Giveaways: Best Practices

Thank you to the generous members that keep the giveaway section alive.

Keep in mind a few rules and guidelines as you create your Giveaway and Contest threads.

1. Keep your offer simple --- easy to execute and monitor.
2. If you wish, you may allow new members to participate,or you may impose your own "must have XX posts" to participate.
3. Remember that new members (fewer than 50 posts) cannot use the SCF email feature.
4. The SCF email does NOT allow attachments, no matter how high your post count.

If you have a specific question, post a reply and I will give you an answer.

Kirk

Is it OK to start a quiz based upon details in stamps? No giveaways, just keep a score. Thanks.

Yes. Quizzes are fine. Start it here. Or if you prefer, put it in the forum related to the subject. For example, a quiz about Australian stamps could go in the Australia forum.

KirkS

Thank you.

Would you accept a continuous trading thread? Example could be any complete worldwide set MNH.

Trader 1 places a picture of his set up
Trader 2 wants that set, so he announces that he will take it, by placing a picture of his complete worldwide set MNH. The trade is not finalised yet though.
Trader 3 wants Trader 2's set, so Trader 3 places his complete worldwide set MNH up. In doing so, he has now completed the Trade between Trader 1 and Trader 2 - so Trader 1 now mails the first set to Trader 2.
Trader 4 wants Trader 3's set - he posts it, and in doing so, completes the trade between Trader 2 and Trader 3. It just goes on from there.

Is this sort of thing acceptable here?

Thank you for your consideration.

Brad

@Brad. This is the Giveaway forum, so no trading at all here.

The mods might consider your idea for the Trading forum, but to be completely honest with you, I don't understand it. Wouldn't it be easier to just trade with another person, and drop the chain ?

@kirks is a nice moderator. Thank you for entering me into this giveaway.

if the person doesnt specify that new users can enter, what would be the standard assumption?
the new users can or can not?

New members need 50+ posts to be able to exchange private messages and since publicly posting personal information (like a mailing address) is also against the rules the standard assumption is that folks need 50+ posts to enter most contests.
Don

How do I move it to ended once finished? please and thank you.

Simply use the 'Send Note To Staff' feature. I have moved your Jan contest to 'Ended'.
Don

thank you kindly don

I am downsizing my collection - esp the duplicates. I want to offer a give-a-way aimed at new members who are new to the hobby.

I'll send them either a packet of 100 US stamps or 100 worldwide stamps.

Due to the cost of mailings, I'm will limit it to only US or APO addresses.

Since they cannot use the messaging system, they would have say in reply that they would like one or the other packets. I will warn them NOT to provide any personal address info in their response, but to allow me to message them to obtain mailing instructions.

Will this be allowed / work?

No, messaging system does not allow you to contact users with less than 50 posts. The rule is designed to prevent problems and keep everyone safe.

Please note that folks who are new to the hobby can quickly reach 50 posts; sometimes as short as a month or so.
Don