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Original poster

Online competitions

45 replies

HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 20/04/2025 22:50

I entered a competition online. Do you know one of those - like, share, tag - posts. It's from a small business owner in my community. It had an end date for today/this evening.

I checked online and there is no update or winner announcement. That's very strange, is it not? Surely some sort of a draw should have happened by now and an announcement but there was nothing.

Anyone have experienced of these competitions? How long does it usually take. I could understand a long processing time if it was a larger company and hundreds or even thousands of people/entries. From what I saw online, it's approx 80 people or entries across two platforms.

I just think it's a bit odd how it was supposed to end tonight but there was no real finish or announcement to it.

OP posts:
Wishitsnows · 20/04/2025 23:03

If the entries only closed tonight the earliest they would do a draw is tomorrow surely

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 10:53

Wishitsnows · 20/04/2025 23:03

If the entries only closed tonight the earliest they would do a draw is tomorrow surely

Thanks I read this last night.

It's nearly 11 am now and there's still no update. There should at least be sorted of a post or announcement by now with a time for the draw but there has been nothing and no update whatsoever. No winner announcement. Was supposed to come to an end yesterday and nothing since then. No update. No time for the draw since then. Just nothing.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 10:56

Just double checked the online post and it said competition ends 8pm Sunday.

How come there has been no update since then? Or is it case that only winners (1 and 2) were contacted.

I entered a competition last year and again it was a private competition but there was an app used where all the names went and it went into a spin circle thing and it was all over and done in a short time. It was also live and there was a written post too.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 10:57

I'm just disappointed that I entered a competition and there has been no update since it finished.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:00

Why did it end yesterday evening if it's going to take another day for a draw.

I had a look online and it's only a small business and I reckon at a guess approx 80 entries. It doesn't take this long.

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Justapiercer · 21/04/2025 11:03

Because if its a small business and they're self employed something else might have come up or they're enjoying the eater break!

If it ended yesterday at 8pm it's not even been 24 hours. Don't hold small businesses to stricter standards than big ones. Sometimes we're just one person.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:09

Justapiercer · 21/04/2025 11:03

Because if its a small business and they're self employed something else might have come up or they're enjoying the eater break!

If it ended yesterday at 8pm it's not even been 24 hours. Don't hold small businesses to stricter standards than big ones. Sometimes we're just one person.

Well then, why did it end yesterday if they knew they wouldn't be able to hold a draw on their own for however many days?

It makes no sense how they ran a competition if they can't manage it. All that's needed is a post with a draw time.

If they are enjoying their Easter, it didn't stop them yesterday reposting the competition and reminding people of it. All that's needed is a post to inform people of a draw time. Will it be today or tomorrow or next weekend. When?

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:13

Why did it end yesterday if they were going to take their time and however many days to hold a draw?

I entered a private competition last year for charity and it was much better. It wasn't a big charity organisation. It was a private person raising money for charity and it was a one person show for that competition and a person with a life behind it all but it was so much better. When the competition ended, there was draw that same evening and a winner announced too.

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SunsetCocktails · 21/04/2025 11:19

Theyve probably just contacted the winners privately and unfortunately you’re not one of them. You do seem a little….obsessed, to be frank.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:29

SunsetCocktails · 21/04/2025 11:19

Theyve probably just contacted the winners privately and unfortunately you’re not one of them. You do seem a little….obsessed, to be frank.

That's not right. You would think there would be some sort of a post online on the socials - competition drawn and winner picked and contacted. Just something instead of leaving it open and at loose ends.

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SunsetCocktails · 21/04/2025 11:34

Maybe they just forgot to update their page. Maybe they’re waiting for a reply from the winner, if they don’t get one after so long then maybe they pick a second winner.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:39

It was a nice prize and having a look online, there wasn't too many entries and I had a nice good chance of winning something. You said according to the competition post you can tag as many people as you wanted and each tag would be considered an entry. So, I had a good chance of winning something.

I just find it odd how there hasn't been any update.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:42

You dont forget to update their page. Especially considering they remembered their page yesterday to post their competition again.

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ouch321 · 21/04/2025 11:45

I'm with the person who said you seem a tad obsessed.

A watched pot never boils and all that so leave it for a couple of days and then check back.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 11:58

ouch321 · 21/04/2025 11:45

I'm with the person who said you seem a tad obsessed.

A watched pot never boils and all that so leave it for a couple of days and then check back.

I do t understand why someone would put an end time to a competition and then not have a draw for however many days. That makes no sense.

Why didn't the person just write it in their original competition.

The end time will be 8pm Sunday but i may or may not have a draw for however many days and I may or may not announce a winner.

None of this makes sense.

I just think the competition should be wrapped up with a post and especially by now. A short simple post is all that's needed - winner picked and contacted. That's not hard. It really isn't.

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Passwordsaremynemesis · 21/04/2025 12:12

Does the competition have a link to the terms and conditions? That should tell you when the draw is, how it will be announced etc. In reality, you probably haven’t won. I do a lot of competitions and have won loads, sometimes they just forget to update. I won a competition about a month ago. The prize was a night in a hotel with some meals and a champagne tasting at a food festival. They only told me I’d won a week before and they only announced it on Instagram after they messsaged me. I also won a knife set recently, they were meant to send me out a tracking email but instead it arrived in the post with no tracking email. So don’t get too invested, if you are only entering one competition or so a year, chances are you didn’t win this one.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 12:49

The reason I am anxious is because I done usually post publically. I have an abusive ex who harassed me and a public post may be used as bait for him. Unfortunately. For his fake profiles.

I was hoping in deleting my comment once over.

Am I to expect at this stage that the draw happened and I am not a winner.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 14:16

Passwordsaremynemesis · 21/04/2025 12:12

Does the competition have a link to the terms and conditions? That should tell you when the draw is, how it will be announced etc. In reality, you probably haven’t won. I do a lot of competitions and have won loads, sometimes they just forget to update. I won a competition about a month ago. The prize was a night in a hotel with some meals and a champagne tasting at a food festival. They only told me I’d won a week before and they only announced it on Instagram after they messsaged me. I also won a knife set recently, they were meant to send me out a tracking email but instead it arrived in the post with no tracking email. So don’t get too invested, if you are only entering one competition or so a year, chances are you didn’t win this one.

It was a small local business and there was no terms and conditions for the competition.

I had a look online, it was only really small. I reckon under 100 entries.

I just find it very poor form how there wasn't anything to really wrap up the competition and bring it to an end. There should have been a post to say - winner picker and contacted - at least. Not leave people who entered just hanging and wondering if there was a draw, if their name was picked and not leave people just kind hanging.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 14:17

I wonder would I be able to presume that it's over now and could I go ahead and delete my comment?

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 21/04/2025 16:56

There's still no update online.

Am I to presume the draw happened and I am not a winner.

There was no transparency whatsoever to the competition and draw and I think it's very poor form.

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SabbatWheel · 21/04/2025 19:21

Step away from it, I imagine you’ve not won, sorry. It’s clearly making you miserable and it’s just not worth it.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 22/04/2025 09:00

My issue at this stage is that, this person ran a competition and there was ZERO transparency about any draw. Getting names and personal details in online information sharing and there was no transparency about a draw.

I have know others to do small competitions locally and it was all run much better and they were one person too.

He never liked my post where I tagged people so there was no acknowledgment of it and I don't even know of my name was even entered into a draw if there was one to even begin within. Now, there was nothing to wrap up the end of that competition either. There was no winner announcement or no post to say that there was a draw and a winner was contacted.

There was no transparency.

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LumpyPumpkin · 22/04/2025 09:08

I enter a lot of competitions and lots of small companies are not very good at saying when winners will be drawn/contacted. This is not unusual.

I have won competitions where no winner has been announced publicly, I've just received a private message. Some winners ask for their name not to be announced.

I would suggest you don't enter anything again because competitions are meant to fun, not cause you this level of anxiety and desperation.

If you REALLY most know, why not ask a friend (who didn't enter the competition) to message the company and ask when winner will be announced. I still think you should just wait a bit longer but you clearly don't want to listen to that advice.

Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 22/04/2025 09:16

I am in a private group elsewhere and there was a photo competition that I missed but the night of the competition ending there was a post:

Congratulations to Name Surname who won our photo competition.

It really isn't hard to wrap up a competition with a post of some sort.

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Original poster
HelpMeGrowMyHairLong · 22/04/2025 09:23

I think it's wrong for someone or a company or business no matter how small to take other peoples information even if it is for a competition and then to have no transparency.

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