Competitions Guideline Update
Latest Deals
Hello, I hope you are all very well!
I am writing to share an upcoming update to the competition guidelines.
Please also read competition guideline update #2.
Before we start, please give us just a tad of wiggle room...
We always listen to community feedback and there are always scenarios we haven't thought of. So whilst we do our best to consider all factors please give us just a tad of wiggle room to adjust this in the future. We call them guidelines rather than rules for that is what they are: General purpose guidelines to help steer community decisions in the right direction. With that being said...
We are looking to update the competition guidelines from:
> If multiple websites/companies are running the same competition please only share it once unless the terms and conditions explicitly state that you can enter multiple times from each website/company.
to:
> If multiple websites/companies are running the same competition please only share it once. If the terms and conditions explicitly state that you can enter multiple times from each website/company, please list them in the description of the competition post if you know of them. Generally speaking, we accept one post per prize.
This is because, with the current rules, it suggests if you can enter a competition from multiple sites then you are allowed to post each site individually. Which is what happened here:
Technically, all these members were correct. The T&Cs of this example did allow multiple entries from multiple sites. And therefore, our old guidelines said they could all be posted.
- Side note - I apologise to the members of this example who had these competitions put into moderation. You have all been given your points back and more. I am sorry for this mistake. However, we are unable to process any support queries of a similar nature for other competition posts that may have gone into moderation for this reason in the past.
In this specific example, if we were to uphold our old guideline and accept all websites that you could enter this prize from, this is how many posts we would have to accept (52):
- https://winit.absoluteradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.bellamagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.bikemagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.builtmag.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.carmagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.cfmradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.citytalk.fm/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.classicbike.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.classiccarweekly.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.closeronline.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.clyde1.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.coolfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.downtown.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.fateandfortunemagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.forthone.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.gardennewsmagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.hallamfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.heatworld.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.kerrangradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.kissfmuk.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.landscapemagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.livefortheoutdoors.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.lro.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.magic.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.magicchilled.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.metroradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.mfr.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.motorcyclenews.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.northsound1.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.parkers.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.planetradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.practicalsportsbikesmag.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.puzzlemagazines.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.radioaire.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.radioborders.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.radiocity.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.ride.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.rockfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.spiritanddestiny.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.takeabreak.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.tayfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.tfmradio.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.thatslife.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.thehitsradio.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.todaysgolfer.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://clickswin.tvchoicemagazine.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.vikingfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.wave105.com/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.westfm.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.westsound.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.winitforhim.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.winsomething.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
- https://winit.yours.co.uk/sweepstakes/win-a-28pc-bbq-accessories-set-30318
Would you want to go to latestdeals.co.uk/competitions and see 52 of the same competition? That would be the entire first, and half of the second pages.
We have spoken with many active competition members and learned from the feedback that it would probably be of detriment to accept so many posts for the same competition prize.
We feel it may be best to have a general approach of one post per prize.
- Side note - If a single competition has multiple prizes that doesn't mean one should post it a dozen times for a dozen prizes. It would still be a maximum of one post per competition.
And, if the author of the competition post knows them, to put all the available links through which you can enter in that post's description.
What is the new competition guideline?
> If multiple websites/companies are running the same competition please only share it once. If the terms and conditions explicitly state that you can enter multiple times from each website/company, please list them in the description of the competition post if you know of them. Generally speaking, we accept one post per prize.
Won't that mean there are fewer competitions available to post?
We know some competition members will disagree with this decision. We also recognise it means there are fewer competitions available to post (and therefore fewer points to earn). However, over the last six months or so we were experiencing the homepage of Competitions having the same prize over and over again, and on balance, believe this is the best decision towards the goal of being the best competitions community online.
If one spots that a fellow member's competition can be entered from multiple websites, it may be possible for you to post the alternative entry links in a comment and earn points that way. For example, "You can also enter this competition from these websites..."
Isn't it better that I know all the places I can enter the competition?
We agree. In the dream world, we'd be able to serve you everything from everywhere. Unfortunately, to use a metaphor, our restaurant menu can only offer 36 options per page, and we'd rather offer you a variety of dishes than the same one, over and over.
We recommend to our dedicated and hard-working competition chefs to include links to alternative websites in the post description (although this is not mandatory).
Thank you
Thank you for reading through this update. I hope it helps to explain what the change is, how we came to the decision through listening to community feedback, and why we chose this path.
I am sorry again for the members who may have experienced frustration and confusion in recent months as our old guideline was not always upheld by ourselves - that was our mistake, even if it was with good intentions. We should have come to this decision and communicated it with you sooner. It seems to be in our nature to be very cautious in community decisions such as these, yet on balance I hope you would agree that your LD competition community is one of the best in the UK.
I would also like to thank our dedicated volunteer competition mentors, particularly kikogpe, who walks an invisible tightrope every day, trying to balance a hundred different baskets of opinions with two hands, but whom ultimately reaches the other side, day in, day out. Thank you.
I thought (naively it seems) that the competitions on closer, absolute et al all offered a separate prize.
If it's one prize across all 52 of the sites, and you can enter every day, the chances of winning are nearly non existent.
Although you may think that, over the years (when I used to enter them - I don't any more) I did win a great many prizes through the winit comps 
tumblespots I guess as well that if you use a form filler it takes no more than a couple of seconds to enter these, so no real effort or time required.
Tom good idea, lots of comps in different magazines are from the same publication house, ie Bauer.
What if the same prize eg 'limited edition fluffy pink mens slippers' is available from two different publication houses with up to 3 entries allowed - can this be shared once or twice?
How does this new rule stand for the DVD/BluRay comps as there are a great many of these and not all are released at the same time. If the new rule also covers these then can we update the post and ask for it to be refreshed if we add further details? And, if so, how will compers know that there is new information in them when they have probably already marked them as entered?
Hello, if you are referring to the competition prizes such as yours pictured below, I believe what you currently do - posting each one separately - is fine because they are different prizes.
Are the new rules also going to cover Deals and Vouchers? There have been a few lately with the same company offering 10% off, 20% off, Β£15 off all posted as a different deal/voucher. Surely it could be Company D is offering 10% orders over Β£20 or code XXXXXX. 20% off orders over Β£50 or code YYYYY all under one post. As with competitions you wouldn't then see a lot of the same thing.
lilyflower I agree although when I've reported them the message is 'you were wrong'. I think the heading should be 'Save up to x% with various codes' like this:-
https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/vouchers/save-20-codes-elementalherbology
lilyflower The LD system identifies if the code is the same. What happens is that a company is often offering the same discount, but with different codes. In this case the post is not duplicated, as one code may expire before the other for example.
kikogpe I have seen, and occasionally reported, vouchers when someone has posted several deals for the same company, on the same day, with the same discount (apparently with no difference - i.e. no specific spend amount required, or related to a particular item to purchase) and usually find that they aren't removed so I am giving up reporting them. I believe it used to be more stringent years ago when I joined as I had posted the same percentage voucher with different codes (same company - same day) and they were reported by someone and I had one removed.
tumblespots There is no reason for a voucher to be removed if the code is not the same (as long as it is obviously working).
Example:
10% OFF at AO: 10OFFSEPTEMBER (new and existing customer)
10% OFF at AO: WELCOME10 (in this case for first-order users)
I hope this makes sense
kikogpe I see (I think). It just seemed odd to me that someone would post for example 3 x 20% off for the same company on the same day, as they are all 20% off, and unless you try and use each of the vouchers you wouldn't know which, if any, worked. Perhaps you just have to keep trying them until one does work? Or maybe they all work? I hope no-body makes up non-working codes just to post them...
tumblespots This part is quite difficult, we try to test as many vouchers as possible and encourage users to also use the description to say where it can be used, and not just copy and paste random text.
kikogpe tumblespots sunny101 Agh I get it now.
Same company different code = OK 
Same prize different Company/Organisation = Not OK 
kikogpe Apologies for continuing this one as I know it's about comps and not vouchers but... if a site has a set of three different percentage discounts dependent on the Β£s spend shouldn't they be shared as one voucher-post stating it's up to x% in discounts? or does LD prefer them to be shared separately? I'm asking because it's never been officially mentioned in guidelines.
lilyflower Not exactly 
The same unique prize, shared between publications from the same organisation = Not OK
The same prize, shared from distinct companies with no connection between them = OK
An example is when a toy company, for example, distributed several samples to draw and then you find 4 or 5 people and several pages giving away the same prize, but each with their own dates and T&Cs.
kikogpe Thanks for answering - yes I understand the point you make but when a site has a block list of three codes e.g.
Β£5 spend use code SAVE5
Β£10 spend use code SAVE10
Β£15 spend use code SAVE15
is does seem a little wrong to be sharing them as three separate posts. I appreciate you are never going to please everybody. 
sunny101 Hey 
We're happy (and I think would actually encourage?) for these sorts of posts to be shared individually as long as each code is unique 
If I can recall the original rationale was something like:
- The codes may have different terms attached (expiry date, minimum order value, etc).
- The LD system mostly highlights the title of a voucher and so it can be difficult to accurately summarise a collection of vouchers in one title. So when someone is quickly scrolling down a voucher page (e.g. https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/vouchers/the-works) they may miss a relevant voucher.
- The website/app is only really designed to have one voucher code - you click the "Get Voucher" and are presented with the code and it automatically copies it. I think there was a general feeling people might get confused and misunderstand if alternative codes were "hidden" in the description.
It is however very useful to read about everyone's varying opinions and different perceptions! It all helps us form a view as to which approach to take (which we're always happy to be challenged on and/or consider alternatives!)
lilyflower Hello, no, this guideline change is for competition posts only.
However, we do recognise that seeing many vouchers for the same brand can clog up the feed of deals, particularly on the Newest page.
We are exploring whether it may be possible to hide repetitive deals or vouchers from this page, whilst still accepting them.
For example, say you post 3 x vouchers for Asda in quick succession. They're all good, valid and unique discount codes. We do want them (for reasons Kelsey has shared in his comment on this thread), but perhaps we don't want to see them all on the Newest page. It may be possible to show one of them and hide the others, only showing them on the Asda voucher page, relevant tag pages or when specifically searched for.
This way, you'd get a 'flavour' of what's available on the Newest page, and then if it's something you're specifically interested in, the posts are fully available in other places.
kikogpe so these would all be ok as they are different companies?
https://competitions.womanandhome.com/competition/KINDSnacks_womanandhome.php TI Media
https://comps.womanmagazine.co.uk/competition/KINDSnacksnetwork_network.php IPC Media
https://comps.marieclaire.co.uk/competition/KINDSnacks_marieclaire.php Hearst
https://club.expressly.io/competitions/maya-hawke-blush Expressly Ltd
lilyflower Expressly and NME are part of the same company. Expressly is a marketing company, used by NME magazine to promote them, that's why you find exactly the same competitions at the same time. You can check all the brands here -> https://expressly.io/
Marie Claire, Woman and Home and Woman are part of Future LPC, that's why they are all sharing the same giveaways at the same time. You can check it here -> https://www.futureplc.com/brands/
kikogpe Got it ONE prize = ONE post no matter how many times or magazines it's in
If it's already on the competition page move on to something else.
This is OK but can I have an absolute answer to this question. Do we have to provide answers? My understanding is no. The office has confirmed this.
Every Sunday for months I post the times competition. Every week its pulled. Because the answer isn't there.
Every week I contact the office.
Every week its reinstated.
Its unbelievable that its still happening.
Its instances like this that erodes faith in mentors.
Tonight's reasons given are bizarre
Thanks for sharing your recent competition - Win a Luxury Holiday for Two in the Ribble Valley, at Northcote. Latest Deals is a community website and so we only allow real people to recommend and share deals - rather than the companies themselves. In this instance, we believe you may work for the retailer and so weβve put your post into moderation. If youβre interested in working with us in a more official capacity please get in touch.
22 minutes ago
Thanks for sharing your recent competition - Win a Luxury Holiday for Two in the Ribble Valley, at Northcote. Latest Deals is a community website and so we only allow real people to recommend and share deals - rather than the companies themselves. In this instance, we believe you may work for the retailer and so weβve put your post into moderation. If youβre interested in working with us in a more official capacity please get in touch.
26 minutes ago
We're afraid your recent post (Win a Luxury Holiday for Two in the Ribble Valley, at Northcote) didnβt meet our quality guidelines (https://www.latestdeals.co.uk/guidelines). We ask that everything featured on Latest Deals is genuinely good value and with a good title, clear image and description. If you have any questions please contact us.
32 minutes ago
An answer would be appreciated
Thanks
Hello, thank you for your message. Iβm sorry to hear youβve had a bad experience with Latest Deals.
In regards to your question - Do you have to put the answer to a competition? - No. This is optional.
If you know the answer, please share it as it helps other members. If you donβt know the answer, thatβs OK.
In regards to your other posts, please email us as per usual and we can take a look into it. It does seem - especially the self-promotion moderation reasons - there may have been some incorrect reports.
Kelsey is currently working on improving the Competitions moderation system and we hope this will give a better experience soon.
Kelsey At the moment when you go through the notifications you aren't taken to the latest post, I assume that this will also be back to normal tomorrow?
tumblespots I've also noticed that when you get a reply it doesn't go to the reply either, I'm sure Kelsey will be on them all.
Kelsey has put a big site update live today and there are a few bugs but itβs being worked on so please just bare with us while itβs still having a few teething issues then it will be better than ever! 
Hey tumblespots Lynibis pato blacklabrador just a quick heads up to say notification links should start working again now (once your browser updates to the latest version - if it hasn't yet try closing all the Latest Deals tabs and/or clearing history). Competitions should now properly show if they've been entered or not too.
I'm going to close this topic now in favour of any more feedback being shared in www.latestdeals.co.uk/chat/website-update-point-changes
Thanks!
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