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This is not a commercial endorsement or anything like it, (I've never even seen one of these shoe stores as far as I know) but when this link popped up in Google News this morning, I thought it very relevant to our form of geocaching and a further indication of how mainstream the hobby's becoming - see Palcaching.

 

Wonder if it will spread to cities other than the original targets?

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This is not a commercial endorsement or anything like it, (I've never even seen one of these shoe stores as far as I know) but when this link popped up in Google News this morning, I thought it very relevant to our form of geocaching and a further indication of how mainstream the hobby's becoming - see Palcaching.

 

Wonder if it will spread to cities other than the original targets?

 

I'd love to see that - not that the commercial aspects could become detrimental, but I think it would add to the game. And GeoCachers have a distinct advantage!

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All I know about it is what's in the link, but as to who's behind it, it's obviously part of an ad campaign for a shoe store, so I'd take a wild guess that it's the shoe store and their ad agency.

 

What's different to me is the inclusion of geocaching in a national advertising campaign. It's been done a few times before by state tourism bureaus and of course by jeep and project ape, but this one appeared to be a bit more mainstream than the usual.

 

Unless I missed something, they aren't trying to be another listing service, just using geocaching in their ad campaign and probably limiting the caches to where they have their stores.

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Unless I missed something, they aren't trying to be another listing service, just using geocaching in their ad campaign and probably limiting the caches to where they have their stores.

If you click on Denver on the map, "destinations", you get some "Rocky Mountain" store, and not anything about a cache. So, if I lived in Denver, I might try it once.

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Yes, this seems to be a promotional effort, and Palladium seems to be a producer of footgear (i.e., shoes, boots, sandals, which are marketed via a wide variety of channels) rather than a chain of shoe stores. So this effort seems to be an attempt to gain publicity for their footgear line. At this point, it looks like they have placed these caches in only a few cities so far, and do not plan many more, as the text on their Palcaching page reads:

. . .Palcaching is now available in NYC, ATLANTA, SAN FRANCISCO, CHICAGO and PORTLAND with SEATTLE to follow in late June. . .

So, this will be of limited interest to most geocachers. However, one thing which I DO find notable about them -- at least about their website -- is that their main website features their "Palccaching" as prominently as it does their product line. Very odd!

 

However, the BIGGEST thing which comes to my mind when commercial outfits place geocaches is simply this one:

 

Are they placing the caches in sensible and sane places, or is there some chance that they are burying containers or placing them in sensitive locations, such as under active highway bridges, where they could create a rather undesirable image for geocaching?

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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However, the BIGGEST thing which comes to my mind when commercial outfits place geocaches is simply this one:

 

Are they placing the caches in sensible and sane places, or is there some chance that they are burying containers or placing them in sensitive locations, such as under active highway bridges, where they could create a rather undesirable image for geocaching?

 

Maybe some locals need to go out and check up on them. :grin:

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Not my cup of tea, but just for laughs here's the map of the NYC palcaches:

8d2df049-a7cb-4808-96ca-e9e013727a06.jpg

 

I wonder if it's even worth bothing with? Here are the prizes:

Prizes will be awarded in each Contest region as follows:

The first 5 participants to successfully log three (3) cache codes from specific locations of varying difficulty, to be identified by the game clues posted on the website, will receive a cash prize of $100.00 US Dollars. Limit one prize per Contest participant per Contest region.

The next 10 participants to successfully log three (3) cache codes from specific locations of varying difficulty, to be identified by the game clues posted on the website, will receive a free pair of Palladium shoes. See below for prize details. Limit one prize per Contest participant per Contest region.

 

All other Contest participants who successfully log 2 cache codes from caches identified by clues posted on the website will receive 30% off the full retail price of any pair of Palladium shoes.

So, as far as I'm concerned, only the first 15 people in each region get worthwhile prizes, and the contest started in March. Chances are those 15 prizes are long gone by now.

 

PS: If any NYC-area cachers would like a copy of the GPX I created of the palcaches just drop me an email.

Edited by Mopar
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I can report on the Seattle palcaching experience. The listed coordinates were for two stores - both sets of coordinates were wildly off. Through Googling we were able to ascertain that you had to go to one of two stores in the greater Seattle area and there you found an ammo can with a log book you signed and a code listed on the underside of the lid. The workers at the store really had no idea what the palcaching thing was all about. With that code, you went to the web site, entered it and got coordinates to three other locations. I found two of the caches - ammo cans in really poorly chosen locations. The third location was never found by anyone. One of the others is now missing, the third I checked on today and it's still there.

 

Anyway, by entering the code from one of the palcaches, the first five finders got a free pair of shoes. By entering a second code the first five finders got "$100.00." Well, we got the shoes (after about 8 days). The cash ... nowhere to be seen. My shoes turned out to be too small. I tried emailing them at their support email and have heard nothing back from them in two weeks. I tried calling their support 1-800 number and the message is that the phone number has been changed and there is no further information. The whole thing reeks of amateurism. Other cachers in the area - after the first five - have logged their finds and just gotten a "thanks for finding the cache message."

 

This could have been so much better ... like the APE caches. But it is obvious they did not enlist the aid of experienced cachers. The large ammo cans had nothing in them save a logbook and a pen. The hides ... wow, really, really poor. It is no surprise 2 of the 3 are already muggled. I was surprised the 3rd was still there. I know I shouldn't criticize ... I did get a free pair of shoes (though too small and no way to exchange them) ... but still ... why didn't they put as much effort into the hides as they did in the graphics?

 

I'd be curious to hear the experience of cachers in the other 4 or 5 cities where the promotion was held.

 

peace

fishiam

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