How do you deal with people belittling you for comping?

HKSwain

I feel like I've posted quite a bit today, but this is the only place I feel like I can vent and have like-minded people understand me. I posted here earlier today about a brand that was going to revoke a prize I won because I was 'fake'. I had a phone call with a representative of the brand, and was ambushed with lists of my friends who I tag in competition posts, groups I'm in that are competition-centric, and the number of posts I'd shared in one day. I have no doubt in my mind that they were trying to make me feel small or embarrass me for this being my 'thing'. The incredulous tone of being asked 'can you confirm you shared 20 posts last Wednesday?' made me feel like I was dog muck on their shoe.

Then came the talk of 'fraud':
'What do you intend to do with the prize?'
'Would you ever consider buying [prize]?'
'Do you even like [prize]?'
and finally
'Convince me that you're not fraudulently trying to win this prize.'

I really, really wish I had just hung up. What came next from them though was a sheepish admission that they had acted too quickly in blocking my profile straight after sending me a message asking for 'verification' (I had to email them to ask what was happening), so 'this time' they were going to continue with sending me the prize.

I don't understand how brands can think that people behind comping accounts aren't real. Their main issue this time was that my face isn't on my Facebook account - I don't use Facebook for anything other than competitions and things like community groups. I had provided them with my address when initially asked when I was informed that I won, and could easily send them a picture of my ID with my name and address on it. I'm sure some brands cherry-pick the winner with the best face for their brand, so I don't know why this didn't happen this time, if they were so disgusted by a 'faceless' account winning their prize.

I'm going between feeling angry and upset at this. I'll be over it by the time I go to bed, but I know I'm going to be worried if I win anything again that this situation will repeat itself.

Mariobug25

What company was this? Disgraceful behaviour from them 

HKSwain

Mariobug25 said:

What company was this? Disgraceful behaviour from them 

As I said the last time you asked, I'm not going to name the company because that'll just lead to pointless mud-slinging. They accepted that they went about dealing with me the wrong way, and I understand this enough to not try to bring more attention to them directly; I do still however feel a certain way about it all, which isn't something I'm going to ignore.

Moneymadmark

Just to answer your question:

"How do you deal with people belittling you for comping?"(or for anything that friends might belittle someone over)

then quite simply........get yourself some new friends!

smitchy73

I've had colleagues roll their eyes at me for doing my comps on my lunch breaks or tea breaks, my wife as well, however, when I've won prizes, best being a long while ago of a weeks Med Cruise back in about 2003/4, a final to win a 4x4 mitsubishi many years ago also, I've also won concert tickets, cinema tickets and other events that i've given away to colleagues too, so in the end they usually come around..the other thing I tend to say is that "if you're not in, you can't win it!!"

smitchy73

Just remembered another one which was similar, a little, to yours was I think a four letter car company with a blue oval badge, originating from America. I was one of quite a few who won tickets, travel and hotel to an award show in London, I don't think they had thought it out much as the costs must've been huge, in the end they had the event, but offered compensation to me instead of the prize, I wasn't overly bothered but had got quite excited about going to the event and had arranged time off work to go, but in the end didn't lose out and gained more with the cash alternative.
Glad you're getting your prize though.

CompKB

The thing is the companies make competitions for publicity right? So surely they would LOVE for more and more compers to see them. Does it really matter in the end who wins the prize? The aim of their competition campaign is to get the most people to see their brand/product. I can understand they don't want bots entering but those companies, in my opinion, should celebrate compers who do it as a hobby! I've quite often thought if I don't win this prize I might buy it.

In terms of friends and family, I've only ever had them tell me how cool it is, and how great it is when I win prizes. It's not something I talk about often, but nobody has ever said anything negative about it to me so far! But if they do I wouldn't care, I find it fun plus I get the thrill of winning prizes. It is not cool to look down on what other people find fun, I personally think fishing is boring and would never do it, however, if that's a hobby someone enjoys then that's great and I would never look down on them for it.

hdh74

Can I ask if you are the same person that posted this in a FB group, but also mentioned having 2 FB accounts?  If so, sticking to all the rules would put you in a much stronger position for arguing your case. And if not, I apologise, the wording is very similar.

Either way, any company should have clear terms and conditions regarding how they award the prize and those alone should govern whom they award it to. 

It might also help, to envisage things from the perspective of those running the competitions. Many of the brands on FB are small companies, looking to build proper interaction with potential customers.  They may view serial compers unfavourable, as people who want to win anything and everything, possibly to sell, rather than as someone interested in their actual products.  Whilst this doesn't in any way over-ride the company's obligation in terms of running a fair competition, when the judging criteria hasn't been specified (do they choose a reply they like or randomly pick) then it is possible they will pick a profile that they think looks more 'genuine'.

HKSwain

hdh74 said:

Can I ask if you are the same person that posted this in a FB group, but also mentioned having 2 FB accounts?  If so, sticking to all the rules would put you in a much stronger position for arguing your case. And if not, I apologise, the wording is very similar.

Either way, any company should have clear terms and conditions regarding how they award the prize and those alone should govern whom they award it to. 

It might also help, to envisage things from the perspective of those running the competitions. Many of the brands on FB are small companies, looking to build proper interaction with potential customers.  They may view serial compers unfavourable, as people who want to win anything and everything, possibly to sell, rather than as someone interested in their actual products.  Whilst this doesn't in any way over-ride the company's obligation in terms of running a fair competition, when the judging criteria hasn't been specified (do they choose a reply they like or randomly pick) then it is possible they will pick a profile that they think looks more 'genuine'.

Hi there, I was, though as I explained there as well as on here, the profile used for comping is the profile that is most used for socialising, while the other is used solely as an account created to use with Facebook's partner apps (which is something I've verified with Facebook as a viable reason to 'use' two accounts with the same name). I wonder if you were the person who called me every name under the sun through a message from an anonymous profile over this, as the syntax structure here is oddly similar?
Regardless, I have also hosted competitions from my blog, so know exactly why companies are running them and what they hope to gain from them. I have never interrogated the prize winners over their intentions, and have received positive interactions from people who give out all of their information as well as those that give the minimum. Different people work in different ways; I just don't think chastising your customer base is a good way of marketing your brand.

hdh74

HKSwain said:

hdh74 said:

Can I ask if you are the same person that posted this in a FB group, but also mentioned having 2 FB accounts?  If so, sticking to all the rules would put you in a much stronger position for arguing your case. And if not, I apologise, the wording is very similar.

Either way, any company should have clear terms and conditions regarding how they award the prize and those alone should govern whom they award it to. 

It might also help, to envisage things from the perspective of those running the competitions. Many of the brands on FB are small companies, looking to build proper interaction with potential customers.  They may view serial compers unfavourable, as people who want to win anything and everything, possibly to sell, rather than as someone interested in their actual products.  Whilst this doesn't in any way over-ride the company's obligation in terms of running a fair competition, when the judging criteria hasn't been specified (do they choose a reply they like or randomly pick) then it is possible they will pick a profile that they think looks more 'genuine'.

Hi there, I was, though as I explained there as well as on here, the profile used for comping is the profile that is most used for socialising, while the other is used solely as an account created to use with Facebook's partner apps (which is something I've verified with Facebook as a viable reason to 'use' two accounts with the same name). I wonder if you were the person who called me every name under the sun through a message from an anonymous profile over this, as the syntax structure here is oddly similar?
Regardless, I have also hosted competitions from my blog, so know exactly why companies are running them and what they hope to gain from them. I have never interrogated the prize winners over their intentions, and have received positive interactions from people who give out all of their information as well as those that give the minimum. Different people work in different ways; I just don't think chastising your customer base is a good way of marketing your brand.

No, I didn't call you any names. I didn't respond to your other post at all nor send you supposedly anonymous messages.  I responded to this post as you seemed to be asking for advice.  One part of my advice was simply that if you break some of the rules, and having more than one facebook account is against the rules, as I did see several people point out, it can make it harder to argue your case against a company.  

You asked for advice and I tried to give some dispassionately and objectively, I don't think I was in any way attacking you, but you seem to feel this, so I will leave others to engage if they wish.  Good luck.