JOHANNESBURG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Smokoo are offering the iPhone 5 on auction long before a release date has been given. The company’s daring marketing team did the same with the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4. Yesterday, Twitter was abuzz with comments about the latest iPhone 5 auction and the remarkable ‘Fly to New York to get your iPhone 5’ Facebook competition. Smokoo’s co-founder Li Jian says the same happened when they ran their first iPhone 4 competition on Facebook.
Ed. The iPhone 4 competition on Facebook, would you say that was a success?
Li. Oh, definitely. We’ve learned in this business that we will always have critics with whatever we do, but those that choose to take part, always benefit. The person that won that iPhone 4 competition was probably the first to own one in South Africa. I see she’s also taking part in our new iPhone 5 competition on Facebook.
Ed. Tell us about the iPhone 5 Facebook promotion?
Li. We are sending one person to join a Smokoo team member in New York City where we will buy the iPhone 5 for them at the famous iStore on 5th Avenue. The rest of our users that secure the iPhone 5 auctions will receive their iPhone 5’s when we get back from the Big Apple.
Fly to NYC to get the first iPhone 5 in the world - a Smokoo event!
Ed. How can you call it the iPhone 5 when it’s not an official name yet?
Li. When you look at all the talk from the top journalists around the world they are all calling it the iPhone 5. We are just following suit.
Ed. True, but there’s not even a release date yet?
Li. Our innovative auction system allows us to pre-sell items, something our users love. We did the same with the iPad, the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4. We also did it with a Sony 3D TV before the worldwide launch. The moment the item launches, we deliver it to our users. We’ve got the credibility. In the auction descriptions we always specify the T’s and C’s so as not to create the wrong impression.
For any further details about this auction you can contact Smokoo directly on support@smokoo.com.
