Don't want to sound ungreatful....but

rdsd221

rdsd221

New member
Would like to know what you all think about this:

Won a trip to California to see taping of soap opera. Due to writer strike, they offered me several locations to see soap star in concert instead and a meet/greet with him. Since one location offered was 45 minutes from my house, she said "some" cash would be included since there was no real travel expenses. Since I like cash :laughing: I chose the location closest to home. Just found out cash amount is only $200.00. If I chose to fly somewhere it would have cost them at least $600.00 in airfare. The ARV of the win was stated as $2,500. In total, they are paying out half of the state ARV ($800 hotel room + $100 concert tickets + $200 cash = $1,200).

Please don't get me wrong. I am very appreciative of any win and I know nothing is "due" me, but I can't help but feel a little cheated. Is this really stupid or would you feel the same?
 
I don't think your ungrateful just didn't get what you were expecting. As for the arv the meet with the soap star is probably worth something and if ya accepted a location further away and had to fly you wouldn't get any cash and would have to make arraignments, work etc..... Just ask the sponsor to adjust the 1099 to show the difference in actual arv. Sounds like a nice prize I hope you have a great time.
 
You also have to take into consideration that the ARV is just an over-inflated approximation and has no equivalent cash value. It's a worse-case approximation in case one of the winner's travelled from a much further distance causing higher airfare expense. We've won quite a few trips, and none of them ever equated to the ARV. Our trip to Las Vegas had an ARV of $5,000, and it came in at $1,300; trip to South Beach Miami, FL had an ARV of $3,000, and it came in at $1,400; trip to NYC (local, no airfare) had an ARV of $5,000, and it came in at around $1,000. Those are just a few of our trips, but you can see that the fair market value (FMV, actual cost) usually doesn't come close to the ARV. Our trip to NYC did not include cash in lieu of airfare either, and we still have one more pending trip to NYC.
 
Lidarkside:

I'm so impressed! You won all those trips (and more). Wow! I'm waiting for a trip. I feel it coming~
I'm hoping it's a cruise. A Disney one! I'd love anything though.

If you live in NY and the trip is to NYC and your not using the airfare and the sponsor is not offering cash in lieu of airfare, do they make a deductions in price amount?

I want to win one to NYC. Even though I live in NY I would like to stay at a posh NYC hotel and see a broadway show, eat at a fancy restaurant see the sights. I love NYC.
 
:wave: rdsd221 :wave:

LIDARKSIDE nailed it - ARV's are figured to CY (their) A, not reflect the usual amount - that's why it's so important to CYA yourself, to get the right amount on your 1099/have documentation :)

But, I hear ya, I won a trip to Hawaii from a local casino, and chose the cash - $1,500 - instead. I remember thinking at the time the trip (airfare, condo for a week) would be MUCH higher, but, I was ultimately just grateful they gave the cash option because I don't travel well :cry:
 
thumbelina said:
Lidarkside:

I'm so impressed! You won all those trips (and more). Wow! I'm waiting for a trip. I feel it coming~
I'm hoping it's a cruise. A Disney one! I'd love anything though.

If you live in NY and the trip is to NYC and your not using the airfare and the sponsor is not offering cash in lieu of airfare, do they make a deductions in price amount?

I want to win one to NYC. Even though I live in NY I would like to stay at a posh NYC hotel and see a broadway show, eat at a fancy restaurant see the sights. I love NYC.
Click to expand...

Oh yeh (see above :laughing:)! The ARV was $5,000, the trip was actually around $1,000 instead. They did have to readjust the amount though, because they claimed the department making out the 1099's didn't have actual costs of all the winners' trips (??). They also had a limo service bring us to and from NYC. They sent a black SUV, because we had two cars seats for our children also. We stayed at the one Sheraton in Times Square. We had to use subway service though, because they couldn't transport our children in the shuttle bringing winners down to the DJ Scratch Academy downtown. Also, if they're setting you up in a standard room, chances are the room will be smaller than any hotel room you've stayed in before. Standard hotel rooms in NYC are, in most case, very small. Also, when we were there, they had to switch back to A/C which takes awhile to cool down the hotel; and we were sweating our butts off whether we were inside or out.

Now, if we can figure out what's going on with our other NYC trip! :scratch:
 
I won a trip to vegas in 2006 with an ARV of $3,000 and took a cash option of $1,000 after circumstances prevented me from being able to take the trip. I figure it wouldn't have nearly came out to $3k anyways. Everything is over inflated in the sweeps.
 
The ARV is Approximate RETAIL Value. Most of the time the sponsors are not paying that price. They are able to get the trip for substantially less than you or I would pay. Also, some of the components may be comped to the sponsor. So the cash option is likely to be considerably less.

Sorry you are disappointed. Hope you win your dream trip soon!
 
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