Advice please

Yuki60

Hi

I was contacted on August 21st saying I'd won the following competition for £300 of Highlander Camping gear.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3990501

They said the prize would be sent out shortly by Highlander but the email came from Camping Magazine people. I waited a month and still nothing from anyone so i contacted the person who sent the initial email and told her. She said she would contact them right away and get them to contact either myself or her to find out what was going on. I waited another 10 days and still not even an email from either of them. Contacted her again 9 days later to say still no email or prize. Yet again she has said she'll contact them again and will let me know asap. That was a week ago and nothing again from anyone. Is there a procedure I should follow now? The last thing she said is 'don't worry I'll make sure you get something'. Point is 'something' is not what the competition was advertised for on various sites. Any advice on what I should do now? Normally if it was just a dvd or something small i would leave it but getting a bit fed up of companies not following through on prizes. The only person I've had contact with was the initial sender of the win notification from warners group publications which i presume publishes camping magazine and she's basically saying that highlander are not responding to her emails

Who is responsible for ensuring the prize is given to the winner? Highlander, outandabout or Camping Magazine?

Thanks

hamsterfan1

I had a win that took 3 months to arrive -so there's still hope

blondecaz

I'm still waiting for one from July which I was told would be sent within 28 days! I've sent 3 e-mails and no response at all.

If you have a look at VelvetGlove's guide, there's a section on what to do if your prize doesn't arrive - there is somewhere you can contact.

Livewire

I'd say keep going with the emails every couple of weeks, stay polite and thankful for chasing it up. Perhaps suggest that she contact someone else in the office or cc someone in emails if the person has not replied yet. You could get the ipm to investigate but I've never gotten to that point, I'm still waiting on a prize from mid July and having similar probs, after a few emails to competition poster (won via blog) she said I could email company direct but I had no response, emailed her back saying I was really dissapointed that noone has replied and she chased it for 3rd time saying the company were in middle of changing staff around, really apologetic and as a good will gesture my prize is being doubled..I've not recieved it yet but I'm sure I will, and it shows its worth being patient, polite and thankful for their time chasing it up. Someone else might be able to advise on ipm route if you really get nowhere, just keep a copy of paper trail for good measure :-)

Good luck!

lilias

Politely tell the person you have contact with that unless you receive the prize within seven days you will make an official complaint to the Institute of Promotional Marketing. That usually stirs people into activity.

Or just go ahead and complain anyway

[EMAIL="complaints@theipm.org.uk"]complaints@theipm.org.uk[/EMAIL]

The mighty Edwin Mutton will sort things out.

Yuki60

Thanks guys have taken all that on board. I'll sit back for a couple more weeks I think and then none of them can say I didn't wait. I had to wait for a fishing rod once for 6 months so It's not the fact it hasn't arrived its more that Highlander are not responding to Camping Magazine which is odd and camping magazine only contact me when i contact them so not sure whats going on.

Thanks again, I'll let you know what happens.

createbeauty

Just wanted to say that I've had some wins that took about 28 business days to arrive. You might just have to wait it out.

tgroom57

I am still waiting for a prize from a twitter competition that ended 31 July. each time I email he sounds so surprised that the 'big company' haven't sent the prize, but I'm beginning to wonder if it is all 'fog'.

Livewire

I finally recieved my prize last week, after having a wem in mid july. Lots of emails later, and staying polite and patient i had no choice but to mention i'd had no choice but to refer the details to the IPM if i didnt recieve the prize shortly. Funnily enough, the prize arrived the next day by recorded delivery! It's the first time i've had to resort to mentioning the IPM but it works!!

Good luck chasing your prizes!