DiGi’s #QueLi – What It Is, and How It Works

DiGi is going big and loud with its upcoming iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launches in Malaysia. Besides being the first local telco to announce the two new iPhones’ availability in the country (by about ten minutes), it has also introduced a virtual queueing system with a twist. It’s called QueLi, and it offers you the chance of being one of the first to own the new iPhone in Malaysia, without having to queue to get it. Here’s how QueLi works.

What exactly is QueLi? What’s with the name?

According to DiGi, #QueLi is “the ultimate VIP iPhone experience”. Essentially, it is DiGi’s queueing system for the upcoming iPhone 6 and 6 Plus launch that’s happening on November 6. Besides opening pre-orders on October 31, customers can also go to the various DiGi stores to get their hands on the new iPhones on November 6 – which most likely means there will be long lines leading up to the stores, a phenomenon that’s a yearly occurrence. As for the name, QueLi is a wordplay of “kuli”, man servant, and “queue” – the act of lining up; it also means “buddy” in Spanish.

Here’s how the lines were like last year:

With QueLi, DiGi is offering people the chance to be one of the first in the country to own the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, without the hassle of queueing up for it. Instead, DiGi is offering people the chance to “win” a QueLi to queue up for them.

Okay, I’m intrigued. Tell me more.

Basically, you don’t win an iPhone, but rather win the chance to save yourself the hours of queueing up to buy the new iPhone. That means if you win a QueLi, the QueLi will queue up in line for you until launch day on November 6 and you’ll be able to conveniently pick it up ahead of everyone else in line.

Eyes on the prize.

Apparently, you can even ask your QueLi to do random stuff…though we’re not quite sure why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhOZpqLmeTU

So…how do I win a QueLi?

Two words: popularity contest. First, you’ll need to snap “a creative photo” and include a caption that states why you are the biggest Apple fan, uploading it on www.queli.com.my. The photo can be shared on your social media pages, but the photos will also be available on the QueLi website, where anyone can vote for the best photo with the most creative caption. Photos that have the highest votes (which are not disclosed on the website) will then be included in a shortlist, and from there a panel of judges will select the winner of the QueLi.

While DiGi did not explicitly mention how many QueLis are there to be won on its website, DiGi confirmed to us that there will be six QueLis to be won. Submissions with the highest number of votes will be shortlisted, where a panel of judges will then choose the six winners.

This is what we understand, though a separate DiGi official stated that the six winners will be selected on a 50-50 split – three winners from submissions with the highest votes, and another three via the judges panel.

That sounds complicated.

It is. But in a way, this judging mechanism prevents the winners selection from being just a popularity contest.

How many times can I vote for my favourite submission?

It appears that you can vote for a particular submission as many times as you want. We tried voting for one submission, and went back to the Gallery page. Clicking on the same submission again will show that you’ve voted for this picture, and cannot vote again. That being said, if you went back to the Gallery and refreshed the page, and then clicking on that submission, you can vote again. Hence, it isn’t too far fetched that someone can spend the whole day doing this to win one of the three spots.

Time of screenshot: 6:16pm.

Time of screenshot: 6:20pm

It is not known if DiGi has taken any measures to circumvent these acts.

When will the QueLi contest end?

With pre-orders opening on 31 October, submissions and voting will also end on 31 October (edit: the closing date is set at 4 November 2014). Winners will presumably be announced by November 6, the day the new iPhones officially come to Malaysia.

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