Who?

[Blister]

Who was the lucky hombre that won the "Ride of a lifetime" sweepstakes?

[oldslowchevy]

it sure wasnt me :(

[Blister]

You really have to start wondering if that whole sweepstakes thing was for real. Not a word on the website. That's kinda weird.
No response to a self addressed list of winners.
It's really looking like a sales ploy.

[BadgerDave]

Define "sales ploy"?

[Blister]

Main Entry: sales
Pronunciation: 'sA(&)lz
Function: adjective
: of, relating to, or used in selling

Main Entry: ploy
Pronunciation: 'ploi
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from employ
1 : ESCAPADE, FROLIC
2 a : a tactic intended to embarrass or frustrate an opponent b : a devised or contrived move : STRATAGEM <a ploy to get her to open the door -- Robert B. Parker>

[ 11-04-2005, 09:59 PM: Message edited by: Blister ]

[BadgerDave]

Very good, so, now you can see that what you were insinuating Ridgid was doing was not a sales ploy.

If they were actually running a scam, as you suggested, and I'm positive that they weren't, it would be fraud.

[Blister]

So I guess the question still stands.
Who's the winners?

[BadgerDave]

Blister, I emailed the Ridgid Sales Dept. last weekend and asked for the name of the winner. So far, no response. :mad: tongue.gif I'm sure that the sweepstakes was totally on the up and up and there is a winner out there but I can't think of any logical reason why Emerson/RIDGID seems unwilling to share this information.

It would seem like a very good marketing strategy to have this persons picture plastered all over their website and trade advertisements?

C'mon Emerson/RIDGID, fess up, who won? :confused:

[Blister]

I was kinda hoping that whoever won may want to sell the bike, I want to make an offer if they do.
But.....oh well

PS No replies for me either

[plumber]

If you send a notarized letter requesting the names of winners of a sweepstakes they have to let you know who they are. Its law.

I think the names must also be posted in a public forum, though a simple local newspaper would be considered a public forum. One other thing to consider is that before prizes can be awarded the winners usually have to sign a public release form allowing the use of their name for advertising purposes. It could simply be a matter of waiting for the winners release forms.

Ridgid could let the inquiring minds know they are waiting for release forms before they publish winners. Its just common courtesy to good customers to keep them aprised of whats up with their contests.

The other side of that coin is an unsavory contemplation of motives by Ridgid.

[36volt]

Originally posted by Blister:
I was kinda hoping that whoever won may want to sell the bike, I want to make an offer if they do.
But.....oh well

PS No replies for me either It's just custom paint job. Nothing custom on the bike other than paint. I think it was an Iron horse or something. You spend a lot less just buying the bike and finding a good painter. Is that really how you would paint your bike? In Ridgid? Free country I guess.

[Blister]

Collectors are a strange lot.
I don't see it as an everyday riding kind of bike. It's a mute point anyway as it seems that no one has won anything

[michael stephen]

but what if the winners would like to remain anonymous from the public and their privacy be respected..? smile.gif

[imported_Bob D.]

Originally posted by michael stephen:
but what if the winners would like to remain anonymous from the public and their privacy be respected..? smile.gif That's easy, don't enter the contest. Really, you gotta expect the promoter to get something back for giving away something with this much value. The same thing applies to some lotteries, they get to plaster your face all over the media in their ads, that's the price of 'free' money :D

[ 12-17-2005, 04:10 PM: Message edited by: Bob D. ]

[plumber]

Bob,

The promoters also usually use the information collected on the entry forms to compile mailing and calling lists which are then sold to those nice people who always call at suppertime or when your favorite team has two on and one out in the 9th.

[imported_Bob D.]

I am aware of and agree with you on that issue Plumber, but as I said it is the price of entering the contest. Somewhere in the fine print I'm sure you are giving away your right to not be called suring dinner by some sales smuck and to have your face plastered all over the media if you win.

They may be giving you a prize but they are not giving it away, at least not without getting something in return, some of which are; advertising rights, the right to recoup some of their contest expenses by selling your name to a direct marketing list, etc.

And here it is from the rules;

"... Except where prohibited by law, acceptance of prize constitutes permission to use the winner's name, biographical information and/or likeness for purposes of advertising, trade and promotion without further compensation. Selected entrants who are Canadian residents will be required to correctly answer without assistance of any kind, a time-limited mathematical skill-testing question to be administered by mail or telephone in order to win.... "

and also this bit further down;

"...[c] consent to the capture and use of all identifying information contained on the official entry form for any and all marketing purposes by the Sponsor..."


There was a thread that ran here not long ago about billing for running a camera down a line or not. Some guys do and some don't bill for the service, but ALL of them cover the cost somewhere in their price, they don't truely give it away. A promotion or contest is no different to a bean counter, the cost of it comes out of the customers pocket somehow.

Just for the heck of it, I found the sweepstakes web page and was able to enter today for a sweeps that entered over 2 months ago.

http://www.ridgid.com/promotions/rideoflife/index.html


I also found that to get a copy of the winners list you need to submit your request so it arrives before 10/26/05. That's how they get around not sending out a list to everyone.

"WINNER LIST: For a winners list, mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to be received by October 26, 2005 to: RIDGID WINNERS, PO Box 3209, Dept. WL, St. Cloud, MN 56397-3209."

Another interesting tidbit about the sweeps rules is the email address given for questions if a Home Depot email address, not TTI or Ridgid, even though the promotion is being conducted by Ridgid.
So why does a section of the rules read as below?

5. MISCELLANEOUS CONDITIONS: When you participate in a survey or enter a contest or sweepstakes at a The Home Depot store, a The Home Depot sponsored event or through our Sites, we may collect your name, address, phone number and e-mail address. We use this information to administer your participation in a contest or sweepstakes. At the time you are entering a contest or sweepstakes, we may ask your permission to send you future marketing information from The Home Depot. We want to assure you that The Home Depot is dedicated to protecting your privacy.

You can contact us or otherwise communicate your privacy concerns by:
* Call us at 1-800-553-3199
* Fax us at 1-877-496-9470
* E-mail us at customercare@homedepot.com
* Accessing your registration information on our Sites
* Registering or changing your privacy preferences at www.homedepot.com/privacypreferences (http://www.homedepot.com/privacypreferences)
* Writing us at the address below (please include your e-mail address and phone number with your correspondence along with the information needed to support your request):

For Residents of the United States, Mexico and other countries:

The Home Depot, Inc.
Attention: Privacy Official
Customer Care
2455 Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta, GA 30339-4024


Makes you wonder who owns who?

[ 12-19-2005, 08:08 AM: Message edited by: Bob D. ]

[plumber]

So if someone from Canada wins, all Ridgid has to do is ask them a hard math question, give them 2 seconds to answer and if they are not correct then Ridgid gets to keep their motorcycle and table saw. No winners and Ridgid has a free mailing list to sell. Thats a pretty sleazy loophole to write into the rules. Hopefully someone actually won something.

Perhaps Ridgid is awaiting a good time to begin a particular advertising program that will include the winner of their prizes and that time has not yet occured.

[imported_Bob D.]

Perhaps one of our knowledgeable members from up North will chime in on this and set us straight, but I suspect it has to do with some law that says you have to actually do something to win. Like answer a math question such as: " What is the product of 3 times 10? " or " What is the square root of 9? ".

[plumber]

That is advanced math aint it? :D

[imported_Bob D.]

Yeah, really.

Seriously, I believe the purpose of it is to be just enough legally that they can claim they performed some task to qualify for the contest. It is a work around to some law or makes the contest entry valid per some law or ruling.

[Josh]

I will be posting the winners on the forum ASAP Probably Tuesday the 3rd. This was overlooked and we are sorry for not letting you know.

Josh

[Josh]

Grand Prize:
Joe G., Rumford RI

First Prize:
Kathleen W., Newton NH

Second Prize:
Randall A., Farmington Hills, MI
Jim Y., Youngstown, OH
Lloyd S., Midland, MI
Sylvia B., Huntsville, AL
Scott Y., Liberty, TX