Marketing 101: Lucky Tiger Scratch It Card: Same Product But with a Changing Name?

Scratch card Lucky Tiger similar to Go Banana, Golden Genie, Go for Gold and this month, Lucky Rabbit.

We have heard the phrase "If it Aint Broke, Why Change It?".

Pacific Online Systems, supplier of the Lucky Tiger Scratch It card, has a different take on that phrase.

You see, Pacific Online offers almost 14 kinds of Scratch It cards but a number of them are just variations of the same Game card wherein you find figures of the same peso amount, win that amount, to wit:

1.  Go Banana (same but has a multiplier to double or triple winnings)

   2.  Lucky Tiger (same but has bonus of a Gold Coin (win P200) or goldbar (win P1,000)

3.  Go For Gold  (same as Go Bananan)

4.  Golden Genie (same as Go Banana), and so on.

The Scratch It Card featuring the scheme of looking for 3 like amounts seems to be the most popular among lotto customers and what Pacific Online has done is to offer the same product packaged differently (different colors, card name).

URC's bestselling Piattos in different flavors & packaging

  A good analogy is Piattos Potato chips which comes in Cheese, Barbecue and Rancho style -- same product but with something a little different (flavor, color, name).

Lucky Tiger, to commemorate the Year of the Tiger last year 2010, will now go away and to be replace by, what else?  Lucky Rabbit for 2011!

For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head.

 If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.

If you want to request for further information, send me a message or comment on the above post, please kindly click the "comment" button below this post.

I am conducting a Reader Survey on "Is Scramble a Fad?". On the Top Right part of this blog is my Survey Poll. Please click your choice and then click "Vote" button.

To see the results of the survey todate, just click the “Show Result” button

The All-time Bestselling PCSO Scratch It Card is still the Go Banana of Pacific Online Systems!

There are more than 20 kinds of PCSO Scratch & KasCash Cards to play.

  For those not familiar with it, a PCSO Lotto Outlet does not just sell Lotto tickets--- they also sell scratch cards.

Scratch cards are colorful cards that a lotto customer has to scratch to reveal the winning prize.  It is very relaxing to play and cost in general P20 for most games.

Each card has a different game scheme, to wit:

1.  Some cards will win if you can find 3 of the same amount, you win the amount.  Some cards like the go Banana has a multiplier (X2, X3) which can right away double or triple your winnings.

2.  Others like Red Hot 7 require that you find 3 7s in a row (vertical, horizontal or diagonal like Tic Tac Toe) and you win the amount where the 7s are aligned to.

3.  Others like Sunny Money (look for a Sun) while Cash Carnival means you look for a ferris wheel.

The All-time Favorite Scratch It Card -- Go Banana!

  4. Right now and still going strong is Go Banana.  Normally a Game card will be played for a fixed period of time (maybe 2 months or so and it will stop) but demand for Go Banana is so strong that I think it is already in its 6th Series of Launching!!!

Lotto customers enjoy playing the scratch cards to kill time while waiting say for the wife to finish grocering or waiting for somebody.  For the oldies, it is a means to fill in their time now that they mostly leave without their family and are just with the maid.

For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head.


 If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.

If you want to request for further information, send me a message or comment on the above post, please kindly click the "comment" button below this post.

As a NEW FEATURE ON MY NEW BLOG, I am conducting a Reader Survey on "Is Scramble a Fad?". On the Top Right part of this blog is my Survey Poll. Please click your choice and then click "Vote" button.

To see the results of the survey todate, just click the “Show Result” button

PCSO LOTTO UPDATE: Lotto Outlet is Now Inside the MRT Station. . . Lotto Business Must Be Good!!!

(This is Actual Photo of my Lotto Outlet in a Mall in Quezon City)

  After Going through a Surgery to remove my wisdom tooth that decided to live under my gums, I had to climb the MRT Boni Station to get to the other side of EDSA (Robinson Pioneer Mall side) and wait for a taxi.

  While crossing the MRT Station above, I noticed that there is already a Lotto Station inside the MRT Station itself.  This is part of the series of Lotto Outlets that are being set-up in selected MRT stations and are all owned by Pacific Online Systems, the partner of the PCSO for the Visayas and Mindanao areas as well as the owner of the Lucky Circle Corp that has exclusive rights to operate Lotto outlets in all SM Malls (of course, SM owns Pacific Online indirectly through Belle Resources, the owner  of Pacific Online).

Well, if SM thinks Lotto is worthwhile to invest their huge Cash War Chest, then LOTTO MUST BE A GOOD BUSINESS!!!

(Your Lotto Customers can WIN AS MUCH AS P200,000 FROM SCRATCHING A SINGLE SCRATCH IT CARD! And you, as the Lotto Agent, gets 10% for Winnings over P10,000/card))

(There are so many PCSO Lotto Scratch It Cards to sell!!)

(Sample of a PCSO Lotto Scratch It Card)

(Long Lines at my Lotto Outlet)

(Sample of a PCSO Lotto ticket)

  For those interested in going into the Lotto Outlet business, I offer a One-on-One Consultation on How to Set-up and Operate Your Own Lotto Outlet.  Topics will include Site Selection, The Proper Way to Apply with the PCSO, How Much to Set-up a Lotto Outlet, Actual Operations, How to Attract Lotto Players, Hiring The Right Lotto Operator and How to Protect Your Business from Fraud and many many more.  I will share with you my Actual Experiences as a Lotto Agent.  My fee is only P2,000 per head. 

(Sample of a PCSO Lotto Playslip)

If you are interested in availing of my Lotto Consultation, you may text me at 0922-8831225 for details. See ya guys.

If you want to request for further information, send me a message or comment on the above post, please kindly click the "comment" button below this post.





As a NEW FEATURE ON MY NEW BLOG, I am conducting a Reader Survey on "What You Think Is The Hottest Small Business in Manila today". On the Top Right part of this blog is my Survey Poll. Please click your choice as the Best Small Business in Manila and then click "Vote" button.

To see the results of the survey todate, just click the “Show Result” button

ASIA FOOD EXPO 2010: How About Swiss-made Brewed Coffee in a Capsule for Just P30 per cup? Think of the Profits You Could Make Selling a Cup at P70!!

During the Asia Food Expo 2010 or "AFEX 2010, I came across Nespresso. I thought it is Nestle but it is not. Nespresso is also from Switzerland (as the Nestle Corporate Office is also there) and they have a NEW WAY OF SELLING BREWED COFFEE:

1. They have their own proprietary Nespresso Espresso Machine

2. The coffee beans have already been ground and I think vacuum-sealed into capsules (see the green round thing beside the Expresso Machine in the pic below)



3. You place a cup under the spout, insert the capsule into the slot & press the button for 1 cup. Needles inside the machine pierces the capsule and as with an Espresso machine, high-pressure steam meets the ground coffee.

4. Taste is supposed to be better as the steam hits the coffee capsule at a much higher pressure than ordinary espresso machines.

5. I was surprised that the coffee showed a prominent CREMA (coffee froth) on top of the coffee.

6. Capsules come in different coffee strengths to suit taste.

7. Lastly, each capsule cost P30 ONLY meaning you could make a GOOD MARKUP.

8. Machines start at P60,000 plus or minus and up depending on the features (automatic, semi-auto or manual)

ASIA FOOD EXPO 2010: I Like This!! Coffee Vendo Machine for P34,000. Sell Coffee for P10 and Earn 40%!!

Towards the rear end of the World Trade Center Hall, I chanced upon this Korean booth selling a Coffee Vending Machine for only P34,000. Here are the features:

1. It can be Coin-operated (no need of bantay or salesperson) or it can be Manually-operated;

2. When you insert the coin (say, 2 pcs of P5 coin) and press the One-cup button, a disposable cup (6 or 8oz maybe) drops down the front and starts filling with 3-in-One coffee;

3. The rear of the machine looks like a water dispenser because there is a place to invert the water refilling container (just like your dispenser at home, see pic)



4. The Korean will supply both the dispenser and the coffee in pouches ala starbucks.

5. I tasted the coffee. It is not brewed but it tastes strong enough.



6. You have a choice of coffee, mocha or chocolate-flavor.

ASIA FOOD EXPO 2010: For The Do-It-Yourselfers, Where to Buy Affordable Kitchen Equipment??

During the AFEX 2010, visitors saw a plethora of foreign-branded kitchen and restaurant equipment for sale and selling at huge prices. What if the would-be small business entrepreneur cannot afford these brands and is looking around for affordable local suppliers?

Don't fret. At the Asia Food Expo 2010, I saw 2 outfits, Gomeco and Binondo Metalcraft selling affordable kitchen and restaurant equipment.
(pic courtesy of gomeco)

Other choices but did not exhibit is Almedah (they are a long-time fabricator of grillers, ovens, stoves etc to local burger franchises and you can also try going to the Quinta Market in Quiapo where there are many stores selling kitchen and restaurant equipment.


(courtesy of binondo metalcraft)

Scramble Wars Heats Up!!! Icebreaker Scramble Opening in Megamall Bldg B September, 2010. BuzBox Scramble Is Already Making A Killing.

Yup, that's right I heard that Icebreaker Scramble is opening in Megamall in Building B this month.

Buzbox Scramble has been in Megamall Foodcourt (Building A) for the past few months (PIC COURTESY OF BUZBOX SCRAMBLE MEGAMALL BR) and you can see the lines of teens forming at their outlet.

It will be interesting to see how this battle will go though both are located on opposite ends of the huge Megamall complex. Then again, the distance may not matter when these 2 Scramble guys duke it out on who is the REAL SCRAMBLE KING!!!!

AFEX 2010: ASIA FOOD EXPO: Want to Start Your Own Mr. Softy or Snowpy Soft Serve Ice Cream? Then, You Need This.

At the huge Technolux booth is the Taylor Soft-serve Ice Cream made in the US of A. High-Quality. Maybe the Rolls Royce of Soft serve ice cream. This is the same machine used by Jollibee for all their Rocky Road sundaes. The machine is not cheap, about P265,000 (vs maybe P50,000 for the Taiwan brand) but Technolux claim a higher 40% more yield per kilo of soft serve ice cream mix!!! Do the math.

For those who cannot afford a Rolls Royce, there were also soft serve ice cream machines made in Taiwan, Korea (cost as much as Taylor, don't know why) and China, I think.



Don't decide on cost alone. You have to think about yield (or how many cones can you do with a kilo of mix, after sales service when it breaks down and it will, availability of parts etc).

AFEX 2010: ASIA FOOD EXPO: Food Ingredients from Cosmic Chemical

I came across Cosmic Chemical as they had on display freshly-baked Pork Floss Bread a la Bread Talk.

Though the size displayed was about 3/4 the size of Bread Talk, I was surprised when the exhibitor said food cost with the pork floss is only P5/pc (P3.50/pc without pork floss).

And if you must have pork floss, the cosmic guy said he knows of a baker in Davao who uses pork floss lookalike but it is much cheaper because it is made of soya!!! Imagine pork floss taste without the fat!!!!

Also, displayed where donuts in a different shape made from their food ingredient and donut maker.

AFEX 2010: The Asia Food Expo: When You Want to Start Your Own Food Business

It has been a flurry of Food and Franchising Expos week after week after week. After so many talk about franchising. I want to present to you a different kind of Food Expo where you get a chance to TRY OUT YOUR NEW FOOD IDEA AND TURN IT INTO A SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE. I am talking about the Asia Food Expo.

In the coming days, I will feature the different things I saw at the AFEX 2010 Expo and what it means to the would-be small business owner who wants to try something on his own or cannot afford the steep steep franchise fee and want to do his own thing, including scramble.

Displayed at the Afex 2010 are equipment, flavorings and even demos by real chefs who will show you how to do it and even provide the recipes and costings for you to start your own bakeshop, for instance.


Above pic shows a chef from Handyware Phils showing the long lines of viewers how to make pastry from food preparation to actual baking.

Question: When is a Scramble not a Scramble? . . . . . . . . Answer: When It is a SCRAMBOI! Huh?

As part of the Scramble Bandwagon, Wynski is offering their version of the Scramble franchise called Scramboi and get this, they are offering it at only P50,000!!!


(courtesy of Scramboi Wynski Enterprises)

NOTICE ALSO THAT AT p5-p10-p15, THEY ARE OFFERING A LOWER SELLING PRICE THAN ICEBREAKER WHICH SELLS AT P7-P10-P17!!!!!

Whatever Happened to the Hong Kong Style Fried Noodle Craze???

If this year it is all about Scramble, last year was all about the HongKong Style Fried Noodles.

Remember Hong Kong Style Fried Noodles at the St Francis Square with their super-long lines of people waiting for their orders of P26 Fried Noodle topped with 2 pcs siomai and garnished with your choice of Spicy, Sweet soy sauce???

How about Taipan Fried Noodle that used to be in all the exhibits???

At the Food and Drinks Asia 2010 Expo at the World Trade Center WTC, I only saw one offering Fried noodle, see below:


(courtesy of Hongkong Fried noodle)

Anak ng Siomai!!! Is This a Price War or Good Value for Customers????

The good thing about the recent Food and Drinks Asia 2010 Expo at the World Trade Center is that they were able to invite the Heavyweights in the Siomai Franchises (Siomai House, Master Siomai and Henlin) whereas in the previous Franchising Expo at the SMX, I think only Master Siomai was present.


(courtesy of Mang Siomai; NOTICE THE 5PCS PER ORDER SIGNAGE on the side of the kiosk)


As I browsed the different Siomai franchises (many with the same Red-Black-White color scheme and similar sounding brand names) I came across two that advertised 5 pcs of Siomai per order (when the unofficial official standard is to have only 4 pcs per order) for the same P25.


(courtesy of JC Fran Siomai King; NOTICE THE WORDS "5PCS SIOMAI" ON THE SIGNAGE IN FRONT)

2 things struck me with this move of a Siomai newcomer:

1. It is good for the customer to have more siomai for the same price (assuming they did not cheapen the quality) and

2. Is this a way of making a Price War?????? (which may not be good for the franchisee).

Question: When is Siomai Not Siomai? . . Answer: When It is Syomai!!!

I told you there are so many siomai franchises during the Food & Drink Expo at the WTC and that most of the siomai outfits are copying each other like having the same Black-Red-White color scheme, the same script and even the same brand initials "M" and "S".

NOW COMES SOMEBODY WHO TRIES TO BE DIFFERENT . . . . . in spelling the word "Siomai" that is . . . . enter Mister SYOMAI!!!!


(courtesy of Syomai siomai)

Well, not really all that different------ its Mister Syomai as in Master Siomai as in Magic Siomai. . . . Oh well.

Question: When is Siomai Not Siomai? . . Answer: When It is Syomai!!!

I told you there are so many siomai franchises during the Food & Drink Expo at the WTC and that most of the siomai outfits are copying each other like having the same Black-Red-White color scheme, the same script and even the same brand initials "M" and "S".

NOW COMES SOMEBODY WHO TRIES TO BE DIFFERENT . . . . . in spelling the word "Siomai" that is . . . . enter Mister SYOMAI!!!!


(courtesy of Syomai siomai)

Well, not really all that different------ its Mister Syomai as in Master Siomai as in Magic Siomai. . . . Oh well.

Twistix Potato, Di Ka Na Nag-iisa! (You're Not Alone). . . Here Comes Twist Potato and Twist Chipstix

During the last Franchising 2010 Expo a few weeks ago, Twistix Potato was the darling as there were long lines of people who wanted to buy the expensive P50/P70 sticks of twisted potato. My blog also got so many inquiries of how to get in touch with Twistix.


(courtesy of twistix potato)

Now, things are different. . . . I attended the first day of the Food & Drinks Expo 2010 at the World Trade Center and I saw long lines again of people wanting to buy twisted potato except this time the line was. . . . not on Twistix but. . . . at Twist Potato!!! And take note, PRICING IS p50 AND P60 NA LANG. . . . PRICE WAR!!!!!!!! What will happen to the franchisee if prices keep on dropping even before these 2 franchises even start to gain market acceptance??? BEWARE!!


(courtesy of twist potato))


And as I rounded the corner, Woe and Behold. . . . another twist potato called Twist Chipstix!!!!!!!


(courtesy of Twist Chipstix)

A franchisor friend of mine was saying the twist potato could be a fad as the pricing of P50/P70 is stiff (expensive).

I remembered last year or so, there was this franchise called Ribbon Potato (looks like shaved and twisted potato but served in a box like potato corner) and now, I don't seem to see them anymore.

Twistix Potato, Di Ka Na Nag-iisa! (You're Not Alone). . . Here Comes Twist Potato and Twist Chipstix

During the last Franchising 2010 Expo a few weeks ago, Twistix Potato was the darling as there were long lines of people who wanted to buy the expensive P50/P70 sticks of twisted potato. My blog also got so many inquiries of how to get in touch with Twistix.


(courtesy of twistix potato)

Now, things are different. . . . I attended the first day of the Food & Drinks Expo 2010 at the World Trade Center and I saw long lines again of people wanting to buy twisted potato except this time the line was. . . . not on Twistix but. . . . at Twist Potato!!! And take note, PRICING IS p50 AND P60 NA LANG. . . . PRICE WAR!!!!!!!! What will happen to the franchisee if prices keep on dropping even before these 2 franchises even start to gain market acceptance??? BEWARE!!


(courtesy of twist potato))


And as I rounded the corner, Woe and Behold. . . . another twist potato called Twist Chipstix!!!!!!!


(courtesy of Twist Chipstix)

A franchisor friend of mine was saying the twist potato could be a fad as the pricing of P50/P70 is stiff (expensive).

I remembered last year or so, there was this franchise called Ribbon Potato (looks like shaved and twisted potato but served in a box like potato corner) and now, I don't seem to see them anymore.

Don't Just Rely on Signages. Use the Power of Word-Of-Mouth

(courtesy of safetysign.com)

Imagine being relocated from a very high-traffic part of the Mall to a virtual DEAD ZONE and you can imagine the anxiety and worry that I went through when that just happened to my Lotto Outlet just last week.

To top it all, there are about 5 or 6 other lotto outlets within spitting distance (5o meters or less) from where I was located. The new site is exactly 80 steps (50 meters) away from my high-traffic site.

I knew my lotto customers will not be able to find me as they got used to just seeing my lotto outlet just upon entering the mall.

I placed a Tarp signage (in Bright Yellow background and Blue "Lotto" word across it) but only a handful saw the sign during our first 7 days and you know what brought my loyal lotto customers back , it was WORD-OF-MOUTH, to wit:

1. I stood on my old site and started giving out PCSO Lotto Playcards for them to place their bets and directed (escorted) them to my site;

2. The sales personnel of former

neighboring tenants who also pointed my lotto customers in the right direction;

3. Security Roving Guards also played a prominent role as many lotto customers asked the guards where my lotto outlet is now located;

4. And like a snowball effect, those lotto customers who were fortunate to find my lotto outlet during the crucial first 5 days also spread the word to their neighbors and friends who were also my lotto customers.

Signages are good but nothing like going out there and talking to your loyal lotto customers.