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.

Malt-O-Meal Free Cereal Sweepstakes

You can enter the Malt-O-Meal Free Cereal Sweepstakes online or through snail mail. Each of the 15 winners will receive 52 coupons worth $5.50 each. The entries are limited to one per person/email/household.

Very fast loading, clean looking, easy form. The verification code is also very easy to read. The only drawback is that usually the Address 2 field is optional, but the form states all fields are required.

Win Your Dream Kitchen

The Win Your Dream Kitchen, part of the Reader's Digest Winner Take All creative presentation and sponsored by Taste of Home made a change on their entry form on the 25th.

The form now has a user name and password field. You try and submit and get a "email address already in database" message and a submittal error.

You need to go to the site and register as a user now to enter. No where in the rules does it say that. Now I'm registered, which was a feat in itself. Went to the site, didn't have password (so I guessed), couldn't log in, said email not in database. Tried to register and said I'm already in database. Had email sent for forgotten password, was able to log in, finally found the entry form on their site and entered, getting the Thank you confirmation.

Just brought up the form from my bookmarks and it's the nice simple form. Closed the form, deleted all cookies, brought the form up again and the form with the user name and password shows up.

We'll see how the entry process goes tomorrow.

Edit 3/2/09
Well, there is now a log in link that works on the form. Log in and it brings up the form partially filled in. You would think that if they bring up a form with your info that the state field would be filled in also, but it's not.

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.

Hachette Filipacchi Media Instant Cash Giveaway Sweepstakes

The Instant Cash Giveaway Sweepstakes now being sponsored by Hachette Filipacchi Media (Woman's Day, Elle, etc.) is a change from the sweeps previously run. For the past few years, they have participated in the "Dream" Series (Dream Come True, Dream of a Lifetime). This year, it looks as though only their magazines are involved in this particular creative presentation. Entry has been changed to one a month. Easy entry form. In addition to the prizes offered at the end of the promotion, there is a monthly prize, and the winners will be drawn much sooner than the 8+ month wait time after the sweeps ends of the "Dream" series.

Still a long running promotion, but in my opinion, much better than the previous ones.

Another change that I feel is great, the winners list for this promotion will be published online.

You should be able to find the entries at Sweepstakes Advantage

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.

Disappointed in Kimberly Clark Room-a-Day Sweepstakes Rules

According to the rules, [...]Every online entry submission must be manually keystroked and manually entered by the individual entrant; automated and/or repetitive electronic submission of entries (including but not limited to entries made using any script, macro, bot or sweepstakes service) will be disqualified and transmissions from these or related e-mail or IP addresses may be blocked.[...]

It's the manually keystroked part that bothers me. For the normal person, no problem. But doesn't that seem like it might leave out people who have a hard time with a keyboard? I quite often have difficulty with keyboarding, comes from a "vascular event" that occurred in my brain. What about those who have difficulty seeing a screen? People rely on form fillers for a lot of different reasons. Doesn't it seem like they are actually trying to alienate the same people who buy their products?

For those who use the capabilities of their browser, Internet Explorer as an example, to remember their user name and password; if you were to go to the site and your browser fills in the fields you've just disqualified yourself.

I use RoboForm, sometimes for entering data on a form. As much as possible, I use it to enter user name and password fields. Personally, for online business and shopping, I shy away from sites where I cannot use RoboForm, especially for my user name and password. RoboForm is one of my means of protection in addition to be a handy form filler.

The instant win game is a disappointment as well. Instead of of quick 1-2-3 your done game, or better yet an option to skip the game and see if you are an instant winner, you have to match up the products, like concentration. You cannot advance to see if you're an instant winner until you have matched all of the products. It's like 10 or 12 products to match up.

That doesn't mean I won't enter the sweeps, the prize is too good. It just means I'm disappointed in the wording of their rules and the game. Doesn't leave a great impression of the company.

Woman's Day Entry Forms

Well, it's nice to see, Woman's Day changed their entry forms. The state field is back to a drop down and you can tab to the field and use the down arrow to select. Not quite a nice easy traditional form yet, still cannot tab through the optional information like you should be able to. Until then, still a thumbs down.

HTC Fuse

HTC Fuse has a sweeps running that is entirely Flash based. I have FlashBlock installed in Firefox and cannot enter. It must use a sniffer code, because it tells me a file is missing. Stupid. Without the code and error message I would be able to enable Flash for the site. I can use another browser to enter, but just an example of lousy coding.

YellowPages.com Mobile Ultimate Giveaway

According to the rules the giveaway ends 12/31/08 11:59pm. Went to enter for the last time and received this message:
"This promotion ended on December 31, 2008
Looks like you just missed it. We hope you had a chance to enter."

Yes, giveaways can pull their entries early, but usually it's a case of an error in programing the date.

It was very easy to enter, while it lasted.

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.

The Barber Foods Sweepstakes and Philips "FREE Dental Care For Life" Sweepstakes

Both the The Barber Foods Sweepstakes and Philips "FREE Dental Care For Life" sweeps have been very easy to enter. Very straightforward, leaves a real good impression of the company.

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.

HP Magic Giveaway Winding Down

Well, the HP Magic Giveaway is coming to a close soon. My goodness, did the rules and method of entry vary.

Some of the sites required membership, which is no big deal, many sites offering giveaways require that. You also can't blame them for wanting to increase traffic. I have found a few sites that will prove useful in the future that I would not have thought of visiting prior to the giveaway. There are some I would not visit again.

I'm really glad for the blogs that after meeting their minimum requirements, which in most cases were easy to follow, used a random draw to choose the winner. A lot fairer way to all involved. I personally stayed away from the contest type and the ones wear the blog owners were looking for a "best" story. Many of us have plans to giveaway a portion of the prize, but just don't have the ability to write a WOW story. For many of us, giving to family and friends is more important than to give to an organization, which seemed to be what a few of the sites preferred (many of the ones looking for the WOW entry). I do believe that the majority of us that entered have intentions of sharing, one way or the other. Question. How do you make I want to give (these items) to my dad just because I love him, he would have fun with them and it would give me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, sound exciting?

I am curious about a couple of things, on most of the sites, it was said the prize was supposed to be to one winner, but there were three of the blogs that split up the prizes and ran the giveaway as a contest. Two blogs (one for sure) dropped out of the competition. I wonder if HP will find a way to distribute those prizes.

Congratulations to those who have won and the best of luck to all of us for the final draws. Thank you to the blogs hosting the giveaway, they had a lot of extra work on their hands.

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.