Scam drawing allowed in Camping world stores-Marcus??

[bigmichael]

I can't believe that Camping World is allowing Ocean Canyon properties to set up booths in their stores for "gift certificate" drawings. I never enter these at RV shows and such, but thought it was legit because it was in the CW store at Nashville.

The person at the booth gave every impression I was entering a CW drawing-not supplying my number for time-share telemarketers. They then call and use the same come on that telemarketers normally use-you won blah blah blah! I subsequently went on the internet to discover it was time share sales, as many people report being "scammed" at CW with these drawings. We FT, so our phone # is our cell phone--and we have now received three calls so far today. I have now had Verizon block the number.

I think I am less upset with Ocean Canyon properties than I am with CW for allowing this to occur in their stores. Very misleading-and very odd that a reputable company like CW would allow it to go on. I'm very interested to hear if this is something Marcus is aware of.

Thanks

[jdog]

Good Sam Care Team wrote:
Hello bigmichael,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention and I apologize for the frustration this has caused you. If you could please send me a private message with your contact information, I would be glad to have someone reach out to you regarding this. Please let me know if you need anything else. Thank you for your time and have a great day!

Elizabeth Black-Osborn
Marcus Rapid Response Team

Oh sure, "thanks for bring this to our attention". What a farse! CW is paid by these companies to be allowed to do this. CW could not careless about the customers. It is easy money for CW. NOTHING will be done to stop this MARKETING SCAM!

[mtrumpet]

tomoneal wrote:
I'm surprised Camping World allows lead generators at their door. Most major chains frown on pitching their customers.

I generate the same type of leads the same way for telemarketers but from a booth at Home shows, Car Shows, Street Fairs, etc. My booth has signage that advertises "Register for a Florida Vacation with 2 Free Universal Tickets" and sometimes I raffle off a free vacation if the show promoter presses me to do so.

I have to pay the show promoter ~$700 to ~$1200 for that 10X10 booth at their typical paid entrance show (Free Street Fairs can be had for $35-$50/day & great fill-in between major events.) I get about 800 to 1200 leads cards filled out at the booth table and placed in my "drum" over that 3 day period.

At the end of each day I gather up the cards and send them COD to my client Telemarketers. They are charged $2.50 to $3.00 for each card (& they pay the postman - in cash if I so specify - before they receive the day's batch of leads.)

At Camping World - Watch how many cards they get and you can guestimate how lucrative the location is. (Pity that I can't set up at Camping World but that is not my target market.)

BTW - Those telemarketers call those leads and sell/book an appointment with about 1/17 - 1/20. That means their lead cost is about $60.00 per package sold/appointment booked.

That's very interesting info. I never was very clear on how that all worked.

[tomoneal]

I'm surprised Camping World allows lead generators at their door. Most major chains frown on pitching their customers.

I generate the same type of leads the same way for telemarketers but from a booth at Home shows, Car Shows, Street Fairs, etc. My booth has signage that advertises "Register for a Florida Vacation with 2 Free Universal Tickets" and sometimes I raffle off a free vacation if the show promoter presses me to do so.

I have to pay the show promoter ~$700 to ~$1200 for that 10X10 booth at their typical paid entrance show (Free Street Fairs can be had for $35-$50/day & great fill-in between major events.) I get about 800 to 1200 leads cards filled out at the booth table and placed in my "drum" over that 3 day period.

At the end of each day I gather up the cards and send them COD to my client Telemarketers. They are charged $2.50 to $3.00 for each card (& they pay the postman - in cash if I so specify - before they receive the day's batch of leads.)

At Camping World - Watch how many cards they get and you can guestimate how lucrative the location is. (Pity that I can't set up at Camping World but that is not my target market.)

BTW - Those telemarketers call those leads and sell/book an appointment with about 1/17 - 1/20. That means their lead cost is about $60.00 per package sold/appointment booked.

[othertonka]

If you look at the fine print and you are over 75, you are not even eligible to get the free camping nights, let alone get to even listen to a presentation. Since I am 79 that lets me out of the deal. I have never signed up at a place like that but have received those offers in the mail, that is where I read the age restriction. buyer beware

[cKarlGo]

ventrman wrote:
There is a simple Fix if you do not want to give out your personal Tel#. Use Google Voice. When they call it, it will be forward to the Number of your Choice. If you get unwanted Calls, just go to the Google Voice Website and block the Number, The next Time they call, they will get the Message that this Number has been disconnected. Incidentally Google Voice is free.

If you're an iPhone user and up to date on iOS, you also have a block feature that's useful.

[ventrman]

There is a simple Fix if you do not want to give out your personal Tel#. Use Google Voice. When they call it, it will be forward to the Number of your Choice. If you get unwanted Calls, just go to the Google Voice Website and block the Number, The next Time they call, they will get the Message that this Number has been disconnected. Incidentally Google Voice is free.

[Good_Sam_Care_T]

Hello bigmichael,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention and I apologize for the frustration this has caused you. If you could please send me a private message with your contact information, I would be glad to have someone reach out to you regarding this. Please let me know if you need anything else. Thank you for your time and have a great day!

Elizabeth Black-Osborn
Marcus Rapid Response Team

[wbwood]

They make these things nowadays called answering machines and even some phones have caller id. When I see a number on caller id I don't recognize or dont want to talk to, I let it go to the answering machine. If it's important, they will leave a message. If they don't leave one, it's not important. You can also block numbers, espeically if you have a smart phone.

[skipnchar]

The only SURE way to protect your privacy is to not give out your contact information. NOBODY pay any attention to the "do not call" legislation since it was never given any money to enforce it but even if they DID, once you give them your contact information or do any business of any kind with them, it's perfectly legal for them to contact you.

[Dannyabear1]

Cw probably gets a cut of whatever sales are made by this enter to win contest; Our local CW has a golf cart that you could win. After you fill out all of your info you'll get a call that you are a finalist to win, but come see 'Our Resort'. After we told them that we had already camped there but in GF name, we got OK,Thanks..
So, next call, just tell them you have already been there and they won't call back.

Do you really think they give away a $5,ooo golf cart to be nice?????????

[bigmichael]

Obviously, I'm just too stupid to be allowed out in civilization. LOL

I guess what I wrote and what I meant wasn't entirely clear. Let me try it again. I have seen these "marketing" techniques many, many times in my life. As I wrote, I've seen them at all the RV shows as just another vendor booth, I've seen them at nearly every fair I've attended, I've seen them in mall booths and kiosks, street corners and festivals, etc etc. And I know what they are and I don't participate.

What I have not seen, (and maybe I just lived a sheltered life) is them set up in a booth inside the grocery store, in the hardware store, in the drugstore, or inside any other retail store that I remember. They are normally in general public areas of the mall, the show, the festival, etc. This particular day at this particular store, they were inside the store and they presented as simply a camping world sweepstakes.

And the "scam" part of it continues with the phone call that makes no mention of time share, but rather that I "won". Unfortunately, it gives what some of you call "marketing", a bad name. And by reviewing the number of people on-line who have felt taken in by this "marketing" in CW, I still am amazed that Marcus allows it to continue.

[Dog_Folks]

This sort of promotion has been going on in Camping World Stores for at least eight years, that I know of.

I never sign up either.

[SooperDaddy]

Learned a "life lesson" huh? I just turned 60 and don't think I've fallen for THAT ruse since I was probably in my late teens!

Don't sign up for anything. Period. Especially don't use your real email address or name...I use a fake name and a yahoo email address just used for such things.


JUST SAY NO!

[kalynzoo]

I agree, it is marketing not a scam. Just the same, I hope that it was disclosed on the entry card that your name and number could be (would be) used for marketing purposes. The same type of deal is offered at the entrance of every RV show I have attended, and in many malls "you can win a car". I just don't don't sign up for any of these offers...sadly, I have probably missed out on free nights of camping, a new car, and a million dollars. But that's just luck.
Happy Trails.