Calling all Rappers and Non, Enter Apica’s e-Retail Shopping Twitter Contest for a Chance to Win $1,000

I think everyone can agree that in-store holiday shopping can be a stressful experience, not to mention a hassle. More than ever, consumers worldwide are embracing online shopping this holiday season. But, e-Retail shopping has its flaws as well, especially when it comes to slow page load times. Research shows four seconds is the maximum length of time the average online shopper will wait for a Web page to load before potentially abandoning a site.

To help ring in this holiday season, Apica is kicking off a Twitter-based contest to capture the best and worst e-Retail holiday shopping experiences. We want you to tap into your fun and creative side for a chance to win a Grand Prize of a $1,000 Amazon gift card, a First Prize of a $100 Amazon gift card, or a Second Prize of a $50 Amazon gift card.

The contest will begin on Monday, November 21, 2011 at 12:01 a.m. EST and conclude on Monday, January 3, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST. To enter, submit a rap or rhyme detailing your most utopian e-Retail shopping experience or catastrophic moment catered to Twitter’s 140 character format. All entries must be submitted via Twitter to @apicasystems, and include the hash tag #apicarap.

For example:
@apicasystems #apicarap Got the holiday blues when I couldn’t buy some shoes…web page wouldn’t load. eRetailers, get a clue!
@apicasystems #apicarap Holiday shopping, oh what fun! Click… click… click… Thanks to the Internet, all my shopping is done!
@apicasystems #apicarap Web page loading” flashing on the screen-Can’t sleep, need more caffeine-Why can’t I check out? Man, I’m worn out

1. Sponsor: Apica, Inc., 1530 Page Mill Road, Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA  94304.
2. Eligibility: The Apica Twitter Contest is open to individuals who (i) are followers of @apicasystems (ii) are legal residents of the United States, and (iii) are at least 18 years old at the time of entry. Employees of Sponsor and their immediate family members, regardless of where they live, and residents of their households, whether or not related, are not eligible. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law.  This is a skill contest and chance plays no part in the determination of winners.
3. Timing: Contest begins at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET"), Monday, November 21, 2011 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET, Monday, January 3, 2012 (the "Contest Period").
4. How to Enter: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OF APICA’S SERVICES OR PROMOTION OF APICA IN YOUR TWEET WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. During the Contest Period, eligible individuals who have read and accepted these Official Rules may Tweet an entry in the form of a rap or rhyme about their best or worst e-Retail holiday shopping experience expressed in a fun and creative way, to @apicasystems and include the Contest hashtag #apicarap. Contest hashtag may not be used for any other purpose. Limit one (1) entry per person per day.  Entries may not include offensive, unsuitable or infringing content and may not violate another’s rights. Each entrant is responsible for any online or other charges incurred with any internet or wireless carrier.  In the event of a dispute over the identity of an entrant, the entrant will be deemed to be the registered owner of the Twitter account as determined by Sponsor. 
5. Prizes: Grand Prize is one (1) $1,000 Amazon gift card, Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) $1,000. First Prize is one (1) $100 Amazon gift card, ARV $100.  Second Prize is one (1) $50 Amazon gift card, ARV $50.  Total ARV of all prizes: $1,150. The prizes will be awarded "as is".  Prizes subject to Amazon Gift Card Terms and Conditions, see http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?ie=UTF8&nodeId=3122091. Limit one (1) prize per person. All prizes will be awarded. All federal, state and local taxes and duties are the sole responsibility of the winners.  Sponsor may require that the Grand Prize winner provide his or her Social Security Number or complete a W9 form for tax reporting.  Prize may not be transferred, substituted or redeemed for cash, except that Sponsor may substitute prize of equal or greater value due to prize availability.  Amazon is not a sponsor or endorser of Sponsor or this Contest.
6. Selection: A panel of judges who are marketing experts will review all eligible entries in accordance with these Official Rules and will choose the best three (3) submissions based skill, giving equal weight to creativity, humor and relevance to e-retail holiday purchasing mishaps or utopian experiences. Sponsor will select the judges in its sole and absolute discretion, and may select Sponsor’s employees, officers, consultants and other individuals affiliated with Sponsor as judges. Sponsor may notify potential winners by Twitter Direct Message to their Twitter username. Potential winners must respond within 24 hours and provide an email address or telephone number for further communications about the Contest. Potential winners may be required to sign and return an affidavit of compliance and eligibility and a liability and publicity release within 14 days of notification. If a potential winner fails to do so or is unable to accept a prize for any reason, the prize may be awarded to an alternate potential winner, who will be selected based on the same criteria from the remaining eligible entrants. Winners will be announced on or about January 18, 2012 at www.apicasystems.com. 
7. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes each winner's consent to Sponsor's  or Sponsor Parties’ use of winner's name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, Twitter posts, Twitter address, employer, hometown and state for the winners list and for marketing and promotional purposes in any media without further payment or consideration.
8. Privacy:   Any personal information collected in connection with the Contest may be used and disclosed pursuant to Sponsor’s Privacy Statement at http://www.apicasystems.com/privacy.aspx except as otherwise stated herein.  By entering the Contest, you agree to receive Twitter Direct Message, telephone and email notifications from Sponsor regarding the Contest.  Unless you opt out from email communications, you also may receive marketing information from Sponsor regarding Sponsor’s products and services and other information that may be of interest to you.   
9. Release: By accepting any prize, each winner agrees that Sponsor and its parents, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, successors and assigns (“Sponsor Parties”) have no liability or responsibility for any claims, injuries, death, losses, damages or liability of any kind resulting from any Contest-related activity or the acceptance, possession or use of any prize.  Each winner will indemnify and hold harmless Sponsor and Sponsor Parties from and against any claims of liability arising directly or indirectly from the Contest, the prize awarded or any use of prize.  For winner and anyone acting on his or her behalf, and his or her heirs, executors and assigns, each winner hereby irrevocably releases, waives and discharges Sponsor and Sponsor Parties from any and all claims.  Each winner expressly waives California Civil Code § 1542, or any other statute of similar import or effect, that otherwise may exclude unknown claims from this release, as follows:  I acknowledge that I am familiar with the provisions of California Civil Code § 1542, which provides as follows:  “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”  I, being aware of said code section, hereby expressly waive any rights I may have thereunder, as well as any other statute or common law principles of similar effect.
10. General Conditions: The Contest is governed by these Official Rules. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and all Sponsor’s decisions in its sole discretion, and acknowledge that Sponsor’s decisions and the Contest results are final in all respects. Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate transmission, computer or human error, malfunctions, lost/delayed entries, interruption, failure, inability to access any website, online or mobile service, or illegible or misdirected entries. Sponsor reserves the right to verify all entries submitted and to remove any entries that are ineligible or violate these Official Rules, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or modify the Contest if fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsor's reasonable control impairs the integrity of the Contest, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Entries made by commercial sweepstakes subscription notification or entering services, automated methods or bots are ineligible. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules.  Sponsor is not responsible for any injury or damage to entrant's or any other person's computer or device arising or resulting from participation in the Contest. 
11. Disputes: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, and the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Contest, will be decided only by arbitration, individually and not on a class-wide basis.  The laws of the State of California, without regard to choice of law principles, shall apply to any such dispute, except as to matters relating to arbitration, which shall governed by the Federal Arbitration Act.  Any arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association and will take place in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.