Well, this certainly isn't a post I thought I would be writing less than 24 hours after uploading my latest giveaway and I've been sat here umming and arring whether this post is even necessary. But with my anxiety ridden brain, seeing some of the things being written and struggling to get my point across in 140 characters on Twitter I thought doing a quick post would be the easiest way for me to EXPLAIN.
Right.... lets start at the beginning. I started a giveaway to celebrate my blog turning 2. In the post I wrote that I would rather "spam"/"competition only" type accounts did not enter as I wanted the prize to go to a real blog supporter and reader (not just a AYBB supporter but a supporter of the blog community) - I was then told that this was illegal.
Total new news to me - I was totally unaware that my little tiny thing on the internet could "break the law" , so I asked on Twitter to check and as soon as I found out that it was indeed apparently the truth, I removed that segment of the post leaving the giveaway open to all.
From this, a HUGE ridiculous backlash has formed - and it's gone from making me want to cry, to making me want to roll my eyes, to wanting to just end the giveaway all together.
Let me tell you WHY I wrote what I did.
My blog is a hobby. It is not my job (its the dream of course!). I do not live of the pay. It is a just something I like to do in my spare time.
You may even be shocked to know that I have actually only ever been paid money for TWO posts so far. Yes 2 out of over 600.
Blogging is a HUGE part of my life and I spend at least 1 of my days off dedicated to creating new content for it and really do pour my heart and soul into what I do on here.
I have a regular minimum wage job that I work full time in and just scrape through month to month with what I earn. (That is not a sob story lol it's just the truth!)
I wanted to buy a prize from my own money as a 'thank you' for the amazing love and support I've had over the last 2 years and I picked 2 prizes that I thought beauty lovers would love.
The reason I wrote those rules were because I wanted to prize to go to someone who is a fan of beauty, of beauty blogs and someone who would seriously love it. Not just someone who has just stumbled across it online and made an account so they could enter.
(I am in noway saying you can't be a beauty fan if you are a 'comper' - obviously you can like more than one thing- duh!)
This is my website that I write from my sofa in my little 2 bedroom flat on the Isle Of Wight.
I am not a huge company with thousands to spare, I am a tiny, teeny speck in the grand scheme of things and that fact people have taken this so seriously has baffled me.
It's just a harmless giveaway of a cleanser and an eyeshadow palette that I wanted to treat someone too - not a trip to the moon or lunch with Harry Styles!
What I said was totally taken out of proportion and blown up in a matter of minutes, I was never out to offend ANYONE. Not anyone at all. At the end of the day I was literally just asking a question about rules and regulations as I wanted to comply to the law - I didn't know what I had written would be taken so badly. I'm very much an open, happy, friendly person and would never want to upset anyone, ever.
Lots of current readers have contacted me saying they were 'compers' too and they thought they couldn't enter - this as not the case AT ALL!
I can see that you follow this blog and I appreciate every single one of you, just because you like to enter competitions aswell as reading blogs would never have an affect on your entry, that is just ridiculous.
I really hope this can now have a line drawn under it. Alot of nasty things have been flung about and not only about me. I HATE any form of confrontation and have been totally shocked by some of the things I've read today (and I know there's alot I haven't seen aswell), half me of felt like I need to apologise to everyone but the other half of me just thought I must have been going crazy - surely all this drama couldn't have been caused by a tiny blog?!
Anyway - I love you all and thank you to all you of you who have tweeted me nice things today, you've reminded how strong and how incredible the blogging community is.
My giveaway is now open to ALL.
Peace & Love
Kirstie x
This is a shame, I'm so sorry you've had to feel so down about this. I really hope you draw someone who deserves to win. I've done a few giveaways myself and it's always nice to know the person you are giving the prize to will really enjoy it and deserves it. Try and have a good day! Remember, you are a good person doing a good thing.
ReplyDeleteLove and light sent to you Kirstie
ReplyDeleteallissiasattic.co.uk
I saw this today, people can be such keyboard warriors jumping on anything and everything! - I'm sure someone who loves & reads your blog will win the giveaway so don't give the little twitter spat which was blown way out of proportion a second thought! (i would just like to add that you have kinda made me want to watch mean girls!!)
ReplyDeleteThrough Chelsea's Eyes
I'm sorry that due to a huge mis-understanding that you've had a lot of hate from people. It's not fair for people to speculate so quickly on something without knowing the full facts. Infact if anyone is to blame it's the other person that was involved for saying what she did as THAT is really quite bad disqualifying people in secret etc. I really hope you get the apologies you deserve <3 and keep your head and chin up sweetie <3
ReplyDeleteUgh how ridiculous, just more keyboard warriors getting on their high horse by the sounds of things. Try not to get too upset! I've noticed a lot of negativity in the blogging world recently, it's so crap! x
ReplyDeleteELEANORMAES
I'm so so sorry you have had to experience all this treatment because of a little confusion. People seem to be so quick to criticise. I thought as a blogging community we were all out to support each other not tear someone down because of something that could have been addressed in a more respectful and private manner. I totally understand that you'd want your hard earned reward to go to someone who reads & follows your blog because the prize is for the support you have received over the last 2 years during your time blogging. And if spam accounts start entering and being sneaky it reduces the chance for someone else to win the prize they fully entered for. On the plus side I think your blog is fab and have been reading for a while, I'm so happy for you to have reached such a wonderful milestone and I really hope you'll continue with it because I'm sure like a heck of a lot of others, I adore reading it! (& watching your YT of course). You are such a lovely strong person sweetie and hopefully this will all blow over & you can continue doing what you do best as happily & peacefully as possible :)
ReplyDeleteLots of love, Claire xx
As a comper and blogger I have been involved in all of this. I don't think the compers are angry with you for asking advice...I think it was the other person who suggested deleting people on the sly that people are upset with. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThis is really sad to read that you would have so many horrible comments over making an error and especially when you doing something nice! Chin up Xx
ReplyDeleteGosh, I am so sorry you've have to experience this when all you really wanted to do was treat someone and say thank you for all of the support you've been given. I hope the comments on this post are more supportive and that you're ok! xxx
ReplyDeleteSam // Samantha Betteridge
I hope you are okay my love. Everything will work out well my love, you are doing a wonderfully kind thing and you should be proud of that no matter what others are saying.
ReplyDeletewww.sixthskyline.com x
such a shame people thought you were offending anyone :/ Hope you are ok!
ReplyDeletePam Scalfi♥
I'm so sorry you've had to deal with this crap! Surely people should be grateful you're running a competition at all?! People are always looking for the negative these days, I work in retail too and I hate how desperate some people are for something to complain about. Keep your head up, I hope you're okay! xxx
ReplyDeleteWow its awful that people have made you feel so bad over something that was an accident. It sounds like you only had/have the best of intentions and I think anyone who reads your blog regularly would know that. Keep your chin up!
ReplyDeleteBecca x
www.butterflybecca.com
Brilliant post! I've seen the amount of hate that LondonBeautyQueen has been getting too and it's awful. I've done giveaways in the past and chosen random winners (some who turned out to be prof compers & as soon as they got the prize, unfollowed me). Then you get the backlash of hate from the pro compers who don't win. Hope you are OK xxxxx CaledonianKitty.blogspot.co.uk
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you'll ever come back to this comment but just wanted to point something out. There is no such profession as 'comper' if it were i'd sack in my day job right now!
DeleteI do feel this is a very genuine post. I really enjoy the blog and I really hope to still be a part of it in the future (even though I am what you might call a comper)... I've been following for a long time and I never saw the whole thing that sparked this off. The only thing I can say is something really negative must have been said towards the comping community to spark this reaction. TBH, I've seen worse comments come from other bloggers (who have in the past repeatedly removed my involvement in their blogs because I enjoy comps). It is all a huge mess and something tells me, a huge misunderstanding. It's not unreasonable that you didn't know about ASA etc, the rules are there to protect us all (blogger and reader) so hopefully, the clarification will mean no more probs in future. x
ReplyDeleteYou a bae
ReplyDeleteTo my understanding you implied that you intended to discriminate against a certain group of people - which is never a good position to take - and then some very questionable advice was offered regarding how you might best achieve this.
ReplyDelete'Compers' may appear to be a group you can target *conscience free* but just replace 'compers' with an ethnic or religious group and see if it seems acceptable then.
The only way you could effectively eliminate entries from compers would be to charge a membership fee for your site and only accept entries from paid up members.
But you are a small friendly blogger; live and let live, don't sweat the small stuff etc etc.
Awww im so sorry this happened to you. I hope you ignore all the nasty comments. Love your blog as always =]
ReplyDeleteemyii90.blogspot.co.uk
I had no idea this was against the law! So glad you wrote this post in case I ever host a giveaway. Hope everything is okay for you now x
ReplyDeleteJenny | That Northern Gal
I personally love entering and hosting giveaway - I have three running at the moment on my beauty blog, veggie blog and on my twitter as my blog is three! I do state that no competition only accounts as I only want actual readers to enter, I don't know that was controversial x
ReplyDeleteHeather | Of Beauty & Nothingness x
I've just changed my giveaway rules now, thanks x
DeleteAs a comper and a blogger it saddens me seeing the two communities I belong to and love at such odds with each other. So many bloggers don't realise that the ASA have rules etc. I hope this doesn't stop you running giveaways.
ReplyDeleteAlso just as a side note, some of my favourite blogs I've come across I found when they ran a giveaway so while you wanted to reward a reader you could be stopping so many others becoming regular readers too. I'm glad you changed your giveaway and hope this experience hasn't given you a negative notion of compers we're people too ;)
AliceMegan
Try not to get too upset, you have an amazing blog :)
ReplyDeletehttp://laurenslittleblogs.blogspot.co.uk/
xx
and I hope a genuine reader wins!!
DeleteWow, this was the first post I read when coming to your blog. I can´t believe that people will react that way.. But I just want to say that how you explained everything and told your story, was a great first view of you and your blog. You seem very nice and I think that it is amazing that you wanted to pay for your own give away to celebrate your blog. It should be you, having a gift ;)
ReplyDeleteCongrats any way. And I am a new follower :)
Cylia <3 http://noshandchat.blogspot.dk
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ReplyDelete