MacRumors Giveaways... Why are they only open to U.S. residents?

[djgamble]

...the giveaways are still governed by the laws of the country you live/work in.

Military and diplomats are treated differently (many will be in a situation where they are not inside a foreign jurisdiction).

Not that I agree with the ridiculous argument that spooky, unreferenced, foreign laws are going to destroy any American accused of send merch overseas as a gift to readers of their blog...

 

[BCARLLUVSM1]

The issue is due to individual countries, not citizens so regardless if your a US/Canadian citizen living/working abroad, military or not, the giveaways are still governed by the laws of the country you live/work in. So if you happen to be living/working in a country where MR deems it's laws on giveaways to be to complicated/restrictive it's basically tough luck.

Yes, but we have home of record or family back home. There is no reason they can't verify us via ID.com and send the giveaway item to our home address in the States that is attached to ID.com. They only go by IP address.

 

[BCARLLUVSM1]

Military and diplomats are treated differently (many will be in a situation where they are not inside a foreign jurisdiction).

Not that I agree with the ridiculous argument that spooky, unreferenced, foreign laws are going to destroy any American accused of send merch overseas as a gift to readers of their blog...

Exactly, my point. Thank you. If a service member is temporarily stationed overseas and has an ID.com or GovX account to verify that they are a service member and have a Home of Record address tied to those accounts: there is not reason why MR can't allow them to register for a giveaway, verify through ID.com or GovX, and then ship to HOR address to family so they can then decide to hold the item for them or send it to them as a gift.

 

[WildCowboy]

As long as you're a legal resident, you're eligible. There shouldn't be anything stopping you from entering as far as we're concerned, although occasionally Gleam's automated fraud detection systems will flag connections or entries.

 

[laptech]

Yes, but we have home of record or family back home. There is no reason they can't verify us via ID.com and send the giveaway item to our home address in the States that is attached to ID.com. They only go by IP address.

But that is not what was being asked, well I get the impression that is not what was being asked. The impression I got from the members post is if the US citizen is abroad, can the giveaway be shipped out to them by the company doing the giveaway with the answer being no. I believe it was already established early on in the thread discussion that US/Canadian winners of giveaways who are abroad can have the item delivered to their home address in the US/Canada.

 

[BCARLLUVSM1]

But that is not what was being asked, well I get the impression that is not what was being asked. The impression I got from the members post is if the US citizen is abroad, can the giveaway be shipped out to them by the company doing the giveaway with the answer being no. I believe it was already established early on in the thread discussion that US/Canadian winners of giveaways who are abroad can have the item delivered to their home address in the US/Canada.

Except Gleam blocks the entry attempt even with a VPN which all Service Members are usually told to install in all their systems and phones.

 

[laptech]

Except Gleam blocks the entry attempt even with a VPN which all Service Members are usually told to install in all their systems and phones.

This from Wildcowboy's post could be the reason why using a VPN does not work

although occasionally Gleam's automated fraud detection systems will flag connections or entries.

Considering how many US service members both military and government live and work abroad I would have thought MR would be using a giveway service that allows these people to take part in the giveaways because as you've read from the sites admin, all they need is a US home address but I can see the frustration when the person who lets say is stationed at a military base in Japan is sitting there in their base, reading MR and the giveaways and tries to enter the giveaway but cannot because Gleam refuses access due to their computer systems seeing that the person is using a VPN, which as you point out is a requirement of the job/position.

 

[nexx27]

Ridiculous… it makes me want to stop visiting this website each time I see those restrictions..

It makes me feel like Im less valued than a american citizen.

I think theres no excuse nowadays for doing something like that. It feels like you dont want the hassle of dealing with your international visitors. So it makes me want to stop visiting.

Yoi should substitute this ******** disclaimer with something like winner is responsible for shipping/handling/customs cost

 

[rjpv]

What a bunch of bullcrap these so called “restrictions”. I can’t believe that after 7 years from the original post of this thread, nobody in the Macrumors team have figured out a way to bring giveaways to other regions of the world. What? Is it so difficult to get a sponsor in Europe or simply buy a product online on a store anywhere in the world and get it shipped? Are you going bankrupt for having to declare a product purchased elsewhere for which you were sponsored? Are the sponsors unable to manage this entirely? BS!

 

[toke lahti]

Dear MR,
I'd wish that you'd put "U.S. Giveaway" to the title of of these "articles" from now on.

Many say that "all publicity is good publicity", but some sponsors might also think that constantly disappointing some portion of readers, even if they live in some strange countries other than US, does not help the sponsor.

8 year mark on this one.
Maybe the title should now be "USA/Canada/UK Giveaway"?

I'll eagerly wait for participating the Giveaways in 2200AD!

 

[icanhazmac]

Ridiculous… it makes me want to stop visiting this website each time I see those restrictions.

I can’t believe that after 7 years from the original post of this thread, nobody in the Macrumors team have figured out a way to bring giveaways to other regions of the world.

Just as a frame of reference:

Apple's Online Store Now Available in Chile

Apple has announced that its online store is now available in Chile, providing customers located in the country with a way to purchase iPhones, Macs,...

www.macrumors.com

Apple, an almost 3 Trillion dollar company per current numbers, only just opened their online store to Chile. By your standards someone on the Apple team should have been able to figure out how to open their store to the fine folks in Chile before now huh?

 

[NightFox]

What a bunch of bullcrap these so called “restrictions”. I can’t believe that after 7 years from the original post of this thread, nobody in the Macrumors team have figured out a way to bring giveaways to other regions of the world. What? Is it so difficult to get a sponsor in Europe or simply buy a product online on a store anywhere in the world and get it shipped? Are you going bankrupt for having to declare a product purchased elsewhere for which you were sponsored? Are the sponsors unable to manage this entirely? BS!

And I can't believe that after 21 pages of posts, people still don't understand the concept of the legal complexities and costs involved. This has got nothing to do with shipping, it's down to staying compliant with each country's legislation governing competitions and give-aways.

 

[LeGlennden]

Again nothing for EU readers😔

 

[icanhazmac]

Again nothing for EU readers😔

Does every single EU based site offer giveaways Worldwide? Just asking for a friend.

 

[LeGlennden]

Does every single EU based site offer giveaways Worldwide? Just asking for a friend.

Dont think so, but Mac/Apple is a worldwide company, and there is a Hugh interest in news and products. It would be cool to give a worldwide opportunity for every reader to join the giveaway. There is almost 1,5 billion active iPhones, so there are more users outside of the US, then in the US.

 

[icanhazmac]

Dont think so, but Mac/Apple is a worldwide company, and there is a Hugh interest in news and products. It would be cool to give a worldwide opportunity for every reader to join the giveaway. There is almost 1,5 billion active iPhones, so there are more users outside of the US, then in the US.

You do realize that MR is not run by Apple right? Just because Apple is a world-wide sucess does not mean that each individual fan site can navigate the complexities of international customs and laws. See my post above #511, what took Apple so long to open their store to Chile? What countries are still not covered and why? Certainly a company the size of Apple and figure it out no?

If giveaway eligibility is your #1 focus, no one is stopping folks in the EU, or anywhere else, from starting their own Rumors/Fan site.

Or, you can lobby your local government(s) to remove all restrictions, fees, taxes, etc. from international giveaways.

 

[tmanto02]

Are there plans to add Australia to the list of available countries as part of the giveaways? Alternatively is there a way to stop the giveaway content from appearing to readers from non-eligible countries?

As a loyal MR reader its a point of frustration

 

[nexx27]

Are there plans to add Australia to the list of available countries as part of the giveaways? Alternatively is there a way to stop the giveaway content from appearing to readers from non-eligible countries?

As a loyal MR reader its a point of frustration

+1 (Brazil)

You do realize that MR is not run by Apple right? Just because Apple is a world-wide sucess does not mean that each individual fan site can navigate the complexities of international customs and laws. See my post above #511, what took Apple so long to open their store to Chile? What countries are still not covered and why? Certainly a company the size of Apple and figure it out no?

If giveaway eligibility is your #1 focus, no one is stopping folks in the EU, or anywhere else, from starting their own Rumors/Fan site.

Or, you can lobby your local government(s) to remove all restrictions, fees, taxes, etc. from international giveaways.

Nobodys asking for MR to "navigate the complexities of international customs and laws" just ask for them to ship the product. There receiver should/would pay customs in the reception. He could opt not to pay if he wants...

I don't understand why can't MR do that? Seems ridiculous and it's in fact a big point of frustration.

You do realize that MR is not run by Apple right? Just because Apple is a world-wide sucess does not mean that each individual fan site can navigate the complexities of international customs and laws. See my post above #511, what took Apple so long to open their store to Chile? What countries are still not covered and why? Certainly a company the size of Apple and figure it out no?

If giveaway eligibility is your #1 focus, no one is stopping folks in the EU, or anywhere else, from starting their own Rumors/Fan site.

Or, you can lobby your local government(s) to remove all restrictions, fees, taxes, etc. from international giveaways.

Also, it took so long for apple to open their store in Chile, #1 small consumer base, #2 tax burden/sell price issues. That's nothing to do with MR not shipping abroad...

Also, MR could shut theirs firewalls to non-us citizens... so it won't have to navigate through any "international complexities"

 

[icanhazmac]

Nobodys asking for MR to "navigate the complexities of international customs and laws" just ask for them to ship the product. There receiver should/would pay customs in the reception. He could opt not to pay if he wants...

I don't understand why can't MR do that? Seems ridiculous and it's in fact a big point of frustration.

So first off, I doubt MR ships the products, I am fairly sure the manufacturers do. Then you need to ask yourself about the cost of international shipping. Then you need to ask yourself what happens when the person who won decides they don't want to pay the customs charge... does the product then go back to sender which is another incurred cost, etc.

If you don't understand why, you could start by reading the posts from MR staff in this thread. Obviously if it were easy to do they would.

 

[toke lahti]

So first off, I doubt MR ships the products, I am fairly sure the manufacturers do. Then you need to ask yourself about the cost of international shipping. Then you need to ask yourself what happens when the person who won decides they don't want to pay the customs charge... does the product then go back to sender which is another incurred cost, etc.

If you don't understand why, you could start by reading the posts from MR staff in this thread. Obviously if it were easy to do they would.

Are you suggesting that companies that donate prizes are thinking that they can handle the postage, but if there is a return, then it's way too expensive?

Other sites / blogs / vlogs that have really global giveaways have solved the problem.
I guess the problme isn't unsolvable. It's a matter of will.