How does scratch card marketing work for a local business or online store?
Part of the complete guide: Gamification Marketing for Local Businesses: Full Guide
Scratch card marketing gives customers a card, paper or digital, that they scratch to reveal a prize. To make it work, decide the goal (return visits, bigger baskets, contact details), set a monthly prize budget, fix the odds and the stock of each prize, protect wins with unique codes checked at the counter, and check whether your country requires a permit or written rules for the promotion.
- A scratch card is a simple instant-win game: anyone understands it in two seconds.
- Digital cards let you change odds, cap prizes and stop fraud; paper cards cannot.
- Expected prize cost per card = sum of (chance × unit cost) for each prize.
- Unique codes validated by staff stop screenshots and repeat claims.
- The same game can run as a popup on your online store with discount codes.
Why does scratch card marketing still work?
The scratch gesture builds a few seconds of suspense, and the result is instant. There is nothing to learn, no score to beat and no waiting for a draw. That simplicity makes scratch cards one of the easiest games to offer at a till, at a table or on a website.
The card itself is only the wrapper. What matters is the action you attach to it: a card after every purchase to bring people back, a card above a basket amount to lift the ticket, or a card that asks for a name and phone number with consent before revealing the prize code.
Paper or digital scratch cards: which should you choose?
Paper cards feel tangible and work without a phone, but they are printed once with fixed results. Digital cards open in the phone browser after a QR scan and can be adjusted at any time.
| Criterion | Paper scratch card | Digital scratch card |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Design, print, distribute | Configure online, print one QR |
| Changing odds or prizes | Reprint the whole batch | Change in the dashboard |
| Fraud control | Hard: cards can be copied or reused | Unique code per win, play limits |
| Customer data | None unless a form is attached | Name, phone or email with consent |
| Online stores | Not possible | Popup game with discount codes |
| Results tracking | Manual counting | Plays, wins and redemptions recorded |
How do you set odds and prize stock?
Start with a monthly prize budget and an estimate of how many cards will be played. Then list your prizes with a unit cost, a chance of winning and a maximum quantity. The expected cost per card is the sum, for each prize, of its chance multiplied by its unit cost. Our guide on how to budget prizes for a promotion walks through the full method.
Illustrative example, not a recommendation: a shop expects 1,000 plays a month. It offers a free coffee (unit cost 1 USD) with a 20 in 100 chance, a 5 USD voucher with a 5 in 100 chance, and a 50 USD product with a 1 in 1,000 chance. Expected cost per card is 0.20 + 0.25 + 0.05 = 0.50 USD, so about 500 USD a month, before counting the extra sales from returning winners. Try your own mix in the free prize budget planner.
Rules that keep the budget safe
- Cap big prizes per day and per month, so a lucky streak cannot empty the stock.
- Make most prizes valid on the next visit; redemption brings the customer back.
- Include a “try again next time” outcome so the odds stay honest and affordable.
- Write the prize rules (validity, one per customer, no cash value) where players can see them.
Which prizes work best on a scratch card?
Prizes with a high perceived value and a low cost to you are ideal. For the trade-offs, read how discount and free-gift rewards compare.
- Cafés: a free drink size upgrade, a pastry, a second coffee on the next visit.
- Restaurants: a dessert, a side dish, a drink for the table on the next visit.
- Retail: a small accessory, a sample, a voucher above a minimum spend.
- Salons and barbers: a free add-on service (beard oil, hair mask) at the next booking.
- Online stores: a discount code, free shipping, a gift with the next order.
- A rare big prize: a product bundle or an experience that people will talk about.
How do you stop scratch card fraud?
Paper cards are easy to copy, scratch in secret or collect in bulk. Digital cards reduce these risks with a few simple controls. The guide on preventing loyalty and giveaway abuse covers more scenarios.
- Give every win a unique code that works only once.
- Have staff verify the code at the counter, ideally by scanning it, before handing over the prize.
- Limit plays per phone number or per device per day.
- Add an expiry date to every prize.
- Review the dashboard weekly for unusual patterns, such as many wins from one number.
Do you need a permit and how do you stay compliant?
Rules for promotions, instant-win games and prize draws differ by country and sometimes by city. Some require a permit from a local authority, written terms, or a free way to enter. Check with your local authority or a legal adviser before launching a large promotion; we cannot give legal advice for your country.
Keep reviews separate. Google does not allow any incentive in exchange for a review. Offer the scratch card to every customer for the visit or purchase, and invite everyone afterwards, optionally, to leave an honest review. The prize never depends on it.
How do you run scratch cards with Dawwerni, in store and online?
In a shop, café or restaurant, the customer scans a QR, scratches a digital card in a few seconds and wins a prize you set, with odds and quantities you control. Each win gets a unique code verified at the counter, and play limits reduce abuse. Profiles are saved in your own CRM with consent. For online stores, web campaigns add the scratch card or another game as a popup on your website with one script, with triggers such as delay, scroll or exit intent, frequency caps and consent-based email or phone capture; each win gets a discount code, including through Shopify, WooCommerce, Salla or Zid connections. See the spin-to-win popup guide for online stores, browse the games catalogue or watch the 3-minute overview.
FAQ
What is scratch card marketing?
It is a promotion in which customers scratch a paper or digital card to reveal a prize. Businesses use it to bring customers back, raise basket size or collect contact details with consent, because the game is instant and understood by everyone.
Are digital scratch cards better than paper ones?
For most businesses, yes. Digital cards let you change odds and prizes at any time, cap expensive prizes, give each win a unique code and record results. Paper cards still work for events without phones, but they are harder to control.
How do I calculate the cost of a scratch card promotion?
Multiply each prize’s chance of winning by its unit cost and add the results: that is the expected cost per card. Multiply by the number of plays you expect per month to get the monthly budget, then set caps on expensive prizes.
Can I use a scratch card to get Google reviews?
Not in exchange for a review. Google does not allow incentives for reviews. Give the scratch card to every customer for the visit, then invite everyone, optionally, to leave an honest review. The prize must never depend on the review.
Can a scratch card run on my online store?
Yes. A digital scratch card can appear as a popup on your website, triggered by time on page, scroll or exit intent. The win reveals a discount code, and you can ask for an email or phone number with a consent checkbox.
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