If you want future developers of technology to create new things for your product, try giving it to engineering students for free. Amazon is experimenting with that at one college, giving away an Echo Dot (list price $49.99) to every student in a new dorm at Arizona State University. [More]
giveaways
Chipotle To Expand Chorizo, Consider Loyalty Program To Bring In New And ‘Lapsed’ Customers
By 4.27.16
Last year, Chipotle’s food-safety crisis led the burrito eatery’s business to plummet, with same-store sales plunging as low as 37% in December 2015. In 2016, though, there have been no reported outbreaks, and the company has been mailing and texting out coupons to draw old and new customers. The massive giveaways of food are now over, and the chain is moving on to new promotional methods, including buy one, get one free entrées and potentially a loyalty program. [More]
No, You Aren’t Going To Win An Audi Or A Diamond Ring Just By Liking & Sharing A Post On Facebook
By 9.9.15
Although you might be suspicious that something sounds too good to be true, not every scam you come across on the Internet will immediately set off alarm bells. After all, what’s the worst that could come from liking and sharing a post on Facebook, beyond the fact that a new Audi R8 V8 or a diamond ring from Tiffany & Co. won’t become yours? Some scams exist (and thrive) just to get those valuable likes and shares, and gain an audience for future scams. [More]
Amazon’s Latest Service Allows Brands, Consumers To Host Online Giveaways
By 2.10.15
Amazon continued expanding its services to consumers Tuesday with the launch of a new self-service tool allowing customers to host their own giveaways. [More]
Texas Man Loses 78% Of Tax Refund After Winning Free Donut Coupons At Houston Astros Game
By 4.19.11
Just about everyone likes winning stuff — especially free food and definitely free donuts. But a man in Texas claims that the stack of free donut coupons he scored as a prize at a Houston Astros game caused his federal tax refund to disappear almost as quickly as that team’s hopes of making the World Series. [More]
Panda Express Avoids Food Giveaway Pandemonium, Serves Up Teeny Portions
By 7.22.10
Matt tells Consumerist that Panda Express may have found a way to avoid a coupon debacle similar to KFC’s grilled chicken giveaway last year. Their brilliant plan: dish up tiny portions, then charge comically high prices for meal add-ons. Like a $4 egg roll. [More]
Mysterious JetBlue Creature Offers Free Tix To Passengers
By 2.1.10
If you wish hard enough on your next JetBlue trip, maybe the airline’s People Officer will magically appear and hand out free tickets. That’s what happened on David’s flight home over the weekend. To be fair, the free ticket giveaway probably happened because JetBlue asked everyone to show up two hours early due to a computer glitch. It’s still a much nicer airline story than what passengers usually send us. Also, this People Officer hinted to the OP about the airline’s future Wi-Fi plans. [More]
Hollywood Video Giving Away Free Kids
By 12.31.09
I’m going to grab a bunch and resell adopt them out for extra money in 2010. Thanks to Kevin, who snapped the pic and who adds, “I know Hollywood Video isn’t probably doing that hot with the advent of Netflix, but I’m not sure if this is the way to go.” [More]
Why You Should Read The Fine Print On E-Deals
By 12.8.09
Wisebread’s Elizabeth Sanberg posts about an Amazon deal that offers a free subscription to Wired magazine if you spend $75 on certain electronics. [More]
KFC Handing Out More Free Chicken Next Monday
By 10.22.09
Looks like KFC found some more piles of grilled chicken in a closet somewhere, because next week they’ll hold their third grilled chicken giveaway this year. Their CEO promises that this time the event will be glitch free: all who desire a sample of grilled chicken will receive a sample of grilled chicken.
ThinkGeek Embraces Accidental Giveaway, Lets People Keep Freebies
By 8.9.09
What do you do when your server suddenly contracts swine flu and starts giving away free merchandise? If you’re ThinkGeek, nothing! The geek toy store celebrated a server glitch by announcing that anyone who picked up free schwag would get to keep it, no questions asked. Why? Read on for the awesome explanation…
Vonage Routing Causes Reader To Miss $1,000 Giveaway
By 7.18.09
Ari’s wife had ten minutes to call into her local Washington D.C. radio station to claim a $1,000 giveaway, but couldn’t connect because Vonage routes all calls to 1-800 numbers through New York, and the radio station was only accepting local calls. For ten anguishing minutes Ari and his wife suffered through busy signals, worried that the radio station was deluged by other callers. After emailing both Vonage and the station producer, Ari and his wife finally realized what happened…
Buy A Car, Get A Free AK-47
By 7.17.09
The logo at Mark Muller’s dealership is… an old west caricature pointing two pistols at those who pass by. He said it’s a nod to what he calls “big city” ways. “We really are different than the big city dealers.”
By 7.16.09
../..//2009/07/16/kfcs-screwed-up-grilled-chicken-promo/
KFC’s screwed-up grilled chicken promo doesn’t seem to have hurt the company after all; Yum CEO David Novak told investors and reporters this morning that it’s “the best product launch in our history” and has “changed the brand so much for the good.” People out there apparently really love the idea of KFC grilled chicken. [AdAge] (Thanks to R!)
Everybody Gets A Mediocre Minivan! Everybody Gets A Mediocre Minivan!
By 7.15.09
What’s Oprah’s latest giveaway? Not, thankfully, chicken. She’ll be giving away two Routans. Hey, cool! But does the Oprah endorsement mean that the Routan is any good? Well, according to Consumer Reports Cars…not really.
By 7.10.09
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Tomorrow, 6,000 participating 7-Eleven stores will be giving away free tiny Slurpees. [7-Eleven] (Thanks to Henry!)
This Subway Shop In Virginia Promotes Timeshares
By 6.17.09
Tim thought he was entering an innocent giveaway at his local Subway in Warrenton, Virginia earlier this month. Nope. It was just timeshare bait. We wish the Subway would have known better than to allow the dropbox in their store to begin with, but after reading Tim’s story you’ll know what to watch out for should you run into a similar contest.
By 5.8.09
../..//2009/05/08/mars-didnt-really-think-through/
Mars didn’t really think through their “free chocolate” offer and the server stampede it would inevitably cause. If you had rotten luck this morning but still insist on getting a free candy bar coupon via snail mail in six weeks, try the site now; I just did and was able to get a coupon without any delay (less than 2 minutes total time on the site). [realchocolate.com]
