The Nation Newspaper

Category: Shopping

  • Uac Restaurants to hold franchise conference

    UAC Restaurants Limited, owners of Mr. Bigg’s, Nigeria’s largest quick service restaurant (QSR) brand, is set to hold its national conference on April 25. It is a gathering of its franchise business partners in West Africa, who will review last year’s business performance and agree on strategies for the next year.

    The conference will be the first after the strategic joint venture partnership with Famous Brands of South Africa in October, last year.

    The conference, which has theme ‘Playing to Win’, is a call to all its franchise partners on the need to play the business game differently in order to keep ahead of competition.

    The Managing Director, UAC Restaurants Limited, Derrick Van Houten, likened the QSR industry landscape to the game of football saying “every second, every minute counts in the game and as a team of restaurants, it is important that we keep close, and insist on quality of service and value delivery to customers for us to keep competition at bay”

    A UAC Restaurant business partner, Mrs. Titilayo Adeojo, expressed excitement at the forthcoming conference. Her words: “I get excited and ready for the next business year during our annual conference, it gives us the opportunity to review our business, learn and adopt new skills that will ensure growth in the coming year.”

    The Marketing Manager, UAC Restaurants, said the conference would be one of its kind. According to her, “our strategic partners will be attending. They include the Chief Executive Officer of Famous Brands, Darren Hele and Mark Hedderwick, Managing Executive, Rest of Africa. The event will be opened by the Group Managing Director of UAC of Nigeria, Larry Ettah.”

    Mr Bigg’s remains the market leader in QSR with footprint in 29 states.

  • Why innovation is key to product competitiveness

    Manufacturers of consumer products are increasing, realising that constant innovation holds the key to attracting and retaining consumers. TONIA ‘DIYAN reports that manufacturers are deploying the strategy to give their products an edge over others in the same category.

    A few years ago, a young man, Ikenna Alozie, began a food seasoning business called I &K Limited. His business is still at infancy. Can it survive the test of time? Ikenna says he is ready to come up with innovations to improve on the quality of his product.

    He said: “As much as people would go for cheap products, high quality and innovation have become their main considerations these days. That is why I&K limited has since continued to innovate with the aim of delivering safety and healthy meals to consumers everyday.”

    He said he has come to understand that “if you are not consistently improving yourself then you will be left behind. The ability to stay ahead of the competition is what keeps a brand going”.

    Chief Executive Officer, Modupe Shopeju, aligns with this position, noting, for instance, that “when a woman is cooking a meal, she needs to make sure that the food seasoning she uses delivers trust every single time, and this can only be gained through good quality, which is gained through constant innovation.”

    According to her, this is particularly so considering the current challanging business environment, which requires an intense focus on ensuring that products maintain their edge in the market.

    Manufacturers work smarter to satisfy consumers and become leaders in their field by challenging their established norms, rethinking their business models, finding new ways to differentiate their products from others in the same category and provide values for consumers. Some products have a history of delivering regardless of the external environment, probably because of the strength of their products, their consumer understanding and their programme of continuous innovation and renovation of their products to ensure they are the best available in the market.

    Also, manufacturers aspire to be leaders in their fields, having the consumer in mind; they strive to make products of the highest quality, want to be the leading brand in the country and delivery of products and services that delight consumers. She said consumers, these days, aspire for the best hence, the need for continuous improvement by manufacturers. She said by deepening their consumer engagement initiative, manufacturers of consumer’s products enhance product’s competitive edge. Some manufacturers have also gone a step further by continuously implementing relevant innovations targeted at the needs of low income consumers.

    While factors relating to good quality, innovations and low prices are important determinants of where and what to buy, experts say that retailers and manufacturers who offer good value, stand to gain the most from high-income-earning consumers in a tough economy, such as Nigeria’s.

  • Jumia supports designers

    Jumia has opened up a new sub-category specially for proudly Nigerian fashion. The platform is not a new discovery, but a recognition for local designers. However, the industry has grown so big, and it’s being recognised on the runways across the world. It parades some of the most talented designers who make everything from clothing and accessories to shoes and beauty products from scratch. Everything the Western world has to offer can be made and found in Nigeria, and the birth of the Jumia’s ‘By Naija Store’ brings this premium offering to the customer. Prior to the latest announcement, Jumia’s fashion store has continued to grow with the latest addition of over 50 new Nigerian brands. From the onset of the largest online fashion store, Jumia has been working with some of the biggest fashion designers who have since seen success selling their products online, especially on Jumia.com. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), 24 Apparel, Temitayo Eyitayo, said: “It has been a great Journey for 24 Apparel being on Jumia. Ever since we launched our clothing on Jumia, it has helped increase sales by a great volume and also recognition for the 24 brands in terms of marketing and visibility. It has also helped customer confidence in the 24 brands, as it is associated with the good quality of Jumia. Selling on Jumia has since made the 24 brand grow faster with fast logistics option” In a statement from the man behind the premium brand, David Wej Adedayo Eweje, “For a premium brand, we had our doubts about how Nigerians online will accept our product but so far, selling on jumia has been a great platform for our premium brand. We are not only able to sell a lot but we are able to showcase the fabulous collections we have, and we are able to reach a larger audience from Jumia.” Head of Fashion at Jumia Nigeria, Funmi Daniel said: “Jumia Fashion is still growing and with this great step of creating the “By Naija Store” we are recognising local talents. Also, we are welcoming as many Nigeria brands as possible to reach their target audience online at ease and get the maximum exposure for their brands. Our aim is to make Jumia the largest and fastest growing fashion store in Nigeria”. One of the success stories of Nigerian designers currently selling on Jumia is Scuup Woman, one of the biggest female retailers on Jumia, who tripled her sales in a month. The CEO, Amaka Kentebe said: “We are really happy Jumia has helped our brand. We have been able to expand massively since we started selling on Jumia. Hitting N1 million worth of sales from women’s clothing selling on Jumia is just the beginning for Scuup Woman; we intend to continue working with Jumia and maybe soon take us international.” With the launch of the Jumia’s ‘By Naija Store,’ the spotlight has been on talented designers who have been part of the Jumia Fashion story. The fans were not left out as these top designers had the platform to engage fans about their journey so far and the future of Nigerian fashion. Jumia spices up Easter with ‘Easter egg hunt’ Easter season, one of the biggest holidays of the year, is here again! And Jumia wants to help customers relive their childhood with games, shopping and fun. Easter is all about spending time with family members and loved ones, sharing memorable moments and exchanging gifts. This year, Jumia is offering customers everything they need for the festivity in one store for the most memorable Easter moments that they and members of their family deserve. Consequently, an exciting ‘Find Your Easter Egg’ treasure hunt has been planned to create some lucky winners amongst Jumia’s customers this Easter. Starting from today, and continuing throughout Easter, customers can go on Jumia.com and participate by locating the Easter bunnies hidden on their website. But the Easter fun does not end there. Customers will have to find all the bunnies to win different gifts from Jumia. Amongst the prizes to be won are shopping vouchers and tickets to the biggest Easter concerts in Lagos and Calabar. Co-Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria, Jeremy Doutte said: “Easter is a huge celebration in Nigeria and we are always glad to bring Nigerians the best offers online, as well as helping to bring families closer with the traditions that come with the season.”   Jumia’s top Easter picks   Unlike the Easter egg hunt that is all about who has the fastest fingers, finding the perfect Easter gift has just gotten easier with Jumia’s Easter store. Customers can get their loved ones, colleagues and family members a nice Easter basket treat with ‘Golden Egg from Eileen.’ The Easter basket comes with all the premium groceries and goodies for Easter. Customers can also get a friend a nice bottle of red wine to pair with a special Easter meal with friends and family. They can purchase a Nikon camera to capture those memorable Easter moments or get that television with up to 60 per cent off to lean back and enjoy with their family. Finally, they can treat themselves and their loved ones to an exciting concert for the weekend with tickets to the biggest Easter show in Lagos, ‘Ay Live’. All of these gifts and many more can be delivered to you just in time for the Easter holidays.

  • e-payments in slow, steady acceptance by shops

    e-payments in slow, steady acceptance by shops

    Before now, many had thought that the cash-less initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would not achieve much success as it has within the short span of its introduction. However, the success story is that retailers have embraced the initiative in business transactions, reports TONIA ‘DIYAN.

    Store owners, who imbibe the cash-less payment system using any of the payment solutions, are assisting the country drive its yearning for cash-less society,” says Country Manager, West Africa Mastercard, Mrs Omokehinde Ojomuyide.

    She said the advantage of the internet era is that people can buy and sell items of all sorts through the website. ‘’For instance, transactions like payment of utility bills, school fees, hotel bookings, house rent as well as many other monetary transactions can take place via the internet. Also, customers can make payment that run into millions using funds transfer from a customer’s account to a retailer’s account, or via electronic transfer using the customer’s ATM card, on any of the electronic channels provided by a merchant,’’ she said.

    Mrs. Omokehinde described the process as creating a world beyond cash where cashless transaction will assist in improving the lives of consumers and remove the risks associated with carrying, using and handling cash.

    Visits to some shops within the Lagos metropolis, showed that merchants have fully come to terms with the e-payment initiative. They now ask their customers to make use of other means of payment other than cash after making purchases. Like most of them would say “please make use of your payment card, to avoid the stress of having to look for change’’

    Those retailers who used to be pessimistic about the whole idea of a cash-less economy in the country, are those who now ask their customers for their ATM cards at the point of payment.

    Investigations have revealed that about 60 per cent of retail-shops in the metropolis parade at least a POS machine. On the other hand, few still have ample reasons to hold on to their conventional ways, not because the policy is not good, but because they give room for doubts on its workability for their kind of business, or its location.

    For the shopper, he no longer wants to risk his life carrying cash; he now has a full understanding of what cash-less payment means. Kudos to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other stakeholders for implementing the e-payment policy and doing a lot in terms of awareness campaign. Some prefer now to shop with e-payment solutions to enable them keep within the CBN daily cash limits, thereby saving money instead of spending cash uncontrollably.

    The e-payment solutions which works in a simple way of authorising payment after a purchase is made, and the value of what is bought is electronically transferred to the retailer’s bank accounts, has other benefits like; ability to eliminate cash handling risks and loss through human error, fast and convenient means of processing transactions, reduction in robbery incidents, and increase in people’s access to banking services beyond normal banking working hours.

    On how far awareness has gone on the policy, operators said it is very intense with adequate advertisements and public announcement, especially at the grassroot.

     

  • Day mothers went shopping

    Ace musician Stevie Wonder, said: “Mama was my greatest teacher, a teacher of compassion, love and fearlessness. If love is sweet as a flower, then my mother is that sweet flower of love.’’

    The words of the great song writer and musician, goes a long way in describing the importance of a mother, and Nigeria’s Largest Online Marketplace, Konga.com was able to inspire a new type of gift-giving, love and sharing for mothers with a whole bouquet of offers from special discounts, to spa give-aways, competitions, amazing prices on gifts and lots more.

    Head, Marketing of Konga.com, Gabriel Gab-Umoden, said: “Mothers-day represents a special opportunity to truly give our mothers something special. The true power of this day lies in what we do with it and how we appreciate the true leading ladies in our live.”

    Konga packages

    Few people would have placed a bet on the possibility of Nokia fans ever having access to Android apps and functionalities, but with the newly launched Nokia X, users can now have an Android, Nokia and Windows experience all together at an affordable price.

    With really amazing features such as; a really strong/capable camera for taking amazing pictures, access to apps available on android like BBM and Instagram; an amazing user interface, a very capable processor, an excellent battery, dual sim, as well as coming in a range of colours that can go with any fashion accessory, shoe or dress.

    According to a recently released survey by the International data corporation on Operating system penetration around the world, Android Smartphone vendors and Apple shipped a total of 207.6 million units worldwide during 4Q12, up 70.2 per cent from the 122.0 million units shipped during 4Q11. For calendar year 2012, Android and iOS combined for 87.6 per cent of the 722.4 million Smartphone’s shipped worldwide, up from 68.1 per cent of the 494.5 million units shipped during calendar year 2011.

    In Nigeria, the share of Android powered devices surpasses that of IOS and other operating systems considerably and Nokia as a customer facing company has decided to create a device that meets the needs of its consumers.

    Umoden added: “We are happy to announce the launch of the Nokia X at the price of N19, 200 on our website, which is the lowest price anywhere online and offline, it competes favourably with international pricing and comes in four different colours. Our aim is to meet our customers’ needs, and we are constantly entering new partnerships with the sole purpose of achieving this.”

  • Haven Homes opens in Lekki

    For many who are familiar with the name, Haven Homes, it has become not just the foremost luxury home-builders in the country, but has given Nigerians the opportunity to realise their dreams of owning truly luxurious and magnificent homes, the types seen in foreign movies. The developers of life styles homes have spent many years following their passion to seek out unrivalled property designs and space functionality for all their units.

    Haven Homes’ expert-eye for perfect finishing has established itself to become the first choice in home acquisition in the country. Meticulous research into the needs of home owners and an entrepreneurial spirit has led the company to specialise in the highly profitable world of home acquisition.

    Most recently, the company’s flagship estate, Richmond Gate in Lekki, was fully sold-out on all the homes being built and the ones yet-to-be built have an unprecendented waiting list of subscribers awaiting allocation of their own prestigious units.

    Joining the Haven Homes waiting list attracts a fully refundable deposit of N2 million which can either be used to offset the purchase price of the unit allocated or can be refunded at any time before allocation. Such is the trust that potential buyers have developed over the years and has made Haven Homes reputation to soar amongst potential home buyers.

    Haven Homes has raised the bar higher by opening an ultra modern show home in Richmond Gate, Lekki, Lagos, where the members of the public will discover firsthand the numerous benefits of owning a Haven Home. The new ShowHome, exquisitely furnished by internationally renowned Interior Architects, Ledyvine, has opened for viewing recently.

    The event was graced by government officials, members of the public and celebrities. Note able individuals include 2 Face and Annie Idibia, who themselves are proud homeowners in the prestigious Haven Home estate. Doors were open by noon.

    Property investing with Haven Homes means more than just securing a property, they are about creating a trusted partnership that will bring its home owners continued prosperity.

    Haven Homes also has a relationship with its home owners that go beyond the handover of a set of keys, as a rule in Haven Homes, great attention is paid to the well being of the home owners even after they have acquired their units. The firm is always available to support and resolve any building related issues that occur after the customers move into their homes, for a period up to six months from the first day of occupation.

     

  • Dettol rewards 50 customers at 50

    Dettol, a brand of Reckitt Benckiser, yesterday rewarded 50 loyal customers at Oke Aarin Market, Lagos, with gift items, such as plastic chairs, T-shirts and fez caps.

    It was at an event that was organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the product in Nigeria.

    Speaking during the event tagged Your health, your success, Dettol Brand Ambassador and Nollywood Star, Mrs Patience Ozonkwor (aka Mama G), described Dettol as a unique product with efficacy, adding that it was great to be chosen as its ambassador.

    Mrs Ozonkwor who stopped at 50 different points in the market to present gifts to loyal customers, said she is addicted to the product as she uses the big pack of Dettol, adding: “I don’t even use the small ones.”

    She said she is proud of the brand because it is good and it has brought joy and health to people for 50 years. “I will give my heart to it,” she said.

    Mrs Ozonkwor said customers were rewarded because they saw the good quality of the product.

    “They should transfer the culture to their children and their children’s children just as my grandmother transfered it to my mother and I’m tranfering it to my children,” she added.

    She said she is so glued to Dettol that she doesn’t even try other products.

  • A night-food market for Mile 2 residents

    There is a market at Mile 2, Lagos where cooked food is sold mainly between 6pm and 12.30am. The market has been existing for 12 years. There is no permanent structure for the market, but fleet of cars at the car park every night is enough evidence that the residents appreciate it.

    Mrs Isiaka Tolulope is one of the traders at the market. She attested to the fact that patronage is high and that the market has become a regular hangout for workers who close at night.

    Mrs Isiaka said: “I have been in this market for four years, I have had many customers and no regret so far. Business has been very profitable and enjoyable.”

    According to her, to own a space as a trader, one will have to pay for canopies, chairs and tables to fit into the portion given to him or her. She added that most of the food vendors at the market live within the premises, to be able to return home safely and quickly when they close for the day.

    People living in this vicinity say they no longer cook in their houses because of the night food market.

    One of the regulars at the market called David Alluya said:“The food is irresistible, I have patronised this place for two years. I no longer cook dinner when i return home from work.”

  • Jumia: First retailer to offer next-day delivery

    JUMIA, Nigeria’s e-commerce giants, is offering the fastest delivery ever on items bought from its website.

    Following the launch of a new fashion store for Nigerian designers, Jumia has introduced a faster-delivery option for customers to enjoy their shopping experience online.

    The Jumia Next-day delivery is only open to Jumia customers within Lagos. Customers can order fashion items from Jumia.com and get it delivered within 24 hours, if they order before 6pm the previous day.

    The firm has the largest fashion collection in its fashion store with over +20,000 fashion items in stock. For all last-minute shopping, all kinds of occasions, even if it is for weddings, Jumia can deliver within 24 hours.

    Co-Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria, Nicolas Martin, said: “Our aim is to continue to increase our productivity and give customers the best shopping experience. With Jumia offering 24 hours delivery, customers can look forward to a better shopping experience and get their products faster from Jumia. These delivery options will soon extend across Nigeria, but for now, we are starting off in Lagos.”

  • e-commerce’ll drive IGDP, say experts

    The Economist Magazine, in collaboration with several partners, have held the Nigeria Summit at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos.

    It was aimed at discussing opportunities available to Nigeria to develop at a fast pace.

    The Minister of Communication, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, Managing Director of Investments and Secretary of the Investment Committee, Wendell Group, Stephane Bacquaert, and Director, Mckinsey & Company, Acha Leke, spoke on a panel moderated by Vladmir Duthiers, International CNN Correspondent on the theme “Nigeria and the digital revolution”.

    Key to the conversation was the role e-commerce plays and a lot of the discussion flowed around what would make up and increase the internet’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    The focus of the panel which was on “Nigeria and the digital economy” kicked off with a 15-minute presentation by the Minister of Communication Technology, where she talked about some of the activities of her ministry and the efforts by the crop of hard working Nigerian entrepreneurs.

    Responding to a question on how Information Comunication Technology (ICT) can drive employment, business and GDP, the Chief Executive Officer, Konga.com, Sim Shagaya, talked about how ICT is providing jobs for Nigeria’s youths.

    “Today, Konga has been able to bring a significant part of its technology development to Nigeria, hiring fresh engineering graduates from Nigerian universities, linking them with relevant technologies and giving them exposure that is helping them build long-lasting technologies for Nigeria.’’

    Shagaya emphasised on the new Konga Marketplace, a revolutionary platform created to help Nigerians become entrepreneurs and expose its entrepreneurs to the opportunities to reach bigger and wider audience.

    “The zero-commission based marketplace is the first of its kind in Africa and will be a force to truly unlock the potential of Nigerians. The marketplace has the capacity to provide thousands of jobs for different classes of citizens with its interconnected systems.” he said.

    Acha spoke on the levels that Internet’s contribution to total GDP need to reach in Nigeria/Africa to truly make a difference. For developed economies, internet contributes about three per cent of GDP, in Africa, about 1.1 per cent, while in Nigeria, about 0.8 per cent.

    Mrs. Johnson dwelt on the importance of collaboration between the government and private sectors to bring about sustainable growth and development in the ICT sector.

    According to a Mckinsey report in November, last year titled: ‘Lions go digital: The Internet’s transformative potential in Africa,’ Africa’s IGDP (which measures the Internet’s contribution to overall GDP) remains low, at 1.1 per cent—just over half the levels seen in other emerging economies.

    But there is significant variation among individual countries. Senegal and Kenya, though not the continent’s largest economies, have Africa’s highest IGDPs, and governments in both countries have made concerted efforts to stimulate internet demand. Without a doubt, the undeniable impact of the internet as a determining factor of Africa’s emerging economy can only be forecast as one that will be monumentally progressive.

    Shagaya added that GDP attribution to internet, would be relatively big in Nigeria, and ecommerce would be a dominant component of IGDP.

    The UPU Ecommerce Conference is holding in Switzeland where Konga.com will be sharing lessons from the Nigerian e-commerce experience.