Expectations for Vape Wins

[InMyImage]

Vendor prizes during contests on vapingunderground.com, vapers.tv, vulive, facebook, etc have become a popular way for vendors to get their name in front of vapers, but all to frequently we hear about vendors who fail to deliver the products that they put up as prizes.

A common response when questioning the amount of time that it takes for a prize to arrive is "paying customers come first..." but a big part of contests is marketing and I think that it would be interesting to find out what vapers expectations are.

Please select 1 item from the first 3 options and 1 from the second 3 options.

 

[Browncoat]

A) I expect to be treated like a customer, and it should be shipped as quickly as possible.
X) As long as I get it in a reasonable time, I'll consider buying from them in the future.

These sponsorships are a marketing campaign for the vendor. It's advertising. They're giving away some freebies with the hope that the exposure on these shows will drive additional traffic and sales to their sites. A freebie winner shouldn't be treated differently than any paying customer IMHO. From what I've seen in the show chats, most vendors adhere to the same mantra. However, there are a select few who are consistently having issues with this concept.

 

[vaperature]

Congratulations, you won! Now screw you we're too busy. Lol.

 

[UncleRJ]

IMHO, once you have committed to supplying a prize, once the winner goes to redeem their winnings, they should be treated just the same as a paying customer.

Fantastic advertizing for the company that supplies the prize if they deliver it as advertized and in a timely manner with a positive attitude.

Marketing NIGHTMARE if they do not as we all know what a tight nit and chatty group us vapers are.

And boy are we going to bitch and moan about it if we are stiffed out of our prize being a 10ml bottle of E-Liquid or a $300 mod!

 

[misswish]

This is the chance for vendors to show us their commitment to customer service. Yes, they are giving out something for free, that is the price of the advertising. If they want us to spend our money with them, treat us as the customer they want us to be.

 

[vaperature]

Prize winners actually should be treated twice as great as regular customers. Prize winners usually are greeted with confetti and applause and congratulations.

 

[Fishee]

I won somethin a few weeks ago on Mod Envy and contacted that vendor and never heard shit from em. The lack of response was more than enough for me to make a final decision that I will NEVER purchase ANYTHING from that vendor regardless of their reputation or standing with the vaping community.
The way I seen it was that if I don't mean shit to them then they don't mean shit to me either.
But since it was a random draw and a free "prize" I don't feel as if I was cheated in any way.
I just feel I was disregarded.
So fuck em.
I can and will spend my money buying from the vendors that have proven that I matter to them.

 

[Zamazam]

Vendors usually get one or two chances with the prizes they offer, if they blow it and blow off the prize winner, negative feedback naturally comes their way. Bad attitudes in email responses from the vendor are one of my key criteria to personally black list a vendor. If the vendor does not reply to an email, or return a phone call within a week, they are off of my preferred vendors list. Even Fasttech will respond to a ticket within 24 hours. In our highly connected society, if a vendor stiffs a prize winner, they should expect to get blasted on multiple social media platforms. It's relatively cheap advertising for the vendor to give away an RDA, batteries, juice, or whatever. If they consciously decide to stiff a winner either through forgetfulness, or outright spite, the need to be named and shamed.

 

[Drone]

Doing a giveaway is a marketing opportunity for the vendor. It's not a guarantee of a positive outcome, but a reasonable assumption can be made that a vendor will receive positive marketing value for the giveaway. This is especially true when partnering with a show like Mod Envy that does a very good job of pimping a vendor (some shows are not very good at this and I could see a diminished return on the vendor's investment there). But if the vendor does not follow this giveaway with a positive customer experience for the winner it will often turn into a marketing negative. If that happens, why did the vendor do the giveaway in the first place? Just a wasted opportunity and diminished reputation.

For the best marketing value from that giveaway, special attention should be given to the win to assure the best return of marketing value on the giveaway. That winner should be treated like the best customer they have for maximum marketing value. Nothing else even make good business sense really. And every day that passes without honoring the giveaway dilutes the marketing value. I have no doubt that there is better value to a vendor that honors a giveaway in the first week than one who honors it 6 weeks later... or never.

If a vendor is going to do a giveaway, they should really use the giveaway tool to it's best advantage and reap the rewards. I have received stellar service from a couple of vendors on some giveaways and I happily buy from them and recommend them as a result. Great folks that get my money now... no real surprise because they earned it. I got wins from 2 others that never delivered or responded, small wins but wins none the less. I don't buy from them and don't recommend them. Why would I?

 

[Spike64]

Some of my thoughts on this subject...YMMV, but hey, we all have our opinions and are welcome to them....these are mine....

I've won many times on these shows (piffed a lot too)...most sponsors ship quickly and I've ordered product from several of them as a result of them getting it out quickly for me to try and finding that I like the product....some I haven't though and that is a direct result of me simply not caring for their product. Not everyone makes good juice. It is what it is...I dont feel obligated to buy a product because I won some...if it sucks, it sucks....Some have exceptional product. My ADV is a direct result of winning juice on a show...I'd have never tried or even heard of Maddcatt Vapor RYW4 if I hadn't won some...now I won't be without it...These giveaways can and do work for many...especially when sponsors have the business sense that William from Maddcatt does....order in, order out. No discerning between contest winner and paying customer...this kind of forward thinking gets the product into the hands of consumers and creates paying customers as well as positive word of mouth to others...make a good product and get it out quickly....either a prize or paid order....smart, smart, smart...

I cringe every time I hear a host talk up a sponsor as giving stuff away out of the goodness of their heart. Please. I'm sure many sponsors are fine folks, but, as others have correctly pointed out, it's a marketing tool...we are watching and hearing what basically amounts to an infomercial with hucksters promoting a business and their products. It's an advertisement culminating in a random drawing for a prize. These aren't necessarily selfless people doing it all for the community...they are first and foremost business people...if they conduct their business the right way, there are rewards to be reaped...if they drop the ball, word gets out, and the negative stuff will catch up with them.

Here is my take on how long it takes to ship a prize...the "wait a month for your prize" and "paying customers come first" thing is just so much nonsense. If a business is so freakin busy that it takes a month or more to drop a bottle of juice in the mailbox, congrats...your are obviously a hopping business with so many orders that you are becoming very wealthy...kudos to you!...youre living the dream!..you probably dont really need to even advertise on these shows...you certainly dont need to do giveaways, and you obviously dont need my money...you are just that busy...too busy to bother with getting product to a prospective customer....hey, no problem...keep the prize, I'll keep my vaping dollars and spend it elsewhere...there is little to no chance you'll see any of it...if you cant be bothered, then neither can I....my money, my choice...and there are so many other choices that I can select from...

I've been stiffed on wins by a few sponsors as well...these names get written down and I make sure that folks I know are aware of them. Some are already well known in the community for doing this...Stiffing people on wins clearly displays some poor character issues and a lack of ethics that no business worth their salt should have. Lowlifes that engage in practices like this should fail and I'm more than happy to do my little part in helping them do just that...

My 2 cents and surely worth exactly what you paid for it....

Hey, I just looked at my banner and realized that today is my 2 year vapeversary!

 

[Fishee]

@Spike64
Very well put! Very well put indeed.
And Happy vapeversary! That's fricken awesome man

 

[Spike64]

@Spike64
Very well put! Very well put indeed.
And Happy vapeversary! That's fricken awesome man

Thanks Fishee....seems like just yesterday, I picked up my first kit and never smoked again after 33 yrs on the analogs...now, it's become a ridiculous hobby and I've become a shameless mod whore....lol

 

[Cloudy Peak Vapes]

I won somethin a few weeks ago on Mod Envy and contacted that vendor and never heard shit from em. The lack of response was more than enough for me to make a final decision that I will NEVER purchase ANYTHING from that vendor regardless of their reputation or standing with the vaping community.
The way I seen it was that if I don't mean shit to them then they don't mean shit to me either.
But since it was a random draw and a free "prize" I don't feel as if I was cheated in any way.
I just feel I was disregarded.
So fuck em.
I can and will spend my money buying from the vendors that have proven that I matter to them.

I agree completely with this. I'm currently two months out from my last win, and nothing. I've contacted a Mod Envy hosts in the past, as this has happened to me a few times, unfortunately. They have never let me down, and it comes my way fast after that. So kudos to the hosts.

Right now, Im Still waiting on a 30ml I won on December 13th, I remember the date, as that's my birthday, lol. I haven't made contact with the vendor, or the hosts. At this point, yes I'd love the juice, but oh well. The hosts don't need to be bothered, and I will never order from the vendor. I might at least let the hosts know at some point, since they have people getting advertising, and not living up to their obligations, but at this point I just don't care. It is what it is, I've won a ton of times, and received some really nice stuff, so 30ml isn't something I'm gonna make waves about.

I too agree that prizes should be sent out just as a paying customer. I don't make the rules, though.

 

[Browncoat]

At this point, yes I'd love the juice, but oh well. The hosts don't need to be bothered, and I will never order from the vendor. I might at least let the hosts know at some point, since they have people getting advertising, and not living up to their obligations, but at this point I just don't care.

This brings up a very good point, and others have touched on it as well. I would like to see some show hosts in this thread with a response to this issue.

Hosts are putting their name behind these vendors also, so when a vendor doesn't come through, it reflects on the host and the show. I know that if it were me, and I was consistently having to chase down a sponsor on my show because they weren't shipping wins in a timely fashion, it would get old. Fast. Should we hold the host responsible? Ehhh...that's a tough call.

It's certainly not the host's fault. And I don't think they should be held accountable for a vendor who isn't up to snuff. However, I do feel that if there is a recurring problem with a particular vendor, the host might want to rethink endorsing them at all.

 

[kelli]

i never have to worry about any of the above, because i never win. but i commiserate with your bad experiences.

 

[kelli]

Some of my thoughts on this subject...YMMV, but hey, we all have our opinions and are welcome to them....these are mine....

I've won many times on these shows (piffed a lot too)...most sponsors ship quickly and I've ordered product from several of them as a result of them getting it out quickly for me to try and finding that I like the product....some I haven't though and that is a direct result of me simply not caring for their product. Not everyone makes good juice. It is what it is...I dont feel obligated to buy a product because I won some...if it sucks, it sucks....Some have exceptional product. My ADV is a direct result of winning juice on a show...I'd have never tried or even heard of Maddcatt Vapor RYW4 if I hadn't won some...now I won't be without it...These giveaways can and do work for many...especially when sponsors have the business sense that William from Maddcatt does....order in, order out. No discerning between contest winner and paying customer...this kind of forward thinking gets the product into the hands of consumers and creates paying customers as well as positive word of mouth to others...make a good product and get it out quickly....either a prize or paid order....smart, smart, smart...

I cringe every time I hear a host talk up a sponsor as giving stuff away out of the goodness of their heart. Please. I'm sure many sponsors are fine folks, but, as others have correctly pointed out, it's a marketing tool...we are watching and hearing what basically amounts to an infomercial with hucksters promoting a business and their products. It's an advertisement culminating in a random drawing for a prize. These aren't necessarily selfless people doing it all for the community...they are first and foremost business people...if they conduct their business the right way, there are rewards to be reaped...if they drop the ball, word gets out, and the negative stuff will catch up with them.

Here is my take on how long it takes to ship a prize...the "wait a month for your prize" and "paying customers come first" thing is just so much nonsense. If a business is so freakin busy that it takes a month or more to drop a bottle of juice in the mailbox, congrats...your are obviously a hopping business with so many orders that you are becoming very wealthy...kudos to you!...youre living the dream!..you probably dont really need to even advertise on these shows...you certainly dont need to do giveaways, and you obviously dont need my money...you are just that busy...too busy to bother with getting product to a prospective customer....hey, no problem...keep the prize, I'll keep my vaping dollars and spend it elsewhere...there is little to no chance you'll see any of it...if you cant be bothered, then neither can I....my money, my choice...and there are so many other choices that I can select from...

I've been stiffed on wins by a few sponsors as well...these names get written down and I make sure that folks I know are aware of them. Some are already well known in the community for doing this...Stiffing people on wins clearly displays some poor character issues and a lack of ethics that no business worth their salt should have. Lowlifes that engage in practices like this should fail and I'm more than happy to do my little part in helping them do just that...

My 2 cents and surely worth exactly what you paid for it....

Hey, I just looked at my banner and realized that today is my 2 year vapeversary!

^this

and happy vapeversary, spike. i am right behind you....2 years the 25th of this month.

 

[Cloudy Peak Vapes]

This brings up a very good point, and others have touched on it as well. I would like to see some show hosts in this thread with a response to this issue.

Hosts are putting their name behind these vendors also, so when a vendor doesn't come through, it reflects on the host and the show. I know that if it were me, and I was consistently having to chase down a sponsor on my show because they weren't shipping wins in a timely fashion, it would get old. Fast. Should we hold the host responsible? Ehhh...that's a tough call.

It's certainly not the host's fault. And I don't think they should be held accountable for a vendor who isn't up to snuff. However, I do feel that if there is a recurring problem with a particular vendor, the host might want to rethink endorsing them at all.

I don't put this on the hosts at all, they've always taken immediate care of me, I hope that's clear. I suppose I just feel they are all busy with this stuff and the whole real life thing, so I tend not to want to mention, unless it's a big win, or something I really want. But, it is true that they probably should be made aware of this. If it's a pattern, they'll drop the vendor. They did it to Envision on the show, live. I won a glass drip tip in July, and it was probably a good 3-4 months later, other people were saying they hadn't gotten them either. Well, Envision hadn't been sending them out, and were getting free advertising. They got them to honor all prior giveaways, and dropped them. They called them out on the show.

 

[Spike64]

^this

and happy vapeversary, spike. i am right behind you....2 years the 25th of this month.

Thank you very much kelli...and an early congratz to you as well...

 

[vaperature]

I've never won anything on a show, but if you're going to sit through a show, week after week, in hopes of winning something, and then you finally win something, you did sort of pay for it with your time and support.

A month and a half ago I won quite a bit of juice through a contest here at VU. Still haven't gotten it. I don't want to name names because the vendor claims they did send it and it must have gotten lost in the mail. I finally contacted them about it. They gave me tracking information about a package they sent to my zipcode, but they never sent this tracking information to me when they first sent the package out so that I could, you know, track it. A few email exchanges later and someone said they were going to replace the package. That was three days ago so I'm once again crossing my fingers, but so far no tracking info or anything again.

 

[freemind]

I think the VU should create a section for the wins on the show. When folks get stiffed, they have a section dedicated to calling out the vendors ripping us off. It would be a PUBLIC venue and this would motivate vendors and hosts alike to hold the prize givers accountable.

When you win something, it is yours. I don't look at it like I didn't "pay" for it. You did, with an investment of your time. If you don't value your time, then don't expect anyone else too either, including your employer or clients.

 

[vaperature]

They have that already. It's called the Hall of Shame.

 

[freemind]

I know that exists.

However, would not vendors be more responsive if they would be called out in a section just for that? They could announce the weekly give aways there, and people could post up when they get stiffed by vendors.

 

[vaperature]

Not a bad idea.

 

[Spike64]

Agree...

 

[misswish]

Congrats on your 2 years, @Spike64!!!

 

[Spike64]

Congrats on your 2 years, @Spike64!!!

Thank you!

 

[Robert B]

I agree completely with this. I'm currently two months out from my last win, and nothing. I've contacted a Mod Envy hosts in the past, as this has happened to me a few times, unfortunately. They have never let me down, and it comes my way fast after that. So kudos to the hosts.

Right now, Im Still waiting on a 30ml I won on December 13th, I remember the date, as that's my birthday, lol. I haven't made contact with the vendor, or the hosts. At this point, yes I'd love the juice, but oh well. The hosts don't need to be bothered, and I will never order from the vendor. I might at least let the hosts know at some point, since they have people getting advertising, and not living up to their obligations, but at this point I just don't care. It is what it is, I've won a ton of times, and received some really nice stuff, so 30ml isn't something I'm gonna make waves about.

Hey, don't back off that 30ml bottle. If I were the show host, I damn sure would want to know if a deadbeat vendor didn't follow through. It reflects bad on the host and defeats the entire purpose of getting people to watch the show.

I don't hesitate to tell the owner of a restaurant his or her Chef is screwing up

 

[InMyImage]

Several of sum up the general feelings that I have heard consistently while being a member of this community. I have managed a couple of business and worked as a consultant for one of the largest software companies in the world and good business relies on "Goodwill". It is so significant, that it actually has a dollar value placed on it and included in the networth of a corporation's financial reports.

I too have seen show hosts call out a vendor for not meeting their commitments and saying that they are dropping them as a sponsor. I have a lot of respect for this and while I do not hold a show host accountable for receiving a product given away on one of their shows, I do think it is good for them to be aware of vendors sponsoring their shows who are not sending them out so that they can determine if is a simple communication issue or a problem that needs to be addressed.

@TowerOfVape does a great job managing his sponsors. I had won some juice during one of his shows from Hooligan Vapes, and after a couple of weeks I received an e-mail from @TowerOfVape letting me know that he had made a mistake in reporting the win to the vendor, followed up with to confirm the item won that he had recorded and about a week later I received the juice from Hooligan. Job well done by the vendor and the show host.

An positive experience makes me comfortable with a company like Hooligan Vapes because they had good service and sent out a good product that was well packaged, bottled and tasted good. I haven't personally purchased anything from them because I am well stocked with juice ATM, but when I need more I will look at what they have and more importantly I will mention them which may lead to other paying customers. Hence the value of sponsoring a show that goes beyond just the mention during the show.

One of the motivations behind starting a thread like this is that maybe a vendor or two will actually see the expectations consolidated in one place and think about how they respond to giveaway winners.

Currently the tallies indicate that about 80% of members expect to either be treated like a customer or will be disappointed/irritated/pissed if they don't get the prize in a timely fasion.

Additionally the results indicate that 50% feel strongly enough about the subject that they will actively ignore the vendor and or share their bad experience with others, while 50% agree that if they are treated like a customer they might actually be one in the future.

 

[TowerOfVape]

Thanks much @InMyImage for the kind words not only to me, but to my friends over at Hooligan Vapes Case and Orion. I have known the both of them since summer of 2012 and they have always been true to themselves at how they represent themselves not only as vendors, but as fellow vapers. I may not have the "biggest" show nor plan on trying to get to that point. The sponsors I have representing their brands on my show are those I believe in and (in most cases) are people I consider my friends. I have been fortunate to have met all but 1 of my current sponsors on multiple occasions and the time I've spent with each has been monumental not only in personal terms, but aiding me in my continuous pursuit to garner more knowledge in this lifestyle. I mean correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a lifestyle and hosting a vaping-related show to me is sharing my joy of it with others. I have never been involved because I wanted any sort of "pat on the back" per say. I do it because I love it. The fortune I have in having sponsors (some of which have supported me from as far back as Fall 2012) only solidifies this. The day I realize that I'm no longer feeling joy from putting myself out there for those who believe in me enough to spend 3 hours/week with me, I'll stop. The last thing I ever want is to half-ass an appearance in front of a cam with a mic and be a disservice to any vaper. In short, this is what it looks like when I hang out with other vapers. I haven't forgotten that in nearly 3 years of being a part of this great community. I love it. I love you guys. That is all...

 

[TowerOfVape]

Congrats on the 2 years @Spike64 Weeeeeeee!

 

[Spike64]

Congrats on the 2 years @Spike64 Weeeeeeee!

Thanks Rish!!!...appreciate it...