Justin Copeland - Comments

Squarespace is giving away $199 gift certificates for the Apple store every day for 30 days. They are stating that they are giving away Free iPhones. Community clearly thinks they are getting a Free physical iPhone 3GS. Discuss.

June 11 - Comment - Like - Share

Your Anonymous Source, Kali, Ed Palumbo and 11 other people liked this

Well, as long as one can easily buy an iPhone 3GS with the gift certificate, I don't see what's wrong. - Rishabh Mishra (p248)

64 more comments

Rishabh: The monthly commitment for voice and data. especially the data plan for 30 dollars per month - Kiran Patchigolla

There is always a catch, and there is no such thing as free. - Louis Gray

But yes, $199 does not equal new iPhone. It equals $199. - Louis Gray

Wasn't there a problem with using gift cards on iPhones the last two times around? - Joshua Schnell

If I remember correctly you had to use a second form of payment in conjunction with the gift card. - Joshua Schnell

Louis is right, there's no such thing as free. I'd be happy with the $199 gift card anyway really, there's no rule to actually buy an iphone with it. - Charlotte M

Makes total sense. But are you involved in the community tweeting your hashtag? They believe they will win an iPhone. And your own official tweets @squarespace say "You've won an iPhone". How is that a) NOT misleading and b) NOT implied. If you had called this the $199 apple store voucher giveaway im sure you woulda done fine. But the iPhone implication blew it up and you know it. - drew olanoff

And I refused to email you because this is an issue involving the community, and the community should be able to participate. Thank you for coming here. - drew olanoff

Um, the fella from Squarespace deleted his comment. - drew olanoff

(I'm trying to type out a response -- but it's not really coming through since I can't make paragraphs here. Not intending to delete it.) - Anthony Casalena

i saw that too. I thought I was going crazy for a second... - Joshua Schnell

Fail. - drew olanoff

I think it's fine how they are doing it. They are getting more buzz from people talking about how they aren't getting actual iPhones. Win/win for them. It's right on the front of the contact page so I don't feel bad for anyone who is misled. - Justin Copeland

Hell, I'd just be happy with a $199 gift card to the Apple Store. Hate that they don't say that up front though. Seems shady. - Ralph Helm

Basically, let me ask you a few things so I can better understand the sentiment. Are you implying that you think the amount provided in the voucher is wrong? Did you think it implied "unlocked" iPhones or something? We never said it was an unlocked phone (nor do I think that implication was made in some other way), just as I don't feel Apple makes that implication when announcing pricing at WWDC. - Anthony Casalena

First off. I already replied to you. And you deleted your message. - drew olanoff

Second off. Read this tweet, and tell me what it says and if its factual. http://twitter.com/squares... - drew olanoff

"You are our 4th iPhone winner! Yay!" - Are you giving them an iPhone? If that winner has to pay for the phone at upgrade OR full cost, are you paying the ENTIRE amount or JUST the $199 voucher in your fine print? - drew olanoff

I can't speak for this specific giveaway as I haven't read the terms but I've been part of hundreds of giveaways up to million dollar prizes and many times we had to give gift cards equal to the msrp of the item for legal reasons. - Allen Stern

When we contacted Apple at the outset of this and asked "How can we purchase 30 iPhones" -- their response was to give away a voucher (the gift card) to avoid 1) Contract issues. 2) Changing pricing. 3) International issues involving activation, etc. - Anthony Casalena

I agree - I tweeted about this day one. - Brett Schulte

"IT'S A TRAP!" ;) - Charlotte M

I understand this. What we're discussing is the way in which you are communicating to a community of people through Twitter. Your wording is....You have won an iPhone. Are you giving away a physical iPhone? Search your hashtag, people are expecting a physical iPhone. Why not speak out and correct them? - drew olanoff

I agree with the fact that maybe they shouldn't say "you just won an iPhone" but it's a business and they spell it out in easy to read text on their site. Plus, even if they did physically give you an iPhone, people would still complain they they have to pay for this or that. - Justin Copeland

Given that the rep at Apple said "this is the best way to give away an iPhone" -- I do believe that's factual, because Apple lists iPhones on their site for both $200 and $100 (http://www.apple.com/iphone...). We're giving away a voucher for the more expensive one that just got released. If we had the physical unit, we couldn't give out the new ones -- I wanted to not give people the old one. - Anthony Casalena

Wow. Drew, now that I see that tweet, I agree. No truth to it. A very douche move by them. Just be completely honest and call a spade a spade. - Ralph Helm

Apple has NOTHING to do with this. Stop. - drew olanoff

You know exactly the point I am making. Your tweets, your messaging, your lack of correcting peoples confusion is manipulation. Congratulations. - drew olanoff

I agree - this is a misleading promotion, making me wonder what else about Squarespace is misleading? #fail - Brett Schulte

(unless I won in which case it rocks) - Brett Schulte

lol @Brett - Joshua Schnell

I think it's wonderful to give prizes away. I think its fantastic that you're giving someone $199. That is amazing. But does the "Squarespace $199 voucher giveaway" have the same ring (pardon the pun) as the 30 iPhones in 30 days thing? My opinion. No. - drew olanoff

I wonder what happens if someone from France wins. Do they get 1/2 an iPhone? - Joshua Schnell

Tell me if this person knows its a voucher: http://twitter.com/Fulcan... - drew olanoff

Echoing Drew here. It's a huge #fail - Brandon Mendelson

basically Squarespace needs to come out and say 'hey it's really not an iphone because we can't make a contract for you, it's a $199 gift card.' people won't be angry, though maybe Squarespace wants people to be mad because it's more publicity for them? none the less I like their product so I don't care too much about this fiasco. I'd be more than happy with a gift card if I were to win. - Rachel

It's actually not a fail, it a huge success, because a) we're talking about it and b) 99% of the people who heard about the promotion believed it and didn't care. - Brett Schulte

Oh wait is #Squarspace paying for the service too - rockin' that's a whole other story right guys? - Brett Schulte

I wish they were paying for service too! - Rachel

ol @joshua. See, there's the problem. It's all about disclosure. Anthony, if you were just honest upfront and said, "Hey, here's 200 bucks to the Apple Store that you could use to buy the new iPhone, then there you go. Instead, you say, "Hey, we're giving away an iPhone!" It's the same problem I have with companies calling something a "lifetime supply". For example, I love me some... more... - Ralph Helm

The fine print is definitely there. They're "legally" covered. However, the fact that they are officially communicating through Twitter that "You have won an iPhone", I believe it makes it a different story. - drew olanoff

Kiran: Are they expected to cover the monthly costs? - Rishabh Mishra (p248)

Class action ... let's call @markgeragos - Brett Schulte

Hey who's down for a DDOS thing against SquareSpace? ;) - Brett Schulte

Ready? Go! - Brett Schulte

Hey what happened to all you? - Brett Schulte

I saw the tweets and Squarespace's promotion by way of it. Read it, and came to a similar conclusion as Drew - this type of promoting obviously works, but it sets and follows a strange and compromised set of precedents that deceive. I'm not a fan of calling a gift card something else, expecially when you're using it to sway tens of thousands of people's decision about your product or... more... - Ed Palumbo

Wow, Ed. Very well thought out response. I was just thinking the same thing. I write contracts for clients all the time, and try to be as clear and up-front as possible, since there can always be surprises, especially in my business. I look at every word I put out there as my entire reputation. Great comment. - Ralph Helm

I'm trying to understand where you guys are coming from, but I'm not quite there -- the "official contest rules" including all aspects of delivery can't be covered in a single tweet. Take a look at contests like this: http://weather.promo.eprize.com/takethe... and click on the rules. Ours are massively more straightforward. This isn't a weird way to conduct a giveaway and we're not... more... - Anthony Casalena

I think our actions speak louder than words, equivalent values, fine print, or anything else. Bottom line: If you don't end up with what you expected -- call me and I'll make it right. We're already in touch with everyone who won and are sending over shirts and other stuff they're asking for. This is no different. - Anthony Casalena

Pointing at other companies does not address you misleading people. Furthermore nobody said to tweet the full rules. A link to the rules would be nice. Also you are NOT responding to the fact that you are communicating that these people are IPHONE winners. In Tweets and your site. - drew olanoff

Anthony, there's where you're missing the po....never mind...what Drew said. He said it better than I was gonna anyway. ;-) - Ralph Helm

I'm glad that you've come here to address this, and you should really learn how to leverage open and honest practices and tools in what you're doing moving forward. Nobody is perfect. However, you are clearly using a hot topic in the iPhone in a way that is NOT honest. - drew olanoff

If you guys were giving away ipod touches, then it would have been a different story and if you were giving away contract free i phones that you bought at full price, it would have been a different story - Kiran Patchigolla

I'm not sure how much more honest I can be: Giving away vouchers for products won in contests is very standard practice. The rules page bolds the fact that it's a one of these (http://www.apple.com/iphone...). We're pricing the vouchers like Apple does and explaining it in the details. And, if you win, and you entered and feel cheated, slighted, or in ANY way like you were... more... - Anthony Casalena

Thanks Ralph! (and Drew, Hi Drew, others, and obviously Anthony for dealing with this openly) - Ed Palumbo

If this whole "controversy" was actually a sinister plot by Drew to call attention to the now waning squarespace phenomenon (perhaps as a paid "anti-shill"), then it would be working brilliantly. </conspiracy_theory>. - Mike Desjardins

I don't get it. Many promotions are handled like this. I remember attending a class and they offered a free XBOX, but I really received an Amazon.com gift certificate. Gift horse, meet mouth. - Eric @ CS Techcast

Treat it as a $199 gift certificate. - Morton Fox

I'm not a shill, nor am I sinister. I like when companies handle themselves in an open and honest way and I hope to see Squarespace take on that thought process in the future. - drew olanoff

Oh yes, one more question. Just answer why all of your advertising says iPhone but that's not the prize. - drew olanoff

I'll care if the winners don't get an iPhone - Bwana ☠

The rules actually say they are giving away a $199.00 gift certificate. It is the introductory paragraph and their tweets that are less the honest. $199.00 does pay for the iphone, they didn't say they are going to pay for your activation fees or add ons - Kim Landwehr

"To enter the contest, just send out a tweet with the #squarespace hashtag included. We will randomly choose one (1) winner per day who will get their very own, brand spankin new 3GS iPhone! " - drew olanoff

Let's all grow up, always look at contest rules and above all if you win 199. gift don't whine about it. Everyone knows that the price of an iPhone is quoted at the discounted price to enter an ATT contract and that all handsets are subsidized by the carrier. Paleeez - David Bamford

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