31 January 2012

Eda vs. 1000 Euros

The highlight of the last week was me winning 1000€ cheque from MediaMarkt.



Every year around end of January, there is a tax-free shopping action from MediaMarkt. This year, besides the %19 discount, they organized a prize draw called VIP Shopping, so that one person would get 1000€ for each store they have in the Netherlands. It was quite easy to attend: You just needed to give permission to an application on Facebook and fill in a form, including the reason why they need to select you and not somebody else :) The reason I wrote was as following: Because I can buy V.I.P. (Very Innovative Products) only in MediaMarkt. Apperantly this reason worked and they selected me as the winner from Eindhoven!

On Wednesday, the day that they supposed to announce the winners, I saw on Linkedin that the director of Eindhoven store checked out my profile. - Yes Linkedin is the new "peek into personal life" platform, after everyone got obsessed with their privacy level on Facebook!- There was a small hope building up, but I thought they were making kinda background check, to eliminate "fake" participants or so... Around 18:30, I got a missed call when I was on my way from work to home. I thought it was my landlord calling me to update about the renovations in the house and simply ignored :P But when I arrived home, I saw the list of winner on the Facebook, with the name of Eindhoven-winner missing!

This was the point I realized that I won but I am about to lose because of not answering the call! So I started to call back like crazy all the numbers related to MediaMarkt Eindhoven! No reply... After 1 hour of panic, my phone ring. It was the director of the Eindhoven store to make an appointment with me for the 1000€ shopping :) I got so excited that I forgot how to talk in Dutch and started to blabber in English :P So we made an appointment for the Friday evening.

When I told my colleagues and friends about the deal, there were many suggestions about what to get. Here is the "options" list:
- TV, as big as possible. So that my 10 sqm living room becomes a walk-in-TV. Or I can keep it at the neighbours living room.
- A sound system, so that the TV will not feel lonely. And watching TV becomes a communial act shared with all the people in the building.
- And of course a Playstation 3.
- Electric BBQ & Beer tap. Do I need to mention the gender of the ones who suggested this?
- Various Apple products, even better to have 2-3 different ones. or to wait for iPad 3...
- Philips Wake-Up or Ambiance Lights, totally not my taste.
- Espresso machine, nice option where I spent all night looking for machines and getting lost in barista discussions.
- Philips Lumea, promising...


On Friday evening I went to the shop (after 1.5 hours of trying to spend time in the city). It was very very crowded! I told to the girl at the entrance that I was the winner of the VIP Shopping. She did not seem like believing in what I am saying, but called somebody else just in case. So, the director and another employee form store management came to meet me and to take pictures :) I did not get champagne, breakfast, flowers or a limo-ride as other VIP Shoppers from other stores, but a personal asisstant to help me through the Friday-evening-discount craze! People were literally fighting for TV's and other huge-sized expensive electronics. Eventually I managed to select a TV as well (Samsung UE 37 D6200), but it was not in the stock. The second address was for the espresso machines. After viewing ultra-automatic-one-button-cappucino makers, I decided to go for a more classical model from Magimix. Probably it is not the best ever, but a good start :) And I got an unexpected Philips Sonicare toothbrush with the last bit of my cheque, thanks to the guy telling me about it in a very passionate way.

My new espresso machine :)

It was very amusing to spend 1000€ in one hour without feeling my pockets getting lighter :) Thank you for the nice experience and amazing & fun assistance !


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