[GeoSTL] Re: www.geogamer.com
- From: Paul Konopacki <konopapw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 10 Jun 2002 11:13:46 -0500
When I was a programmer at Maritz Performance Improvement
Company (MPIC), we wrote web site pages very much like
the 'reward' pages on www.geogamer.com. As a customer,
you would 'redeem' your 'points' for merchandise. Maritz would
handle the point calculations, prize redemption and much of the
prize inventory and shipping.
Many years ago, on Employee Appreciation day at Maritz,
they gave out a toolset to all employees. It was an item
from the merchandise catalog. The item was so cheap
that people were breaking the screwdrivers just trying to use
them to unscrew the back of a PC case!
Not to say that all their items were cheap. One time, due to a
programming bug, a Bose radio was mailed to an address in U-City.
The address was valid, but it was to Lois Lane, obviously a test
account in the system that slipped through to production. I
warned Maritz that it had happened, but they ignored me. A few
days later they were in a panic and wanted to go to that address
and ask for the item back! As luck would have it, a Fed Ex driver
noticed the name Lois Lane and questioned the delivery before
they received it.
I also heard of a story where someone ordered a refridgerator
using a point-redemption web site and erroneously got two for
the price of one! (I've got other stories like that!)
Glenn wrote:
> I don't think anyone in their right mind is going to "Play" their game to
> seek recognition or for the "rewards" that come with playing their game.
>
> You can, of course, find the caches listed for free just like you can on
> geocaching.com, and you can log them for free too. BUT to get that special
> recognition we all deserve, you need to "play" the game with the "cache
> coins"
>
> The coins come on a sheet of three for $6.00. (that's $2.00 apiece for the
> mathematically challenged) that you buy from the site. Each cache that you
> find you need to mark the cache ID and the Direction point on the coin and
> mail it back to geogamer.com . SO it costs $2.00/cache to register for
> your points. Each validated coin is worth 10 points. The prizes that you can
> "cache in" your points for start at 270 points each. That is 27 coins/prize
> or $54.00 spent per cheap prize. (really, they are cheap alarm clocks,
> drill bit sets.. pages and pages of promo kind of stuff) .
>
> Bottom line. It might be another place to log caches but I don't think
> anyone is really gonna spend money for the recognition. IF ANYONE WANTS TO
> FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEMSELVES , Send me $57.00, I will present you with a nice
> certificate, a prize and a celebration party!!! I do this because I am such
> a nice guy, not to make any mony or anything like that....
>
> Lets see, bruce has 750 finds, x $2.00/cache.. I can get him an alarm clock
> AND a set of drill bits, let him print his own certificate (to save time)
> and we could have a heck of a party!!!
>
> Bruce, Please send up $1500.00 ASAP to register for four free celebration.
> Party at bruces house, coming soon.
>
> Glenn
>
> I have cross listed EDDIES MONEY on the geogamer.com site just to see if
> anyone logs it there. Go to eddies money to get the ID and the direction
> code you need to log it in.
>
> gln
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: geocaching-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:geocaching-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Paul Konopacki
> Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 10:23 AM
> To: geocaching@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [GeoSTL] www.geogamer.com
>
> Here is a response from the www.geogamer.com
> WebMaster, to a comment made by one of its
> new members in their message forum:
>
> "... I can assure you that this isn't a "Test" and no one
> is making a marketing guinea pig out of anyone.
> We have done a lot of research and found that some cachers
> not only wanted to have fun, but were also interested in
> a way to be "rewarded" for their caching activities. And we
> hope that this site will provide a fun way to do it.
>
> The CacheCoin concept came about as a means to track
> activity, add value to the game and to support prize awards.
> The CacheHost idea was meant to get as many people involved
> as possible who already had caches stashed. You
> don't have to hide special "GeoGamer" caches (although some
> players might do just that in order to collect more
> game points). All you have to do is place a CacheHost validation
> card in your existing Geocaching cache (or any other
> registered site cache) and list them on GeoGamer. To get
> players started, I can provide some free CacheHost
> stickers (while supply lasts) if you send me an eMail with
> your mailing address.
>
> Lastly, if this concept works out (like we expect it will),
> GeoGamer will be able to help caching clubs and other
> organizations run their own caching events as fundraisers.
> We can produce custom gaming supplies, provide access
> to our online prize catalog for event winners, and help with
> online advertising ..."
>
> *****************************************************************************
> Our NEW WebPage! WWW.GeoStL.com
> Mail List & Archive Info.
> //www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=geocaching
> Msg. of the day, "These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the
> hereafter...
> I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I'm here after.
> ******************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************
Our NEW WebPage! WWW.GeoStL.com
Mail List & Archive Info.
//www.freelists.org/cgi-bin/list?list_id=geocaching
Msg. of the day, "These days, I spend a lot of time thinking about the
hereafter...
I go somewhere to get something and then wonder what I'm here after.
******************************************************************************
Other related posts:
