We try to make contests as wide-open as possible, but are often limited by either country-specific regulations, shipping cost (bulky prizes cost $$ to ship from the US), or prizes that just don't work outside the US (a region-specific piece of electronics or a gift certificate to a US-only site won't do you any good.)
I'm sorry we had to limit this one to the US, but there will be more internationally-available contests coming up soon!
I don't recall where i read it but someone had a lengthy post about the legality of conducting contests that cross international borders. It largely has to do with import regulations, customs, duties and all that jazz. Essentially they said that in order to have a nation included in their contest they had to consult attorneys specializing in import law (or something like that) within each country. In short, it wasn't cost effective to open the contest to the world. I'm not sure how much that weighs in on the decision but is an unfortunate "global economy" side-effect.
Legal considerations go both ways. Commercial reasons could touch international law, as this comes close to protectionism! Global economy means open up borders, not close them, to only include 'the great satan' and its northern satellite...
I enjoyed living in Florida for 8 years, but had to go, since I had no legal status. Both the US and Europe have their plusses and minuses. I prefer the tropics though (Guyanese girlfriend).
What a pity... i live in Italy and I have just create an electronic drum machine from an old dead pc keyboard and compact discs..... probably i will create the instructable also if I cannot partecipate (i have already take pictures during the build up...) I know that are the sponsor who decide the target market for their gadgets, but I hope to see almost the pro membership price open to non US people like me... Remember that a lot of inventors of the past came from the "old continent"... Greetings to all from Leonardo's country ;-) !!
There's nothing stopping you posting your project anyway. Maybe if the sponsors see lots of excellent international entries they cannot use, maybe next time they will widen the contest.
I totally agree. To all non-US residents: whining won't change a thing unless you want to be eligible for winning the whining contest (maybe there is an idea!).
The point, that it is unfair, has been made, but just keep posting the ideas. The quatity and quality of your postings will eventually change the rules, nothing else.
People outside the US should at least be eligible for 1st 2nd 3rd recognition even if they cant get a prize .But so not to waste a Net book just give it to the 4th place US winner. Or even 5th place since there are so many international contestants , it wouldn't surprise me if two places were claimed by international instructablers.
i feel a wall building up. us vs. the rest of the world. wait.... naa that cant be right.
you should be sponsored by companies who ship all over the world. like dell , who have no problem finding a localized keyboard for us with all the strange letters and voltages..
Instructables could insist (or at least strongly request...) just one prize or special mention for an "overseas" contestant...Surely any company wants to increase it's standing even in places where they don't have a market... yet.
Indeed, it'd be something nice Maybe even making a separate contest for non-US-and-Canada with online prizes; doesn't have to be something big, just something that encourage us to participate too.
I am too bit sad as I can't enter the competition. Is the ASUS the actual sponsor for the prizes? I would imagine that they have tons of offices around the world that could supply a prize for the winner from their respective marketing area... Then again, when corporations are involved, one can't now their true operating procedures. :)
II'm not kidding here but in Belgium we have a saying: "kom nooit tussen een hollander en zijn prijs" Translated to english "Never come between a dutchman and his price"
I find it sad to that we can't participate but it isn't instructables fault. It are the sponsors. But I can imagine that instructables doesn't have a row of sponsors at the ready to give them free stuff so I don't blame them.
Next time however they can inform us from the beginning that only US and Canada can enter.
Not to insult ey Bob ;) a little Belgium-Holland once or twice doesn't hurt ;)
Actually, the highest price I expected to get out would be a tee shirt, which I already have. But I do hate the injustice, as I see instructables as an international site. My experience in doing a project is that you have to be hyperfocused. There is always a point that you have to desolder, or deconstruct a large element, or overcome an over eagerness to publish a project and never really do the finishing touch. I have to become a bit crazy, making myself think this will be the best project ever launched! A contest is a great tool to get in the right mood. An unjust contest policy is a great excuse to do some America bashing!!!
Of course there are local contests. My point is that I seldom yet got inspiration from their projects, since it is more local, and thus limiting the amount of projects. That is why instructables is my (international) site of choice, and as many folks in the world as possible could benefit from all the projects showed here. But then of course it becomes very irritating when suddenly almost half of the participants are excluded from a contest. I would disapprove of excluding the US, or China, etc. as well.
Argh, i hate this kind of stuff, i live in Mexico i have PO box, and a direction in the USA. i go to the USA every month. I live 1 hour from the border, yet i cant participate in a lot of contests, becouse im not "american" (actually i am american, american is not a country, is the entire continent)
RANT BLA BLA BLA, good luck to my americans friends
Hi guys, just an idea for those who are able to pop into the states for some time.. Is it possible to pop into the states during the period when the prizes are given out to receive them?
You haven't mentioned the competition people are talking about. It may just be a "we're not shipping this one overseas" thing. Most traffic is US (UK 2nd but not far off Canada, Aus ~half Canada, India half again).
Bryan Adams, Anton LaVey, and Hugh Grant hereby vote to prohibit Holland from all future contests too.But to be fair, Hugh Grant may have been distracted by an undercover female officer.
It's disappointing (to me also), but when the contest is sponsored, there's not a lot the site can do about where the contest is targeted.
Partly it's to do with the way large companies work - Singer sewing machines are available in the UK, but only from (say) Singer UK PLC*, which will be a different company to SingerCorp USA and to SInger NZ Inc.
Since the contest is sponsored by SingerCorp USA, they are only going to want to promote the contest to its geographical market. Presumably, American sewing magazines will be running adverts or articles promoting the contest.
*Company names are all made up, purely for illustrative purposes.
*Company names are all made up, purely for illustrative purposes.
LOL.
Seriously though - Surly they could allow entries and make other arrangements. It is not as if people seeing and participating outside target markets, decreases the impact on that market. Quite the opposite in this case I would have thought, given the way things snowball on the net. Am now wearing my instructables t-shirt with slightly less pride :(
Discussions
10 years ago
We try to make contests as wide-open as possible, but are often limited by either country-specific regulations, shipping cost (bulky prizes cost $$ to ship from the US), or prizes that just don't work outside the US (a region-specific piece of electronics or a gift certificate to a US-only site won't do you any good.)
I'm sorry we had to limit this one to the US, but there will be more internationally-available contests coming up soon!
10 years ago
I don't recall where i read it but someone had a lengthy post about the legality of conducting contests that cross international borders. It largely has to do with import regulations, customs, duties and all that jazz. Essentially they said that in order to have a nation included in their contest they had to consult attorneys specializing in import law (or something like that) within each country. In short, it wasn't cost effective to open the contest to the world. I'm not sure how much that weighs in on the decision but is an unfortunate "global economy" side-effect.
Reply 10 years ago
Legal considerations go both ways. Commercial reasons could touch international law, as this comes close to protectionism! Global economy means open up borders, not close them, to only include 'the great satan' and its northern satellite...
Reply 10 years ago
Yet another excellent reason to move to "the great satan!"
Reply 10 years ago
I enjoyed living in Florida for 8 years, but had to go, since I had no legal status. Both the US and Europe have their plusses and minuses. I prefer the tropics though (Guyanese girlfriend).
Reply 10 years ago
I thought Guyana was in SA. Is it tropical?
Reply 10 years ago
Reply 9 years ago
It does look rather close to the equator. Thanks I forgot where it was :)
Reply 9 years ago
Well, you were correct about it being in South America :-)
Reply 10 years ago
10 years ago
What about the possibility of donating the prize?
10 years ago
What a pity... i live in Italy and I have just create an electronic drum machine from an old dead pc keyboard and compact discs..... probably i will create the instructable also if I cannot partecipate (i have already take pictures during the build up...) I know that are the sponsor who decide the target market for their gadgets, but I hope to see almost the pro membership price open to non US people like me... Remember that a lot of inventors of the past came from the "old continent"... Greetings to all from Leonardo's country ;-) !!
10 years ago
Oh come on!
I was really excited about this. I even had multiple ideas going on...
Luckily I waited t'ill the contest start before getting my material...
I don't blame instructables they just have to follow the sponsors but I can't deny I'm dissapointed.
Oh and it would be nice if it's posted in the topic before getting our hopes up. They probably knew this before the contest started or am I wrong?
Reply 10 years ago
to clarify with "the topic" I mean the topic that is on the community forum.
Reply 10 years ago
There's nothing stopping you posting your project anyway. Maybe if the sponsors see lots of excellent international entries they cannot use, maybe next time they will widen the contest.
Reply 10 years ago
I totally agree. To all non-US residents: whining won't change a thing unless you want to be eligible for winning the whining contest (maybe there is an idea!).
The point, that it is unfair, has been made, but just keep posting the ideas. The quatity and quality of your postings will eventually change the rules, nothing else.
Bertus52x11, a non-US resident.
10 years ago
What if i have a friend in US or Canada?
Can i put his details and ill get him to send the prize 4 me? is that possible?
Reply 10 years ago
Are you answering this post or you only answer the ones from US and Canada as well!!!!
10 years ago
People outside the US should at least be eligible for 1st 2nd 3rd recognition even if they cant get a prize .But so not to waste a Net book just give it to the 4th place US winner. Or even 5th place since there are so many international contestants , it wouldn't surprise me if two places were claimed by international instructablers.
10 years ago
i feel a wall building up.
us vs. the rest of the world.
wait.... naa that cant be right.
you should be sponsored by companies who ship all over the world. like dell , who have no problem finding a localized keyboard for us with all the strange letters and voltages..
10 years ago
Instructables could insist (or at least strongly request...) just one prize or special mention for an "overseas" contestant...Surely any company wants to increase it's standing even in places where they don't have a market... yet.
Reply 10 years ago
Indeed, it'd be something nice
Maybe even making a separate contest for non-US-and-Canada with online prizes; doesn't have to be something big, just something that encourage us to participate too.
10 years ago
Just for that I won't break my computer - So There!
10 years ago
I am too bit sad as I can't enter the competition. Is the ASUS the actual sponsor for the prizes? I would imagine that they have tons of offices around the world that could supply a prize for the winner from their respective marketing area... Then again, when corporations are involved, one can't now their true operating procedures. :)
10 years ago
Next time the instructables staff really should negotiate better, and create rules for potential sponsors.
If you go this way, is the next step a mandatory use of inches, Lbs,$ etc.?
Very discouraging!
Reply 10 years ago
BobS stop whining, I'm sure there's many contests where you live that we cant participate in either.....:P
Reply 10 years ago
II'm not kidding here but in Belgium we have a saying: "kom nooit tussen een hollander en zijn prijs" Translated to english "Never come between a dutchman and his price"
I find it sad to that we can't participate but it isn't instructables fault. It are the sponsors. But I can imagine that instructables doesn't have a row of sponsors at the ready to give them free stuff so I don't blame them.
Next time however they can inform us from the beginning that only US and Canada can enter.
Not to insult ey Bob ;) a little Belgium-Holland once or twice doesn't hurt ;)
Reply 10 years ago
LOL I'm sorry if I sounded cold, Bob just seemed so angry about it that I had to comment
Reply 10 years ago
Actually, the highest price I expected to get out would be a tee shirt, which I already have. But I do hate the injustice, as I see instructables as an international site.
My experience in doing a project is that you have to be hyperfocused. There is always a point that you have to desolder, or deconstruct a large element, or overcome an over eagerness to publish a project and never really do the finishing touch. I have to become a bit crazy, making myself think this will be the best project ever launched!
A contest is a great tool to get in the right mood.
An unjust contest policy is a great excuse to do some America bashing!!!
Reply 10 years ago
Lol bash the Americans all you want, I'm Canadian
Reply 10 years ago
Of course there are local contests. My point is that I seldom yet got inspiration from their projects, since it is more local, and thus limiting the amount of projects. That is why instructables is my (international) site of choice, and as many folks in the world as possible could benefit from all the projects showed here. But then of course it becomes very irritating when suddenly almost half of the participants are excluded from a contest. I would disapprove of excluding the US, or China, etc. as well.
Reply 10 years ago
. Are you volunteering to find sponsors* that would be willing to follow your rules?
* Plural. You need to find a sponsor every month or two - this is not a one-time deal.
Reply 10 years ago
Excellent idea, I vote in favor of this.
10 years ago
Argh, i hate this kind of stuff, i live in Mexico i have PO box, and a direction in the USA. i go to the USA every month. I live 1 hour from the border, yet i cant participate in a lot of contests, becouse im not "american" (actually i am american, american is not a country, is the entire continent)
RANT BLA BLA BLA, good luck to my americans friends
Reply 10 years ago
The weird thing is Mexico is closer to Squidlabs than some parts of the Us...
10 years ago
Hi guys, just an idea for those who are able to pop into the states for some time..
Is it possible to pop into the states during the period when the prizes are given out to receive them?
10 years ago
What? Only U.S and Canda? :(
10 years ago
You haven't mentioned the competition people are talking about.
It may just be a "we're not shipping this one overseas" thing. Most traffic is US (UK 2nd but not far off Canada, Aus ~half Canada, India half again).
L
Reply 10 years ago
Dead computer contest.
Reply 10 years ago
Dead Computercontest:
I want to withdraw my entry for the contest. Do I have to unpublish/ republish or is there another way?
Reply 10 years ago
Why?
Reply 10 years ago
Why? because only inhabitants of the great satan and its northern satellite are eligible, and this was not announced beforehand.
Reply 10 years ago
Bryan Adams, Anton LaVey, and Hugh Grant hereby vote to prohibit Holland from all future contests too.But to be fair, Hugh Grant may have been distracted by an undercover female officer.
Reply 10 years ago
. Bah! Everyone knows Hugh was distracted by a meter maid.
10 years ago
How about the U.S. takes control of ALL nations and renames this planet into "The united states of earth". Or better yet: www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/nukeart2.jpg
10 years ago
That's the way the geography crumbles.
It's disappointing (to me also), but when the contest is sponsored, there's not a lot the site can do about where the contest is targeted.
Partly it's to do with the way large companies work - Singer sewing machines are available in the UK, but only from (say) Singer UK PLC*, which will be a different company to SingerCorp USA and to SInger NZ Inc.
Since the contest is sponsored by SingerCorp USA, they are only going to want to promote the contest to its geographical market. Presumably, American sewing magazines will be running adverts or articles promoting the contest.
*Company names are all made up, purely for illustrative purposes.
Reply 10 years ago
LOL.
Seriously though - Surly they could allow entries and make other arrangements. It is not as if people seeing and participating outside target markets, decreases the impact on that market. Quite the opposite in this case I would have thought, given the way things snowball on the net.
Am now wearing my instructables t-shirt with slightly less pride :(
Reply 10 years ago
I agree! Though my later post makes it look like I didn't read yours before posting... and of course I wouldn't have done that!
Reply 10 years ago
You'd think so, but no, and it is beyond the site's control.
I won Amazon vouchers once, and Amazon refused to honour them on any version of its company except "amazon.com", which is the American branch.
I live in the UK, so a large part of my prize went on postage costs...
10 years ago
I'm extremely disappointed about this!!
I had some nice ideas, does anybody know a similar contest for the rest of us??