Annoyances at Yahoo

[tiamatlady]

or, Doya wanna Free IPod Mini?

See, I see this thing on my Yahoo Mail when I login via the web, to check at work. It says "Win an IPod Mini" OK, says I, I click. They want me to upgrade to Yahoo Plus, to the tune of $29.99 a year, ON TOP of what I've already paid them (OK $10 but it's principles here)to have the ability to download to OE via POP. (so I keep my mail on my home machine) Well, I'd like to NOT upgrade, thanks, but I've read your ad, now can I sign up for a chance at an IPod?

No.

So, I go to the rules. To enter, WITHOUT signing up and coughing up, you must send a postcard in. One entry per person MAX, either postcard OR web. They have to have a way for peeps to enter without buying but they don't have to make it easy.

Here is the offical rule:
To enter by mail without purchase or obligation, send a postcard on which you have hand-printed your first and last name, address (no post office boxes), telephone number, and email address (if available) to: Yahoo! Mail Plus iPod mini Giveaway, Mail-In Entries, PO Box 3383 Dept W, St Cloud, MN 56397-3383.

If you're comfortable with giving out this info, I HIGHLY suggest we ALL enter and try to win. I HATE companies who make it hard to NOT enter something they advertise as free.

The only warning - Yahoo tends to ask AFTER they sell your address. I've had my account for years so Im on all their "Don't sell me or ELSE" lists. If you already have a yahoo account of some kind, they already have your info, it won't do much harm giving it to them again. Otherwise Caveat Emptor.

Hey, for a free Ipod, and they already have my info, why not?

Back to work.

Comments

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

I don't know about anywhere else, but as far as I know it's illegal in the UK for a company to restrict entry to a competition to only people buying a product of theirs, so we always get the option to enter such things. Of course, like Yahoo have done, this means writing off to somewhere usually.

But it is a bit misleading for them to have an advert that implies you can enter a competition just by clicking on the link.. at least with things like products where you might win something inside, it's obvious up front that you'd have to buy it to be able to look inside.

[tiamatlady]

That's how it is here - it's not legal.
But, I've always kinda "believed" in Yahoo, and this just pissed me off. Of course, everything does these days. *grins*

And when you click the link it says "Hey you need to upgrade" and if you say no, it points you to the rules, which tells you about the postcard.

I was just feeling annoyed yesterday *grins*

ps - I'm not happy I'm never around to AIM you anymore *pouts* I'll make some time to be online soon, promise.

[emarkienna.livejournal.com]

hope you are feeling less annoyed today..

i miss you, but i understand

*kiss*

[pauljtaylor.livejournal.com]

One thing I've noticed in contest rules like this is that the no-purchase entries aren't treated like regular entries.  What they do is select one entry randomly from all the postcards, and that entry is treated as one person in the entry with all of the actual purchase entries.

[tiamatlady]

Well, no wonder I never won Publisher's Clearing House! *grins* I was bored enough once to go through the whole thing they want you to if you're not buying magazines.

Bastards. *grins*

I've gotten over it, I was annoyed yesterday at work, and this just pushed me over. Mommy just wants a free Ipod *laughs*

Off Topic.

[thenetimp.livejournal.com]

Uh yeah, so I don't know how often you check your diabolis account, and don't know what other accounts you may have. What time do you want to get together next Sunday? Brian is in a parade in Hoyoke and wanted to know if I would accompany Jodi. I told him it would depend on what time you wanted to do taxes. jodi said it was ok to use their place if they weren't there. The Parade starts at 10am, I don't think it would go much past noon, Which means we could be back at 2-3pm. Having taxes done are more important to me, so if you want to do it earlier then that's cool.

Re: Off Topic.

[tiamatlady]

I have Diabolis mail? Really?
tiamatlady at livejournal dot com ALWAYS forwards to me, regardless.

Later is actually better - means I can get some sleep.
Whenever is good for them. Why don't you forward me the discussion, and I'll plan for after the parade. Plus I'll poke Da'Boss (J) and check on the schedule.

Sorry for the confusion.