Normal queries & answers

General

1. What is Grand Kerala Shopping Festival?
Aim is to promote and develop commerce, trade and industrial sector of Kerala using the brand value of Kerala Tourism. The objective of the festival is to make the state an International shopping destination over a period of 5 years and create employment to develop traditional trade centers.

2. Who are the organizers?
Kerala Government, the members in the Commerce, trade and the members of industrial sectors.

3. What is the role of Kerala Government in this festival?
Entire event is under the supervision of State Government.

4. When exactly this shopping festival happens?
2008 Dec 1 to 2009 Jan 15th.

5. Who are the committee members of Grand Kerala Shopping Festival? .

Apex Committee

Executive Committee

•  The Minister (Tourism)

•  Principal Secretary (Industries & Commerce)

•  Principal Secretary (Finance) / Secretary (Finance, Expenditure)

•  Secretary (Taxes)

•  Secretary (Tourism)

•  Director (Industries and Commerce)

•  Director (Tourism)

•  Director (GKSF)

•  Chief Executive Officer (K-BIP)

Merchant Establishment Participation & Registration

1. Who are the participants?
Shops which have registered under Shop & Establishment Act industries and all commercial institutions can participate in the Grand Kerala Shopping Festival.

2. What are the benefits to participants?

• Government managed initiative.
• Focused all over the state.
• The largest retail channel.
• Very advantageous season for shopping (peak tourism).
• Huge marketing and huge prizes to customer.
• Right time for product placements.
• Extensive media coverage: Concentrated coverage in Print, Visual and FM Radio inside and Outside Kerala. Additional Coverage through digital.
• Advertisement Coverage: Print, Electronics, Digital & Outdoor with identity / logos of sponsors to inform and educate the consumers. Advertisements through big events like Opening Ceremony, Closing Ceremony and Weekly draws.
• Road Shows: Conducts road shows inside, neighboring states and gulf countries.
• Creating an additional shopping seasons in Kerala.
• Participation of industries and company producing consumer durables.
• Ensure prizes are offered from the project fund.
• Merchant Establishments can develop their own brand value.

3. How to participate in this shopping festival?
You need to register in any of the 3 category (Category A, B, C) and then you can avail the benefits of this festival.
The membership registration fee will be collected only by A/c payee cheques and Demand Draft payable to the Director GKSF.

4. What are the benefits to each category?
Category A: Rs.25,000/- for registration (Gold Partner)
Benefits:

• Will be considered as Gold partners of GKSF.
• 350 free coupons.
• One Certificate.
• One Drop box
• 6 door/floor stickers
• 2 Hanging banners
• Print will carry the logo / name of the registered ME.
• Arch ( optional )

Category B: Rs.5,000/- for registration (Silver Category)
Benefits:

• Will be considered as Silver partners of GKSF.
• 50 free coupons.
• One Certificate.
• One Drop box.
• 4 door/floor stickers.
• 1 Hanging banner.
• Arch (optional)
• One coupon should be distributed to consumers for every purchase worth Rs. 1000/-.

Category C: Rs.1,000/- for registration (General Category)

• Those shows with less than 100 sq.ft area and turnover less than 2 lakhs/year are eligible for registration under this category.
• Only registration
• No free coupons
• One Certificate
• One drop box
• One coupon should be distributed to consumers for every purchase worth Rs. 1000/-.

5. What are the criteria for registration under each category?
Category A: Rs.25,000/- for registration – Open to All
Category B: Rs.5,000/- for registration. – Open to all
Category C: Rs.1,000/- for registration. (Shops less than 100 sq ft
area and turn over less than 2 lakhs/year).

6. How do I register?
You need to contact the designated offices of EMA / District Industries Centre and DTPC functioning in Collectorate or submit registration through official website.

7. Can I register through Online?
Yes, you can register Online through the official website of GKSF (www.grandkeralashoppingfestival.com).

8. Are there any locational restrictions for this festival?
Yes. The festival is restricted to all corporation / municipalities and selected tourists / pilgrim centers. But any ME who wishes to join this festival outside the notified area can join the festival. They have to lift the POS materials, extra coupons etc from the nearest the distribution center and to return the counter foils in the drop box to the center.

9. From where I can I collect the coupons?
You need to contact nearest GKSF distribution centers (28 Centers in the state) / Call Centers.

10. What if I need extra coupons?
You need to contact nearest GKSF distribution centers/call center.

11. What is the value of our coupon and how many Scratch & Win prizes are there per 100 coupons?
Rs. 15/ per coupon, 10 to 15 prizes per 100 coupons.

12. Am I eligible to get any concession if I register early?
Yes. There is an early bird concession of 5% in the membership Registration fee to Gold partner(A) and Silver partner (B) Category for Mercantile Establishments who register till 14th September 2008.

13. How weekly draw are conducted?
We collect the coupons from the shops on a weekly basis and then conducts a draw (zonal based). Customers who won the prizes will be notified accordingly.

14. How Bumper or Mega prize are drawn?
Once the shopping festival is concluded (after Jan15th) we will collect all the coupons (from Dec 1 to Jan 15th) and conduct a mega draw.

Participation by Customers

Identification of Shops :

1. How can I identify the shops registered under GKSF ?

There will be signs, posters, danglers will be exhibited in front of the shop.

2. How can I identify whether the shop is registered under Gold Partner/Silver Partner / General Category ?

A Certificate showing the category issued from GKSF will be exhibited in the prominent area of the shop and the Customers are free to ask the shopper to show the certificate.

3. How can I understand about my eligibility in the case of number of coupons for a particular amount of purchase?

In Gold Partner Category, the shopper ( as decided by their associations ) will have the flexibility in the case of distribution of number of coupons to the consumers. For example their association can decide number of coupons to be distributed to consumers and limits of amount of purchase, but the decision of their association should be exhibited in the prominent place in their shops.

In the case of Silver Partner Category / General Category the shopper has to provide you at least one coupon for every purchase worth Rs. 1000.
Prizes

1. What are the mega prizes and weekly prizes?

Mega Prizes

First prize (1 No) - 5 KG gold
Second prize (9 Nos) - ½ KG gold

Mega Prize (MEs)
First prize ( 1 No) - 1 KG gold
Second prize (1 No) - ½ KG gold

Weekly prizes
First prize (3 Nos) - 25 Sovereign
Second prize (3 Nos) - 5 Sovereign
Third prize (100 Nos) - 1 Sovereign

2. What is Scratch & Win?
Each and every coupon has a hidden part where customers have the chance to win surprise gift. Customers have to scratch this hidden part and confirm if they have any prize written over there. They can collect the prizes on the spot (from the shop itself).

3. What are the Scratch & Win prizes?
These are the surprise gift which will vary.

4. With one coupon, in how many contest I can participate?
Scratch & Win, weekly draw and one Mega draw.

5. How will I collect the prize?
Scratch & Win prizes will be distributed on the spot itself from the shop. For the weekly and mega prizes you have to submit the original coupon with the bill of your purchase to the GKSF office with identity proof for collecting the prize after completing all the statutory formalities.

6. How will I be notified?
The result will be announced through media and the same will be communicated to the winner from GKSF office according to the address in the counter foil which is dropped in the drop box.

7. Do I need to pay tax for the prize?
Yes, you need to pay the gift tax except for the Scratch & Win prizes.

8. To whom should I contact for the prize if I win in the draw?
You need to contact the GKSF office at Trivandrum (Directorate of Tourism / General Manager, District Industries Centre / Secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council)

9. How long it will take to distribute the prize?
Scratch & Win prizes will be distributed on the spot itself. For the weekly draw and Mega draw, prizes will be distributed after completing statutory formalities

10. Can I exchange the prize for cash that I have won?
No, you cannot exchange.

11. How can I claim for the prize if I lost the original coupon?
You cannot claim if you lost the original coupon. Produce original coupons is mandatory for claiming the prize. Damaged coupons will not be accepted.

Events

1. Where this shopping festival happens?
This happens on all over Kerala in the shops registered in the Festival

2. Where this weekly draw contest conducts?
This will be conducted on the 3 Regional Centers (subject to change).

Sponsorships

1. Who were the sponsors of the festival for the previous year?
1) Emmar MGF
2) SRK Group
3) Hyundai
4) Sony

What is the Budget share from the Government of Kerala for conduct this Festival ?
15 crores

What are the Mela conducted along with this festival ?

1. Craft Mela at Kottakkunnu, Malappuram
2. Handloom Mela at Kannur
3. Coir Fest at Alappuzha
4. Coir Fest at Ernakulam
5. Khadi Mela
6. Cashew Fest at Kollam
7. Tribal Fest (Along with Nishagandhi Festival, Thiruvananthapuram)
8. Tribal Mela at Wayanad
9. Spices Mela at Idukki
10. Spices Mela at Ernakulam
11. Any other Mela decided by the organizers time to time.

Who is the Event Manager for the Conduct of Shopping Festival ?

M/s. 141 Sercon, New Delhi (a WPP Associate)

Where the Inauguration Ceremony / Closing ceremony of GKSF will be held?

The Inaugural Ceremony at Thrissur on 1st December 2008.
The Closing Ceremony at Kottayam on 31st January 2009.