For someone who enjoys shopping as much as I do, it is surprising that I have never been a member of an online shopping community. I have visited a few while searching for products or product reviews on Google, but have never come across one that has compelled me to join. They all seem to be just full of data and just . . . not so much fun. That is why I was so pleasantly surprised when I accepted an invitation to look around JoeShopping.com. This site is bright, fun, inviting, and user-friendly.
Registration:
I found the registration process to be quick and painless. It required minimal information, but does require an email confirmation. You can provide as much or as little information about yourself for your profile as you wish.
Privacy:
You have quite a bit of control over your privacy on JoeShopping.com. Similarly to Facebook, you can set what is visible to everyone, to just your friends, and what remains private. This includes your profile information, contact information, and any content you contribute, such as photos, reviews, shopping updates, and more.
$1,000 Monthly Sweepstakes:
As a reward for your taking the time to contribute and participate in this shopping community, you earn "JoePoints" for almost everything you do, such as registering, posting a video, a photo, a review, a blog post, and much more. You can even receive 3 free points daily just by visiting the JoeShopping.com's sponsor page. Each point you earn gives you an entry into the monthly drawing for one of three cash prizes in the amounts of $500, $350, and $150. You can even track who has earned the most JoePoints for the day, week, month, year, or in total. Another way to earn some bonus JoePoints is to refer friends. You receive 10 points for each friend who signs up.
Shopping:
JoeShopping.com offers an easy-to-use shopping tool. You can search for any item to yield search results, which include a product photo, the price of the item, and a link to the retailer. You can sort your results by relevance or by price point and you can even do another search within your results to narrow down the products further. If you are not sure what you want, then you can search by category.
Coupon Codes:
JoeShopping.com offers promo codes for online shopping, as well as printable grocery coupons. The discount codes can be search by looking on a list of store names or by alphabetical order. The grocery coupons can be search by category or by brand.
Badges:
As a fun reward for your participation in the JoeShopping Community, you can unlock badges that are displayed on your profile page. For example the yellow badge below is unlocked when you find 25 shopping buddies and the blue one when you upload your 30th photo.
If you would like to check out this shopping community for yourself, just go to JoeShopping.com. You can also visit JoeShopping on Facebook and on Twitter.
Thank you to JoeShopping for providing the images for this article and the gift certificate for our contest prize.
What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $100 Amazon.com gift card
.Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.
How to Gain Entries:
Visit the JoeShopping's $1000 Sweepstakes page. Then leave a comment telling me one way you can earn points (i.e. entries) into this monthly sweepstakes. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.
Extra Entries:
1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.
3) For 10 extra entries, register to be a member of JoeShopping AND add Karen3G2S as a friend. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the username you used to register.
4) For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.
5) For 1 extra entry each, follow JoeShopping on Twitter and/or "Like" JoeShopping on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment for each with the link to your Twitter or Facebook profile.
6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.
7) Tweet about this giveaway @JoeShopping linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.
8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
9) Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.
(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)
Random Drawing:
Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, February 28th, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.
Good luck in the drawing!
