I received an email offereing me a Tripadvisor "backpack" (more like a nylon bag with logo). Anyone else get it too? Is it legit?

Me too, yes it's legit. They were offering them to people who have posted reviews on Tripadvisor.

Monica

I received my first offer for a backpack in March, ignored it,recently reeived a second offer for same." Due to my many contributions"

I was very surprised as I had not posted there in many months and never a review.

I friend who posts there regularly received no offer is not happy that regular contributors get nothing for their loyalty.

The offer is bad PR to me.

Perhaps Trip Advisor has another use of names and addresses that one must supply to get the backpack ?

So are these backpacks free? shipping charge? a gift?

Yes it's legit. As noted it's more like a nylon sack with logo and string closures. I thought it would be good to keep in the pocket of the suitcase for "overflow" at the end of a trip. No cost.

TripAdvisor gives away things, sometimes even pays for contributions when they are starting up new areas of their website ($50 stipend for doing certain tasks).

Molker- To your friend who is displeased, she should email Trip Advisor. It might be where she is posting was over looked (hotel reviews vs. forums vs. Insider Pages)?

They are VERY customer friendly in my experience, and I'm sure would make it right. Any time I have emailed I have gotten a prompt and personal answer.

This backpack issue has come up on a previous thread-which I can't find-Trip Advisor said they would be sending me a backpack-"but not to tell anyone I was getting one!" Oops! Like I said previously, it will be good for storing various odds and ends in the closet, but I wouldn't be caught dead carrying around their backpack, providing gratuitous advertising for tripadvisor.com. (For that matter, I wouldn't be caught dead with any backpack out on the street, unless it was Prada).

molker, it might have been a matter of timing, not number of contributions. I've contributed exactly once (last year) and I got a second notice about the backpack.

Since I have too small a house to accumulate stuff I don't really want (I like to choose my bags in particular with care), I left 'my' backpack for some other contributor to claim.

Ordered mine a few weeks ago, but it hasn't arrived yet. Heck, free is good! Will wait to see it before deciding how and if I will use it. And Girlspy, remember The Devil Wears Prada. LOL

Yes, they are "very customer friendly" unless you are trying to get them to stop emailing you "exciting news" and "special offers". I quit visiting Tripadvisor, and had them pull all my reviews, after they responded to each of my several "please stop" requests with a redoubled spamming effort. Ugh.

Got my TA LE calendar on 15 Feb and have not yet received the backpack - nor has anyone else according to the TA "nonsense" forum.
Perhaps in May or June.
M

I have received three emails from TA's regarding their free bag as a thank you for my contributions to TA. I have never contributed anything to TA that I recall although I am registered. And I didn't respond to any of their emails as I don't want the bag and I certainly am not going to give them my mailing address. Legit buy annoying, lol.

Thanks for the info all. I have 'until today' to let them know if I want this bag.

As far as the spam goes, they already have my email address so I doubt (and correct me if I am wrong) giving my address would increase the level of spam coming my way.

I don't receive spam that I can blame on Trip Advisor. They already have my mailing address from the $50 they sent me once before. The recent emails I have received thru them, mostly, are a new feature where posters can request to contact each other thru the website forum.

Received an e-mail yesterday, notifying me that my Trip Advisor Backpack is on its way. Apparently the demand was so great they had to reorder to fill all the requests.