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Opinions on unsolicited responses to virtual finds


Pezdude

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This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

Thoughts?

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11 minutes ago, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

Thoughts?

If someone logs a Virtual or an Earth cache, any response from the CO cannot be considered unsolicited. A reply is fairly standard, to say the answer is correct. The messages you gave above sound like extra nice replies where appropriate.

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15 hours ago, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

We've thanked people for their kind words since we started.    These days someone actually writes something in a log we're happy.   :D

Not sure why this question only had to do with virtual caches...

Most who said anything later thought it refreshing that a CO was even reading the logs.  

 

We did receive mails from virtual COs  who were a bit anal in their response to our "little off maybe" answers. 

One went on n on for something I believe I simply misspelled in mail.

If we're more than "close enough" that should be okay, right ?   ;)

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On 12/29/2018 at 10:48 PM, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

Thoughts?

From when I started in 2007 I always saw geocaching as a social game, a collaborative effort between hiders and seekers (and land managers).   Responses like these should be the rule rather than the exception.  

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I like to send private "thank you for the nice log" messages to particularily good logs  (unique and enjoyable to read) and to logs/cachers that award fav. points to any of my caches.

 

A lot of times I get a return response and sometimes i do not, either way i'm OK.

 

i.e.

"Thank you for the kind log and awarded favorite point on our Guardian cache, we really appreciate reading awesome logs like yours. Sounds like you guys had a blast. Hope to catch you on the trail soon. - boisestate crew"

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2 hours ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

From when I started in 2007 I always saw geocaching as a social game, a collaborative effort between hiders and seekers (and land managers).   Responses like these should be the rule rather than the exception.  

Well, I'm not sure I'd go that far, since if it becomes a rule, COs will start sending them just because instead of because they have something to say. But if you mean we shouldn't be at all surprised to get messages from the CO and should welcome them, I agree completely. Alas, I fear the social aspect of geocaching is fast filtering out of the game, but that just means I'd like to see more of it like this.

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18 hours ago, dprovan said:

Well, I'm not sure I'd go that far, since if it becomes a rule, COs will start sending them just because instead of because they have something to say. But if you mean we shouldn't be at all surprised to get messages from the CO and should welcome them, I agree completely. Alas, I fear the social aspect of geocaching is fast filtering out of the game, but that just means I'd like to see more of it like this.

 

"the" rule, not "a" rule.  I'm not saying that a polite response should be a requirement, but it shouldn't have to be.  

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I was under the impression the CO was supposed to reply to let us know we successfully completed the challenge. However, for the VC I found, I have never received a reply (it has been about 6 months, so I don't think I'll hear anything now). I went searching here in the discussion forums to find out whether it's appropriate to log the find anyway, and found that I can log before receiving a reply. I did receive responses saying that I had satisfied the requirements for the EC's that I have found.

 

I do think a quick reply even to say "yes" or "sorry, try again" would be sufficient.

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6 hours ago, Lorien99 said:

I was under the impression the CO was supposed to reply to let us know we successfully completed the challenge. However, for the VC I found, I have never received a reply (it has been about 6 months, so I don't think I'll hear anything now). I went searching here in the discussion forums to find out whether it's appropriate to log the find anyway, and found that I can log before receiving a reply. I did receive responses saying that I had satisfied the requirements for the EC's that I have found.

 

I do think a quick reply even to say "yes" or "sorry, try again" would be sufficient.

Many owners of virtuals and earth caches only respond if there's a problem with your submitted answers. I do like to get a positive reply, too, but I understand that it could get old for owners to answer each and every submission, so I don't expect a reply.

 

Yes, you are always allowed to post the find after sending in the answers. Them's the rules. But if the cache description says to wait for approval, I try to wait even though the rules say I don't have to. For one thing, I've found that if the CO says to wait, they're normally pretty good about responding right away.

 

Remember they're just other players enjoying the game, too, by putting out a cache for your enjoyment. Try to give them as much slack as you can.

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Seems fair to reply back, when I'm receiving something (answers to my questions).

I've got almost 1000 logs on my Virt so far - and I replied to all of them, 97% percent positive :)

It's been 2 messages per day in average, so I written couple of boilerplate templates, which I'm personalizing a bit before sending. Many finders are really pleased when they receive correct answers with background story from CO. As well from finder perspective - it's nice to get feedback on my answers from CO of Virtual cache or Earthcache.

 

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Most of the EC's and Virtuals I've done, I've sent answers, logged the find, and never heard anything further.  My finds still stand, so I "assume" all is well.

 

Now and then, I'll get a confirmation from a CO - thanking me for visiting their cache, confirming correct answers, or whatever.  That is nice, and confirms my "Found it" log will stand.

On 12/29/2018 at 7:48 PM, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 To answer your question - I prefer to receive a message in response to Virtual or EC finds.  I like connecting with other CO's and geocachers!

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On 12/30/2018 at 4:48 AM, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

Thoughts?

 

I nearly always send a response to cachers who contact us with the answers to our earthcaches, whether they email us or contact us through the message center.  Normally it's just confirming they had the right answers (or correcting them if they were off) and thanking them for visiting our earthcache.  If they had a particularly cool story in their message/email/log or took a great photo, I'll usually respond in turn.  Sometimes they respond to those messages/emails and we have a nice little dialogue.  Mostly they send a message, I send my response, and that's it.

 

The only time I don't contact someone who logs our earthcache is if the cacher used the "send email" without a return address - I assume for the sake of argument that, by choosing not to share their email address, they don't want to hear from me.  (That also assumes they answered the logging questions correctly.  If they answered incorrectly, I of course contact them to work it out.)

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We've found 34 virtuals and 19 earthcaches and have never gotten a response.  So it didn't occur to me that one might be expected when we launched our 4 earthcaches. We know and see most of our finders often but will think about it for those I don't know. I cache-sit for 2 ancient virtuals and have replied to a few of those who've written memorable logs but those are rare.

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Of the almost 200 EC/Virtual caches I've found, I've received 'thank you' replies a handful of times.  I've received another handful of replies when my answers were not correct and/or I posed questions to the CO when I sent my responses to them.

Personally, I don't expect CO's to respond to my logs. They put out the cache and so I'm not going to expect them to contact everyone that finds it. If they do contact me, then I feel ambivalent about it. It doesn't bother me, but it's also not something that I would miss if it didn't happen.

I hope the CO's don't expect me to reply to them if they send me a "thanks for visiting my cache" email/message.

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I don’t have any stats on it, but I feel as though I’ve had replies on a majority of the Earthcaches I’ve done.  Maybe less so on the Virtuals, but many of them simply require a photo at GZ.

 

I guess, particularly for the ECs, I do expect a reply, and it’s nice to get the confirmation that your answers weren’t complete nonsense!  That said, I log my find as soon as I’ve sent off any answers, so it really doesn’t bother me if I hear from the CO or not.

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On 12/29/2018 at 10:48 PM, Pezdude said:

This might be an odd question to ask, but I was curious about how people felt on receiving private messages in response to successful virtual cache finds. 

 

Whenever someone logs a find on my virtual cache, I verify that an appropriate response was given either in their log or sent to me separately in a private message. I usually don’t make any response unless it is necessary (i.e. the cacher has asked for clarification or incorrectly logged the find.) The question I’m asking above is would people be open to more positive private messages in response to their logs even when it is not expected?

 

For example, messages such as:

”What a cute and original picture!”

”Thank you for sharing your great story with me!”

”Glad you were able to check another cache off your bucket list!”

 

I’ve considered sending messages like those above in response to some great logs but I’m always hesitant that some people might not care for unsolicited private messages.

 

Thoughts?

 

The message center is there for this very reason, to send messages.  There are rules in place for offensive or "stalkerish"/abusive messages and for anyone who is weird about receiving any messages, they can ignore it or block the user. 

 

So basically I think you worry too much.

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