Giveaway contact etiquette

I don't really mind winners adding me, it's when they demand the game that bothers me.

If a creator has contact preferences, they should post them in the giveaway. Otherwise the winner has no reason not to think he/she shouldn't initiate contact.

I prefer it when they add me, I think it makes it easier.

I had specifically asked my winners to add me in the descriptions so it doesn't bother me :P

I don't mind people adding me, especially when they win something they really wanted. I had a nice chat the other day with someone who won Rogue Legacy. It was nice.

I wouldn't mind if a winner added me, although I would double check that he is the winner. Some might interpret such a protective winner as impatient and greedy, but I think that's harsh. Unless instructed otherwise, I personally prefer to wait for the creator to contact me.

I think adding the creator immediately after it ends (unless the giveaway states otherwise of course) does seem a bit pushy, though my first instinct would be that the person is likely a scammer trying to get the game instead. Oh the joys of the internet.

I'd give it a few days, if there's a sign something might have come up, like they were on here but no sign of the gift, could see that being a good reason to poke them, just in case something got mixed up but you should always be extra polite if you beat them to it.

Never had it happen to me. I added/emailed the winner their game pretty soon after it ends. I wouldn't mind if a user adds me, but it might be an annoyance if I'm playing a game or something, since If someone adds me and tells me they won on SG, I have to make sure it's the correct user. So I have to come on SG, go to their steam profile etc.

As for winning, I never added a user, I can understand some people might be busy, I can wait the seven days required without adding them. Thankfully, my wins were given pretty fast after it ended, a day or two at most on one or two.

I state on my profile not to bug me until a certain amount of time after it ends.

I really don't like adding random people to my friends list that I have no idea where the friend request came from. Fortunately for me in the giveaways I've done I get to them within an hour or two.

Personally, I don't think it matters who contacts who as long as the game is passed on. Anyone worried out dirtying their precious friendlist can simply delete them afterwards.

Yes. Adding the creator feels like rush, and that is rude. Unless few days have passed.

I prefer to add the winner, but if he/she adds me first, it's not a big deal, unless this said person starts demanding the game from me. Then I make the winner wait a full 7 days before gifting.

well to the guy that told you off for adding him.... really? i hope he emails a key to someone he didnt converse with first, and has to deal with the stress and pressure of not knowing if the person used the key or not and not knowing if he should reroll since th ekey could be used..... thats the worst curse you can get on SG. and i wish it apon him lol

Not that thing like etiquette would matter anyway. Some people write in their giveaways that they want the winner to contact them. Some people write that they will contact the winner. When a person doesn't write either, there's no reason to assume either way. I see the whole transaction completely neutrally, it's just a "business trade" that needs to be handled, no emotions associated either way.

I don't mind if they add me, usually someone adding me prompts me to check here to see if I won something, so it reminds me that I need to send it. Since they happen to be on and ready to get it, I'll be glad to do it over a chat even though I tend to prefer email.

I don't mind if the winner adds me, it makes it so much easier. Also I don't mind if I have to add them. Although it would be nice if I got a thank you or sth after I gift them the game. I always thank them and after that we usually have a nice conversation about games. So just be nice and don't act like if you were a douche or a greedy person.

I don't add the giveaway creator unless a few days have passed with no correspondence, I understand not wanting to fill your friend list with people you may have no common interests with besides one game.

I let the giveaway creator contact me however he wants and when he wants. If he emails me I email back thanking, if he adds me or sends gift via Steam (which automatically adds him to my friends list), I thank him via chat and keep him in the friends list :}

As for giving out wins, I prefer sending an email with key/gift... but out of 5 gifts given I never got a reply :(

I generally try to remember that these are Gifts people are posting. There's no reason to try and force the issue. Maybe their key hasn't come through yet, or maybe they've got some personal thing preventing them from sending immediately. To some, adding them like that is equivalent to sending them a chat message with "GIMME GIMME GIMME" in the subject header.

You can always change a "Not Received" report later if they send it, so just wait your seven days and mark it appropriately.

I like to initiate contact with the winner because I usually send gifts through e-mail. I prefer this method rather than getting a random friend invite, invites can easily be ignored if you don't know who they are.

I've seen people request for the winner to add them. Idk, it just seems like some shady people might add the giveaway creator in hopes of getting the prize. And if the creator doesn't check then it just gets ugly.