1. Eligibility:
The Contest is open to legal residents of the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 years and older and able to legally travel in the United States.
Why is it that the rest of the world show the loyalty to the product and the company but are CONSTANTLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST when it comes to competitions and promotions? It's no wonder companies lose cilental when this thing always happens.
For the record, I'm in Australia, and we seem to be last on the list for everything. I'll have to wait 2-4 weeks for my copy of the Neverwinter Guide book to hit my store!!!
Disgruntled and Disgusted as usual!
If this is what you call "discrimination," then I'd hate to see what your definition of "perspective" is.
You should probably note that contest laws vary greatly from country to country. The amount of money that it would take to ensure that they were legal in all countries would make these promotional contests highly counterproductive.
Ironically, the title of this round is "Lost Crown of Neverwinter."
But why excluding my Province (Québec) from the contest as the only one not eligible in Canada ?
Is that because we are frenchy ?
We frenchy too love D&D !
- Register the sweepstakes rules and all advertisements used to promote the contest with the Quebec government at least 30 days ahead of the sweepstake's launch.
- Pay a fee of up to 10% of the sweepstake's value, depending on who is allowed to enter.
- Agree to allow the government of Quebec to mediate any lawsuits arising from the contest.
- Follow strict guidelines about the contents of the sweepstakes rules.
- Allow the Quebec government to determine if the sweepstake may be changed or canceled once it has started.
- File a written report after the contest has concluded, attesting that the prizes have been delivered or attempted to be delivered.
- Agree to follow a number of other rules and guidelines. See the Quebec Sweepstakes Laws.
While the intent of the laws are to ensure that the residents of Quebec are treated fairly, the cost of all of those requirements is such that most companies simply avoid Quebec.
EDIT: Ninja bunny rabbits!
Thanks mudbunny and Duskweaver
I don't know who's behind this kenjoon, but its surly politics. (now i don't want ban so i won't elaborate on this topic
)Quebec has some fairly strict eligibility requirements in order for a contest to be eligible there:
- Register the sweepstakes rules and all advertisements used to promote the contest with the Quebec government at least 30 days ahead of the sweepstake's launch.
- Pay a fee of up to 10% of the sweepstake's value, depending on who is allowed to enter.
- Agree to allow the government of Quebec to mediate any lawsuits arising from the contest.
- Follow strict guidelines about the contents of the sweepstakes rules.
- Allow the Quebec government to determine if the sweepstake may be changed or canceled once it has started.
- File a written report after the contest has concluded, attesting that the prizes have been delivered or attempted to be delivered.
- Agree to follow a number of other rules and guidelines. See the Quebec Sweepstakes Laws.
While the intent of the laws are to ensure that the residents of Quebec are treated fairly, the cost of all of those requirements is such that most companies simply avoid Quebec.
And this is just one part of one country... Now just parallel the loopholes and hurdles and legality that Wizards has to jump through to ensure that they are on the level for each company they wish to add.
The question should not be "Why does Wizards discriminate against my country?" but instead "Why does my country discriminate against contests?"
On the other hand, I'm not about to jump on the "let's get rid of all this burdensome consumer protection legislation" bandwagon.
While it's annoying not being included in some of the competitions on the site because I live in the UK, it's made up by the fact that the D&D UK group runs competiitons which are only open to Europeans. Swings and roundabouts I suppose.
We have traffic lights instead. ;)
We have traffic lights instead. ;)
Wrong sort of roundabout...
We have traffic lights instead. ;)
Wrong sort of roundabout...
No I think he got the right idea
If this is what you call "discrimination," then I'd hate to see what your definition of "perspective" is.
You should probably note that contest laws vary greatly from country to country. The amount of money that it would take to ensure that they were legal in all countries would make these promotional contests highly counterproductive.
Ironically, the title of this round is "Lost Crown of Neverwinter."
(I know you'll take everything I say below literially so for the record ... sarcasim is in the reply)
Ok. Let's take the promotion they had earlier this year when they sent out non-contest promotional packs to all Encounter DM's that included the DnD calendar, etc. When after a couple of months it didn't arrive at our gaming store, we did a check with the Australian branch of WotC.
"Sorry. That promotion is for North American DM's only"
That was not a contest but again we were excluded. Nice to know that the game is only played in North America. Makes me wonder what game I have been playing for over 35 years.
Promotions and contests fall under the same or very similar laws when it involves free product being distributed.
How do you explain the Encounters promotion when the module and accompanying goodies are sent out free?
How do you explain the Game Days when the module and accompanying goodies are sent out free?
As far as I am aware, when a new edition of M:tg is released, WotC sends to each store that is doing a pre-release free boosters to give out as prizes.
Don't take me wrong ... I just asking how one differs from the other. I'm not disputing your reply, infact I'm interested in what your think, but I can't see a difference here. Free is free.
I personally think that, if you can not do it for everybody, then do it for nobody, and you won't end up with a fair portion of your customers being peeved that they are excluded.
Maybe you could try doing a little research on promotional and contest law in your own country rather than trying to look for reasons to get mad at everyone else, including Wizards. Maybe call their customer service rather than bringing it to an internet forum. Maybe just recognize that it could be something as simple as a financial decision they chose to make and the return is not worth the financial risk.
Seriously, bro, all this anger towards everyone trying to suggest possible answers to your question, all over someone getting a free pack of cards instead of you is a bit extreme. Using words like "discrimination" to try to invoke an emotional response is very harsh. You're not exactly talking about Rosa Parks or the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy here.
I personally think that, if you can not do it for everybody, then do it for nobody, and you won't end up with a fair portion of your customers being peeved that they are excluded.
Well, you're the only one that I have seen this vocal about it, so I don't really know how many people are that "peeved." Most people understand when explained of the hoops that need to be jumped through to get promotions and contests up and running in other countries. There is a much bigger market for Magic, so that was probably worth the financial investment.
*shrug* I am sure there are more important things to get upset about than what you are not getting for free. But to each their own, I suppose. It is refreshing to see that sense of entitlement is not just an American problem, though.
In regard to having to wait for the stuff, it really is a no-win for WotC. I mean, they could up the shipping on the stuff (Australia and Seattle aren't all that close, you know) and, as a result, the cost of the stuff but then they'd constantly be hearing gripes about how much more D&D stuff costs in Australia. So yeah, you live in a place that's far away from D&D's home office that has different laws about different things. Sounds, uhh, normal to me.
That's a safe bet. Foster's Beer is probably cheaper in Australia than it is here, too.
).