How to enter Receipt Contests and are they worth entering?

Are receipt contests worth entering?

As mentioned in the intro I can confirm that receipt contests are definitely worth entering and here are some of the reasons why.

Receipt Contests Mean Less Competition

Many people will look at a receipt-required contest as a hassle and rather enter contests that require the quick completion of an online contest form. They will skip these giveaways, and that’s great for you because it means fewer people will enter, increasing your chances of winning.

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Entering Is Easier Than You Think

Even though many Canadians believe it takes too much time to enter receipt contests, this is not the case. Often you will find that products that are already on your shopping list may be included in a special promotion. You may see in-store displays or notice special promotional packaging on products. Recently I bought cereal for a chance to win a prize in the Cheerios Fitbit tracker giveaway.

Sometimes the prizes are just to incredible to pass on. Can you imagine winning a $500,000 Cottage as a reward for buying Dempster’s and Villagio’s hamburger buns? This was one of the prizes being given away by the Bimbo Corporation during the amazing SummerContest.

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Read the rules before making the purchase – How to Buy the Right Products

Before making a purchase you should carefully read the rules of your chosen promotion. Depending on the contest sponsors, you may be asked to buy one or more eligible products on the same receipt. Other sponsors may allow you to buy products in more than one transaction.

Moreover, there may be restrictions on which products or even the product size. For example, you may need to buy a four-pack of Oikos yogurt rather than a single tub to participate in the Oikos Snack To Win contest. You can view more of the newest Buy and win contests here.

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Entering Your Receipt(s) & How to Upload It The Right Way For a Valid Entry

After you are certain you have the qualifying products on the receipt(s) as required per the particular promotion, you have now the option to submit the receipt to be entered.

This part requires some extra care. When you take a picture of your receipt (or scan it) make sure that the image is clear and everything is easily readable. In general, sponsors will want to see the whole receipt, this means you should be able to see

• the store, retailer’s name and location
• date of purchase
• the exact products purchased including the prize
• total amount spend

Most importantly,you receipt must include all the information required or it may be rejected after submission.

Subsequently, once you have taken your photo, you may now proceed and follow the instructions (as per rules) on how to submit your entry.

Depending on the sponsor, rules for each contests vary. In general, purchase receipts may be submitted online (via upload) or email.

I have found that most companies now ask you to take a photo with your mobile and upload the image to to the contest site directly

Mott’s Clamato, Example of a Receipt Contest

To the left you can see a recent Mott’s Clamato Ca contest

and the promotions page gives clear instructions on how to participate.

Follow the steps and

1. Buy,

2. Snap

3. and Register.

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Added Perks Of Entering A Buy To Win Giveaway

As an added perk you may combine promotions to get more benefits. For example, when you use coupons you may get discounts on the promotional products for instant savings.

Swagbucks Canada has a coupon upload and you earn points for uploading your receipt which contains matching coupons.

Then there is Checkout51, a coupon app that let’s you enter every uploaded receipt for a chance to win a $500 cash prize.

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Can You Use The Same Receipt to Enter Multiple Times?

Finally, I was asked Can I use the same receipt to enter and how many times can I use a store receipt?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is almost always NO. You cannot use a receipt a second time. As I have mentioned above every purchase promotion requires a photo upload that illustrates the details of your purchase, like products, date, retailer, and location. These are unique proof of purchase items and cannot be used again once submitted.

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Should You Keep Your Receipt After Entering?

Although sponsors may not ask you again to provide the receipt after you have made the upload and it has been accepted, it is possible they may do so when you win a prize.  In this case, if you are the winner of a contest that offers big cash prizes or high-value items, you may be required to present your receipt again.

Hence my tip would be to keep your receipt not just after the contest ends but past the winner notification date. The sponsor often will contact potential winners within 5 to 10 days after a giveaway ends. Keeping the receipt at least this long will be your best bet!

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How Can I Enter Purchase Contests For Free?

According to Canadian contest laws there is always a free option to enter a contest.

Visit the rules section on the sponsor’s website. Look for the no purchase (nip) option, which can be found at the bottom of the rules sections. The sponsors will give details on how to enter the contest without making a purchase. You may be asked to

• write and send a unique handwritten essay to the sponsor about why you like their product or why you want to win this prize
• or request a free pin code via email

When is the Best Time of Day to Enter ?

Are you are wondering if it’s best to enter a receipt contest in the morning, afternoon or evening? This question is a little trickier to answer. Again you will have to check the rules for the exact entry periods and details.

For one, some contests may begin after 12 am in the morning, some start at 9am. Of course all times will vary depending on your time zone.If you live in Vancouver, B.C., your 9 am will be 12 pm in Toronto, Ontario and if you live in Halifax that’s 1 pm.

For this reason alone it is nonsense when people claim, that you should be entering at such and such a time.

Personally I have won instant prizes from receipt contests entering at 8am in the morning, as well as 7pm at night.

You might have to find your “personal” lucky time.

Another point to keep in mind is that most receipt contests will have a set draw date and time, which may be several days, or even weeks AFTER the entry period has ended.

This means that all entries are being collected within the whole entry period. When a draw is held it doesn’t matter if you enter at the beginning or end of the sweepstake, because the draw will be completely random.

Have you entered some Buy-to-win contests?

Share your expereience below and if you haven’t yet did you find this article helpful?

We’d love to hear your feedback.