Chase Picks Up the Tab

Chase Picks Up the Tab Has a very easy entry form. The tab order works as expected and the verification code is nice and easy to read. Robo doesn't fill in all fields at first, but you can fill it in and save.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Get Some Green to Go Green Sweepstakes

Just like ABC's Water Cooler Moments that ended in December, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Get Some Green to Go Green Sweepstakes is a great example of a lousy entry system. Both the area of the log in button (in the middle of the page) and the log in area (at the top of the page) are Flash. You have to log in in to your account, which is no big deal, but after pressing the button to take you to the log in form, you have to scroll to the top of the page. When the log in form shows up, it looks like it has focus in the user name field, but if you try to type your user name in, nothing appears. You have to click in it first to give it focus. After logging in, you have to scroll down again to see the confirmation. I should be able to use RoboForm (it has all my log in data) to login, but no way. Also, unlike most of ABC, Disney sites, if I am logged in on a related site, I am not automatically logged on to this site.

M&M's Checkered Flag Sweepstakes

Like all of Mars and M&Ms sweepstakes the M&M's Checkered Flag Sweepstakes is Flash based. However, this form is overkill. Like their other entry forms, they are not designed to be used with a form filler, so why they decided to put a hard to read verification code on the form beats me. If they are going to use a verification code, the form should be designed to be used with a form filler.

Reader's Digest Big Money Joke Sweepstakes

The Reader's Digest Big Money Joke Sweepstakes is part of the Reader's Digest The $30,000 Winner–Take–All Prize (#002)creative presentation. The form is the same one used for the sweeps that expired this month.

According to the form, if you do not have a joke to submit, you can skip steps 2 and 3. Step two is an option as to what you are submitting: A Joke, A Funny, True Story, A Quote and step 3 is the content of your submittal.

You CAN NOT skip these steps on the form, Joke is already preselected and there is no way to normally clear the fields. I use RoboForm, and if I so desired, I could clear the option field, but that is not how the form is designed. With the option field already preselected, you HAVE to have something in the submit your joke (content) field, the form will not submit without it. Most often I will just put a period or dash in the content field.

They are fully aware that the form does not work properly and still have not done anything to fix it.

To find the sweeps, go to the Reader's Digest site and look for the sweepstakes links.

HGTV Dream Home Entry Form Disappointing

The HGTV 2009 Dream Home Giveaway could use a change in their form. Really disappointed in it.

If you tab through the fields, it skips over the state field. It does it in Internet Explorer and Firefox. You should be able to use your keyboard to get to a field. In addition, at one time (not this particular sweeps) the phone field was one line and they wanted it formatted as (xxx) xxx-xxxx. The phone field has been changed to three fields (area code, prefix and last four numbers), but the notation for how they want it formatted has not been updated, and the area code field is not large enough for (xxx).

If they're worried about automated entries, they should put in a security code. (An easy to read one please)

The prize is great, the form sucks.

TracFone

TracFone has a nice little sweeps going. Easy entry form, optional questions, checkbox to confirm age, you're done. So nice when these come along.

LG Rumor is True

Flash based. Lousy entry form. Skips over male/female option buttons when tabbing. Can't always tell which field has the focus. Get to listen to the audio about the promotion during the whole process unless speakers are muted. The promotion does have a great prize.

AT&T Rewards for Referrals and Play it Safe

Play it Safe giveaway you have to answer their trivia questions to qualify for the instant win. Sometimes you have to listen to a sales pitch before the game loads, like in Rewards for Referrals.

Which brings to mind, I tried entering Play it Safe today and couldn't get past JavaScript disabled message, so I tried in IE and then found out I had already entered the sweeps for the day.

These are administered by ePrize, but you can tell AT&T has total control.

ABC Family Channel 25 Days of Christmas and Lifetime's FaLaLaLa Sweepstakes

The ABC Family Channel 25 Days of Christmas has been a dream to enter. Don't have to log in to your account, just a nice simple form.

The same with Lifetime's FaLaLaLa Sweepstakes. Simple and straightforward.

Both leave a very good impression.

Rue 21

Rue 21 has been running a sweeps, you have to register at the site first. Registration form for the site sucks. Will not take RoboForm to register, really makes a dandy first impression for a store. At least you just have to register once.

You can use Robo to log in after registration.

ABC Water Cooler Moments

ABC's Water Cooler Moments is another example of a lousy entry system. Both the area of the log in button and the log in area are Flash. You have to log in in to your account, which is no big deal, but after pressing the button to take you to the log in form, you have to scroll to the top of the page. When the log in form shows up, it looks like it has focus in the user name field, but if you try to type your user name in, nothing appears. You have to click in it first to give it focus. After logging in, you have to scroll down again to see the confirmation. I should be able to use RoboForm (it has all my log in data) to login, but no way.

GE Appliances and GE Lighting

Both GE Appliances and GE Lighting make entering their sweeps very easy, fast loading site, nice simple forms. GE Appliances has a game, but there is a direct link to bypass the game and enter the sweeps only. The sites in general have a nice clean look and load fast. Leaves a good impression.

Opt out buttons under submit button

Don't you just hate having the opt out fields under the submit button? Entry forms for US Weekly and Rolling Stone Dream Come True Sweepstakes are examples, but they surely aren't the only offenders.

Palm's CLAUS Santa's Gone Centro

A fine example of a badly designed form (whether a sweeps entry form or not). You can tab through the fields, but you have to be careful. You can tab to the first field eventually, next tab takes you to the third field, three tabs later you're on the fourth field and two tabs after that, you're at the second field. The form is designed in Flash.

If you use your mouse to enter the first field, then you either have to select and delete the existing text or backspace it away.

Woman's Day Entry Forms Big Disappointment

I'm really disappointed in the change Woman's Day has made on their sweepstakes entry forms. Now, the state field on the form is through mouseover, no other way to choose the state. You should be able just to tab through a form and use your keyboard, if desired. You shouldn't have to use a mouse to enter a sweeps.

Caffeine administered sweeps

Entry forms are the same, still entirely Flash and still can not tab to the submit button. I addition, all I had to do to enter the new round of sweeps was enter my email address and password. The databases were never emptied from the last round of sweeps. Wouldn't be so bad except there is no way to change any of the information from the original registration if needed.