Can I post a comp that is above minimum spend, but is possibly something a lot of people do anyway?

cagsd

For what it's worth, I don't think that the "purchase to enter" competitions are the same as the "pay to enter" comps.

If there is a competition on a £4 jar of coffee, you can buy the coffee, enter the competition, and the coffee is still yours to do with as you please, so you've not lost anything.  Whereas the "text to win" kind of things, you are literally paying for an entry into the competition and nothing else. 
I find the purchase comps useful myself, because it might be on a brand that I don't normally buy and therefore wouldn't otherwise see.  In my opinion, it's time that MSE reconsidered this rule.  The competition is still free on a purchase item, you're just buying the item and not the entry.  Or do they think that we're all so soft that we'll bankrupt ourselves running out to buy hundreds of jars of coffee that we don't need?! .  What do others think?

Surfermom

cagsd said:

For what it's worth, I don't think that the "purchase to enter" competitions are the same as the "pay to enter" comps.

If there is a competition on a £4 jar of coffee, you can buy the coffee, enter the competition, and the coffee is still yours to do with as you please, so you've not lost anything.  Whereas the "text to win" kind of things, you are literally paying for an entry into the competition and nothing else. 
I find the purchase comps useful myself, because it might be on a brand that I don't normally buy and therefore wouldn't otherwise see.  In my opinion, it's time that MSE reconsidered this rule.  The competition is still free on a purchase item, you're just buying the item and not the entry.  Or do they think that we're all so soft that we'll bankrupt ourselves running out to buy hundreds of jars of coffee that we don't need?! .  What do others think?

I think if they are going to be posted it would be good to have a sub forum for purchase to enter comps then people who are not interested do not need to look at it. Since many of us find search so difficult to use these days I think the board would be better if different categories of comps were separated more.
Personally I often switch brands if I see a comp I like rather than buying extra products.

cagsd

Yeah it's like the whole "paying to enter comps is not money saving" thing - which I totally agree with IF we're talking about eg. the text to win ones, they're just the same as buying a lottery ticket in my opinion.  But, I don't see how it's "not money saving" to put a blanket ban on purchase comps over some arbitrary amount! I mean if people were of a mind to bankrupt themselves buying stuff to enter comps, they could just as easily do that with a 50p bag of crisps, which is "within the limit"! I definitely think the guidelines need looking at again and bringing up to date....

becky004

When we post comps for Vodafone customers or  BT customers etc that's ok, yet the people that are able to enter are paying more than the £2.10 (or whatever minimum spend is) for their contract every month. I get the go and buy a box of chocolates for a fiver in order to enter as not very money saving, but 100's of 1000's do online shops with retailers every week, but they are not allowed to be posted. Some make-up, clothing retailers run comps, spend x amount on our site and you will get an entry into the draw, I agree they shouldn't be posted as it may encourage people to make unneccesary spends, but various supermarkets where people will be buying anyway I don't see the issue. If it had been "do your first online shop with Morrisons and get entry into the draw", fair enough it's encouraging people to spend with them when they may have not done so before, but if it's something lots of people are doing every week I don't see why it's objectionable. I never shop at Morrisons I just came across it when googling for comps to post, and while the prizes are good it hasn't encouraged me to place an order with them this week! 

I agree with cagsd I think the guidelines need looking at and updating, can't see it happening though, I stayed off here for months been a member since 2005, a comper since 2010 but it's gone from "the place to be" for comps, to not even a poor, second class relation. To lose pretty much the backbone of this community with prolific posters leaving in droves, and to still not address it says a lot. It was said years ago on here in passing, that people are not indispensable and if someone chose to leave, others would be around to pick up the slack, so not the case, as it has been proven. I didn't comp elsewhere I just didn't comp, but there are so many comps out there that are no longer making it here, and instead of acknowledging they have made a huge error with this particular section of the site, they ignore the issues and continue to alienate people and drive them away. I think their ultimate goal is for this section to become defunct, not sure why as it was such an amazing place to be.

pate-ci0

For an addictive personality like myself, the impulse to purchase an item in order to enter an advertised competition can be compelling. Back when I started in 1987, I would go round the supermarkets picking up the competition leaflets and often would buy something I did not need, or even like, to meet the entry requirements. (My wife eventually objected vociferously to tins with no labels on the kitchen shelves, and finding mushy peas which neither of us like when opening one. My point that we could make soup was not acceptable apparently. She did however become more lenient when I won a 4* skiing holiday to Switzerland)

I therefore agree that the main comp board should have a spend limit, but would also agree that a sub-forum could be set up for competitions where the spend is over the limit but for items that a household might commonly purchase anyway.