Book Blogger Confessions (hosted by For What It’s Worth) is a meme that posts the 1st and 3rd Monday of every month, where book bloggers “confess” and vent about blogging/bookish topics. Feel free to share, vent and offer solutions.
Just keep it respectful – no bashing authors or other bloggers!
Question:
Giveaways. As a blogger, how do you feel about extra entries, required entries etc? Do you have a system to choose/announce winners and keep prizes organized? What method works best for you when hosting a giveaway? (Rafflecopter/Google Doc’s or other)
Have you ever had problems hosting a giveaway sponsored by an author or publisher who is supposed to send the prize to the winner and doesn’t? How have you handled these issues?
As a prize winner – what do you do if your prize never arrives? Do you contact the blogger or just let it go?
Answer:
Usually when doing a giveaway, I try not to have any required entries. I didn’t realize at first though that to enter my giveaways on Facebook that you had to follow, but I always did include points for following. Now I try to have one on there and a link to the form directly. I use Rafflecopter because it’s easier to keep track of anyone cheating with the IP address tracking.
The only thing I always make sure is mandatory, is an email where I can contact the winner with. I’ve had issues before when I first started where I had no way of contacting the winner so had to choose someone else. I don’t have giveaways too often since I can’t afford too many, but because I only have one at a time it’s easy to keep track of everything.
I’ve never had issues with any authors/publishers that I’ve hosted giveaways for (they’re usually part of a blitz or tour), I did have one issue with the Book Depository not shipping a book properly to a winner though, but it got resolved eventually after contacting them.
I’ve had one prize that I won never show up, I contacted the blogger and reminded them a few times, but they were having issues outside of the blog so I dropped it, I didn’t want to fight over one book.
Kelsey's Cluttered Bookshelf 
I’m with you on not affording the giveaway! And I see what you’re saying with required entries. I like your answers, great post 🙂
My Book Blogger Confessions
Thanks! I’ll visit your post next 🙂
Yes I have stopped doing so many giveaways because it does get expensive for me. Yes I bug sometimes but not alot for a prize.
I’ve slowed down how many I used to do too, they can get addictive when you have too many going on, but it really does drain your pocket money. 🙂
I love hosting giveaways but it does get expensive over time so now I switched to month long giveaways. It’s still fun but only one book to buy per month 🙂
I love how Rafflepcopter makes it so easy to leave your information.
That’s not a bad idea actually, doing one a month! I’ve been doing giveaway hops with other participants the most lately, luckily they have many to choose from so I don’t have to do them all though.
Yeah I used to use Google Docs but Rafflecopter is so much easier!
I don’t have a lot of contests at the same time either, unless I’m doing an event. Like for Halloween Hootenanny or my Valentine’s Day one I just had. I try to be careful b/c I’m paranoid I’ll send the wrong prize to the wrong person. Yes, it’s very frustrating when you have to track someone down b/c they didn’t leave an e-mail address!
I always worry that the book won’t get to the winner, I’ve had it happen before but it was the Book Depository’s fault at the time.
I’ve had to choose different winners quite a few times before I used Rafflecopter, because they either wouldn’t enter it or spelled it wrong.
I can’t afford a lot of giveaways, either. I like having them, but probably only do one, maybe two a year. And I hate all the requirements! Some blogs require SO MUCH from people … I like to think my giveaways are simple. 🙂
I know, I hate it when you have to follow 5 ways just to get to the rest of the entries! I only like to have one required thing from people so I can contact them if they win. If they do the rest of the entries and want to follow me, then bonus.
Your giveaways are definitely simple to enter!
This was a really interesting post. I’m going to try Rafflecopter on my next giveaway. The only real issue I have with giveaways is when it’s not made clear who the giveaway is for – if it’s for international participants, or just for residents of the us/aus/uk or whatever. So I always try and make it really clear when I’m holding them who they are open to.
I know, I hate when they don’t say who it’s for and you get all excited and then you get your hopes up! It happens all the time, I try and enter then I realize it’s US only. I actually got an email once telling me I entered and shouldn’t have but they never mentioned the rules.
I agree, I like to be clear who can enter as well, most of mine are always international unless sponsored by an author anyway.
Thanks for the comment!
Man, I currently have little choice. I really have too many books and they need to go. So I am purging and I thought I would rather they go to those who would love them instead of a library sale full of old unappreciative people.