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Garmin geocoin promotion:All coin versions now released.

slimey

By slimey
in United Kingdom and Ireland

Followers 19

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sTeamTraen

+sTeamTraen

Posted
Posted

I'm getting the impression from these posts that the staff in the many of the stores aren't very well informed about geocaching generally. Is there a leaflet or something supplied with each of these geocoins so that each recipient can understand what they need to do?

 

I wonder how much publicity there is at the point of sale? Is it likely that someone shopping for a pair of hiking boots will see a sign saying "free Geocoins", or will it be mostly cachers trying to wheedle their 5th coin from their 5th visit? :blink:

Bambography

+Bambography

Posted
Posted (edited)

So do I take it that a coin has to be MOVED to count in the promotion? Does a discovery not count? Surely taking it to an event would reach more people and would be more beneficial to Garmin than just popping it in the nearest cache because I'll get to it within a week?

 

Edit to add: The staff I have spoken to know very little it anything about the promotion. 1st they knew in Basingstoke was when they arrived. No supporting leaflet or info was given to them. But signs on windows, counter and freestanding ads were very evident and clearly visible to all.

Edited by Bambography
HazelS

+HazelS

Posted
Posted

I'm getting the impression from these posts that the staff in the many of the stores aren't very well informed about geocaching generally. Is there a leaflet or something supplied with each of these geocoins so that each recipient can understand what they need to do?

 

I wonder how much publicity there is at the point of sale? Is it likely that someone shopping for a pair of hiking boots will see a sign saying "free Geocoins", or will it be mostly cachers trying to wheedle their 5th coin from their 5th visit? :blink:

 

Like I said before, Nick... there was NO publicity in the Blacks I visited, and the staff there knew nothing about GPSs really, apart from the fact they had got some in to sell.... so, looks to me like there will only be "already converted" cachers getting them!

Edgemaster

Edgemaster

Posted
Posted

At the millets in Kingston, the promotion was quite evident. A poster was on display by the door (advertising garmin mostly), and there was also a freestanding display next to the cabinet of Garmin GPSrs, a pile of leaflets was on the counter next to it, and I was handed one (more garmin ads, will scan if anyone wants to see it) when I asked for the coin.

studlyone

+studlyone

Posted
Posted

I understand that a muggle getting hold of one of these coins and pocketing it because they don't know any better is probably going to happen but surely as geocachers we can't use that as justification to add one to our own collection. These coins ahve been produced by Garmin to travel and be experienced by all, holding onto them would be doing Garmin and everyone a great injustice.

The argument about keeping hold of one as lots of people will see it at the next event I attend is also a little bit lame. If you pick one up from a cache or store the week before an event then so be it but to add it to your personal colelction because you attend events would be wrong in my opinion. As I said earlier I reckon Garmin have underestimated just how 'shiny' these coins are and its tempting people to not play by the rules which clearly state that the coin is to be placed into a cache within a week of activation.

I'm looking forward to finding one in the wilds or in a store when the next batch come out and it'll obviously be released into the wild again to travel.

Mad H@ter

+Mad H@ter

Posted
Posted

As I said earlier I reckon Garmin have underestimated just how 'shiny' these coins are and its tempting people to not play by the rules which clearly state that the coin is to be placed into a cache within a week of activation.

Not strictly correct, as this is only if you want to enter the competition.

 

That said, I shall be releasing my one this weekend once I've drilled and tagged it. But then I really cannot be bothered with coin collections, either collecting or discovering as I got that out of my system as a kid when I collected stamps. I get more enjoyment seeing my coins travelling even if the occasional one does go astray.

 

As far as I am concerned, I have no problem what people do with them, and as with most aspects of this game people play it in different ways, that's their choice and provided it doesn’t seriously impinge on others enjoyment then so be it.

wolfshead57

wolfshead57

Posted
Posted

I reckon Garmin must be rubbing thier hands with glee right now. The promotion is obviously going to be more of an interest to those who already participate in the hobby, a free coin is not going to encourage someone to buy a GPS unit. Those of us who do partake in this pastime will at some stage upgrade and like all advertising its future sales or brand awarness that counts . Look at Hoover or Tom Tom, not all vacs are Hoovers or all Sat Navs Tom Toms yet those are the names folk use.

Garmin are after a recation that matters and this discussion is exactly what they have splashed out for. Now by slowly releasing the coins over a few weeks and keeping folk coming back to this forum they enhance thier brand awarness and so enhance the chance of future sales.

 

Should the coins be released YES!!! they should. Will Garmin care I doubt it very much, what they will care about is this discussion and its outcomes I have never seen such a reaction on these forums before, except for the Mega-Event and look how successful that was.

 

Thanks Garmin for this promotion and heres hoping you will do it again next year.

kewfriend

+kewfriend

Posted
Posted
At the millets in Kingston, the promotion was quite evident. A poster was on display by the door (advertising garmin mostly), and there was also a freestanding display next to the cabinet of Garmin GPSrs, a pile of leaflets was on the counter next to it, and I was handed one (more garmin ads, will scan if anyone wants to see it) when I asked for the coin.

So twas you that got there before me :(:D - but we got one each!
danhombre

+danhombre

Posted
Posted

Blacks in Leeds had some when I went in on Saturday... I didn't look too cheeky because I needed to buy a tent repair kit anyway. I asked the girl behind the counter and she gave me a funny look, but then another staff member came and gave me one.

 

Hopefully Millets in the White Rose Centre will be running this soon... bit nearer my house.

 

Why couldn't this have run at Go Outdoors!?!? haha

lakeuk

lakeuk

Posted
Posted

So far based 127 coin sample:-

 

65 are currently with their owners

10 are in the hands on cachers who have retrieved them from caches

47 are current in various caches (29 Trad, 5 Multi, 5 Puzzle, 8 Event)

5 are in unpublished caches

alistair_uk

alistair_uk

Posted
Posted

Interesting stats. Mine is not activated so I guess does not show up on the search.

 

My latest plan is now to release it on Saturday or Monday in Leeds or Barnstaple, but naturally I reserve the right to do something else completely random.

MartyBartfast

+MartyBartfast

Posted
Posted

I went out on Sunday to drop mine into a local cache, while there met another cacher who also had one which he was going to drop into the same cache, so we did a quick in & out job, he's moved mine on and I've got his to place somewhere else this week.

 

keep 'em movin I say!

sssss

+sssss

Posted
Posted

Who else has started to receive emails from the US asking to collect a coin for them?

 

Mine is finally out to see the big bad wide world.

 

Now when are the next lot getting issued?

angel_nix

+angel_nix

Posted
Posted

I wonder if I went into Penzance Millets and asked nicely they would get one in for me? Have people been successful in getting them from 'non-participating' stores?

 

I rang my local Millets store which aren't in the list of participating stores and they were expecting them in this week!

Dark_Faerie

+Dark_Faerie

Posted
Posted

Who else has started to receive emails from the US asking to collect a coin for them?

 

Mine is finally out to see the big bad wide world.

 

Now when are the next lot getting issued?

 

I had one this morning offering a trade for a personal geocoin. Not really got time to try and find another one at the moment.

 

Mine was released yesterday near Oldham.

Geo-Gophers

+Geo-Gophers

Posted
Posted (edited)

Andy trailed away through to Blacks at "The Fort" in Glasgow and managed to get one for us........all activated now and hope to be releasing it into the wilds tomorrow. :)

Edited by Geo-Gophers
Jonovich

+Jonovich

Posted
Posted

Mines released!

 

Since it was provided by a GPS Manufacturer I decided to give it a mission to record what make & model GPS units Geocachers were using when they found/discovered it!

 

Will be releasing my daughters (FluffyDog) coin next week in Anglesey, whilst on our hols.

 

Jon.

Paul & Ros

+Paul & Ros

Posted
Posted

Since it was provided by a GPS Manufacturer I decided to give it a mission to record what make & model GPS units Geocachers were using when they found/discovered it!

 

 

 

Nice idea !

The Blorenges

+The Blorenges

Posted
Posted

Mrs. B may like to know that Blacks in Cardiff still had 2 when I got my one yesterday.

Thanks, MrR :) I may drop in there on Saturday as we'll be over in Cardiff to catch the boat for the Flatholm trip... If it sails. If the weather improves. :)

 

MrsB

Laura612

Laura612

Posted
Posted

:) If any of these coins do make it across the pond the yanks will never be able to work out what the map is of!!

 

I will, I will! :) I'm hoping that I get lucky while caching in the UK next month and will find one to move along. Maybe if I'm really lucky they will still be distributing them. I haven't read the rules, but I doubt that I can participate in the contest part... but I can help it along.

Matrix

+Matrix

Posted
Posted

Mrs. B may like to know that Blacks in Cardiff still had 2 when I got my one yesterday.

 

My son tried Blacks and Millets in Cardiff at 1pm to be told they dont have any and had never heard of them ;)

JustAlan

+JustAlan

Posted
Posted

Who else has started to receive emails from the US asking to collect a coin for them?

 

Mine is finally out to see the big bad wide world.

 

Now when are the next lot getting issued?

 

Got an e-mail this morning offering to swap it for another coin.

The Birches Head Hunters

The Birches Head Hunters

Posted
Posted
:P

Just a thought.

 

How about next years Mega event organisers contacting Garmin about releasing coins at the 2009 Mega, to Cachers?!

 

The 2008 Mega success is something to point to as positive publicity... ;)

That's a great idea.

 

And if Garmin don't want to repeat so soon, we could try Magellan, and point to the current Garmin promotion as a precedent (they might just want to go one better! :P )

Bear and Ragged

+Bear and Ragged

Posted
Posted
:P

Just a thought.

 

How about next years Mega event organisers contacting Garmin about releasing coins at the 2009 Mega, to Cachers?!

 

The 2008 Mega success is something to point to as positive publicity... ;)

That's a great idea.

 

And if Garmin don't want to repeat so soon, we could try Magellan, and point to the current Garmin promotion as a precedent (they might just want to go one better! :P )

 

Yep.

500+ cachers, that know about and use GPS, that are always looking at replacing/upgrading their GPS gear!

Tarot

+Tarot

Posted
Posted

I have just returned from the Trafford Centre in Manchester, and the Blacks store still had plenty of coins (Big Ben). I will get my coin activated and set it off on its journey within the next couple of days.

 

Regards Tarot

wolfshead57

wolfshead57

Posted
Posted

I was in the Metro Centre Gateshead (they had lots, Big bens though) last night and picked another coin up for anyone who wants it. Only thing I ask is you set it free to wind its way around the world, but I cant force you remember its a free Country despite what the police and Daily Mail want. :laughing:

 

Oh! and that you must be in the UK (or Eire)

 

Happy hunting

Happy Humphrey

+Happy Humphrey

Posted
Posted

And a huge thanks to a certain lady for my Big Ben coin ;):)

 

M :(

 

Same here. :D

 

I did ask at the IOM Milletts today and they seemed to know about the promotion (due to others asking about it). They didn't have any coins, and said that they didn't expect any.

 

However, they are expecting the publicity posters soon, and when they thought about it they weren't quite so sure that they wouldn't get any coins...

 

There must be quite a few people visiting Milletts and Blacks at the moment (several times) on the back of this promotion and there's a good chance that a few items will get sold as a result. It looks like a good idea all round.

TeamHoopz

+TeamHoopz

Posted
Posted

When does the "Angel of the North" coin come out ? ;)

 

I just GOTTA get that one

 

And a huge thanks to a certain lady for my Big Ben coin :D:)

 

M :(

At a guess, I would say that London Eye will be out over the next couple of days, followed by Angel of the North a week later.

 

Promotion runs August 7th to September 30th

Big Ben - 7th August

London Eye - 15th August

Angel of the North - 22nd August

Clifton Bridge - 28th August

Stone Henge - 4th September

 

Leaving just over 3 weeks for the promotion to run after all coins are released.

This is all purely a guess, but it makes sense based on the dates they quoted. And as Midnight Ramblers said, the initials are very coincidental, so it's a possibility that may be the order they are releasing.

geoghunt

+geoghunt

Posted
Posted (edited)

Do you think it ok to send a coin over to the US?

 

It would be a shame to end up in some collection..., or worse sold!

 

In terms of spelling BLACKS.. What a cool idea

 

Could have had Kielder Water , any other suggestions?

Edited by geoghunt
Globetrotter.uk

+Globetrotter.uk

Posted
Posted

I was surprized that I did not have to prove I was a cacher, I went into my local Blacks dressed in my black/white stripped outfit and swiped the whole box full. Now I think £100 each on fleabay should be able to raise some funds. LOL

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