I'm taking a break from the fun side of freebies to ask you to think a little about how you and I conduct ourselves while in the quest for free stuff. Please excuse me while I step up on my virtual soapbox.
Ethics and Freebies?
You are probably wondering how ethics and freebies are connected. In my rather simplistic view of ethics, the subject boils down to a code of how you deal with other people. When you order freebies and when I provide links to free offers we are both using the Internet to deal with real people at the other end of the wire. The nature of the Internet makes it easy to forget that everything on the Net is there as a result of someone's efforts.
Freebie Hunters' Code
Please remember that when a company offers something for free they are doing it for business reasons. They are hoping that the lure of something for free will not only bring visitors to their site, but that those visitors will be potential customers. Companies usually only have a limited number of free items that they can provide. Based on those points, here is my suggested ethical code for the freebie seeker:
- Order Responsibly - Only order freebies that you can use or that interest you. Don't just send for something because it is free.
- Honor Restrictions - If there is a restriction on who can order, only order it if you qualify. Some examples are businesses only, over 18 only, etc.
- Don't be Greedy - Most free offers are one per household or one per person. This one is important not only to respect the company's wishes, but to leave some goodies for other freebie hunters.
- Be Polite - If you have an opportunity, say "thank you" in a comment field or email message. Don't yell at company representatives because they ran out of a freebie because you didn't qualify.
General Internet Ethics
While I am still on my soap box I'll harp about a general "Internet ethics" issue that came to my attention quite bluntly. I found a small portion of my work copied by two other Web publishers. I contacted both of them and worked things out, but we all need to be more careful about how we use what we find on the Net. The nature of the Internet makes it easy for this type of thing to happen, but as responsible Internet citizens we need to do a little thinking about how our actions impact others. It is easier to be respectful when you just remember that there are real people at the other end of the wire.