The Nation Newspaper

Category: Shopping

  • Power Oil receives double awards

    It was a double recognition for Power Oil, a vegetable cooking brand when it bagged two brilliant awards in different categories at the prestigious Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) Awards for Marketing Excellence, 2017 West Africa.

    The brand emerged the first in the category of Corporate Social Responsibility, contending against other equally big brands such as Nigerian Breweries, MTN Foundation & Indomie nominated under this group.

    Also under the most anticipated award category amongst other categories, which was Brand of the Year Award, Power Oil came second place, being nominated amongst other giant brands such as; Coca-Cola, Airtel, Indomie, Hayat, Unilever and others who entered for the category.

    ADVAN is a reputable and the only body in the nation, founded to advance the interest of the Marketing Industry in Nigeria by spearheading and ensuring global best practice as well as facilitating collaborative partnership with relevant stakeholders.

    According to Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, president of ADVAN, ‘’ it  was really a tough task awarding the brand of the year category especially for this edition, because all the brands nominated under the category performed excellently beyond expectations.However, what needed to be done had to be done and we congratulate recipients of all the award categories’’.

    Also during the event, Amisha Chawla, brand Manager, Power Oil who was clearly elated expressed her excitement having received two awards. She also thanked the association behind the ADVAN Award, as it has indeed been true to its purpose of creating value for the nation’s Marketing Communication community.

    “We all know how tough and meticulous ADVAN can be with entries, also considering the level of screening and scrutiny entries are being subjected to before transiting to the nomination stage, then to final-  the winning stage” Amisha stated.

    Power Oil is proudly Nigerian heart-friendly vegetable cooking oil under the staple of Raffles Oil Enterprise which offers consumers a healthier way of cooking as well as initiatives that educates and promotes a healthier lifestyle amongst Nigerians.  Power Oil is endorsed by the Nigerian Heart Foundation.

     

     

  • Chivita Active vegetable fruit juice, Hollandia Choco malt win marketing world awards

    An evening of glitz and glamour at the recently held 2017 edition of the Marketing World Awards saw two of the most innovative brands from the stable of Chi Limited recognised for delivering superior values to the market and exhibiting excellence in upholding effective marketing strategies. Whilst Chivita Active Vegetable Fruit Nectar came tops in the Best Use of Packaging category, Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink was recognised as the Emerging Brand of the Year in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) category.

    For Chivita Active Vegetable Fruit Nectar, while its offering of vegetable and fruit in one mix is the first of its kind in Nigeria, it is the brand’s ambient and aseptic packaging, which also its the first of its kind, that saw it pick up the award for the Best Use of Packaging.

    The offer of vegetable and fruit juice in a packaging that does not require refrigeration and is free from contamination, along with a cutting edge design, rich vegetable, fruit and juice visuals combined perfectly with an appealing colour pallet, is one that resonates with consumers who lead an active lifestyle and are primed to achieve more.

    While it was awarded the Emerging Brand of the Year for a FMCG, Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink is the first ready-to-drink chocolate, malt and milk drink in the Nigerian market. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, and takes away the hassles and inconvenience associated with preparing a choco-based drink the traditional way. As a product, it is fast reshaping consumption trends for a choco-based beverage because of its ready to drink convenience and offer of instant “sharp sharp” nutrition.

    According to Akin Naphtal, Chief Executive Officer of Instinctwave, this year’s edition of the Marketing World Awards showcased the latest industry innovations and initiatives, while recognising the exceptional work of marketing champions over the past 12 months. He reiterated that like the proverbial golden fish, innovative brands like Chivita Active Vegetable Fruit Nectar and Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink deserve the recognition.

    “Chivita Active Vegetable Fruit Nectar and Hollandia ChocoMalt Drink have not only pioneered new segments in the juice and choco-based beverage markets but have also within the last 12 months, achieved consumer preference status in their respective categories through innovative offerings and packaging,” he said.

    Chi Limited’s Managing Director, Mr. Deepanjan Roy, indicated that the recognition of two of the company’s most recent innovative brands at the Marketing World Awards was a reflection of the resourcefulness and value-driven processes that have ensured product quality, from conception to packaging.

    “The awards received by both of our brands at the Marketing World Awards show our continued desire to meet up with changing consumer needs. As always, the consumer is king; and thus, it is important to provide consumer satisfaction at all times. Innovation is key to achieving this. We are proud of these brands and their amazing stories of consumer satisfaction and achieved recognition,” he stated.

  • Ogapatapata to bring more Nigerian retailers online

    A new e-commerce platform, www.ogapatapata.com.ng, is seeking to promote Nigerian retailers online. Founded by Solomon Okpa, the portal which was officially unveiled recently in Lagos, said the brand is geared towards revolutionising the Nigerian digital market.

    “I had a deep conviction that one day in the near future, physical shops and market spaces would go extinct and be replaced by virtual shops and markets (e-commerce),” said Okpa in a chat with The Nation.

    “We have also created the e-profile and e-shops to accommodate every Nigeria, both old and young, literate and illiterate.”

    The name, Ogapatapata, is a Yoruba word interpreted to mean ‘ overall boss or leader’.

    The idea of the business was conceived around 2010 and became flesh in October 2015 as a WhatsApp group called “Exchange Items” said Okpa.

    “There and then the first site was coined www.exchangeyouritems.com, which later was changed to its present name www.ogapatapata.com.ng in May 2017. It was officially unveiled September 30, 2017.”

    He disclosed that it is free to use the website and they just have to create a Vendor account and create a store. Over 150 vendors are already registered on the website.

    However, customised advertisements are paid for. Okpa also said the company has not deviated from its initial goal of exchange of goods and services.

    “Our USP is Exchange of items – good for good, goods for services or services for services, reinventing the ancient trade by barter system,” he said.

    “Take for example someone giving out his garri for soup. I have also exchanged my books for slippers and the list is a long one. The concept is that we need money to buy one thing or the other. What if we can bypass money and just exchange what we have for what we want.”

    Okpa said Nigerians identify with the brand name, ‘Ogapatapata’ and the company has the “possibility of competing with other foreign brands like amazon.com, alibaba.com and the likes.”

    He however, said the business faces some challenges, especially, in getting its message to Nigerians.

    “In a market like ours where people are yet to avail themselves with the online business, much advertisement is needed, personnel to visit market women and other subscribers and to achieve that capital is very essential,” he said.

  • Shoprite celebrates 22 winners of brand new cars

    Shoprite celebrates 22 winners of brand new cars

    Shoprite Nigeria hosted the 22 winners of brand new Hyundai Grand Xcent cars at a celebratory fete in Lekki, Lagos.

    The event marked the end of Shoprite Nigeria’s two-month long win-a-car birthday promotion. Between August 21 and October 8, 2017, customers entered the competition by buying any product(s) from the 11 participating brands.

    One of the 22 winners, Mr Olufeyijimi Omobowale, said: “I couldn’t believe my ears when I got the phone call confirming that I was a winner. I initially thought it was a prank until I got to the store. I am so grateful to God and Shoprite for this car. Being invited to this reception with all the other winners crowns it all.”

    Shoprite Nigeria’s Executive Director, Adeola Kagho, congratulated the 22 winners and said: “In addition to offering world class shopping and delivering value through our low price promise, the win-a-car competition is another way for us to thank our customers for their loyal support.”

    As a food retailer, who stocks the largest selection of products that are produced in Nigeria, Shoprite will continue to deliver on its business promise of everyday low prices.

  • Miss Cola soft drink launched in Lagos

    Afrimalt International Limited, a registered company in the United Kingdom (UK), has launched a new soft drink, Miss Cola.

    According to its Assistant General Manager, Marketing and Sales, Ogbitebu Godfrey, Miss Cola is a carbonated beverage, which contains caffeine from kola nut. He said the drink has a refreshing flavour derived from vanilla and other unique mix of quality ingredients.

    “It comes in 50 cl bottle and is already being marketed all over the country. The drink’s market is all inclusive; it is good for all ages, including youths, children and adults.”

    He noted that the drink has low sugar content, adding that it makes it good for those running from sugar.

    ”The low sugar formation, unique pricing, discount in sales, vanilla taste, graphical presentation and competitive pricing, distinguish Miss Cola from other soft drinks. We are coming up with orange Miss Cola and Miss Cola water.”

    “The drink is already selling both in Nigeria, outside Nigeria and Africa at large.  A bottle is sold for N100, while a pack is N800. We are doing comer sensitisation and ensuring that our customers get good price, every first purchase from a customer buying 100 packs and above will get 10 extra packs.

    “Cola is a brand selling and we are here to have our market share. Miss Cola has no side effects and it is good for all. We aim to appeal to the refreshment needs of every one across the globe. The soft drink will satisfy the needs of all our customers and make their experiences with our soft drink better.

    “Our coming to Nigeria is to achieve success, better result and let customers know that they can have choices for their brand,” he said.

  • Online shopping: Beautiful bride

    Online shopping: Beautiful bride

    With growing awareness in technology and more exposure to western lifestyle, more tech-savvy Nigerians are embracing online shopping. The fad has several merits for shoppers, writes TONIA ‘DIYAN.

    Nigerians have embraced the digital age, brought about by mobile phone revolution. With the increasing use of mobile phones, the Internet and the social media, many, young and old, can now do online shopping from the comfort of their homes and offices at the click of a button.

    Many of them have become brand savvy and eager to experiment simply by visiting any online retail outlet of their choice to buy goods and services.

    A survey for PayPal, an online retail outlet,  in 2015, among 500 people, estimated that 65 per cent of the country’s 50 million Internet users have shopped online at least once, while 24 per cent plan to do so.

    The survey said people have gradually migrated to buying items more online with the introduced ‘pay on delivery method’(see and touch what you are paying for), which is introduced to convince the average  Nigerian  that nobody intends to steal from him.

    This method of operation gradually built trust in the minds of many who now shop for items online.

    According to a survey, of the over 40 million Nigerians who are online, a sizeable amount actually visit online stores, resulting to a rapidly growing trend in visits and purchases.

    It has also been noticed that a target group of individuals who have access to the Internet and are in the age range of 18 to 40 years shop more on line in Nigeria.

    Indeed, online shopping in Nigeria is a fast-expanding area of  business. According to  Chief Executive Officers (CEO) of online companies,  the challenges, costs and logistics of operating offline retail shops in Nigeria make the value proposition of online shopping very relevant.

    The CEOs said online shopping by urban consumers has more than doubled, noting that digital influence has been rapidly expanding to small urban towns and rural areas, thereby increasing the number of mobile users in the country.

    The retail industry is generally fragmented, with huge differences in pricing, but online shopping, according to experts, tends to be 10 to15 per cent cheaper than other retail options and prices are consistent.

    In five years of its existence, online shopping has become a price setter for electronic and other goods. People compare prices on the street with prices online.

    The online sector remains the largest e-commerce sector in Africa valued at $13 billion and growing rapidly at 25 per cent annually. This, of course, is driven by the increasing number of people getting connected to the Internet.

    As  at  2013, Nigeria emerged the country with the largest  Internet connectivity in Africa with more than 56 million Internet users. This growth is further reflected in the number of orders made online from major online retailing vendors, which increased from 1,000 orders per day in 2012 to 15,000 orders per day in 2015.

    What this means is that   Nigeria has a great potential of adopting online shopping.

    However, there  are concerns around the security of online payment, delivery time, product quality and Internet  usage costs.

    Despite the concerns, online retailers are still building trust and interest is growing.

    Generally, online stores are identified by how they sell themselves. This means that the quality of their websites and constant innovation on their user experiences, count.

  • Ozone Cosmetics introduces new products

    N.N FEMS Industries, a leading manufacturer of hair care range of cosmetics in Nigeria, has introduced three new products – the Ozone tube relaxer, Apple one application pack and the Apple weave gloss. The company, which prides itself on making quality hair care products, announced this at a media briefing in Lagos.

    Ozone cosmetics is positioned as a premium brand, which offers all the solutions needed by consumers for major hair problems. Its innovative formula enriched with natural extracts provide outstanding results to the hair without any side effects and gives consumers social confidence and acceptance.

    Speaking at the briefing, Head, Sales & Marketing, Francis Omolaiye, said: “We are very excited to unveil these products, which are the first of their kind in their range. The ozone relaxer is innovative, handy and portable. It pampers the hair while beautifully relaxing and straightening it. Our goal is to beautify Africa with quality products. The Ozone tube relaxer conditions and moisturizes hair for healthy shine and softness during the entire relaxing process.”

    Omolaiye disclosed that the company has invested in the talent of constantly innovating to continue to push the limit of excellence in the cosmetics industry and reaffirm its leadership by delivering quality range of products. “We have fortified the team with young and vibrant executives and we are constantly evolving to ensure that we deliver the best range of products that will make our competitors green with envy, and also make our customer beam with pride by associating themselves with our brand,”he said.

    Omolaiye further noted that the product ensures that hair is soft to touch, silky and straight, and looks healthy after using the product because it contains protein complex that strengthens and replenishes conditioning agents into the hair. The product is available in 175g pack size.

    Over the years, there has been an increase in demand for this product. The product is said to be helpful preserving five signs of healthy hair; moisture, shine, strength, softness and body.

    Also speaking at the event, the Chief Operating Officer, Mr Chudi Igwe reassured stakeholders that the organisation will be at the forefront of innovation by pushing boundaries to ensure that it is driven by its unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and excellence.

    The new Apple one application pack is an all-in-one, no mix relaxer system that is uniquely formulated to impart advanced moisturising and softening effect on hair during the entire application process. It conditions and transforms naturally curly and kinky hair into shiny permanently relaxed/straightened hair. The product is said to leave hair softer, silkier and more manageable during styling for beautifully straight, smooth and strengthened hair with radiant shine. It contains conditioning crème relaxer, neutralising shampoo, instant hair conditioner, super setting lotion, hair oil and coconut oil hair conditioner.

  • Nigeria’s first groundnut spread, Nutzy peanut butter, lands on store shelves

    The nation’s agric value chain development appears to be gaining more acceptance with the entry of Nigeria’s first ever locally-produced groundnut spread – Nutzy peanut butter – which the makers say offers more even value than imported brands.

    The brand, a product of the food division of VIK Industries Limited, a diversified conglomerate that has been in operation in Nigeria for over 50 years, has opened new vista of opportunities for groundnut farmers in terms of guaranteed uptake of products and adds a fresh angle to culinary choices of Nigerians.

    Managing Director, VIK Industries, Mr. Ajay Ramnanai, said that apart from the usual bread spread, Nuttzy peanut butter can be applied in different ways including preparation of local soups, sauces and dips.

    He said the idea of venturing into local production of groundnut spread came about from his realisation that foreign peanut butter brands had dominated the store shelves over the years which made a solid business case for local production given that groundnut is widely produced and consumed across many parts of the country.

    Ramnani said extensive research had resulted in a high quality product that offers much more value in terms of pricing and packaging, yet had the unique taste that only Nigerian groundnut varieties, widely acknowledged as among the best in the world, could offer.

    According to him, “The major advantage is local groundnut taste. I think the groundnuts available in Nigeria are of really good quality. They are exportable standard and Nigerian groundnuts don’t taste like that anywhere in the world. It has a distinct flavour. So I think the fact that we have that flavour in our peanut butter is what really differentiates us. In terms of quality, we have a fully automated food factory so there is nothing compromising. In terms of the price, I’d say we’re less than half the price of all imported brands.”

    He also noted that peanut butter offer a healthier alternative to more common spreads such as margarine and mayonnaise, as it contains unsaturated fatty acids with low cholesterol, high protein and fibre content, which makes it suitable and wholesome part of the diet for all age groups especially children as well as people with special needs such as diabetics and those seeking to lose weight.

    Ramnani said the company was looking forward to introducing other varieties apart from the “creamy” and “crunchy” variants currently in the market and has been well received going by results from an ongoing sampling and market activation campaign being implemented in different open markets and retail stores in major cities across Nigeria.

    Speaking on the challenges facing the manufacturing sector, Ramnani, advocated more support for the critical sector through a broad incentives regime, stressing that this was the key to job creation efforts.

    He emphasised the need for increased value addition to Nigerian agricultural products, which he said would deliver the twin benefits of conserving foreign exchange outflow while boosting much needed inflows.

    This effort, he noted, requires private sector input and investments to make it work. “I’d say they should definitely go for it. I’d say that they should help us expand our agricultural industry. The government is pushing and we need to do our own bit to help, there’s only so much the government can do but at the end of the day, there has to be a market for the produce.”

  • ‘Note 4 hits record 200,000 unit sales’

    The Marketing Communications manager, Infinix Mobility, Olamide Amosu has said the massive sale of the ‘Infinix Note 4 and Note 4 pro’ being the hottest smart phone since July this year is a proof of the demand for the smartphone in the country. The phone, she said, is a new lifestyle trend.

    Infinix Note 4 replaced the Note 3, which was ranked the most searched android smartphone in Nigeria in 2016. Infinix search ranking on Google surpassed other smartphone brands in Nigeria when the Note 4 was launched showing the demand for the phone within weeks of its launch on ‘Google trends and consistent trends on social media.

    In July, Infinix sold 50,000 units of the Infinix Note 4 within 3 weeks of unveiling the product. The Infinix Note 4 pro had a record-breaking number of pre-order with enormous demand from the market with its Xpen ‘Stylus’. The Infinix Note 4 pro sold additional 50,000 units in the months following and the Note 4 pro sold 100,000 units breaking the retail market due to its demand.

    Infinix partnered with retailers and top dealers in Nigeria to offer the New Infinix Note 4 for N53, 000 and Note 4 pro with Xpen for N73, 500. The Infinix Note 4 pro + Xpen with its specifications offering has been valued by fans and customers to be at $420, N150, 000 and sold for half the amount $200 and  N73, 500

  • How not to overpay on Black Friday 

    How not to overpay on Black Friday 

    Nigerian shoppers are embracing ‘Black Friday’ as time to strike good bargain on purchases. But just how good are these deals, especially given the secrecy that surrounds transactions on the day? TONIA ‘DIYAN warns on its intricacies.

    We all know the drill by now. Retailers’ sales promotions begin weeks before the deal day, with a dash of modest deals that eventually build up to the shopping bonanza that is Black Friday, an online shopping extravaganza.

    To wet shoppers’ appetites further, it has become increasingly fashionable for online retailers to build up anticipation for Black Friday with so-called flash deals. These last only a few hours, putting pressure on consumers to make purchases with little or no research.

    Yet,  while shoppers do their thing, the chances of snatching a great deal for a quality item are slim, largely because Black Friday is mainly designed for retailers to clear out unwanted goods, and because best-selling products rarely drop much in price.

    Sometimes, less than one percent of the tens of thousands of Black Friday deals online are good deals, i.e, discounts on high-quality, well reviewed and durable products. Getting a good deal is still possible. It takes a bit of forethought and web searching.

    Experts have said just a slight check in advance would help out most shoppers. They advise it is wise to come up with a list of interest and to know their recent prices. For them, a bit of research could help prevent shoppers from needlessly burning lots of money.

     

    Deals, good and bad

    Experts have also advised that before shoppers get into looking for good deals, it’s important to understand a bad or mediocre deal knowing that retailers enjoy exaggerating their discounts for products in the weeks leading up to Black Friday, as well as on the actual day.

    An example of a bad deal is listing a set of 42 rubbermaid storage containers for N4, 500 as one of the deals of the day. But the set was actually priced at N1, 500 two weeks ago and N1, 200 few days ago. So N4, 500 is nothing to be excited about for shoppers who are not regulars at these online shops.

    A good deal is listed for N3, 000 a  battery pack for charging mobile devices. That is worthwhile, because the price of the item had remained flat at N3, 000 for over a year, according to its price history.

    It is important to make a list of products to buy, check their price histories and buy items if they drop to desired amount.

    Timing is important

    People who do all of their holiday shopping on Black Friday are not getting the best deals; this is according to retail experts. They argue that the sweet spot for the best bargains is December 10 to18, but, warned that shopping from December 19 onward is not good because retailers know shoppers are desperate, and they are less likely to cut prices.

    Have a live chat online

    Sometimes getting a price break can be as simple as asking. It is important to activate the live chat feature that many online retailers have and politely ask for a voucher, for free shipping or a percentage off your purchase.

    These live chat operators are trained to see that the shopper has stuff in his cart and are prepared to make a purchase.