WANTED - Quilters that never win in a Giveaway

WARNING:  This message is for those that never win in a giveaways.  They probably never hear back from any bloggers when they enter a giveaway.  Some may be using default internet account settings, which are as a no-reply blogger.  If you have entered a giveaway, never heard back from me and have never won, I  am sharing these insights for you.....

As a blogger that hosts giveaways, those that win in giveaways can easily be contacted as they have internet account settings (e.g. Google, OpenID, etc.) that allow them to be contacted, whereas some use default Google Account settings that are at a no-reply status.  There are also bloggers that may have their settings correct, to allow a blogger to reply to their email message, but there isn't anyway to track down their email address on their respective blog.  In such situations where a host of a giveaway receives hundreds of email entries, those emails are frequently deleted and a winner is randomly selected by comments.  While the comment may take you back to a blog, if their isn't a profile with an email address, or an email listed on the site, it can be impossible to make contact with the winner and another name may be selected. 

Bloggers tend to categorize these situations as no-reply bloggers.  Emails show up with addresses in our email box as noreply-comment@blogger.com.

Another problem that prohibits someone from winning, is those that use the Anonymous option, but do not include an email address.  For example:
Claire in Bolton, Ct  and Anita from the Netherlands both entered a recent giveaway as an Anonymous comment, but no email address was provided to contact if their name was drawn as a winner.  Definitely, one category of a no-reply blogger that doesn't have much luck at winning a giveaway.

Here is list of quilters that can't be contacted, should they win a giveaway or leave a comment that asks for a response, as  their settings are as no-reply bloggers.  If your name is on this list, please scroll to the bottom for tips & screen shots on how you can change your settings so that bloggers can contact you, if you win a giveaway or leave a comment that requires a response.

Abby     
Adam Yoeckel    
Addie    
aggie    
Anael    
anitaestes     
Angie   
Anna    
Anne
 Anne in the uk
     Anya    
Arlene    
ArtyFarty     
Aymará     
Autie

 Barb     
Becca     
 bernie    
Bertiesmommie    
Bethany    
Beth C  
Billye   
bluerosegoddessarts 
 bmayer     
Bonnie Tucker      

c     candy    
 Cantinho da Aracy     
 Can't Stop Stitchin    
Carmen (Country Mouse)     
 cassi
 Catherine       
Catherine Harnisch     
Cathy 
Caz    
 Cecilia     
charlotte    
 CharlotteB      
Charlotte T.      
 Chabrowa Panienka    
Christy B.   
 Cindy P  
Cinzia    
Claire in Ct.    
Claire Jain    
Coffeequilts    
cohenna   
ConnieB/CA  
 cpup40    
 Crafting Today    
crowefan0517

Danna BC 
 DavKan      
deb
Debbi      
Debbie
 deborah
Dee's
 Denisehyeong
dfoxb    
Diane    
Dianne
  Dinah
  DinahT     
Dinkey7997
  Dixie Handmade  
Dona
 Donah     
Donna
Donna Baker     
DonnaRae      
dorthac    
Dot   
Dragonfly Pond
 DuAnne

Ellen     
Elli      
emmy     
erika    
Ελλάδα    

Fran   
Frederique    
French 75    
funstitching

Gale      
GA Quilter     
 Gerald    
Georgina   
 Gini Ewers      
Gloria    
Grace C.    
Georgia Gonzales       
grammie24cuties

happymrs    
Heather    
helen-mary    
hilary    
 hoemwork    
HollowSquirrel    
Hope    

Inge    
Irelle  

JaneB    
 Jackie   
Jackie T    
jaj       
Janet P    
 Janis   
Janita thegirlfriendgap     
 Januari Rhodes       
Jane@Buzzmills     
jazzy      
Jeanne Holmes    
 jemfl    
Jennifer  
Jennie 
Jennifer D
 Jerimi   
Jezebel
Jill
Jo    
Joan 
 Joanna  
Jocelyn 
 Joannag  
Joanna (Unknown)
josy26
 Josie Passell     
Joyce
Joyce 
Judie
 Judith
 Just Plain Pam   
Julie H in Mo       
Julie

 Karen      
Kathy     
Kathy Schatt   
 katie  
Kaylene P
Kearstie Grenier    
Kellieann    
 Kim    
Kimmyj...
Kirsten
kitblu    
 Kittylet   
 kjujik
Knittingdancer on Ravelry

 Laceflower    
Lady K       
Lauralee74     
Laurie     
Lee Ann
 Leslie C
Liberty
  Lili   
Lilycreative    
lil'monkeysmama
Linda
lizbet    
lcscottage 
 Lynne   
Lynn In TX

Marcsi és Ági    
marsha evans
Mare      settings corrected
Maria Kievit
Marilyn in San Antonio, TX    
maryc 
Mary
 Margaret
 mckittycat        
mewilbanks   
Michael      
MicheleM     
Michelle
 Michelle in Holly    
Michelle Harrison   
Mika   
 Milly Axling    
 Mize Adventures 
 m murphy
 momhooten    
monica    
Montseta     
moosecarol   
Ms MoomMist   
muffster

nakedk9    
Nancy H.      
Nell   
nena
   
 Pat    Pat Hersl 
 Patti  
Patti     settings fixed   
PattyBYoung    
Paula   
pburketb
Peggy     
 Petra  
 Phyl

   Quilter's Knot    
quilterbell   
QuilterLynn      
quilt 'n piece  
quilter1

rifai john 
 readwater     
Regina    
RhondaB, in Western Australia
 Rita2011    
ritainalaska
 RobbieJoy    
Robbie   
robinsews    
Rose      
Rosemary 
Roz

sao in Midlothian, VA    
Sally Johnson       
Samarra    
Sandy    
Sangeetha    
sandrab  
sandgroper14    
Sewgirl      
Sharmond    
Sharon  
Shellie    
shelly       
Shelly Tiefenthaler
  shenyon    
Sheryl McLeroy   
 Shirley
SJSM 
Sorka        
Stephanie
Stephanie Pettengell
 Stitchee         
Sue  
Sue in Belton TX     settings fixed    
sue in NZ      
suecfrank   
Sunny    
susan isaacson   
Susan S   
Susan Vaughn  
Susanne   
Suzanne    settings fixed    
SuzMont
swakins  
 swissmad

Taffin      
Teje     
Teresa    
 territhegirl  
 Thriftyideastoday    
 tipe55      
Tracy   
Trish

Ullan tilkut       
Uli Day
  
Velody Dark
  Veronica

yarngoddess    
Yvonne

Wabbit
Wendy
 Wheeler Family

Also, if you are a blogger leaving a comment on another platform, be aware that your account information may let you leave a comment, but does not automatically allow you to be contacted.  For example, if you are a WordPress or Typepad blogger and leave a comment on a blogspot.com blog, besure to leave your email address in your comment if you want to be contacted. 

Here are some that have a  Wordpress blog, but their comment (entries) show up as a no reply blogger:
devotedtoquilting  
quiltingtizzy
sandrascraftcorner
tolmema
  

If you use an Open ID,while it does give you an account that you can leave comments, it does not provide blogspot.com bloggers your contact info. Thus, you appear as a no reply blogger.

Snoodles (http://openid.aol.com/snoodlznoodlz) shows up as a no reply blogger.


If you use a Google/Blogger account to leave comments, you can verify your settings and fix them, if needed, by:
If you have a blogger account, to check your settings:
a) go to https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount
b) click on Blogger Settings
c) be sure the box for "Show my email address" is checked.
d) click Save Profile

While I can't guarantee anything, I believe if you have your settings updated to where you can be contacted, you can really increase your chances of winning in giveaways.  And, I'd really like to see you win big time!

Still not sure what you need to do ?  Below is additional information that I previously had posted on my giveaway page to share "Tips on how to win at giveaways":

{below} example of a no reply blogger that left a comment, where they could also be entered to win a prize via one of my giveaways.

Sad that Brenda didn't have her settings to allow me to reply to her, if she wins a prize!  While I appreciate her leaving a comment (and voting for her favorite nominees in the Golden Quilter Awards) the fact that she can't be contacted typically will disqualify someone from winning a contest or giveaway hosted by any blogger.

If in doubt, remember to leave an email address or insight on how you can be contacted when you post a comment on a blog to enter a giveaway or contest.

2.  Read the rules unique to the blogger.  Not every contest or giveaway has the same rules.  Follow the rules as posted.  For example, don't just post a comment about blah, blah, blah if the rules show that you are to post insights about lah, lah, lah.  Some bloggers use random number generators to select winners, yet other bloggers select people that leave creative comments and appropriate respond to questions that the blogger asked participants to answer, in order to qualify for entering.

3. Enter. LOL! Very obvious, if you don't enter you can't win!

4. Many blogs will require that you have some form of a google account to leave a comment. You can go to http://www.google.com/ and create an account for free. I actually prefer to use a google email account when posting on the internet, while retaining my house email (e.g. roadrunner) for regular email. I view this helps with spam control, or at least it has helped in my case.

5.  Remember that the blogger hosting the giveaway or contest is busy and can receive hundreds of emails daily, as well as comments on their posts.  Don't expect to always receive a response to comments you post or emails you send. 

6.  Frequently bloggers that hold a giveaway, not only have interesting blogs, but may also have other contests.  Thus, you may want to consider following these blogs.  I like Google/Reader.  Very easy tool, far better than tracking via Favorites.  Simply go to www.google.com/reader   You'll see a button where you can ADD a subscription. You simply need to paste the url to the blog that you want to follow into the add a subsciption box.  And, when you visit Google/Reader it will show you a list of blogs that you want to follow that have been updated (have posted since the last time you've read their blog).

7.  Some bloggers will contact you win you win their contest or giveaway, where others will not. Thus, following these bloggers via Google/Reader can be helpful.  You might actually find out, when you read their blog, that you won one of their giveaways!  Another reason to follow a blog.

8.  To actually enter, most blogger giveaways or contests will require you to post comments to be able to enter.  Be sure to follow their instructions. At the bottom of their post, where they provide insight on their giveaway, there should be a button or hyperlink text that says something like POST A COMMENT. 

Click on this to open open a comments box.

Type your comments {what is appropropriate for the giveaway you are entering} inside of the comment box.

Many blogs have a security setting to prohibit spammers leaving comments.  If you are prompted for a word verification type in the word displayed into the word verification box.

Typically, the comment box will also require you to choose an identify.  This is where you can enter your username and password from your google account (your password is not shared with the bloggger, only used to allow the Google software to validate your account). 

There are also other security ID options for google and other blogging software applications.  But if you select ANONYMOUS on any of these accounts, remember the blogger has no way of contacting you unless you leave your email and/or other contact info.

Upon typing in all of this required information you will press a button than says something like PUBLISH YOUR COMMENT.  Frequently, the mouse may pop you back to the top of the screen leaving you thinking your comment was published.  But use the scroll bar to scroll back down to verify.  Sometimes I've had to press this button, or a similar type of button, 3-4 times before my comments actually were posted to the blog. 

Some bloggers will have settings to instantly allow you to see your comments posted on their site, whereas some will not display until the blogger has approved it.  In either of these cases you will most likely see a message that reflects that your comments has been accepted. 

To those new to leaving comments on blogs, these steps sound time consuming and can appear confusing.  But truly, once you get the hang of it they are quite easy.  And, definitely offer rewards of winning a wonderful prize from a generous blogger (and maybe their sponsors). 

Another aspect to watch is if your login is with WordPress and you are posting comments on a blog hosted by BLOGGER (or reverse).  Not all blogs allow both email and Worpress Open ID, thus you may end up leaving comments with a no-reply setting under these conditions.  Thus, for safety sake, when entering a contest under these conditions consider leaving a way you can be contacted (e.g. email address or website) in your comment.