Out of the box A better way to distribute the Huawei discounted mobile phones
Huawei offered a promotion to sell discounted mobile phones to senior citizens for $54, which is about one third of the retail price. A limited number of phones are offered at each outlet. 

Many senior citizens queued up for hours. Those who were not able to buy them, as the limited offers had run out, were angry that they have wasted their time in queuing. 

Is there a better way for this promotion to be handled?

Here is my suggestion. 

At each outlet, the participant gives his mobile number. It is entered into a laptop. This is to prevent the same mobile number being registered a few times. 

At the appointed time, the laptop will conduct an electronic draw to pick the winners from the larger base of participants. A SMS is sent to the winner. The winner has to come back and claim the prize within a specified time. 

A few people will also be selected as standby winners. They can claim the prize if the selected winner does not turn up.

This approach means that the participant should already own a mobile phone. This restriction is not desirable but it is probably unavoidable. 

There is also the need to ensure that the winning mobile numbers must be owned by a qualifying elderly person. 

Maybe, future promotions of this kind should be organized in the way that I have suggested?

Tan Kin Lian

Vote - do you agree with this approach?
 

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