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Sears Discounts, Deals and Coupon Codes

Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

58,150 56,135 June 2, 2008 at 07:50 PM in Other (6) Get Sears coupons Coupons
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Last Edited by BostonGirl March 8, 2015 at 07:18 AM
+89 Deal Score
2,137,373 Views
The intent of this thread is for users, both new and not-so-new, to ask questions, and help with tips/advice. This is not by any means the "gospel". Please feel free to add your words of wisdom, and if you have questions, just ask! If you have a tip that will make sweeping easier for folks, please feel free to share. This is a community effort. We all will benefit in some way.


The Basic Advice/Tips for the new-to-sweeping folks.
Enter for the items you want/need. If you have no interest in trips, avoid the sweeps where the only prize is a trip. If you know you can't afford the tax on a new vehicle, avoid entering for those.

Set up folders in your bookmark/favorites. Create a separate one for each month, and file any sweeps you are interested in into the folder corresponding with when it ends. Then, if you have a day where you're pressed for time, enter at least the ones ending that day.

Play the instant win games.

Follow the rules! If a sweep is restricted to only females, a certain age group, certain states, etc, make sure you fit the criteria! If you don't, move on to another sweep that you do qualify for. Do not create a bunch of email addresses so you can enter something more than once, or so you can play an Instant win game more. The Sponsors can tell, and will DQ you. You're better off playing by the rules than cheating and getting disqualified and having NO entries.

Don't immediately dismiss essay required sweeps (or recipes, photos, etc)....well, unless you know you don't want to write something. A lot of people pass on them, so you might have a better shot at winning something.

Don't expect this to be lucrative enough to become a job. Yes, a lot of us win, and often, but not nearly enough to quit a job!

Expect things to go slow at first. It takes a while for the wins to roll in. But once they do...look out!

Expect to occasionally hit a dry spell. It happens to ALL of us.

DEFINITELY USE YOUR REAL INFO! If you use a fake phone number, and a sponsor is calling to notify people of wins, you'll never know what you missed out on. I, and many others, have been doing this for a long time, and we have no problems with sales calls. Also, use your real name. If your name is Robert or Catherine, using Bob or Cathy is ok, as they are known acceptable shorter versions of that name. if your name is Matilda, and you go by Fluffy, don't use Fluffy. Looking at your ID to get an affy notarized, they may reject it because the names don't match. The sponsor may also say "Fluffy won, not Matilda". So stick with using your real name, or something close to it.

Most of all, HAVE FUN! And don't be afraid to ask questions. We were all new to this at one time. Any one of us would be happy to answer questions.


For easy form filling, check out Roboform [roboform.com]. Google Tool bar and the autofill feature on IE also work well.

For Mac users, the best form filler is 1Password: http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password (thanks javaFlower!)

FireFox Form Filler browser extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/...ll&cat=all

To set up the autofill feature in IE: Click on Tools, then internet options, then choose 'content'. When that pops up, click on "Autocomplete", and make sure to check the boxes for forms and passwords on forms. This is not a good idea if you are on a shared/public computer!

February 17, 2009, 3:10 am: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.

July 12, 2010, 3:23 pm: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.
Good Deal?

Community Wiki

Last Edited by JD123 November 1, 2014 at 11:13 AM
Before we had this thread, limpstar posted this site for info on sweeps & taxes in the I Won Thread:
All About Sweepstakes Taxes
http://contests.about.com/od/taxe...gtaxes.htm

Also consider talking to your tax preparer and/or researching further into your tax responsibility.


I have found this page helpful in understanding some of sweep's law - a sweeps law co.'s site:
The Lustigman Firm; Attorneys at Law
http://www.sweepstakeslaw.com/
The Lustigman Firm provides experienced legal counsel that helps protect the business interests
of its advertising and promotional clients around the United States and Canada

What does " age of majority in your state or province " mean?

(sometimes abbreviated as AoM+ )

it's the legal age of that state or province...

The Age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when children legally assume majority control over their persons and their actions and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents over and for them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority

there's a list by country and by US State there....

For most purposes, the age of majority in the U.S. is 18,
except for 2 states with the age of 19 (Nebraska,Alabama)
and one state with the age of 21 (Mississippi)
and two (American Samoa and Puerto Rico) that retain 14 as the age of majority.
Occasionally PA is listed under the 19+ or 21+

~javaFlower

Regarding missing prizes
If you were expecting a prize you've never received you can complain 1st to the sweepstakes administrator, then to the sweepstakes sponsor and finally to USPS Postal Inspectors

https://postalinspectors.uspis.go...laint.aspx

-Kotik


ePrize Contacts
[email protected] - Bob Marsh, Senior Vice President, Midwest Region, Phone: 248.543.7522
[email protected] - Darlene Morris, Business Manager, Phone: 248.543.7403
[email protected] - Alesya Opelt, Vice President, Marketing, Phone: 248.543.7440


Occasionally a....less than ethical sweep will get posted.
You might end up finding unauthorized charges on your phone bill. Unauthorized charges on the phone bill are what's called "Cramming". Once you contact the company that's charging you, and you have requested your phone company remove the charge, if you so choose, you can file a complaint with the FCC.

FCC Online complaint form: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

You can also file your complaint with the FCC's Consumer Center by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY

You can fax your complaint to 1-866-418-0232

Or by snail mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.

I also recommend a 3rd party block on your line to prohibit this from happening. 3rd party blocks don't affect your phone in any way, except by not allowing some company outside of your local phone company from adding charges to your bill.


Slickdealers on Twitter
(I don't really know where is best to start this list, but I decided to just start it here. If anyone thinks we should move it somewhere else, please do so.)

SD name Twitter name
kdka421 k8fenner
Starbelly Lunachique
dodgers77449 michael0902
sanaperv @slicksweepberry
blueeyeleo  
Slickdealers on Facebook
(Hopefully, it is allowed to post this here. If anyone thinks this link should be deleted, please do so.)
You can find the facebook slickdeals sweepers in this group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/310504039006252/

Track incoming packages
UPS
http://www.ups.com/mychoice/
FedEx https://www.fedex.com/login/web/j...n.jsp?TYPE
USPS https://www.usps.com/manage/manage-your-mail.htm




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Joined May 2006
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implode
07-02-2013 at 09:27 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:27 AM.
So question, where did you find the link...for me I'm not seeing any banners on the front page???
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Joined Oct 2008
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Sweepaholic
07-02-2013 at 09:28 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:28 AM.
Quote from implode :
So question, where did you find the link...for me I'm not seeing any banners on the front page???
Slickdeals home page top of the frontpage deals it is in small print under the BOX Home Loans banner.
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dgleeson
07-02-2013 at 09:35 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:35 AM.
Quote from implode :
So question, where did you find the link...for me I'm not seeing any banners on the front page???
Yeah, I didn't see the usual banner on the SD Homepage today, so went looking for the 3am threas here in C&S

https://slickdeals.net/f/6126546-Slickdeals-users-save-3-8ths-of-a-point-and-Apple-TV-Giveaway?v=1
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Joined May 2006
Keeper of the Trophy
> bubble2 116,810 Posts
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implode
07-02-2013 at 09:51 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:51 AM.
Quote from dgleeson :
Yeah, I didn't see the usual banner on the SD Homepage today, so went looking for the 3am threas here in C&S

https://slickdeals.net/f/6126546-Slickdeals-users-save-3-8ths-of-a-point-and-Apple-TV-Giveaway?v=1
Really want to see some of our regulars win--lot of lurkers playing. Find it pretty incredible we SD is able to draw quarter of a million entries on those.
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Joined May 2006
TBOTZON
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TBotzon
07-02-2013 at 09:52 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:52 AM.
Quote from dgleeson :
Yeah, I didn't see the usual banner on the SD Homepage today, so went looking for the 3am threas here in C&S

https://slickdeals.net/f/6126546-Slickdeals-users-save-3-8ths-of-a-point-and-Apple-TV-Giveaway?v=1
Thanks and repped!
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Joined Aug 2008
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> bubble2 1,336 Posts
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jamminsport16
07-02-2013 at 09:59 AM.
07-02-2013 at 09:59 AM.
Quote from dgleeson :
On April 16, 2013 Wildfire by Google posted on their timeline:

It's a bittersweet day for us. We'll be saying goodbye to our Basic, Standard, and Premium promotions on June 30th. Please check out our blog for more details. To those of you who were among the first to run promotions with us, we thank you so much for believing in us and helping us get to where we are today.

http://urlhasbeenblocked/YsLLAS
http://wildfireapp.blogspot.com/2...tions.html
Thanks so much for this info. I'm assuming there is no facebook equivalent website like Wildfire by Google? Stick Out Tongue Thx!
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Joined Sep 2012
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robonero954
07-02-2013 at 01:35 PM.
07-02-2013 at 01:35 PM.
I just went to "Mattress Firm" to get a Sealy Serial #. The nasty guy said "no!" That I had to call Mattress Firm's Corporate Office for authorization
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Joined Nov 2008
L5: Journeyman
> bubble2 710 Posts
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elangomatt
07-02-2013 at 02:04 PM.
07-02-2013 at 02:04 PM.
Quote from dgleeson :
On April 16, 2013 Wildfire by Google posted on their timeline:

It's a bittersweet day for us. We'll be saying goodbye to our Basic, Standard, and Premium promotions on June 30th. Please check out our blog for more details. To those of you who were among the first to run promotions with us, we thank you so much for believing in us and helping us get to where we are today.

http://urlhasbeenblocked/YsLLAS
http://wildfireapp.blogspot.com/2...tions.html
Thanks for the info. I don't know how I missed the news about both the buyout by google last year and now the impending shutdown of the Basic, Standard, and Premium promotions. I wonder how many servers Google got to shut down yesterday between this Wildfire thing, Google reader going offline, and whatever else they shut down yesterday.
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Joined May 2006
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implode
07-02-2013 at 04:58 PM.
07-02-2013 at 04:58 PM.
#sigh# its been a long two days--found the problem with my cable. Cut in my cable line. Can actually wiggle it and get tv/net to come back in and out. Going to be a long few days until Friday. I'm just so reliant on internet.
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Joined Nov 2010
L4: Apprentice
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yoda2
07-02-2013 at 08:08 PM.
07-02-2013 at 08:08 PM.
A good internet connection is a must at my house, sounds like it should be an easy fix though.
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Joined May 2006
Keeper of the Trophy
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implode
07-02-2013 at 08:53 PM.
07-02-2013 at 08:53 PM.
Quote from yoda2 :
A good internet connection is a must at my house, sounds like it should be an easy fix though.
Yep, think it would take cable guy 10 mins.
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Joined Mar 2013
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credmond
07-03-2013 at 08:32 AM.
07-03-2013 at 08:32 AM.
How do you give someone more than 1 rep per post? Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you have that option? Thanks. Smilie
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Joined May 2006
Keeper of the Trophy
> bubble2 116,810 Posts
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implode
07-03-2013 at 08:49 AM.
07-03-2013 at 08:49 AM.
Quote from credmond :
How do you give someone more than 1 rep per post? Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you have that option? Thanks. Smilie
Think its a combination of time spent on site and posts...
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credmond
07-03-2013 at 08:54 AM.
07-03-2013 at 08:54 AM.
Quote from implode :
Think its a combination of time spent on site and posts...
ok, guess i'll have to wait it out lol thanks
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Joined Dec 2010
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> bubble2 26,018 Posts
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User1144648
07-03-2013 at 09:53 AM.
07-03-2013 at 09:53 AM.
Quote from credmond :
How do you give someone more than 1 rep per post? Do you have to have a certain number of posts before you have that option? Thanks. Smilie
This thread should answer your question. http://archive.slickdeals.net/f/467715-New-Users-read-here-to-learn-about-reps-reputation?v=1&sduid=70647

First of all you must have at Least 50 posts for your reps to count

Your reps start at 1 point

You get an additional point once you get to 500 reps

You get an additional point once you get 1000 reps

You get an additional point once you make 10,000 posts

You get an additional point for every year you're an SD member

The most rep points you can have is 4
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