BULAWAYO customers have expressed concern over the TM and Pick n Pay Big Brands Bonanza promotion whose grand prize would only be redeemed by participants present during the draw at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
BATANAI MUTASA
OWN CORRESPONDENT
The promotion is set to run until September 4 and the draw would be conducted on September 6 just before a charity soccer match between archrivals Dynamos and Highlanders.
The promotion is being run in partnership with Delta, Innscor, National Foods, Econet, Dairibord, Afdis, Lyons and Lobels.
To be eligible for the grand prize, one has to spend at least $5 in any TM outlet nationwide while the other prizes are attached to the respective sponsors’ products.
A customer who spoke on condition of anonymity said he had bought goods worth $70 and received fourteen coupons, but only one was for the Jeep Cherokee grand prize.
“TM is countrywide; why should people be forced to go to the National Sports Stadium in Harare to deposit the coupon for the grand prize? Why can’t we have a deposit box in Bulawayo?” the customer queried.
However, TM spokesperson Jealous Kondo told Southern Eye that even some Harare customers were unhappy that the winner of the grand prize has to be present at the National Sports Stadium.
“It is an issue we have received even from some of our Harare customers. People are bringing it as a suggestion which we will consider for future promotions, but this year, the winner of the grand prize should be present,” Kondo said.
He said there were 17 sponsored Jeep Compass vehicles that could be redeemed from any location and the retail group never thought people would raise issues regarding just one car out of 18.
“We will look at the number of issues raised after the promotion as a post mortem and look at what we have done right and what we have done wrong,” he said.
“Rules and regulations have been spelt out and we cannot change them midway lest we compromise the promotion’s integrity. There are some people who are actually in support of the idea and want to come to the stadium, so we also have to consider them.
“The idea is therefore to encourage people to come and liven up the event. That is also why we will host a charity cup match between Dynamos and Highlanders on the same day.”