News bit-tech and Custom PC launch 2010 reader survey

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/bits/2010/04/08/bit-tech-and-cpc-launch-2010-reader-survey/1

 

Done
No option for 20 year olds to tick,
I'm either below 20
or 21-30?(cant remember higher bound)

 

For every competition on every website around the globe, there is always a comment like this, so I may as well ask it.
Given you have a large number of non-UK residents who read articles and contribute to discussions, why is there a completion incentive only for UK residents? Wouldn't you like to know about your foreign readers?
These kinds of surveys/ competitions are very 1980s print publishing. Dennis should move to 21st Century digital publishing.

Edit:
How many pre-built systems have you purchased/ chosen for yourself, your friends and your family, in the last 12 months?
Why isn't there a 0 option? I don't buy pre-built systems, not for myself and not for others.

Do you have any of the following devices at home?
Checkbox instead of radio button would have been more appropriate. I have a NAS and a media PC.

 

on question: Do you have any of the following devices at home?

Surley this should be multiple tick boxes and not a radio button.

And on some why cannot questions why is there no option for 0

 

Do you:
Buy music CDs and Buy games
Buy music CDs and download games
Download music and buy games
Download music and download games

Is this like download through Steam and iTunes, or piracy? Why is downloading and buying mutually exclusive?

"When buying PC games, do you mostly buy? " should be radio buttons, surely as it's 'mostly'...

Age and year of birth...

Two phone numbers compulasary... I don't even have a landline...

"Submitting your details indicates your consent, until you choose otherwise, that we and our partners may contact you about products and services that will be of relevance to you via, direct mail, phone, e-mail and SMS. You can opt-out at ANY time via the web or email." That sucks... I should be able to opt out pre-emptively.



Answers sumbitted anyway.

 

How come a question like:

Do you have any of the following devices at home?

• NAS box
• Media PC
• Media streamer (eg WD TV Live)
• Projector

Has only one possible answer while a question like:

When buying PC games, do you mostly buy?

• From retail stores (eg. Game)
• From online stores (eg. Play)
• As downloads (eg. from sites and services such as Steam)
• 2nd hand (eg. from Ebay, forums, friends)

Has multiple?

And no, don't expect me to fill out my Adress

There are a lot more "personal" questions to answer in your competitions than there were without "Dennis"

 

Hmmm, a survey in which one person can win some prizes, in return for which Dennis Publishing gets all of our personal details and implicit permission to use them for marketing.

This appears to go against Dennis' own policies. At the end of the survey there is a mandatory check box to say I have read the privacy policy, but unless it's on the next page (which I am not going to go to as that would mean submitting all my details) there's no marketing opt-out - is that even allowed in this day and age?

The privacy policy states:
"The personal information we obtain will be used ... marketing, advertising targeting and making your personal data available to selected partners. "
and then
"All of the above are subject to your stated preferences"

but as mentioned there is no way in the survey to state my preferences.

That means, if I give you my survey answers I could end up getting crap from Auto Express, bit-tech, Bizarre, Channel Pro, Computer Shopper, Custom PC, Digital SLR Photography, EVO, Fortean Times, iGizmo, iMotor, InsidePoker, InsidePoker Business, IT Pro, Know Your Mobile, Mac Channel, MacUser, Maxim, Men's Fitness, Micro Mart, Mobile Computer, Monkey, Octane, PC Pro, PokerPlayer, The First Post, The Week, Viz, Dennis Publishing Ltd, Evo Publications Ltd, The Week Ltd, Dennis Lifestyle Ltd, It’s in the Bag Ltd, Three PM Ltd, Four PM Ltd, First Post Newsgroup Ltd, Halo Publishing Ltd, Bit Publishing Ltd, Octane Media Ltd and Octane (Media) Holdings Ltd. Choice Publishers Limited, The Magazine Group, Dennis Interactive Ltd, I Feel good (Holdings) limited and I Feel Good Limited.

Er, no thanks.

Your results will be skewed because only idiots who don't mind getting spam will answer your survey.

 

Age:
<20
21-25
26-30
31-35
36+

That hurt. 4 options and then just: All old gits click here.
That really hurt.

And yes, no options for 0 in some questions.

 

I dont want to receive emails from your partners................???

 

Correct, the same applies for the entire WIN section

 

Bit-tech is a UK website and CustomPC is a UK magazine. The companies that provide prizes often only allow the prizes to be won in the country of origin as they may be running other competitions on other foreign websites. That's how I see it.

 

"How many PC games have you bought in the last 12 months?"

*Looks at Steam games list*
*Counts up games bought in Steam Christmas sales*
*Ticks 51+*

Holy s***.


Also, whose idea was it to put "Jedi" in the list of options? Because they need to be thrown of the nearest cliff.

 

Would have completed it too but way too much personal data asked for on that last screen... for example why do you need my DOB etc when my age already given in the survey? And 'by submitting you details you agree for dennis and associates to contact you' etc...

Not to sound like a dick or anything but that's all a bit much no?

 

Indeed, it does come up often, and every time, myself or Joe or Tim or Rich makes the same response:

Companies do not have global PR budgets. They have regional offices, and each regional office has some money. When you approach a company and say "would you be up for giving us a competition prize", you're talking to the UK or the EU branch of said company. The branch will either a) not want to pay the courier postage of shipping heavy IT equipment outside of its territory or b) not want to annoy other branches of the company by acting in a manner that is outside its bounds of authority.

It's like you're taking the words out of our CEO's mouth! (He's v fond of the phrase "21st century publishing.") While the prize is local, the survey is very much global - if you read bit-tech, we're interested in hearing from you, wherever you are.

Yes agreed, I'll see if I can get that changed.

 

oh noes another survey I wont win

 

It's more than has been asked in the past, yes, but bit-tech is part of a larger company, and while it benefits from that it also sometimes has to change in a way that fits that company that might not be to our liking.

When this policy was introduced, both Tim and I made it clear how we felt about it - in particular saying that we thought it would impact on the number of entries into the survey. The response was "let's see." So, if you do feel strongly, let us indeed see.

 

It really sucks something awful that only UK residents are allowed to participate... As stated before, you do have a lot of readers outside the UK.

 

With you mate

Got to the last page but quit.. far too much info.

 

That's not the case! It's the prize draw that's UK only.

 

Yeah, sorry. Saw that right now. Sat in the quick comment field while doing some work in another tab. Taking the survey right away!