – “Entry is strictly limited to one entry per person. Entries from agents or third parties are invalid”.
A Waste Of Money
This means that either (1) sites are aware of these kind of automated sites and are deleting entries, therefore customers of this service are wasting their money or (2) sites claim to be aware of these things but are allowing these automated services to make entries. Which ever is fact, this automated entry service is totally ignoring the rules of the promoters. The site in question doesn’t seem to believe it’s fine earning money for doing entries for those willing to pay. “Having someone else enter for you isn’t against the rules, we’re providing exactly the same information you would if you entered yourself”. Except, bulk entries and third party entries are (or at least should be) invalid. What it also does tell us is that promoters need to be more vigilant about their entries. Putting “no bulk entries, third party entries, automated entries” etc in the rules doesn’t seem to be a deterrent.