HELP! MacUser Winner Email, then two days later they said it was sent in error?!

beepow

Hi guys,

I recieved a personalised email 2 days ago saying I'd won an ipad, now ive just had an email saying i was picked as a second winner as the previous winner had not confirmed winning, and now that he had, I haven't won. I'm gutted. What can i do?

Bee xxx

davross

I think you should complain. If they told you that you had won when there was still a chance of the first winer claiming their prize then its their error and its really crap if you dont get your prize.

beepow

So do I, it was £1000 worth of gadgets, a massive win for a little student like me. I just don't know how to go about it? xx

davross

I think MacUser are part of Dennis Publishing. Here are their contact details

I would either reply to their original email or send them a letter explaining that you are not happy about the situation and that they made the error so you feel they should honour the prize. I cant find their facebook page otherwise I would suggest posting a complaint on their so other MSE members could add theor support

wild_tiger

hope you get it sorted out

make sure you keep the emails they sent you for proof

davross

Just some more ammunition for you...

This is a link to the Dennis competitions standard Terms and Conditions

Assuming the comp you entered used these T&Cs the following part should be especially helpful as it looks like they are breaching their own T&Cs by awarding the prize to the first winner.
"If the winner of a competition is unable to take up a prize for any reason, the Editor reserves the right to award it to an alternative winner, in which case the first winner chosen will not be eligible for any share of the prize whatsoever"

HTH and let us know how you get on

toniq

What I would suggest is to address the email to the editor, i have found his name, if you put a complaint back to the email you received and in the subject maybe put FAO Adam Banks and state you would like a response from Mr Banks, if that doesn't get you a decent response there are several avenues you can go down, but it is worth complaining higher up the tree first, it might make the sender of the email sit up and realise you aren't letting this go :

• Editor in Chief - Adam Banks

shapala

That's terrible!! Well, I would certainly complain and fight your corner as hard as you can. They can't tell you one thing, then retract and tell you something else. That's simply not on. Perhaps they will fish out another iPad for you - if they don't they'll certainly get bad press when word spreads on MSE! Good luck and keep us posted as to what happens. ;-)

beepow

I will do, thankyou guys, they do have a facebook, but they only have 88 likes!! By going through there they'll probs just get kudos for getting more followers haha

Well I've emailed back, just explaining that I'm gutted, so I will keep you posted. I'm not going to let this go, thankyou davross, you have been a particular star, that T&C is perfect for my argument xxx

beepow

They say they can do nothing. WHAT?

beepow

if you add /MacUserMagazine to the end of the normal facebooj link that is their facebook, maybe it is worth going through there? x

I would post the link but technically im still a newbie
x