Another high minimum spend promo from Econet: Any takers? (Update)

Update: We have since learnt that the promo is an intelligent form of daily bundles. Each user get’s a different minimum spend to qualify so while we got the $2.5 threshold, some got SMSs that said they just needed to spend $1.10 and so on.

A few weeks ago Econet Wireless, the country’s largest MNO unceremoniously changed the terms and conditions of its voice bundles promo much to the disgust of customers. Although the bundles promo is still available, the minimum entry level spend has shifted from just a $1 to a $5 which means only high value customers can still benefit from this promo.

Today, in a text to customers, Econet Wireless announced another promo with a relatively high minimum spend level. The promo text read:

Goodnews! Spend at least USD 2.50 on voice calls in a single day and get 50% bonus airtime. Cash and smart phones to be won in weekly draws. Promo ends 7/3/14.

Clearly only a handful of customers will be excited by this. Not only are customers expected to spend more to qualify, the 50% bonus is unlikely to excite customers previously spoiled with mega 100% bonuses during the height of the mobile wars last year.

Although the intent may be to encourage all subscribers to spend more, it’s only those customers that MNOs rate as “high value” that may benefit from this promo.

This may signify a shift in focus by the MNO(s), a focus likely to dominate 2014 promos as the fight moves from merely getting more subscribers to targeting high value subscribers who can spend more.

The quality of subscribers is increasingly becoming important and each MNO would need to increase and retain their share of these and what better way to do this than through promos.

In an unrelated story, Telecel has confirmed to Techzim that they are now mindful of the quality of subscribers they will be targeting.