Otakon code extension?
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Otakon code extension?
by CloudedOtter » July 31, 2019 04:49 PM
Last Edited: August 01, 2019 12:24 PM
[P.] There's a few newbies recently who are upset that the codes from Otakon have expired already. They didn't realize that they only had the weekend to use them, and it puts a bad taste in their mouth, some to the point of not really wanting to play.
And I understand why:
When you're at a con, you might not have the time or energy to check out a new site. You're running from booth to booth, event to event, and even after the con shuts down for the day there's still friends to hang with, buses to catch, and so forth. Even if you remember that the site exists, at the end of the day, all you want to do is flop face-first and pass out. A lot of people are just going to gather up a bunch of business cards and go through them slowly the week after.
There was also no notice given that the codes would expire right after the con. To my awareness, the only notice was a social media post at the very end of the event. The thing is, not everyone who attended the con would be immediately following the site's social media, and one post is easy to miss even for those who are. There are codes that are meant to be very-limited-time and that's okay, but they need a very clear, unambiguous indicator of when they'll be gone, written alongside the code itself. Codes without a warning generally are assumed to need none.
My Otakon welcome thread did say "use these codes as soon as possible, we're not sure when they'll expire." But a lot of people would just have signed up and saved the site for browsing later instead of going through the forums, just like a business card.
With all of this in mind, would it be possible to extend the time for the codes for about a week or so, give people resting from the con time to catch up on all of those neat goodies? I do understand if you're hesitant to, since Kith Nests and all are valuable resources, but I think it would be a tremendous act of kindness and goodwill on behalf of the site! If you're just plain unable to reactivate the codes, then hopefully this is still useful as feedback for the next time the site does a promo.
Thanks for your time!
And I understand why:
When you're at a con, you might not have the time or energy to check out a new site. You're running from booth to booth, event to event, and even after the con shuts down for the day there's still friends to hang with, buses to catch, and so forth. Even if you remember that the site exists, at the end of the day, all you want to do is flop face-first and pass out. A lot of people are just going to gather up a bunch of business cards and go through them slowly the week after.
There was also no notice given that the codes would expire right after the con. To my awareness, the only notice was a social media post at the very end of the event. The thing is, not everyone who attended the con would be immediately following the site's social media, and one post is easy to miss even for those who are. There are codes that are meant to be very-limited-time and that's okay, but they need a very clear, unambiguous indicator of when they'll be gone, written alongside the code itself. Codes without a warning generally are assumed to need none.
My Otakon welcome thread did say "use these codes as soon as possible, we're not sure when they'll expire." But a lot of people would just have signed up and saved the site for browsing later instead of going through the forums, just like a business card.
With all of this in mind, would it be possible to extend the time for the codes for about a week or so, give people resting from the con time to catch up on all of those neat goodies? I do understand if you're hesitant to, since Kith Nests and all are valuable resources, but I think it would be a tremendous act of kindness and goodwill on behalf of the site! If you're just plain unable to reactivate the codes, then hopefully this is still useful as feedback for the next time the site does a promo.
Thanks for your time!
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by Himochi » July 31, 2019 04:53 PM
You said most of my thoughts better than me, so I'm going to add my support to this - for at the very least, keeping this in mind for future cons.
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by Rattlecat » July 31, 2019 04:53 PM
Otter already said it 5,000 times better than I could
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by Diana » July 31, 2019 04:53 PM
We did make it a point to let everyone at the con know that the promotions on the cards were only running for the weekend, as incentive to get people to sign up and try the game out then and there.
However, the codes will return for future conventions, and we do have other promo codes that never expire!
However, the codes will return for future conventions, and we do have other promo codes that never expire!
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by Dread » July 31, 2019 05:00 PM
I do want to pop in and say- when the cards were handed out at the booth it was said to use the codes that weekend- the codes actually got extended through Monday night already. I definitely understand not having the energy, and perhaps in the future this could be more clear/there could be a bit more time, but the intention was for these codes to be used the weekend of.
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by MagpieM » July 31, 2019 05:07 PM
I understand not wanting to extend or go back on what you've laid out as a deadline for this time and will not add to the pressure to do so. I only hope future appearances of the limited time codes will be handled with more clarity. I am very excited and pleased that these limited codes will reappear in the future, tho!
Some suggestions:
I think putting the expiration information on the cards you hand out in person and in every social media post will help a lot. I know in the rush and buzz of a con, my processing can be slow and I don't always do things (even things I am very excited about) for a few days. Getting me excited at a con, but not giving me time to juggle the fifty billon other things I am excited about at a con is a good way to lose my goodwill and interest as a potential customer.
If you want to be able to reuse printed promotional material or limited time event handouts, having a spot that very boldly says "Use By:________" and then one of those stamps where you can adjust the numbers for the date you need has worked very well in my experience.
Some suggestions:
I think putting the expiration information on the cards you hand out in person and in every social media post will help a lot. I know in the rush and buzz of a con, my processing can be slow and I don't always do things (even things I am very excited about) for a few days. Getting me excited at a con, but not giving me time to juggle the fifty billon other things I am excited about at a con is a good way to lose my goodwill and interest as a potential customer.
If you want to be able to reuse printed promotional material or limited time event handouts, having a spot that very boldly says "Use By:________" and then one of those stamps where you can adjust the numbers for the date you need has worked very well in my experience.
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I'd rather not have to stamp/edit 1000+ cards every time we attend a con ^^;
Since we printed these cards to be reused at future cons, I am disinclined to make changes to the cards themselves until we run out and need to reprint. Perhaps we can have a default "freebie" bundle that everyone gets just for signing up in the week after the con, in addition to the weekend-specific promos?
Re: Otakon code extension?
by Diana » July 31, 2019 05:14 PM
Posted by: "MagpieM"
If you want to be able to reuse printed promotional material or limited time event handouts, having a spot that very boldly says "Use By:________" and then one of those stamps where you can adjust the numbers for the date you need has worked very well in my experience.
I'd rather not have to stamp/edit 1000+ cards every time we attend a con ^^;
Since we printed these cards to be reused at future cons, I am disinclined to make changes to the cards themselves until we run out and need to reprint. Perhaps we can have a default "freebie" bundle that everyone gets just for signing up in the week after the con, in addition to the weekend-specific promos?
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Hahah, as someone who has literally stamped 1000 bits of card stock on a yearly basis, I feel ya on not wanting to do that! It's a lot of work, but it does help folks to have that information written down if you're handing them a time-sensitive thing!
A default freebie bundle upon signing up within a week after con sounds like a good idea to me.
A default freebie bundle upon signing up within a week after con sounds like a good idea to me.
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Re: Otakon code extension?
by CloudedOtter » July 31, 2019 06:07 PM
[P.] [@Diana] Thanks for clarifying! It's good to hear that the codes will be returning, so people will have a second shot at those goodies.
I totally get not wanting to stamp/write every card by hand, but assuming all the cons that you attend are weekend-based, maybe a possibility is to have the next print run say "Use by Monday"? I've definitely been guilty of forgetting verbal information told to me in the midst of con brain haze.
And yeah, a general con newbie bundle sounds good!
I totally get not wanting to stamp/write every card by hand, but assuming all the cons that you attend are weekend-based, maybe a possibility is to have the next print run say "Use by Monday"? I've definitely been guilty of forgetting verbal information told to me in the midst of con brain haze.
And yeah, a general con newbie bundle sounds good!
