Online competitions gaining popularity

By DOUG GRIFFITHS

Online competitions are gathering a dedicated following in New Zealand that mirrors their popularity in Europe and the United States.

In fact, the demand on New Zealand's most comprehensive competition portal has become so overwhelming that the Webmaster has put a hold on the site while he takes a break over summer.

Started as a hobby in early 2000, Competition World was initially set up for a small core of local "compers" and is aimed at providing up-to-date information on competitions, prizes and lucky draws offered throughout the country.

Competitions are broken down into two areas: "Online" and "Offline".

These are further divided into sub-categories (travel or home & garden, for example) and then listed according to the closing date.

Each area contains a seven-day table of upcoming closing dates.

Within the Online area, links to relevant competition websites are provided, and under the Offline heading the competitions are listed according to the requirements of the offer - "buy a DVD and send off the receipt to enter" for example.

Competition World has not had any major updates since mid-November, with Webmaster Graham Owen saying the site is a victim of its own success.

"My time at the moment is being completely taken up with our business, he says online.

"If you could all just bear with us while we work through the Christmas and New Year period ... Once things settle down I will be back on board."

However, a visit to Competition World is not a waste of time - Owen seems to have added links to a small number of new competitions, and the site features a user forum where compers can discuss competitions running within New Zealand.

Another Kiwi-based website providing up-to-date information for compers is the Win-NZ Competition Directory. And just like Competition World, a visit to its homepage illustrates how demanding running an online competition portal can be.

The page is headed up by a plea from Webmaster Mike for volunteers to keep the site updated.

Using local search engines also reveals a large number of competitions that can be entered over the internet.

One interactive example from the Resene paint company is easy to enter and fun, too.

The idea is for you to create a colour to feature on an upcoming colour chart aimed at children's bedrooms and playrooms. This is achieved by getting you to move three sliders based on the red, blue and green base colours. The mix is displayed in a small square.

Once you are happy with your hue, give it a fun name and then enter your details.

Several winners are selected each month. The major winner receives vouchers for paint in addition to his or her colour appearing on the chart.

No matter what other fads come and go online, entering competitions via the net looks to be here to stay. It is easy to do, enjoyable and, according to Caroline Mayne of Invercargill, it is one way to make sure your computer pays for itself.

"I have spent so much money on this PC that I figure if I can win a few things it will start to pay me back."

Competition World

Win-NZ Competition Directory

Resene