It has come to our attention here at Two Classy Chics that several other blogs have banned review bloggers from either entering their giveaways or from winning any of their giveaways on their blogs. Today, we thought we would address that issue here on our blog.
First, We would like to state for the record that review bloggers are welcome to enter our giveaways and to win them here on our blog. Many review bloggers will tell you that they have indeed won giveaways that have been hosted here on the Two Classy Chic’s blog. We think that it is only fair that if someone is entering a giveaway correctly they have just as many odds as the other people entering the contest.
Second, if you are a review blogger and not allowing other review bloggers to enter the giveaways hosted on your blog this policy should be stated on your site so that other bloggers are not wasting their time entering your giveaways.
With all of that said, personally, we feel it is terrible and unprofessional for other bloggers to “ban” other review bloggers from entering their giveaways. You (the blogger), in the majority of cases, are not the one sponsoring the prize or service that is given away, the company is. While you legally have the “right” to ban whoever you want from entering your giveaways, it is just a very unprofessional thing to do, (unless that blogger has cheated or something to that affect), let alone unfair!
While yes, review bloggers do have the ability to request a review for the item they are entering, that is not the point of entering giveaways. The point of entering giveaways is that fact that winning and entering is a fun, relaxing way to spend some time, and if I as an individual want to enter a giveaway, I should expect to be able to win should my name come up as a legit winner. Why would I or anyone want to waste my valuable time entering giveaways for hours and then hear through the community that no other review blogger is going to win on such and such blog. That is BS!
If you choose to not allow another blogger to win on your sweeps, then for goodness sakes have some ethics and let us know. I would rather not waste my time on a site that does not welcome me there anyway. There are plenty of sites with just as nice stuff where we and other review bloggers are welcome. And like we said before, review bloggers are welcome to enter and win on the Two Classy Chics as long as the entries are done correctly.
Thanks for coming by and entering with us. We hope you win!
Banning other reviewers from entering seems silly, since we don’t all get the same giveaway opportunities. I’ve had a few sponsors ask that I request that anyone who has reviewed that company’s products not enter, which I totally get, but limiting review/giveaway bloggers in general just wipes out so many people! I certainly hope that anyone who does that is up front about it so people aren’t wasting tons of time entering!
Coped and pasted below in italics– her and me both. I also wonder if bloggers enter their own giveaways.
((I recently unfollowed a blog & quit enterint that bloggers giveaways because it was the same 6-7 people winning all of the giveaways and I don’t see how that is possible when there are tons of folks over there entering….but I swear, it is the same handful of folks winning there. So, I unfollowed, quit entering there and found another blog.))
I blog, and I LOVE to enter giveaways. I would like to know who these other bloggers banning review bloggers are, so that I don’t waste my time entering there. Entering take a LOT of time, and I personally allow all entries done in good faith.
I wish we could state that but with all of the drama going on lately in the blogosphere for now we will remain silent.
I am not a blogger but I totally agree with what has been said so far. Not permitting review bloggers to enter giveaways is nonsense and so unfair. If they have entered correctly and their name comes up then of course they should be entitled to the prize. I do have one little gripe though and that is that I don’t think bloggers should get extra entries…some giveaways offer bloggers up to 10 extra entries just because they are bloggers, not a fan of this..lol..but again like a few others have said I started entering giveaways after an accident and I was so bored, now I find it fun and relaxing and of course when I win the odd time I’m thrilled. I send a huge thank you to all you bloggers who give so much of yourself and time to us.
I don’t see how, unless the other blogger knows them, that they are identified as review bloggers entering.(and there are a million blogs out there literally) Alot of the bloggers I see entering don’t use the option of the blog entries or they use thier real name rather than blog name. Who I see using the entries are those who enter alot of contests and maintain a blog just for the purpose.
On the flip side, I do know there are blogs who do favor other bloggers and a disproportional numbers of winners are bloggers but those I steer clear of. They are the same blogs who don’t disclose winners unless they are pressed -but thats a different discussion!
Thanks for your comments Ellen. I feel that ALL winners should be disclosed and should be disclosed where folks can see who they are.
I recently unfollowed a blog & quit enterint that bloggers giveaways because it was the same 6-7 people winning all of the giveaways and I don’t see how that is possible when there are tons of folks over there entering….but I swear, it is the same handful of folks winning there. So, I unfollowed, quit entering there and found another blog.
I think all should be able to enter. The only thing I could think of is them not entering a giveaway of any item THEY are already reviewing. Of course, good manners stop most from doing that.
Me, myself…when I find a Blog trying to act all “power hungry” & act like little “Nazi Blogger’s” ..I just unfollow & unsubscribe. I have a blog..but rarely post b/c I seem to say everything on facebook. Sometimes, I will review or comment on an item that I Have WON. That said, Ban for Breaking rules Yes…but have those RULES cleary printed ..bold print if need be!
As a review blogger I do not enter any giveaways for company’s that I review for as I feel that is unfair but others do it and that is on them.
I only enter giveaways for company’s that I do not review for and I think I should be treated just like any other person who is entering it.
Shelly, thanks for posting this. I hadn’t heard of this until you mentioned it. I think its very unfair to eveyone. If a person wants to enter it shouldn’t matter if they have a blog or do reviews or whatever as long as they enter and be fair with no cheating.
I think if a blogger will not allow other bloggers to enter they should post it at the beginning of their giveaway at least so as not to waste our time.
You just won a giveaway on my blog and I do not stop anyone from entering my giveaways.
I think that review bloggers should also be allowed to enter. That said. my problem is that since I don’t have a blog I don’t feel I can win any of your contests because I am always short the 10 points (5 + 5 ) that any blogger can get. I wish you would allow more points for something else such as tweeting.
Jo-Ann,
Shelly and I were actually discussing changing up the entries a bit just the other day. Keep your eyes peeled as something may change shortly. Also don’t feel shortchanged with the entries. Not everyone does the blogging, even if they have a blog. Consistency is what will win the most.
I hadn’t heard this before (although I have heard of companies not allowing bloggers that have reviewed their product previously to win another product down the road). As someone who does reviews/giveaways (although that’s not the focus of my blog), I’d be quite disappointed/frustrated to come across a blog with this policy. I don’t think it’s fair or reasonable. Of course, there’s the individual(s) that may ruin it for the rest of us, by being greedy or unfair, but that shouldn’t dictate the rules.
Amen to that!
I just hope that this reaches those that do choose to have that policy and they have the regard to either change their policy or just post something that we are not welcome to win on their giveaways.
Wow! I began entering giveaways because, like you said, “winning and entering is a fun way to relax and spend some time”.
In doing so, I found that I liked the idea of being able to try new products and offer them to readers in a giveaway and began changing my own blog around so that I can eventually offer some of the giveaways myself. That being said, the only giveaways I’ve run thus far have been self-sponsored.
But if I’m now entering on some of these review blogs and being excluded because of this… I’m very disappointed. And the biggest disappointment is that they wouldn’t make this clear up front and not waste peoples precious time.
Thanks for sharing the info., Shelly.
I think this is insanity to be honest. I do a lot of reviews AND giveaways, and it just would make me sad to find out I cannot win. I do struggle with should “I enter to win something provided from a company who has sponsored my blog in some way or fashion. USually the item is different than the one I reviewed, but I still don’t want to appear greedy. However, sometimes, it is something I could really utilize. Idk.
WOW, that is shocking. I am a review and giveaway blogger and I always allow anyone to win if they entered it correctly, which most do. Whether you own a blog or not, Come enter away is my motto! I am going to have to blog about this, cause I think this is very unfair.
I have won giveaways on other blogs.. but it makes me think how many I haven’t won if they are doing that.
I don’t agree with banning review bloggers from giveaways, as well. May be they do it because they assume that review bloggers receive enough free products. But I believe that the idea of a giveaway is not only to receive a free product, but also to get to know the brand and most of all test your luck!
So, thank you for this post!
I have never heard of such nonsense in my life! I happen to sponsor a lot of my own giveaways and have occasionally reviewed for others–but a give away is just that–a give away–to whoever happens to win–be they a review blogger, or otherwise!!
Personally I would not care if a reviewer went for the same thing I reviewed. I personally am very glad when more then one person has the same item up that I want–gives me a better chance to win it!!
Michele
Michele we think it is a ridiculous thing that some bloggers are doing that so we wanted to make it clear here on our blog that reviewers are welcome to enter and win the giveaways hosted here. This way there is NO DOUBT that they are welcomed here!