Dubai: As the 20th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) begins with a record 100kg of gold and 40 carats of diamonds to be given away as prizes, the sheer scale of the unprecedented raffle has left the world awestruck, almost as if the treasure chest has been conjured up with a Midas touch. Equally baffling is the question of how a bonanza of this staggering size is planned and executed with unfailing precision over 32 long days.
Revealing the first-ever inside story of the 20-year-old DSF raffle exclusively to XPRESS, Tawhid Abdullah, chairman of the prize sponsor Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG), said: “The answer lies in pushing the envelope and constantly innovating.”
For months Abdullah and his 60-member core team have been painstakingly working to ensure that the raffle is a smooth affair. And nothing has been left to chance – except for that last pick of the winning coupon when Lady Luck holds sway.
So how has the treasure chest, worth Dh15 million, come about? Abdullah said: “We typically procure gold from three sources - bullion traders, refineries and banks. We buy 22 and 24 carat bars in lots of 10kg. They are stored with the sources and delivered to our headquarters at the Gold Souq in batches as per our daily requirement. They are transported in a special van under very tight security.”
As for the funding, he said: “DSF organiser Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) has contributed Dh5 million while the rest has been raised by DGJG’s 600 members, 12 of whom came up with about Dh9 million. The diamonds are sponsored by the World Diamond Mark Foundation. Typically, jewellers enjoy a 30 per cent increase in sales during DSF.”
Draw dynamics
Part of the funding has also come from coupon sales to the jewellers. “This year, we have distributed three million coupons to the jewellers, up from 1.6 million last year. Each coupon costs Dh5.”
Abdullah said the jewellers give out one coupon for every Dh500 worth of jewellery purchased by a customer. Each raffle coupon entitles a customer to a daily draw to win 1kg of gold, a weekly draw for 5kg gold, besides three mega raffle draws for 20kg, 10kg and 5g of gold. This is in addition to a daily draw for a 1 carat diamond and a mega raffle of a 5 carat diamond. “We have tied up with five radio stations for hourly draws of 8kg worth of UAE gold coins from 10am to 9pm every day. We also have the scratch-and-win promotions.”
DED is the custodian
The DGJG chairman said the raffle draw and distribution of prizes are under the control of the Dubai Economic Department (DED).
He said 60 acrylic collection boxes have been placed in various areas of the city for customers to deposit coupons. The DED brings these boxes under tight security to a designated space at the Deira Gold Souq Bus Station where the raffle draw is held every day.
By 8.30pm, the coupons in the 60 boxes are emptied into a mega collection box.
“At 10pm, the concerned DED official arrives on the spot and picks a lucky coupon from the mega collection box. The event is telecast live on a local channel. The official calls the winner on the cell phone. If there is no response, an SMS is sent. The winner gets to collect the prize at the DGJG office the next day. He has to produce his part of the coupon and a copy of his passport or Emirates ID for identification.”
Abdullah said DED is the custodian of the mega collection box and keeps it under strict vigil. “This box is very big and can hold up to five million coupons. So each day’s collection of coupons from 60 locations keeps getting added into the same box.”
He said such a scenario ensures that every coupon inside gets more than one chance to win - in the daily, weekend and mega raffle rounds. Early bird customers have an increased probability of winning as they are entitled to more daily or weekend draws. A winning ticket can also get many times lucky as it is put back in the box.
Abdullah said the raffle exercise is not without its challenges. Besides the meticulous planning, coordination and timing, cost is a huge factor. “Our biggest challenge has been to find partners to raise the raffle funds. This year, we were fortunate that DFRE CEO Laila Mohammad Suhail became a DGJG board member and head of the marketing and promotion committee. Besides the Dh15 million we needed for the prizes, we also had to meet a logistics cost of Dh3 million. Everything requires money – transportation, insurance, roadshows and promotional activities, creation of kiosks, packaging, printing of coupons, etc.”
Adding to the mammoth task this year has been the Guinness World Record attempt by Dubai to manufacture the world’s longest handmade 22 carat gold chain at a minimum length of 5km. Called the Dubai Celebration Chain, the 180kg masterpiece called for out-of-the box thinking and execution. But Abdullah said Dubai has risen to the occasion. “The idea is to create history in the City of Gold and make Dubai the world’s most preferred jewellery destination.”
How the Draw Works:
Customer buys gold at any showroom. Gets a coupon for every Dh500 spent.
He fills the coupon and puts it in one of 60 collection boxes in the city
At the end of everyday, these collection boxes are transported to the Deira Gold Souq by DED officials under tight security
They are emptied into a mega collection box kept at a designated space opposite the Deira Gold Souq Bus Station at 8.30 pm
At 10pm, a DED official picks the lucky winner from this mega collection box. The event is telecast live on local TV
He calls the winner on a cellphone. If there is no answer, he sends an SMS
Meanwhile, gold earlier booked with a bullion dealer, bank or refinery by DGJG is brought in a special van under tight security to the DGJG office as per the requirement by the next day
Winner comes to DGJG office at Gold Souq the next day to collect the prize
The exercise is repeated everyday and each day’s coupon collections from 60 days is emptied into the same mega box which can take up to five million coupons. This box is in the custody of DED and under very tight security.
YOUSPEAK: Do you buy gold during DSF? What is your experience?
