**Q:** What Is Random Acts of Amazon?

**A:** RAOA is a place where some of the most awesome people on the internet gather. Not only do we gift each other items from Amazon wish lists, but we chat, play games, hold contests, and just enjoy the ups and downs of life together as one big family!

We started out as a small group of about 20 people on 4chan. After some issues with the mods there and new rules that were put in place, we were forced to find a new home for our little family. There had been 2 previous attempts to move over to Reddit from 4chan, but both failed. This time it seemed to have caught on, and our little group has grown more than we ever imagined it would!

***

**Rules**

**Q:** What are the rules?

**A:** These rules have been the foundation of our group since the very beginning. They are very simple, but have proven time and time again to be very effective.

**1) No Begging:**

We do not allow begging of any kind. This includes directly asking people to gift you, holding contests which require people to gift you, or hinting to it in any way. We also do not allow you to ask for assistance if you are in a bad situation, as there are more appropriate places to take that, such as r/Assistance or r/FoodPantry. Excessive b’aww (whining/complaining) is NOT allowed. This is not to say you can’t vent about things, as we do want to encourage the community to be there for each other, but please keep it to a minimum. And make sure you’re not trying to induce pity to the point where people feel obligated to buy things for you!

**2) No Whoring:**

Please do not offer anything sexual in exchange for gifts. **This is a 0 tolerance policy.**. Not only would it look bad on you, but it would look bad on us and the community as a whole if we allowed it to happen. Avoiding it just makes this a friendlier place overall! We do, however allow NSFW topics, as long as they are properly marked. And if you have NSFW items on your wishlist, we ask that you please put them on a separate list and have it properly marked as such.

**3) Be excellent to each other:**

Be friendly, courteous, and welcoming to all members. Don’t be mean or rude. It’s pretty much self-explanatory, use common sense and think about how you would want to be treated. This rule will be strictly enforced, as it’s the main foundation of a community! If you see anything that goes against this rule (or any, for that matter), please [let the mods know!](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandom_Acts_Of_Amazon)

**4) Make yourselves at home:**

We’re all pretty much a big family here, so feel free to stay and chat, play games with us, raid the fridge, whatever you like, mi casa, su casa! Just remember to leave the seat down, and don’t take my ice cream or I’ll be sad :c

***

**How does RAOA Work?**

**Q:** How do I get started with this?

**A:** Lucky for you, we have guides showing how to get everything set up, step by step!

* First, you need an [Amazon Wishlist.](http://redd.it/scqby) Make sure to [add an address](http://imgur.com/a/EJfcc) so things can be sent to you!

* Next, the [link to your wish list](http://imgur.com/a/IfR8W) needs to be [added to your flair](http://imgur.com/a/SLC8t) so people can find it!

* Now you can feel free to post wherever you’d like. Making an [Intro] post is a great way to start! Or if you would rather stay anonymous and gift people, that’s perfectly okay as well.

* Gifting isn’t a requirement, but it’s always appreciated! [See something on a wish list that you want to gift to someone?](http://imgur.com/a/SLC8t)

**Q:** Why would someone gift me?

**A:** They have to make the decision on their own, there’s no way to force it. There are endless reasons that someone could choose to gift you, so stick around for a bit, participate in discussions, and just enjoy your time here! You can also add your birthday to our [Birthday Calendar](http://www.reddit.com/r/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon/comments/xhu9z/psa_birthday_calendar/) and if you’re lucky, someone might choose to gift you on your birthday!

**Q:** Is the Birthday Calendar still accepting birthdays?

**A:** YES! There will be an announcement on the first post if anything changes with that. Just post your birthday on there and it will be added ASAP!

**Q:** What do I have to do to be added to the Random Wishlist Generator?

**A:** Nothing! Once you post the link to your wishlist in the flair, the generator automatically adds you! Isn’t that awesome?!?

**Q:** If someone gifts me, do I have to gift them back?

**A:** No, it’s not a requirement to pay it forward, but it is definitely appreciated if you choose to! If you choose to, you could gift the same person or someone different. Never feel obligated to gift someone just because they have gifted you.

**Q:** What do I do once I have gifted someone / received a gift?

**A:** If you gift someone, you can choose to keep it a surprise or make a thread with the [Gifted] tag in the title, and a screenshot of the confirmation page! For a few screenshot how-to’s, [click here](http://redd.it/10x6y9) **When posting the [Gifted] image, please post the image unedited. If you worry about your name being posted on the internet, we have guides to help [protect your anonymity](http://redd.it/12jn0i).**

If you receive a gift, you can make a thread with [Thanks] in the title, even if you don’t know who sent it. We love seeing things that people have received!

**Q:** How can I make the flair a clickable link?

**A:** Our very helpful member /u/MrNiska has helped us to create a Bookmarklet! Follow the instructions on [this thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon/comments/yrkbk/discussion_i_made_a_little_bookmarklet_that_turns/) and you can use it to make all flair links on your page clickable links!

**Q:** Can I gift people from my iPhone/iPad?

**A:** Yes! On the browser that comes with the phone you cannot copy and paste the wishlist links from the flair, but if you install the Opera browser it should allow you to! (Thanks to /u/gemcitytiffany for letting us know about this!)

**Q:** This FAQ is so useful! It should be in the sidebar. How can I find it again?

**A:** To get to this FAQ check the sidebar, there is a link to it. If you need help finding the sidebar, refer to the FAQ, it has a description of how to find the sidebar. The sidebar has several useful links such as the FAQ, which contains a description of how to find the sidebar and the FAQ in case you couldn’t find either of them. So make sure to check the FAQ in case you can’t find the sidebar. For help finding the sidebar, refer to the FAQ. :D

***

**Problems**

**Q:** What should I do if I have a question / someone is harassing me or making me feel uncomfortable / I see something against the rules / anything else bad is going on?

**A:** Feel free to [contact the mods](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandom_Acts_Of_Amazon) at *any time* if you have a question or want to report something! If something against the rules is happening, please include links to the threads, screenshots of PMs, or anything else that you think is relevant to the situation. There is a link on the sidebar to message us if you need to get to it quickly.

**Q:** What happens if I don’t follow the rules?

**A:** Typically we will issue a warning first, with an explanation of what was done wrong and how to correct the problem going forward. We won’t hold it against you as long as you make any changes that we have asked. But if you keep breaking rules or being a nuisance, you will be banned from our subreddit. In very extreme cases, but very rarely, we may ban you with no prior warning. We also may issue a temporary ban with a warning if we feel this is necessary. We handle each problem on a case-by-case basis, but we will make sure to contact you with details on what is being done.

**Q:** What if I don’t agree with something a mod asks me to do?

**A:** As long as you can be respectful, we will gladly listen and try to come to some sort of compromise. We are very reasonable, so we would be more than happy to calmly and respectfully work through any disagreements you may have. Once we say that our decision is final, it is no longer up for discussion.

***

**Activities**

**Q:** What can I do to get involved with the community here?

**A:** There are a ton of things you can do! The simplest way to get involved is to start or join in on discussions! There are always discussions going, and you can feel free to jump in whenever you see something that interests you. Contests can be found in the sidebar if you want to participate in them, and if you want to start one yourself you’re more than welcome! There’s some information on starting contests later on in the FAQ if you’re interested.

We also have activities going pretty regularly, like game tournaments or movie nights. Keep an eye on the Announcement bar at the top of the subreddit for more info on when these will be! We also have a Steam group, our own Minecraft server, and a Skype chat group. Look in the sidebar for more info if you’re interested in joining these!

***

**Contests**

**Q:** What should I do if I want to create a contest?

**A:** Make sure to put the [Contest] tag in the title! Include a detailed description of the rules, along with other information you feel is relevant, such as end dates or the amount to be gifted for the winner. Send a message to the mods if you don’t see it on the sidebar within 4 hours and we will add it for you! Once your contest finishes, let the mods know so we can take it off the sidebar. Don’t forget to edit the first post to announce the winner, and if you want to, you can make a [Gifted] thread to let them know they have been gifted.

**Q:** Is anything not allowed in contests?

**A:** All of the rules still apply. Please use common sense about what would be allowed, and do not make contests that would make people feel uncomfortable. If you are unsure if something would be allowed, feel free to [run it by the mods first to make sure,](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandom_Acts_Of_Amazon), we would be more than happy to look it over for you! We would rather read over it before it was posted then have to remove it after it has been posted.

If we see anything that we are not comfortable with, we will be removing it, with an explanation of why it was removed.**If a mod deems any aspect of a contest is against the rules, respect their wishes and make any changes that are asked. Not complying with this will result in a warning and possibly a ban.**

~**As of 9/9/2012 all Gift Bombs are banned from /r/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon. [Reference here](http://redd.it/zl7ox)**

~**As of 11/2/2012 all Gift Chains are banned from /r/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon. [Reference here](http://redd.it/12hm1i)**

**Q:** What should I do if I can’t follow through with the contest?

**A:** If anything comes up where you must cancel a contest, [message the mods](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandom_Acts_Of_Amazon) to let them know. Depending on the severity, you may receive a warning or up to a ban for repeat offenses.

**Q:** What should I do to create a contest?

**A:** Copy and paste the following and add it to your thread, then [message the mods](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FRandom_Acts_Of_Amazon) with a link to it.

Contest Title:

Rules:

Ending Date:

How the winner will be chosen:

***

**Threads**

**Q:** Can you explain in more detail when we should use each tag?

**A:** Of course!

[Intro] should be used for a thread to introduce yourself to the subreddit. In these threads we want you to tell us all about you! Share your hobbies, interests, whatever you feel like! But this is really a chance for the members to get to know you, so make it count! Be careful to avoid phrasing that may come across as begging in an intro; it’s not kosher.

[Contest] should be used for contests. Make sure to follow the contest rules as outlined above, and if you don’t see your contest listed in the sidebar within 24 hours (but please wait the full time), then let the mods know!

[Gifted] is used to signify that you have purchased a gift for someone! Be sure to include a link to the screenshot of the confirmation, if possible. We understand that those using mobile devices will not be able to do so. **Remember to leave Gifted images unedited**. If you want the item to remain a secret, feel free to crop out the image of the item, but not further editing is allowed.

[Thanks] is what you use when you are thanking someone for sending you a gift! Pictures of item are encouraged, but not required.

[Discussion] covers pretty much everything else, within reason. Please do not post images only. If you want to include an image in the discussion text, that is fine. Also remember that while we all have bad days once in a while, we prefer to keep these positive whenever we can!

~**Linking to money-earning sites or advertising for other subreddits is not allowed**

~**Discussions regarding RedditGifts exchanges belong in the [/r/SecretSanta subreddit](http://www.reddit.com/r/secretsanta)**

**Q:** If the automod removes my post for forgetting/misspelling a tag, what should I do?