Well, I don't know whether I should be writing this or not as a blog post but something that provokes has to be brought out in writing for the consumption/attention of all and sundry because - (1) That's the way with me, (2) It concerns the overall health and users of the site and (3) There are greater implications attached to the instant issue seemingly limited to the blogger (i.e. me) but however on a closer look has a larger import.
The last quarter of 2012 saw MS genorously declaring a Review of the Day Contest which was flagged off somewhere around October 2012 and extended up to December 2012. And fortunately or unfortunately three of my reviews (submitted between October - December 2012) were selected as RODs during the said period - "When The Mute Speaks" on October 26th 2012, "Hooked To Unhooked" on December 17th, 2012 and "Fugitive Fragrance" submitted on Mouthpad on 26th December 2012 and given ROD status in January 2013 (MS took more than a fortnight in uploading the review due to "technical reasons").
After the first ROD, @MS_Support gallantly e-mailed me on 9th November 2012 for my Bank Account Details for the requisite ECS of the prize money. I replied back on 14th November 2012 that I was not comfortable making my Bank Account details public and that I should be sent an at-par cheque for the same ( I am sure many more like me must have felt the same). In response on 22nd November 2012 , @MS_Support asked for my residential address which I immediately mailed to them on the very same date. Oh yes! in the meanwhile @MS_Support encouraged me to write on as the date of the contest was extended to 31st December 2012. Which I did and got two more RODs in my kitty (including a delayed one due to MS' delayed response).
However, after the exchange of the above mentioned e-mails, there was no further communication from MS. After my second ROD, I posted a comment on @Caretaker's blog dated 20th November 2012 that I am still hopeful of getting my prize money. The comment is still there and shall be just so long MS does not take the considered decision of deleting it. But now, almost mid-way in January 2013, I think I should forego that hope.
What provokes me to write this blog is @faisal's comment on @Caretaker's aforementioned blog post which is and I quote "Prize money has been transferred to those winners whose account details were provided to us. For legal and regulatory reasons, we cannot transfer prizes to a relative or friend" - I really don't know whether or not to laugh - Doesn't the esteeemed CEO know the real statistics?
Thankfully, my reviews are still reflecting in the list of RODs at https://mouthshut.com/featuredposts/featuredreviews.html. And by the way whose friends and relatives are asking for the money, not mine, at least?
Now, coming to the greater issues:
(1) Why announce a contest if MS finds it difficult to keep to its words of rewarding the winners "on time"?
(2) Why not send an e-mail to a contestant if he/she has yet to comply with formalities, if any, with regard to receipt of the prize money?
(3) Why not answer the e-mails of the users (let alone contestants) and apprise them of the latest status where and when information sought? (This refers not only to the contest and its 'aftermath' but also a simple query with regard to reviews submitted on Mouth Pad).
It took almost a fortnight for MS to publish a review submitted on Mouth Pad. Due to the inordinate delay and upon repeated inquiries, I was told that MS did not have the appropriate forum to upload the review. Wooahh!!!When I requested them to upload it as a blog, which they had done earlier in case of one of the pet products I had earlier submitted as review, there was a deafening silence at the other end. Perhaps MS wanted to surprise me with their sudden/unexpected publication!!!
Well, I would like to point out that MS is not the only site on the net which is holding contests like the one it has. There are numerous other sites which have similar curriculum and dole out much heftier amounts as prize money than MS had. No big deal!!
But there is something called ethics and integrity in business which seems completely absent in so far as MS is concerned. No wonder, many of the veteran users have long left the site and many more may in future. But that should not worry MS because as the saying goes 'too nahin to koi aur sahi , aur nahin to koi aur sahi'....isn't it?
Needless to say, vigorous follow-ups for what is rightfully the contestant's, robs the charm and dignity of the whole exercise, which may or may not be designed to lure membership and appease those who have dismembered themselves from the site.
My contention in the Comment Section -
