The Nation Newspaper

Category: Shopping

  • Ogba shopping complex: Firm sure of prompt delivery

    Ogba shopping complex: Firm sure of prompt delivery

    Following the flag off of the new Ogba Shopping Complex, initiated by Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman Olumuyiwa Julius Oloro, property developer in-charge of the project Kehinde Fajana has assured shoppers and traders of the prompt delivery of the complex.

    Fajana is the chief executive officer of Eliezer Investments Limited, the firm supervising the project.

    Financed by Jubilee Life Mortgage Bank, Fajana said Eliezer intended to project the shopping complex as a conventional market.

    Promising 18 months as the deadline for the project, Fajana said there was a mild  setback because of some residents around the site.

    “Most of the shop owners were relocated to a site closer to the retail market. Those who refused to go to the relocation site, were given money to look for shops elsewhere,” he revealed.

    The foundation of the complex, he said, was carefully done to guarantee the building’s durability, adding that the building’s architectural plan will definitely attract people to buy and sell in the multipurpose shopping complex.

    “The price for each shop is very affordable and the mode of payment is convenient and at ease for interested business men and women. Presently, over 50 per cent of people have already subscribed to the shops under construction. Majority of those at the relocated site are waiting to get the shop. They are all monitoring and checking the progress at the site in anticipation. In Eliezer we are poised to change the face of market development in Lagos State to encourage the confidence of the existing or displaced market men and women who are competent,” Fajana added.

    Eliezer and Ojodu LCDA, he said, are working hand-in-hand to deliver the project in a grand style.

    Fajana has embarked on many projects that have reflected his firm’s ability to construct projects such as private property development, student hostels and markets among others.

  • Endorsement for ‘No-Slips Limited’

    Endorsement for ‘No-Slips Limited’

    The Ikeja City Mall management has expressed satisfaction with No-Slips Limited’s non-slip floor treatment and the quality of work done by its well-trained workers on their floor.

    A large portion of the mall was recently treated by No-Slips Limited to increase the co-efficient of friction and thereby reduce the possibility of slip and fall accidents by visitors and members of staff.

    In a letter of appreciation, Mr. Steve Idonigie, Operations Manager of Ikeja City Mall said, “we write to thank you for the amazing difference we have experienced on our floors since they were treated with your anti-slip product.

    “We used to receive a lot of complaints of slip/fall whenever it rains and we have tried different approaches but to no avail. Since you applied your product to the floors of our shopping mall, the result has been excellent!

    “There has been a remarkable turnaround, there hasn’t been a single incident of slip and fall in the areas treated.

    “The efficacy of the product is second to none, this is the first of its kind in this part of the world. The treated areas are no longer slipper especially when wet”, he said.

    Reacting, the Chief Executive Officer of No-Slips Limited, Mr. Charles Igbinidu, said more companies and individuals in Nigeria are beginning to take floor safety seriously.

    He added that he is not surprised with the high demand for floor safety treatment, stressing that no amount of money spent on safety can be compared to the emotional and physical pain accidents bring.

    “We have heard stories of people who slipped while walking on the doorway of their offices and sustained life-threatening injuries such that their companies had to spend so much in flying the victims abroad for treatment. There are also stories of people who have lost their lives after slipping and falling in their bathrooms.

    “Slip and fall accident can happen anytime, anywhere; on a rainy day, the entryway of every store and office building becomes a danger zone to customers and staff. Every marble floor that has just been mopped, every kitchen in every restaurant or school cafeteria; every bathtub in every hotel and home, every washroom floor with a few drops of water, high-traffic areas where spills, drops and pools can occur are especially at risk i.e. homes (bathrooms, tubs, kitchens, stairs, seating rooms) and businesses/commercial places, malls, hotels,restaurants, banking halls, offices, factories, swimming pools etc.).

    Having a secure floor to walk on gives peace of mind and confidence both at home and offices.

    “No-Slips Limited is therefore into the business of giving that peace of mind, we can never seem to be too careful as slip and fall accidents happen unexpectedly. The consequences sometimes, unpleasant,”he said.

    No-Slips Limited is a floor and bathtub treatment company based in Lagos, Nigeria . It is the sole distributor and partner of Sure-Step non-slip company in the country.

  • The growing love for reusable bags

    The growing love for reusable bags

    Call it a trend or a growing way of life, branded reusable shopping bags are trending fad; they are being used as strategy for growing business, writes TONIA ‘DIYAN.

    When Osamudiame Gloria goes grocery shopping, she goes with her list and bags (a pair of strong canvas bags) she bought a few months ago for N1, 801.39 at her local grocery store in Ebute Meta, Lagos. This has become a habit for her.

    Apart from using it as a ‘status’ symbol, there are other reasons like that of being eco-friendly, which shoppers now consider before opting for it.

    “Reuseable shopping bags are better for the environment” says Gloria, 30, a political science graduate from The Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    A growing number of stores are catering to customers like Gloria, who see reusing shopping bags as an easy way to cut down on waste.

    Branded reusable shopping bags were invented in 1912 by Walter H. Deubner, in order to help sell more goods and add to store sales, when he discovered that shoppers would limit their purchases to what they could carry. Ironically the first shopping bag was sold for N1, 801.39, the very price many ‘wholesale outlets’ charge.

    Going back to the 1970’s, marketers discovered the power of printing their logo on a shopping bag, especially during the era of indoor shopping malls. Shoppers would walk from store to store, proudly displaying the logo of the retailer they just purchased from. During that time, the market accepted advertising on the bags and bags were free and convenient everywhere. During the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s, the bag was viewed as a symbol of class. If you paid less for your goods at a ‘wholesale outlet,’ you paid for a bag, but at a large multinational retailer, you paid more for goods, but your bags were free. At some more elite retailers, the quality of the bag, complete with string handle, took on a symbol all its own.

    It took many years, until the late 2000’s, that the market’s view on bags changed. Fast-forwarding to 2010, the view on bags is one of “environmental damage” and putting less plastic into our landfills. Now the corporate trend has reversed on bags. Once thought of as a marketing tool and a means to sell more goods, it’s now a tool to add to the bottom line and show you are environmentally conscious.

    Findings have it that in developed countries, retailers place a reminder sign on their entrance saying, ‘Did you remember your reusable bag?’

    Experts have advised retail outlet to have these bags available for shoppers free of charge and make sure the colour is classy but stand out. They advise that it is important to remember the signs at the front entrance, which shows the business cares for the environment, stating that a business with a social conscience can win the good will of a lot of people.

    Several large retailers, including Shoprite and SPAR, sell reusable shopping bags. While in developed countries like the United States and United Kingdom, some groceries, including independent stores and natural foods chain Whole Foods, go a step further, offering credits of a few cents for each bag that’s reused. Several companies give incentives for customers to cut down on disposable bags abroad.

    The fashion world has also taken note, with designers like Stella McCartney and Hermes selling reusable shopping bags for hundreds of dollars. Findings also have it that a store known as ‘Whole Foods’ created frenzy in New York when it offered a limited number of designer shopping bags for $15.

    ‘Little by Little ventures’, an independent grocer where Gloria shops in Ebute Meta, is promising to give customers a N300-per-bag credit when they reuse the store’s branded bags. Spokesperson at the store, Stella Medulla, said about seven to 10 percent of customers reuse their bags. “It is encouraging that our customers reuse our branded bags when they come here to shop. So, we produce limited bags and save money. And when they take our bags elsewhere to shop, they help us advertise our business to prospective buyers who reach us through phone calls and all our social media handles. That is the idea; she said, adding that she wouldn’t call it a trend anymore but a growing way of life.

  • Hubmart inaugurates Lennox Mall

    Following on the heels of her successful launch of its Ikeja Mall, indigenous retail outlet – Hubmart stores limited, will today inaugurate a new outlet in the Lennox Mall, beside The Place, Lekki.

    The Mall is purposefully designed to create an environment guaranteed to give customers a comprehensive shopping experience and further enhance the brand’s reputation as one of the best destinations for shoppers in the country.

    The Managing Director of Hubmart, Mr. Murat Bektaslar, said that the Lennox Mall brings to three stores in its chain of business. He noted that that the success recorded from patronage of its other outlets in Victoria Island and Ikeja is a testament to the fact that its customers have wholly embraced all its offerings.

    “We have continuously created an environment where customers can find everything they want under one roof, get the best quality of ultra-fresh produce, and have a delightful, fulfilling and exciting shopping trip. We are creating a movement – a fresh movement and as you can see. Our customers are appreciative of the efforts we make to ensure all our products are served fresh,” Bektaslar said.

    He further explained that the location of the mall was imperative because Lekki has become a key commercial hub in Lagos state. Besides, he said, the working and residential communities within Lekki and its environs made it imperative for the store to register its presence in the locality, assuring that the business was poised to engage and positively impact the local community with the array of initiatives in the pipeline.

    The store would provide employment to over 100 Nigerians, 60 percent of whom would be sourced from the local community, and serve as a source of livelihood to more people via the extended circle of influence on the local communities, that is, suppliers, engaged vendors, among others.

     

     

     

     

  • Stores gear up for Val sales

    All is set for Valentine’s Day sales as stores   prepare for the final push of Valentine items this weekend. TONIA ‘DIYAN writes.

    Valentine’s Day is next Wednesday. Store owners in the Lagos metropolis and other parts of the country are expecting more sales from shoppers wishing to buy gifts to express their love to their partners and special ones.

    Expectedly, shops will be busier this weekend. However, stores that feature gift items will get a large chunk of purchase at this time.

    Also, kiosk owners in Leisure Mall, Surulere, Lagos said they were warming up for huge traffic. Also, some chocolates and perfume gift stores were expecting upswing in sales, it was learnt.

    Sade Aileru, a clerk at Poise, which stock various souvenirs, said the store was expecting huge sales. So far, she said, the popular item has been the ‘Style 24’ perfume by Poundshop.

    At Leisure Mall in Surulere, a greeting card store owner on the top floor who prefers to be anonymus, said sales had been picking up in the past few days.

    “Most people leave it till two or three days before,” she said, adding that the store expects sales to go up. So far, people had been buying items on love or sweetheart, and anything heart-shaped, including chocolates, plush toys, personal figurines and mugs, she said.

    Proprietor of Delightsome Gift Concept, Gbagada-Lagos, Mrs Modupe Shopeju, said Valentine has graduated from being an event for lovers to one for business.

    She said: “Valentine’s Day is less about love and more about the business for retailers, particularly those in Lagos.

    “Shopping, spending, giving gifts and more, is the tradition for many people on Valentine’s Day; as such, retailers will always take advantage of the celebrations,” Shopeju said.

    According to her, the spending, shopping provide a light-hearted view of all the common Valentine’s Day traditions.

    Retailers said Valentine’s Day is among the top three holidays in terms of sales; hence, they they put in their best to make it worthwhile.

    A greeting card seller in Ikeja, Mr Kelechukwu Maduka, agrees with Shopeju. According to him, the occasion usually provides an opportunity for traders to make money after the Yuletide. “Valentine’s Day may mean flowers, dinner, a sentimental card or a special date night to some people, but to us, it means an opportunity to get busy again following the lull of post-Christmas rush.”

    Shopeju is, particularly, excited that this year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday because it will allow offers to be extended into the weekend.

    According to her, there are more offers for women as they are the biggest shoppers. “Women tend to buy for their husbands, kids, their mothers and everybody around them. I know the day is specially for them and I am looking forward to an exciting time,” she said.

    Spokesperson for Shoprite, Ini Archibong, said, at Shoprite, there will be an overflow of people  after work. And offers will extend till after Valentine.

    Valentine is the shortest holiday season because it lasts for only one day. Men are notorious for shopping at the last minute and stores are prepared for this.

    For this reason, retailers are eager to help people find something special for their loved ones and they look forward to seeing people come out in the spirit of the season. For them, each Valentine’s Day brings a little uptick in sales.

    A rose seller, Mrs Babajide Sumbo, said shoppers buy roses on occasions like this. She is optimistic that today’s will not be an exception. “Roses always will be our show stopper. We sell a lot more roses on Valentine’s Day than any other day of the year,” she said.

    However, a young lady, who  identified herself as Lydia, said Valentine’s Day isn’t that special.

    “People go may overboard,” she said, adding that she had seen some of her friends spend thousands of naira on gifts. “It’s foolishness,” she reasoned.

     

  • Hollandia Evaporated Milk: raising the bar in dairy drink

    For a brand that has positioned itself in the minds of consumers as the benchmark for quantity and quality in the evaporated milk category, Hollandia Evaporated Milk  may easily pass for an “all-rounder milk”, which can be used for traditional and non-traditional purposes.

    Consumers of the product describe it as “a great tasting and creamy addition to a breakfast cup of tea or coffee, or a bowl of cereal, pap or custard, as it provides excellent nourishment required for the body before you set out for the day.”

    Hollandia Evaporated Milk, which can be consumed with or without complement, is rich in calcium and vitamins, and comes in handy pack sizes of 60g and 190g.

    The 60g “Pop-Pour-Throw”pack size allows consumers to avoid waste as the content is within what can be consumed at a go, thereby eliminating the need for refrigeration.

    To address the desire for convenience by consumers, the re-sealable 190g “Pour-Cap-Keep”pack size provides consumers with the opportunity to store and re-use after opening.

    Ishola Oyedokun, a Marketing Executive with Shalom Enterprises, said his early morning routine involved a stop at a local mai shai (tea seller) to enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee. He observed that in most of these shops in Agege, Hollandia Evaporated Milk was used.

    “Upon enquiry, I was told by Alhaji Isa, the tea seller on my street, that Hollandia Evaporated Milk was used because it tasted fresh and creamier when added to tea or coffee. It is also cost effective when compared with other brands in its category and offers convenient packaging ideal for individual consumption and storage,” he said.

    Nkechi Agu, a confectionary consultant with Bake Mix Limited, stressed that milk is a key ingredient for baking, as well as for preparing desserts and that to achieve a great tasting product, its quality should never be compromised.

    “Hollandia Evaporated Milk is comparatively tastier than other milk brands I have come across, and creamier too. It is my favourite, as it is a perfect addition to enhance taste and quality whenever I have to prepare milkshakes, desserts and some snacks for my clients. The difference is impressive as there is a noticeably improved taste, texture and mouth feel whenever I put Hollandia Evaporated Milk in the mix,” she added.

    For Chi Limited’s Managing Director, Mr. Deepanjan Roy, Hollandia Evaporated Milk is a highly nutritious milk that provides the essential nutrients needed by the body for healthy development.

    “Its premium quality, unique convenient packaging and affordability makes it irresistible to consumers. Hollandia Evaporated Milk is an all-rounder milk with a great taste and creamy goodness. Through innovation, Hollandia Evaporated Milk has achieved consumer preference by consistently inventing and adding more value,” he said.

    The milk is available in Chi Shoppe, departmental stores, markets and neighbourhood kiosks.

     

  • Premium breadmakers promise better products

    THE Premium Breadmakers Association of Nigeria (PBAN), a new group comprising owners, managing directors and partners of premium bakeries, has unveiled plans to take the industry to a higher level.

    At a media parley in Lagos, the group’s President, Tosan Jemide, said: “We intend to collaborate with regulatory agencies in the food and beverage sub-sector of the economy- flour millers, sugar refiners, bread and confectioneries distributors, manufacturers and importers of baking materials, bread consumers and other relevant stakeholders to take the industry to greater height. We also intend to work with the relevant authorities and stakeholders in the cassava flour project, which seems to have lost some steam.

    “PBAN will pay particular attention to the quality of the bread her members produce for public consumption by working with Nigerians by partnering the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other regulatory bodies to ascertain the quality of what we churn out into the market. We shall ensure quality assurance with consumers’ health being paramount in our mind,” he said.

    The president added that the body would ensure that the equipment used by its members were in line with international best practices and would comply with every environment and safety regulation to forestall emission of carbon into the atmosphere, thereby helping to control ozone layer depletion.

    In addressing concerns over health issues that arise from the use of harmful ingredients like bromate, the president added: “PBAN will build synergy with relevant stakeholders in the bakery industry in Nigeria and ensure there is no dumping of unwholesome baking materials that will constitute health hazard to Nigerians by partnering NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and other government agencies to expose individuals or organisations who choose to undercut and circumvent the system for personal gains.

    “PBAN boasts of very knowledgeable, well-educated and highly exposed self-starting entrepreneurs coming from diverse fields of endeavour, with a strong desire to grow a world class and globally-acclaimed bread and bakery industry here in Nigeria.

    “We will strive to professionalise the workforce in the premium bread-making industry by training and re-training staff in modern, safe and healthy ways of baking bread.

    “We will engage critical stakeholders in the bread-making value chain on behalf of her members to ensure they get a fair deal in pricing of baking materials for the sustainability of the industry.”

     

  • ‘Project Re-ignite’ to return Mr. Bigg’s sparkle

    Once the pride of the fast food and Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), Mr. Bigg’s, a subsidiary of UAC Foods Nigeria, is set for a relaunch into the enviable position it once held in the industry.

    To achieve this, the brand has concluded arrangemnts for a special campaign tagged “Project Re-ignite,” a food festival aimed at delighting customers and, at the same time, repositioning the brand as a pace setter in the QSR business in Nigeria.

    The event, to be held in Lagos, is slated to run from February 10 to 11. It will enable Mr. Bigg’s treat its customers to two days of sumptuous delicacies, with full compliments of comedy, fun, music, and other forms of entertainment at a rendezvous tagged “Mr. Bigg’s Food Fest.”

    “This campaign was borne out of the need to meet and exceed consumers’ needs with respect to great meal offerings leading to great eating experience, ambience, variety and personalised services. Hence, the Food Fest is an event billed to converge both lapsed, potential and current consumers of the Mr Bigg’s brand.

    “We want to expand our offerings thereby guaranteeing customers a higher value for the time and money spent. To start with, we have added bitter leaf, Afang and Fisherman soups to our local, home meals and other special delicacies, an official of the company,    Ihekwaba said.

    In addition to these mouth-watering delights, Mr Bigg’s is also going continental as Chinese rice complete with beef and spicy chicken sauces and stir fry potato make supreme entries in our menu”, she reiterated.

    Ihekwaba hinted that the Food Fest woulld eventually culminate in a nationwide fiesta that would strongly reinforce Mr Bigg’s status as industry leader and national brand.

    The Mr Bigg’s Food Fest is targeted at families, youths and young adults with over 2, 000 consumers expected at the event. it is free for all with the best of meals on offer. There will be special gift vouchers for consumers who visit the Food Fest and also Discount Vouchers redeemable at Mr Bigg’s restaurants in Lagos only.

    Consumers can also register online to be part of the fun-filled food fiesta.

  • ‘Assaulting the buyer with ‘cheap price’ messages’

    Every day, more discount pharmacy stores and chains are opening and assaulting health-care consumers with the “we are cheaper” message. But is price the best way to achieve positive health-care outcomes?

    Community pharmacists are the only Australian health-care professionals to practise in a retail environment. When a patient “buys” a medication, it is easy to see how they can think they are purchasing a commodity. This perception is further fuelled by the retail and price-promotion focus by many (if not most) pharmacies.

    Multiple times each week, there is a pharmacy sale catalogue in the mailbox. Yes, it has the vitamins and complementary medicines, the perfumes and general retail lines, such as soaps and so on, but it also contains an array of medicines that are promoted as cheaply priced.

    There’s a tension between the three major players in this space: consumers, pharmacy owners, and the health system.

     

    Consumers

    From a consumer perspective, anything that reduces the cost of an item is good. Cost of living is increasing, and everyone is looking for the next bargain. Price can be a huge motivator in driving purchasing behaviour and just about every retail outlet knows this and uses it to attract customers.

    Many discount chains have large amounts of signage dedicated to giving the perception they are the cheapest, and if not, they will beat any competitor. This can attract customers for specific products they are seeking – usually products for a specific need, or high use items.

    Pharmacy owners

    Pharmacy owners are in business, and they need to make a profit or their business will fail and close. The profit they extract from each sale provides all the business costs (rent, electricity, staff, wholesale cost of products) and a return for the owner.

    Therefore, the owner will try to maximise profit at every opportunity.

    This can be achieved by reducing costs or increasing selling prices of goods. This is true for any pharmacy owner, not just discounters. However, discount pharmacies generate the perception they are cheaper, so something has to give.

    •Culled from The Conversation

     

  • Entrepreneur makes ‘Chivas Venture’ global finals

    Folasade Bamisaye, founder of MY periodKit, a social enterprise that tackles menstrual hygiene among girls and women of reproductive age in rural settlements, has been selected to represent Nigeria at the Chivas Venture Global Final at TNW Conference, taking place in Amsterdam in May 2018

    Bamisaye emerged winner of the Nigerian final of the Chivas Venture 2018, a global startup competition that gives $1 million in no-strings funding every year to the most promising social startups from around the world.

    By her victory, she will join 26 all-star social entrepreneurs from across the globe, and go head-to-head for a place in the final five and the chance to pitch their business in front of thousands of international tech addicts, investors, entrepreneurs and media.

    Through MY periodKit’s sanitary pads made of biodegradable products from banana stems, women from low-income settlements are given access to affordable menstrual solutions thus, ensuring their hygiene and dignity as hand washing after each menstrual change is not readily available.

    “I am delighted MY periodKit has been selected as this year’s winner of the Chivas Venture competition in Nigeria. The Chivas Venture serves as a credible platform to showcase MY periodKit to the world. I am really looking forward to the opportunity to learn and refine our business model by attending the accelerator week where I will be coached by world-class business, mentors at the University of Oxford and to compete for a share of a million dollars which will give us the opportunity to scale the business,” Bamisaye enthused.

    Ahead of the Chivas Venture Global Final, the 27 ambitious entrepreneurs will take part in a three-day Accelerator Programme hosted at the University of Oxford at The Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship. The Accelerator Programme will feature opportunities for the finalists to develop leadership skills, take part in practical workshops and be inspired by global visionaries on critical topics that affect for-purpose businesses.

    Chivas Regal, a scotch whisky brand, this year joined forces with Europe’s leading tech festival, TNW Conference, to host the fourth annual Chivas Venture Global Final in Amsterdam on May 24.