Birthdays, housewarmings, going-away drinks… Prize pools have become commonplace to ask guests to participate in a joint gift. But very often, that doesn’t happen.
Whether it’s a birthday, a housewarming, a going-away party or a baby shower, online prize pools are a real time saver for everyone. Leetchi, Le Pot Commun, Lydia… These platforms have quickly become a reflex in the organization of parties and above all make it possible to raise a good sum of money to offer a gift more substantial than several small presents, each guest contributing up to their budget. Although these prize pools are very common today, they do not put everyone at ease, and sometimes, they exasperate most of the guests.
For some, participating in an online prize pool avoids running out to buy a gift: “a part of the mental load is taken away from us, but the gift becomes more impersonal“, regrets Emilie, who still sees the practical side of it. And then, most guests don’t dare say that they will buy a gift of their own.”It gives the impression that we don’t want to participate in the joint gift, and we immediately seem like a cheapskate when we simply had another idea in mind.“, Martin tells us. And when the amount of the prize pool remains displayed, it’s even worse: “we see who gave how much, there is a kind of pressure that pushes us not to put in the smallest amount, we then feel obliged to give more than we would have liked“, adds the young man.
But what annoys the guests the most is often the way of doing things, explains Lydie, who recently received a message on WhatsApp: an invitation to a friend’s 40th birthday accompanied by a link to participate in the famous prize pool. “The problem is that I haven’t seen this friend for over a year, and her companion (who organizes the prize pool, editor’s note) seems to be having fun in passing since the gift is supposed to finance a trip to Bali“. The worst are reminders like this. “there are only a few days left to participate in the prize pool, for latecomers“.”We clearly have the impression that our hand is being forced“, deplores Lydie. For Fabrice, “the prize pool itself is not the problem. When it’s for a going away drink or for a loved one, I find it very good. You can really make a nice gift that avoids duplicates. But today, we’re launching for everything… we can’t take any more of these birthday jackpots!”
Faced with these small annoyances, a few simple precautions can nevertheless avoid making guests uncomfortable. Several platforms, for example, allow you to hide the amount of contributions, so that everyone contributes freely, without comparing themselves to others or feeling judged. It may also be better not to announce the planned gift right away, especially if it is a very expensive item or a personal project. Waiting to see the amount raised and then surveying the participants to gather their ideas often makes the process more collective and more natural. The prize pool then returns to its initial objective: to facilitate the organization and allow you to offer a nice gift, without giving guests the impression of being forced to participate.
