Claimed a trip prize last November, trip is supposed to be next weekend and having issues with contest administrator

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derjohnsiu

New member
So I won a vacation sweeps for a weekend in Vegas last November from a Wine Group sweeps. AVID Inc is their contest administrator. So since sending in my winners forms last November, I've had several email communications with the representative from Avid Inc. Around May or June, I confirmed the dates for my trip for Oct 7-9. I was contacted again Mid August with her checking to see that everything is still a go so she could start booking the trip with the travel agent. I confirmed and she said she would be out of office for rest of the week but would finish setting up trip then. That was over 3 and a half weeks ago. I had heard nothing from them. So I sent an email last Thursday. Got no response. Sent a second email yesterday morning saying WTF, and she replied back immediately saying she was finishing working on it. 2 hours later I get some flight details, but they say they can't book the room because not in budget and want to put me in some shitty hotel because they booked the flights yesterday and they are 2/3 of the trip allowance of $2500. I have suggested other hotels with similar price to their hotel and after getting immediate responses, I have got nothing since. I'm just curious if anybody has had experiences like this or with Avid Inc as the sweeps admin and what should be my next steps since my trip is supposed to be in 1 week and I know what flight they want to put me on but I have no other details like flight confirmation. What should be my next steps?
 
derjohnsiu said:
So I won a vacation sweeps for a weekend in Vegas last November from a Wine Group sweeps. AVID Inc is their contest administrator. So since sending in my winners forms last November, I've had several email communications with the representative from Avid Inc. Around May or June, I confirmed the dates for my trip for Oct 7-9. I was contacted again Mid August with her checking to see that everything is still a go so she could start booking the trip with the travel agent. I confirmed and she said she would be out of office for rest of the week but would finish setting up trip then. That was over 3 and a half weeks ago. I had heard nothing from them. So I sent an email last Thursday. Got no response. Sent a second email yesterday morning saying WTF, and she replied back immediately saying she was finishing working on it. 2 hours later I get some flight details, but they say they can't book the room because not in budget and want to put me in some shitty hotel because they booked the flights yesterday and they are 2/3 of the trip allowance of $2500. I have suggested other hotels with similar price to their hotel and after getting immediate responses, I have got nothing since. I'm just curious if anybody has had experiences like this or with Avid Inc as the sweeps admin and what should be my next steps since my trip is supposed to be in 1 week and I know what flight they want to put me on but I have no other details like flight confirmation. What should be my next steps?
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Oh gosh, how unprofessional of them! I'm sorry you're going through this. Hopefully, they can pull it together in time for the trip. Unfortunately, I've never won a trip before, so I don't have any insight but hopefully someone here on the forum can share their experiences.
 
So sorry to hear. I have won items through Avid in the past, but nothing recent and no trips through them. I have won several trips through others and have never had an issue like this. Have you tried a manager? It sounds like the contact person isn't doing their best work. At this point, you might ask yourself if you want to take the flight and pay for everything else out of pocket, or just not go. A prize should be an enjoyable thing, not a nightmare. I am so sorry!
 
So I wish I was coming back with great news but that's not quite the case. So I finally did hear back from the sweeps admin. Said she was forwarding an email from a travel agency with my details. I got that email, and I know now at least my flights are confirmed. But my hotel confirmation number seemed way to long so I called the hotels customer service line to see if they could help. They told me all they needed was my name and my check in date. After looking thru, he found a reservation with same last name, but none under my name. So I gave him the travel agency name, and still nothing. Frustrated, I told him sorry for wasting his time and hung up so I could email the sweeps admin again. I had hoped I was finally done dealing with them last week but evidently not. Probably won't find anything out today/tonite but crossed fingers I hear something tomorrow!
 
derjohnsiu said:
So I wish I was coming back with great news but that's not quite the case. So I finally did hear back from the sweeps admin. Said she was forwarding an email from a travel agency with my details. I got that email, and I know now at least my flights are confirmed. But my hotel confirmation number seemed way to long so I called the hotels customer service line to see if they could help. They told me all they needed was my name and my check in date. After looking thru, he found a reservation with same last name, but none under my name. So I gave him the travel agency name, and still nothing. Frustrated, I told him sorry for wasting his time and hung up so I could email the sweeps admin again. I had hoped I was finally done dealing with them last week but evidently not. Probably won't find anything out today/tonite but crossed fingers I hear something tomorrow!
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Wow that's not cool!
 
derjohnsiu said:
So I wish I was coming back with great news but that's not quite the case. So I finally did hear back from the sweeps admin. Said she was forwarding an email from a travel agency with my details. I got that email, and I know now at least my flights are confirmed. But my hotel confirmation number seemed way to long so I called the hotels customer service line to see if they could help. They told me all they needed was my name and my check in date. After looking thru, he found a reservation with same last name, but none under my name. So I gave him the travel agency name, and still nothing. Frustrated, I told him sorry for wasting his time and hung up so I could email the sweeps admin again. I had hoped I was finally done dealing with them last week but evidently not. Probably won't find anything out today/tonite but crossed fingers I hear something tomorrow!
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Is there any way you can just talk to the airline yourself, cancel the flight that's booked under your name, and keep it as a travel voucher for yourself?
 
Finally the good news has arrived! Got an email late afternoon yesterday. My last email to them was basically my last comment.I got a 1 line response as follows: Hi, After looking into the confirmation of the hotel, here is your confirmation code: So finally everything is legitimately set and saved ready for check in in less then 48 hours. No more stressing and 1 day left of work! 🤞
 
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