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Compers using hotmail/outlook?

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I've been having trouble with my hotmail (now outlook) account for months... the search function never works haha, so searching for WEMs just throws up a message like 'oops, there's an error' or 'sorry, we can't connect to outlook at the moment, try again later'.

I was wondering if this was affecting many other compers? I switched over to gmail the other day, got it to import all my hotmail emails into it, and forward all future hotmail directly to gmail... and set up a 'won' label so all emails that mention 'won' 'congratulations' 'winning' etc *anywhere* in the email (hotmail only allows a subject line check!) go into one group together...

lo and behold, I get a WEM almost straight away, won £150 Cafe Rouge card... considering I haven't had a win for around 6 months, makes me wonder how many WEMs hotmail's dud search has made me miss!! :shocked:

Comments

  • Marg2k8
    Marg2k8 Posts: 5,838 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I posted the same thing back in January.

    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5150808

    I haven't yet resorted to changing my email address yet and lately it has not been so bad.
  • SwishFlares
    SwishFlares Posts: 213 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper
    i moved over to gmail because hotmail/outlook was so bad, i just got fed up with it
    ====================================
    Best win all time - World Cup Final Trip to Japan :j
  • happysaz133
    happysaz133 Posts: 908 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I only use Hotmail and mine is working fine, if it helps.
    I just enter and forget...hoping to win something! :)
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 3,944 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    My copy of outlook searches within the emails as well as the subject line. Do you have outlook fzz33 or are you just accessing via webmail?
    fzz33 wrote: »
    I've been having trouble with my hotmail (now outlook) account for months... the search function never works haha, so searching for WEMs just throws up a message like 'oops, there's an error' or 'sorry, we can't connect to outlook at the moment, try again later'.

    I was wondering if this was affecting many other compers? I switched over to gmail the other day, got it to import all my hotmail emails into it, and forward all future hotmail directly to gmail... and set up a 'won' label so all emails that mention 'won' 'congratulations' 'winning' etc *anywhere* in the email (hotmail only allows a subject line check!) go into one group together...

    lo and behold, I get a WEM almost straight away, won £150 Cafe Rouge card... considering I haven't had a win for around 6 months, makes me wonder how many WEMs hotmail's dud search has made me miss!! :shocked:

    2025 Comps 2931: wins 3: value £1300
    2024 Comps 13526: wins 13: value £1475

  • nelie
    nelie Posts: 1,568 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    I use my app on my phone and the search works really well.

    I use an external app on my mac too as the web version doesn't work for me!
    December Wins: £300 worth of board games, £500 Tesco Vouchers Best Win in 2023: £500 Tesco Vouchers
  • sleepyjones
    sleepyjones Posts: 6,092 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    You can setup a filter so any emails with "Winner" or "Congratulations" get moved automatically into another folder.
    I've got a folder called "Winsish", which all those emails appear in.
    You still get the odd "Are you a winner?" email in there, which is a bit annoying but it works well for me. (although I havn't won anything in months, so maybe it's not working at all!).
    more info here : http://logintips.com/hotmail-sign-in/create-filters-email-rules-in-hotmail-outlook-com.php
  • fzz33
    fzz33 Posts: 49 Forumite
    Marg2k8 wrote: »
    I posted the same thing back in January.

    I haven't yet resorted to changing my email address yet and lately it has not been so bad.

    I avoided changing email addresses too as I thought it would probably have an adverse affect on comping/prizes/multiple entries, so just set up the new gmail and forwarded all hotmail email to it, keeping the hotmail account for comping as usual and reading the mail through gmail. seems to work a treat! :T
  • fzz33
    fzz33 Posts: 49 Forumite
    My copy of outlook searches within the emails as well as the subject line. Do you have outlook fzz33 or are you just accessing via webmail?

    I don't use outlook, but searching fails on webmail, webmail on my phone and the outlook app. When I filter new messages with 'win' 'winner' etc hotmail only checks the subject line, but searching checks everything which is why it's been such a pain!
  • dontone
    dontone Posts: 4,871 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    I keep getting the 'sorry, we can't connect to outlook at the moment, try again later' message, and sometimes it takes a while to refresh.


    Can't even get on the thing this morning, as it says that the servers are down. MEH!! hurry up and fix it!!!!


    Be Lucky
    BEST EVER WINS WON IN ORDER (so far) = Sony Camcorder, 32" lcd telly, micro ipod hifi, Ipod Nano, Playstation 3, Andrex Jackpup, Holiday to USA, nintendo wii, Liverpool vs Everton tickets, £250 Reward Your thirst, £500 Pepsi, p&o rotterdam trip, perfume hamper, Dr Who stamp set, steam cleaner.

    comping = nowt more thrillin' than winnin':T :j
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