admin
07-29-2008, 10:34 AM
Last updated on July 29, 2008
Please read the rules in full before you sign up. Thank you.
1. Finding a Gift Exchange Buddy - Pairing up will be randomly done by computer and you will be informed by e-mail or PM as to who your secret gift exchange buddy is, their address and all their information on themselves and their pet(s)! You may register up to two Maltese per Gift Exchange. If you have more than two Maltese, they will have to take turns participating. If you have two Maltese participating, you will most likely get two Maltese from different households to give gifts to. Thus, you would have to pay for shipping for two packages if you want to register two of your Maltese for the Gift Exchange.
2. Privacy - Your personal private information will only be gathered for the purposes of the Gift Exchange. The only person that will be given your name and address is the person that is sending your Maltese a gift. We will not divulge your information to anyone else (unless required by law).
3. How It Will Work - After the signup period has ended, each person will get a Secret Buddy to give a gift for. Keep in mind, just because you have "Sally" does not mean that "Sally" has you! If you have two Maltese participating, you will have to buy gifts for two Maltese, and you will receive presents for your two Maltese. Or you could participate one of your Maltese this time around and participate your other Maltese on our next Gift Exchange!
4. Price Ranges - There will be a suggested minimum spending limit of $20.00 so that every thing can remain fair and no one will feel like the spent too much and received too little, or vice versa! This is the amount for actual items for the Gift, shipping will be additional (usually from $5 to $10 depending on the size and weight). If you want to spend a little more (or a lot more!) on your buddy, you may do so but please do not expect that in return! MalteseTalkers have been known to be very generous in the past. It may be out of the goodness of your own heart to do so.
For gifts, gift cards or donations in your Maltese's name to a charity is acceptable, as long as this is above and beyond the $20.00 limit. In other words, only giving your Secret Buddy a gift card for $20 for the Gift Exchange is not allowed. We believe most members would prefer not to receive gift cards (as not everybody may have the same stores as you have near your home), but that is up to you.
5. Shipping and Receiving - Please allow 1-2 weeks shipping time! If you are participating, we are putting all our trust on you to get your buddy's gift and to send it out on time so that your buddy on the other end and their Maltese will not be waiting for their presents for too long! It is in your hands to ship it and since we are all trusting each other, please do not forget to ship it out! If you do not ship out your gift, you will be held responsible for it. Again, this is based on TRUST so if you believe that you may not be able to ship it out on time or that problems may arise, please let us know as soon as possible! If your buddy does not receive their gift for any reason, you may not participate in the next Secret Buddy Gift Exchange and there may be other consequences as well!
6. Sending Out Your Gift - For every installment of the MalteseTalk.com's Secret Buddy Gift Exchange, there will be a set deadline. This deadline has to be met and your gift must be sent out before the date. You will have approximately one month to send your gift out. Please send your gift out within this time span (Remember, keep in mind the approximate amount of time it will take to get there!). We completely understand the inevitability of complications or that crucial personal problems may occur. If this happens, please notify us by PM. Remember to put in your MalteseTalk username in the package, so your Secret Buddy knows who to thank.
If you are waiting on a special item for your Secret Buddy, and it may not come before the shipping deadline, you may separate your gifts into two shipments. Please note in your first shipment that there will be another box coming.
We can help you find alternate solutions to have your gift mailed out or if, early enough, we can withdraw your name from the Participants List. It is only fair that you send out your gift in the allowed time window because other members may use their best judgement and send out their gifts a month in advance. We believe you have the ability to do the same also.
Please DO NOT send your Secret Buddy any USED toys or clothing. Re-gifting an item you may have received previously is okay, but only if it is NEW. Please give away or throw away your USED items you do not want, as they should not be given to MalteseTalk members in the MT Gift Exchange.
7. Receiving a Gift - Your buddy has put a lot of thought, effort, money and time into your gift. We believe that the least you can do is thank them. Please start a thread in the MT Gift Exchange Forum after you have received your gift so that your Gift Giver knows that you have received the goodies. It shows your buddy that you appreciate it and also lets us know that you received your gift so we know who or who did not receive their gifts. This is a requirement of participating in the Gift Exchange.
8. Tracking Numbers / Confirmation Numbers / Insurance / Signature Confirmation - Please insure your package and get a tracking number (or delivery confirmation with the US Postal Service). This is a requirement. It will let us know where your package is and the status of it so your buddy can also be updated. You must use a shipping service that either has a tracking number or delivery confirmation number (either US Postal Service, UPS, or Fedex). The shipping services DO lose packages and it would be a shame if your secret buddy did not get the package due to no fault of your own. We have had an average of two lost packages per gift exchange thus far. Insurance has come in very handy in several cases already.
Also, we highly recommend using Signature Confirmation or requiring an Adult Signature. This is to ensure that packages do arrive and do not get stolen off the porch. You may choose not to use Signature Confirmation, but we will hold the sender responsible for the package if it gets stolen. Insurance may not cover stolen packages, but Signature Confirmation will protect your package from theft. Just to be clear, if the package is delivered without Signature Confirmation or Adult Signature and then it gets stolen, the SENDER will be held responsible and would have to send another GE package. Signature Confirmation or Adult Signature required may NOT be available for overseas deliveries (we are unsure of this), but if you can have this service for your shipment, please utilize it.
PLEASE USE SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION or ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED when sending a package.
9. Estimated Time Windows - Gift Exchange Timeline
You will have 10 days to 2 weeks to Sign-Up to be a participant in the Gift Exchange. You will receive Secret Buddy info within a week of gathering all the information from new participants. You will have 2 to 3 weeks to shop, prepare your package for delivery and to deliver it.
You have 1 week after the deadline for your buddy to receive their gift.
10. Not Receiving a Gift - If you have not received your gift within 2 weeks of the posted deadline, please PM us to let us know. There will be action taken. It is not fair to you if you have sent out a gift and did not receive one in return. MalteseTalk guarantees that you will get a Gift per Gift Exchange as long as you follow the rules. Every single participant in every single MT Gift Exchange thus far has received a gift.
Please read the rules in full before you sign up. Thank you.
1. Finding a Gift Exchange Buddy - Pairing up will be randomly done by computer and you will be informed by e-mail or PM as to who your secret gift exchange buddy is, their address and all their information on themselves and their pet(s)! You may register up to two Maltese per Gift Exchange. If you have more than two Maltese, they will have to take turns participating. If you have two Maltese participating, you will most likely get two Maltese from different households to give gifts to. Thus, you would have to pay for shipping for two packages if you want to register two of your Maltese for the Gift Exchange.
2. Privacy - Your personal private information will only be gathered for the purposes of the Gift Exchange. The only person that will be given your name and address is the person that is sending your Maltese a gift. We will not divulge your information to anyone else (unless required by law).
3. How It Will Work - After the signup period has ended, each person will get a Secret Buddy to give a gift for. Keep in mind, just because you have "Sally" does not mean that "Sally" has you! If you have two Maltese participating, you will have to buy gifts for two Maltese, and you will receive presents for your two Maltese. Or you could participate one of your Maltese this time around and participate your other Maltese on our next Gift Exchange!
4. Price Ranges - There will be a suggested minimum spending limit of $20.00 so that every thing can remain fair and no one will feel like the spent too much and received too little, or vice versa! This is the amount for actual items for the Gift, shipping will be additional (usually from $5 to $10 depending on the size and weight). If you want to spend a little more (or a lot more!) on your buddy, you may do so but please do not expect that in return! MalteseTalkers have been known to be very generous in the past. It may be out of the goodness of your own heart to do so.
For gifts, gift cards or donations in your Maltese's name to a charity is acceptable, as long as this is above and beyond the $20.00 limit. In other words, only giving your Secret Buddy a gift card for $20 for the Gift Exchange is not allowed. We believe most members would prefer not to receive gift cards (as not everybody may have the same stores as you have near your home), but that is up to you.
5. Shipping and Receiving - Please allow 1-2 weeks shipping time! If you are participating, we are putting all our trust on you to get your buddy's gift and to send it out on time so that your buddy on the other end and their Maltese will not be waiting for their presents for too long! It is in your hands to ship it and since we are all trusting each other, please do not forget to ship it out! If you do not ship out your gift, you will be held responsible for it. Again, this is based on TRUST so if you believe that you may not be able to ship it out on time or that problems may arise, please let us know as soon as possible! If your buddy does not receive their gift for any reason, you may not participate in the next Secret Buddy Gift Exchange and there may be other consequences as well!
6. Sending Out Your Gift - For every installment of the MalteseTalk.com's Secret Buddy Gift Exchange, there will be a set deadline. This deadline has to be met and your gift must be sent out before the date. You will have approximately one month to send your gift out. Please send your gift out within this time span (Remember, keep in mind the approximate amount of time it will take to get there!). We completely understand the inevitability of complications or that crucial personal problems may occur. If this happens, please notify us by PM. Remember to put in your MalteseTalk username in the package, so your Secret Buddy knows who to thank.
If you are waiting on a special item for your Secret Buddy, and it may not come before the shipping deadline, you may separate your gifts into two shipments. Please note in your first shipment that there will be another box coming.
We can help you find alternate solutions to have your gift mailed out or if, early enough, we can withdraw your name from the Participants List. It is only fair that you send out your gift in the allowed time window because other members may use their best judgement and send out their gifts a month in advance. We believe you have the ability to do the same also.
Please DO NOT send your Secret Buddy any USED toys or clothing. Re-gifting an item you may have received previously is okay, but only if it is NEW. Please give away or throw away your USED items you do not want, as they should not be given to MalteseTalk members in the MT Gift Exchange.
7. Receiving a Gift - Your buddy has put a lot of thought, effort, money and time into your gift. We believe that the least you can do is thank them. Please start a thread in the MT Gift Exchange Forum after you have received your gift so that your Gift Giver knows that you have received the goodies. It shows your buddy that you appreciate it and also lets us know that you received your gift so we know who or who did not receive their gifts. This is a requirement of participating in the Gift Exchange.
8. Tracking Numbers / Confirmation Numbers / Insurance / Signature Confirmation - Please insure your package and get a tracking number (or delivery confirmation with the US Postal Service). This is a requirement. It will let us know where your package is and the status of it so your buddy can also be updated. You must use a shipping service that either has a tracking number or delivery confirmation number (either US Postal Service, UPS, or Fedex). The shipping services DO lose packages and it would be a shame if your secret buddy did not get the package due to no fault of your own. We have had an average of two lost packages per gift exchange thus far. Insurance has come in very handy in several cases already.
Also, we highly recommend using Signature Confirmation or requiring an Adult Signature. This is to ensure that packages do arrive and do not get stolen off the porch. You may choose not to use Signature Confirmation, but we will hold the sender responsible for the package if it gets stolen. Insurance may not cover stolen packages, but Signature Confirmation will protect your package from theft. Just to be clear, if the package is delivered without Signature Confirmation or Adult Signature and then it gets stolen, the SENDER will be held responsible and would have to send another GE package. Signature Confirmation or Adult Signature required may NOT be available for overseas deliveries (we are unsure of this), but if you can have this service for your shipment, please utilize it.
PLEASE USE SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION or ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED when sending a package.
9. Estimated Time Windows - Gift Exchange Timeline
You will have 10 days to 2 weeks to Sign-Up to be a participant in the Gift Exchange. You will receive Secret Buddy info within a week of gathering all the information from new participants. You will have 2 to 3 weeks to shop, prepare your package for delivery and to deliver it.
You have 1 week after the deadline for your buddy to receive their gift.
10. Not Receiving a Gift - If you have not received your gift within 2 weeks of the posted deadline, please PM us to let us know. There will be action taken. It is not fair to you if you have sent out a gift and did not receive one in return. MalteseTalk guarantees that you will get a Gift per Gift Exchange as long as you follow the rules. Every single participant in every single MT Gift Exchange thus far has received a gift.