The Nation Newspaper

Tag: shoppers’

  • Traders woo back-to-school shoppers

    Traders woo back-to-school shoppers

    Shoppers are taking advantage of the back-to-school sales to get good deals on a range of products, thus ending this year’s first quarter with good bargains, writes TONIA ‘DIYAN

    For shoppers who think school runs are meant only for pupils and parents, they had better have a rethink!

    This is because there are opportunities for all, especially discerning shoppers.

    The atmosphere around shopping places is such that has awakened retail stores by parents seeking cheap bargains with which to send their wards to school.

    Mrs Alonge Morakinyo is not one of such parents but she is using the opportunity to find some good deals.

    “I have always thought back-to-school sales are only for parents and students, I would have been missing out on some good deals,” said Mrs Morakinyo, a nurse with Fineday Hospital in Ikeja, Lagos.

    “Sure, the adverts this time of the year might go heavy on the backpacks and other back to school items, but those of us without kids (and not currently enrolled in higher education) only need to look past the brightly coloured stuff to find deep discounts on products anyone can use,” she said.

    Upbeat, Mrs Morakinyo said, “I’ve seen deals on everything from electronics to office supplies, and even paper towels.” While advising other shoppers she said, there are four great back-to-school buys that non-students should consider visiting, especially electronics stores, office supply stores, big-box stores, and online retailers who typically run sales on laptops as part of their back-to-school deals.

    For Mrs. Agatha Alozie, a mother, preparation for going back to school occurs throughout the year. This is the only way, she says, she avoids being hit with an enormous back to school bill.

    She is aware that if a parent has one or more children, with a little planning and lot of creativity, such parent can find plenty of deals when it is time to buy back-to-school supplies.

    But this, she said, was easier said than done. In Lagos after schools’ resumption, many parents wake up to the fact that they need to shop for their children’s school supplies.

    This is a period when book sellers are flourishing, as they endeavour to stock virtually every school book customers may ask for.

    Several book stores within Lagos have dealers beckoning on interested buyers. From all indications, they are adequately prepared to ensure that students get their desired back-to-school supplies. Most retail shops have tags reading ‘back-to-school specials’ promising to give ample discounts.

    Other common sale items are printers which can be found at office supply stores, such as ‘Office everything’. Deals on gadgets are popular this time of year. There are deals on USB drives and headphones as schools reopens.

    However, experts have advised that it is important to skip buying any smaller office supplies online as the added cost of shipping would likely knock out the discount attached to such item.

    This seems to be the time of year to stock up on printer paper . It is also a good time to stock up on household goods which are on sale every week during the back-to-school season. There are also deals on hand sanitiser, toilet paper, paper towels, and other items targeted towards school children.

    While most sales are geared toward school-age children, many clothing retailers offer storewide sales during this season. Mr P offers about 50 percent off, with extra savings on khakis, T-shirts, and jeans. People who are looking to show their support for their favourite college team, would find the back-to-school season a good time to stock up on team-branded apparel.

    Shoe retailers online also offer sitewide sales, including adult sizes. There are deals on sandals and athletic shoes, as well as a smattering of discounts for buying multiple pairs. Most footwear retailers are offering buy one, get one half off deals on many items.

  • Stores’ Easter freebies delight shoppers

    Stores’ Easter freebies delight shoppers

    Despite the lingering economic recession, retail store operators are giving a lot of freebies to woo shoppers at Easter. TONIA D’IYAN, who went to town, captures the frills and thrills of the festivities

    Good Friday usually heralds the Easter festivities. This Easter is not an exception as people  usually seize the opportunity of the occasion to meet their relations, friends and relive    cherished moments amid feasting.

    Alongside the get-together, gifts play an important role. The modern markets and malls are usually flooded with various gifts.

    Recreation parks, museums, cinemas, shopping malls and other tourist attractions will simmer as people will take advantage of the public holiday to spend time with their families and loved ones.

    During festivities, it is assumed that economic activities usually witness upsurge, which result in upward adjustment of prices of consumer goods. Some natural factors have also affected buying and selling.

    Higher food prices continue to reflect the impact of recent floods on the production of farm products, resulting in difficulty in moving these food products to markets across the country, competition in the market is another major factor observed, but the reason for such during  periods like this, is the notion of this is our time to make more money.

    A buyer, Mrs. Emmanuella Ukomadu, told The Nation: “Since I have been coming to Mile 12 market to buy foodstuffs during festive periods like this, prices of foodstuffs are always on the high side. I think it is because of the high demand by more people who prefer  to buy goods than when there is no festival; that always forces the prices to up and people seem to be used to that.”

    Despite the fear of price hike, buyers who patronise shopping malls have little fear as most  retailers at malls operate discount sales, especially during festive periods like this. But     customers who want to make bulk purchase of food items for the celebration may not find shopping malls ideal.

    Therefore, to encourage sales, some of these retail shops have launched attractive sales promo to drive sales this season. A cross session of buyers, who spoke with The Nation at Ikeja City Mall expressed their fears.

    A stock broker in Lagos, Mrs. Cynthia Ihianacho, said: “You know shopping at malls during festive period is more of a family thing. If we need to buy food items for a party, you know this place is not the best to buy cartons of frozen chicken. You have to go to the open market

    like Ketu and Mile 12. But you can come here to shop for convenience goods. Or bring your  family here to have lunch and pick one or two convenience goods at a good discount.”

    Also, an accountant with Meristem Insurance, Mr Adekoya Shoaga said: “Most retail chains like Shoprite operate on the best low price policy. There is no sales increase panic during festive periods unlike the open market for staple foods, where speculations lead to price increase. But rather, most retail chains compete through price war. That is why they come up with one sales bonanza or the other during festive periods. I am not worried at all.”

    Though Lagosians are complaining about the high cost of food items, there appears to be no significant drop in patronage of these food items because people have to feed to celebrate Easter.

    According to some food stuffs traders, business is booming and more people are coming for foodstuffs as they can’t do without it, whether during festivity or not.

    A consumer behaviour specialist, who preferred to remain anonymous,  advised consumers to prioritise their needs and make the best purchase decisions within their limited resources during festive periods. He also advised that people should operate within their limited resources to avoid cash crunch after  the celebration when money is scarce to attend to family needs.

     

  • Shoppers rush to benefit from Black Friday shopping

    NIGERIANS from all walks of lives joined the rest of the world on Friday to mark the Black-Friday. In Lagos, an online shopping company, Payford, marked the day at the popular Blue Roof event centre, at the Agidingbi area of Lagos State. According to the organizer, the shopping activity was organized to appreciate customers for their loyalty.

    Speaking, the Managing Director of Payford, Eyor Bassy said Black Friday was to avail customers buy goods at cheaper prices. According to him, the whole aim of the programme is to bring the goods at a very affordable price to Nigerians, adding, “most especially in this season of recession in the country, as an online shore, we decided to bring it offline this year.

    This is the second year we are doing it and it is to bring Nigerians into contact with our brand and also to know how affordable Payford’s products can be. The turnout has been a very massive.” One of the numerous customers who seized the opportunity of the day to buy cheap products, Mr. Olatunbor, said, “Payford has been doing well. It started yesterday and I was here. I can confirm to you that it has been so wonderful. You know it is an opportunity to come and get item for yourself and family.”

  • How small retailers lure shoppers

    In their quest to carve a niche for themselves, many small retailers out there have devised ingenious means and ways of getting and retaining customers, reports TONIA ‘DIYAN 

    For many startups in the retail business, the fear of competition from the bigger retail outlets is real.  Usually, the comments you hear often, range from,  “the big stores are taking over the small ones; how will I cope when the bullish stores have everything it takes to run the business, including sourcing for products at the cheapest possible rates.’’

    It is true that as shoppers become more value focused, they turn towards big-box retailers thereby making small retailers boost sales by targeting wealthier shoppers who are less price-sensitive and are willing to pay premiums for better service. Findings have shown that upper-income households often display unique perception of value than lower-income shoppers.

    But thankfully, some small retailers have since found answers to some of these worries by employing time-tested and simple success strategies.

    Success strategies that work

    As small retailers, they really cannot win price wars against the bigger chain stores. But what they need to leverage on over the chains, is  personal relationships with customers and the ability to deliver superior service. These and many more are some of the secrets of many successful retail businesses over the years.

    Alhaji Rabiu, Chief Executive Officer, Brazilian Jewelries Store, who has been involved in the retail trade over the years, shares his perspective.

    Waxing philosophical, he said, the best way to woo and retain customers is to constantly be in their mind.

    “If as a retailer, I am savvy and communicate well with my customers, I can draw them into my store before they go into the national chains. One way to do that is through attractive discounts and cutting-edge  prices across board, this for sure, will encourage loyal customers to spend more. That is a lot smarter than putting a 70 per cent off sign in front of my store,” he said.

    For independent retailers to compete with their larger counterparts in whatever market they are targeting, retail experts’ advice small retailers to encourage their best customers, maximise the one-on-one personal relationships that they have with customers, saying it is the secret weapon they have against big national chains.

    Through attractive programmes, experts say retailers can strengthen their relationships with their best customers, and as well appeal to those shoppers’ bargain-hunting mood at the same time.

    Beyond customer service, experts say small retailers need to keep inventories lean to keep costs down. They say it is important that these small store owners are vigilant in refusing late orders and that they should avoid over-shipments to avoid having merchandise they would not be able to sell.

    In addition,  small retailers have been advised to take a cue from large chains that display as much merchandise as possible, by displaying theirs on the shop-floor, rather than holding inventory in the stockroom. This expert advice will increase their advertising spending, though to a smaller extent. Many small stores now cater for more affluent customers which will make them do better.

    Small stores have also been advised to watch their staffing levels to control costs. They should adopt the strategy to staff to the peak hours as much as they can, especially in the evenings and at weekends, as most busy families have little time to shop during the day. Businesses, experts advise, might decide to open earlier in the morning and extend hours at night to reach more customers, unlike the big retailer who has opening and closing time.

    Big retail stores slash prices and increase advertising budgets whenever sales are low. But many small retailers without the same financial muscle are stepping up efforts within the limit of their resources to attract customers.

    Analysts have maintained that the existence of the informal retail sector would not be threatened by market circumstance, but rather, operators would bring in innovations to retain their market share.

    They have also presumed a situation where the small shops will sustain their dominance with the ability to offer lower prices than the big shops who have invested much to achieve international standard. And these are already playing out.

    An expert on retail practices, Ivan Friedman, once said: “The ability of small stores to react quickly and directly to customers may be one of the most effective weapons they have. They can easily determine what is selling, and then place orders without wading through a cumbersome bureaucracy. They don’t have to go to the corporate office, wait for their request to be analysed and then ship to them.” There is need to stress the fact that “small shops” and “big shops” are rather indistinct and that the classification of a unit of business as big or small is different in different places and has changed significantly with the passing of time.

    Big retailers suffer from high operational costs. However, the illegality of the operations of the small shops puts modern grocery retailers at a distinct disadvantage. Modern retailers have higher fixed costs; they cannot easily evade taxes because of their visibility and they have to source their supplies from legitimate channels.

    Analysts have maintained that the existence of the informal retail sector would not be threatened by market circumstance, but rather, operators would bring in innovations to retain their market share. They have also presumed a situation where the small shops will sustain their dominance with the ability to offer lower prices than the big shops who have invested much to achieve international standard. And these are already playing out.

  • Shoppers speak on consumer Appreciation Week

    Some shops and mega stores in Lagos have been appreciating loyal customers. Some are giving free gifts and shopping vouchers while others have slashed prices to thank their customers during the Appreciation Week, which ended last week.

    To some shops, the freebies are  a weekly/daily affair. Some stores do not have particular periods for consumer appreciation. They do so during festivities and other selected dates.

    Some shoppers believe appreciation is a good thing to do once in a while to make customers feel special.

    For Mrs. Ifunanya Chukwudi, it is a good thing for big shops to appreciate their customers once in a while, if not for anything, just to make them patronise the shop more. “I have been gifted once or twice by a supermarket I shop at. I was given a pen and a book at the end of my shopping and it was a very nice feeling because things like this attract people to come and shop; nothing is too small you know.”

    She added:“I believe it is a good thing to do because it’s a way of appreciating we the customers for patronising them.”

    Mrs Gloria Kunle is a shopper whose daughter has gained from consumer appreciation. She believes that it is good for some of the mega stores and supermarkets to appreciate their customers. “My daughter was once given a plastic water bottle which she really appreciated and loved. Some give books and other packages. It’s a good thing though and I really love things like that, no matter how small. It means we are being appreciated.”

    Mr Wahab Lawal was of the view that the best way to appreciate shoppers is discount sales by some stores during festive seasons.

    “I was once given a discount price on some items I bought in a boutique during a festive season and I was very excited when I asked why. I was told it was their own way of appreciating their customers for patronising them. With that I was motivated to bring some of my friends to shop there. It’s a good thing to do in one way or the other; it attracts customers to patronise shops like that.”

    Miss Folake Faith and Stanley Ameh have also received gifts from some mega stores where they shopped. They a T-shirt and a book.

    Some companies sometimes include pen, books, raffle draws ticket and recharge cards, among others, to make their customers happy.

    Consumer products – beverages, textile, and detergents – companies  also find a way to appreciate their customers.

  • Entertainment: A new bait for shoppers?

    Through entertainers, Shopping malls and retailers have found new means of attracting shoppers to their outlets. Although this comes at a cost to their businesses, it has nonetheless, proved to be a viable means of boosting sales and creating awareness for their wares. TONIA ‘DIYAN writes.

    It was planned to be a brief shopping for groceries. But that plan eventually snowballed into an unexpected shopping spree for Mrs. Lara Oyediran, a housewife and mother of two. Oyediran had taken her children, ages six and four respectively, with her to the Ikeja Shopping Mall, penultimate Saturday, with the aim of stocking her house for the week.

    Arriving the Mall, Simisola, the younger of the kids, was attracted to a particular shop courtesy of the “human” teddy bears and other animal characters dancing away and playing with passersby in front of the outlet. “Mummy, look at Barney and friends in the television is dancing here,” she screamed. Barney is a teddy character in a popular children’s cartoon series. And as Simisola ran towards the dancing “animals”, her eyes strayed to a doll in the store, which she hurriedly grabbed and refused to let go. Eventually, her mother had to cough out N8, 500 for the doll. It was not part of her budget for the shopping.

    Such is the power and influence of the use of entertainers by retail outlets to promote sales for their business. It has now become the new fad in shopping malls and several retail outlets. True to its definition of being a one stop shop for shopping and leisure, the modern day mall, complex or plaza, stands out as a theater where people go not only to shop but to be really entertained. Bakare Ibukunoluwa, a cosmetics retailer, confirmed that it is now common for malls or any shopping place to deploy several entertainment strategies to attract customers. And the reason, she further explained, bothers on making more sales.

    “You have to get shoppers to a shopping place, and the entertainment coefficient in a mall is something that builds traffic. This is the logic behind many malls now using entertainers to lure the people to the place; the ultimate reason is that it enhances their sales,” Ibukunoluwa explained. The crowd at Ikosi Shopping plaza in Ketu, Lagos, last weekend buttresses her explanation, even as the patronages at eateries and cafes within a mall also strengthens the affinity between shopping and leisure.

    The Palms Mall, Lekki, Lagos, became the preferred destination for people, who not only want to shop, but want to get a dose of entertainment too. The mall became an instant hit with its music, lightings and appealing ambience which makes people contented to just look around, window shop or simply relax.

    The Silverbird Cinemas, Play Zone and eateries are among the side attractions that endear many to the mall. Silverbird Galleria began to attract people with the cinemas long before it became popular as a shopping destination. The idea is to get people there and actual shopping could follow; and what could really lure people if not a conducive environment to unwind and an inviting place to shop?

    Stand Up Nigeria, the monthly comedy show at the City Mall, Onikan, cinema draws a good number of people to the mall. Same goes with child care stores. Children’s game and toy store, such as Lego would always provide bouncy castles, swing, mascots and toys for the kids to play while their parents shopped for them.

    Michael Chu’di Ejekam, director of Actis West Africa’s real estate division, lead developer of the Palms and Ikeja City mall said: “We are trying to push a retail revolution; create a fun place where people can come in with their families to shop and have fun. It comprises the cinema, the textile shops, restaurants and a lot of other relaxation and shopping centres. That is what my company, Actis, is trying to lead – a destination centre where you have to come in the morning and don’t have to leave till evening; something different that we are proud of. “ the whole family can go shopping together. Take the children along. They can spend like two hours at the cinema watching a good movie. You can go to the jewellery store, there are clothing stores, shoes stores, super market, computer electronics and other items you need. When you are done shopping, go pick your children and visit the restaurant or eatery. It is all encompassing”.

    In the same vein, former Chief Executive Officer Broll Nigeria, Developers of shopping malls in Nigeria ones said “Some of the questions we considered when we are malls are: how do people buy? What do people want? In what order do people buy? Who are the impulse buyers? Who are those who go straight to the destination? How do the children drive it? What is in the mind of people who are going shopping? You have to understand all of these and then you can decide to place the tenants where they would complement one another. This is why if you look at places, such as The Palms, Ikeja City Mall, the Grand Towers Abuja Mall, Polo Park, Kwara Mall or Ceddi Plaza, you see excellent service delivery in all areas,” she said.

    Many, who spoke to The Nation Shopping at The Palms, Silverbird Galleria and E-Centre affirmed that they are mostly there to catch some fun. “Of course, I come here to shop but trust me, I also want to catch some fun,” said Rita Robert, a shopper at the Palms.

    For Femi Ajulo, there is more to the mall than just shopping. “I am a retailer on the Mainland and I love to see what makes people rush to this place. I come here to catch inspiration for my business. For instance, I have added a lounge as an extension of my store; it even attracts more people who relax, wine, dine and eventually shop,” he said.

    Like Mr Ilechukwu, many new shopping places are incorporating dining and entertainment to their mix to make their centres recreational shopping destinations and to drive frequency of visits and length-of-stay. Indeed, the shopping centre is being reinvented for the age of the grounded consumer. “Today, we are moving to an experience economy where what consumers want are experiences-memorable experiences which engage them in an inherently personal way.

    “Some are devoting up to 35 per cent or more of their ‘store’ GLA to entertainment, restaurants and cinemas. When entertainment is incorporated into a shopping complex, it is sometimes referred to as a retail entertainment center (RECs), retail-tainment, shoppertainment or mall-tainment.

    “The end of conspicuous consumption and a decrease in shopper visits due to the Great Recession has made it even more important to generate traffic with other than shopping for stuff.”

    With over 75 per cent of shopping trips and purchase decisions being made by women, it is important to meet a woman’s needs at shopping destinations. This often also means meeting the needs of children when they accompany their mother on a shopping trip. Experts are also  rising up in shopping center design, development and management, market research, designing family-friendly facilities for entertainment, education and play..

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Kaymu assures on online security for shoppers

    Kaymu assures on online security for shoppers

    Kaymu, at her Entrepreneurs’ club seminar which took place at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre in Lagos, has assured shoppers of protection against online fraudsters and hackers in the process of carrying out trading activities on its website. The Managing Director of Kaymu, Mr. Sefik Bagdadioglu, made this known in a chat with The Nation Shopping.

    “We take fraud very seriously at Kaymu. What we did is that we have created processes with checkpoints. For instance, when someone wants to sell an item on Kaymu, one of the things we offer is escrow services. So the seller sells it and buyers transfer money to an escrow account and we keep that money till the good is actually delivered to the buyer and the buyer is happy with it. Only then do we release the money,” he explained.

    The seminar with the theme:  ‘Empowering the New Generation of SME’, was organised for prospective owners and existing owners of micro, small and medium enterprises to encourage and train them on how to take their businesses to the next level through online platforms.

    Most of the participants of the seminar rated the event as “brilliant and benefitting”, claiming it impacted them with the right knowledge they needed for improving on their businesses like in areas of funding and all other areas. A prospective business owner, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Tonia, said, “Even though I just want to start my business and I am yet to make use of any online platform, the event so far has being interesting and worth trying”.

    Similarly, Mr. Okechuckwu Benjamin, a staff at Mintent Group of Companies, an online based business, said the event has proven to be an eye opener for him as it has added to his knowledge. To ensure that these entrepreneurs remain constant and improve in their service quality, they were urged to join various business associations like Chambers of Commerce, Bilateral Chambers of commerce and other trade associations, where opportunities that would be good for business would be made available and to improve networking with people already in the business.

    One of the facilitators at the event, Mr. Dele Alimi, advised interested entrepreneurs to be active and not dormant. “It is not just about joining as you must be active by attending meetings, seminars, workshops. You do not just pay your dues and sit in your office. You must also be proactive,” he urged.

    The event featured three sessions spread across equipping participants with the desired knowledge in sales, finance, management, marketing, customer service and telecom. Other facilitators at the training include Mr. Femi Akinrinade, Mr. Muyiwa Afolabi, Mr. Ibikunle Bolorunduro, Mr. Olufunbi Falayi, Mr. Abiola Fabio, Mr. Ademola Adewusi and Mrs. Chioma Agha.

  • Temporary market for shoppers during religious activity

    The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Ketu, Lagos has ended its 39th Annual Convention. The one-week event attracted thousands from within and outside Nigeria.A temporary market  on the premises of the church provided the side attraction to the convention. OYEWOLE PRISCILLA reports.

    For some participants at the 39th yearly Convention of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, LAWNA Terrirory, which held at its Ketu, Lagos haedquarters, it was not only about prayers and other church activities.  There was a side attraction: a temporary market set up solely for them to buy their needs.

    Set up on the church premises, shoppers had a worthwhile experience in the market. Thopugh small, the market had virtually everything one needs — from food, shoes, bags, mats, buckets towels, touches, plates/cutlery and many more. There was no need to go outside the church to buy anything.

    There were adequate security and sanitation. The convention area quickly transformed into a mini Lagos market during the event.

    Other items in the market included socks, clothing materials – chiffon, Ankara and others- sandals, puff-puff, gala, drinks, biscuits, sweets, popcorn, toast bread, ice cream and others), bread, caps, hats, berets, suits, choir costumes and others.

    Traders at the market were not necessarily members of the church. The market was open to traders, who registered for space through the right channel and complied with the rules laid down by the church. The traders either rented shops or used makeshift structures.

    With the market place bustling with many activities and filled with people, one would expect that traders to make huge profit but the reverse was the case. Profit made this year was below their expectations compared to previous years.

    Most traders blamed the poor state of the economy. It affected the demand for goods leading to low patronage by campers in a bid to monitor their spending.

    To recoup their loaaes, before the end of rge convention, most traders reduced prices of their goods, inviting shoppers with chants such as: “Today is the last day, tomorrow no more.”

    On the last day, the near-empty convention ground did not stop a few traders who hoped to sell more goods.

    Shop owners on the other hand had a different tale as they expressed joy over the increase in their sales compared to the previous year. Owner of PRAMEL shop dealing in consumables, hats, photocopying services and others, Mr. Sope Bankole,  told the Nation Shopping the secret to their trading success.

    “Even though we had other people selling the same thing, I think the better arrangement and organisation we had attracted people. Also, we reduced the prices of some of our goods which was appreciated by our customers, in particular, our photocopy service which was more cheaper than what you obtain within the premises,” he said.

    The convention, which was had as theme “The Purpose and Ministry Surrounding the Birth and Life of Jesus Christ”, was an avenue for spiritual reawakening, learning and revelation for members and pastors. The convention schedule was filled with morning, afternoon and evening sessions of revivals, teaching and healing services to mention a few in order to give member the opportunity to commune with God.

    To partake in the series of convention programmes, members who reside far away decided to camp. Free and paid accommodations were made available for members (which included guest houses, hostels, tent houses and even the church auditorium).

    Traders from the make- shift market migrated to Redemption Camp to proceed with their trading at the convention of the Redeemed Christian Church of God with the hope of making more sales.

    The church premises, which became a camping site, also a shopping arena for members and visitors of The Apostolic Church, has  returned to its former state of quietness with only scattered chairs and a heap of dirt ready for collection as evidence of the just-concluded religious and shopping activities.

  • Shoppers embrace ‘August Rush offer’

    Shoppers embrace ‘August Rush offer’

    For shoppers, retail and online stores, including the shopping malls, August signifies various things. While it is usually a good time for good bargains – thanks to seasonal price slashes it is also a time for trading outlets to offload their old stock and re stock for the last quarter of the year, ahead of the Yelutide, when sales boom. This period is known as the ‘August Rush offer’.  TONIA ‘DIYAN reports.

    August is the eighth month of the year when sales offers are rounded off to herald the beginning of another quarter by September, the last quarter of the year. This period is reffered to as ‘August Rush Offer.’

    At times like this, retail outlets, online stores, and shopping malls are seen offering higher discounts on their wares to drive sales. This, more often than not, is to help create more storage space in their stores, as they all seek to restock for the last quarter, and preparatory to stocking for the yelutide season of Christmas and New Year celebrations. August, in the country’s shopping landscape, is a period of bumper sales and majority of sales outlets across the city are  giving all forms of bonanzas and freebies to woo prospective buyers.

    For several years now, this tradition has come to be an important feature in shoppers’ calendar, as they look forward to getting good bargain on commodities. This year is no exception as shoppers in Lagos have started taking advantage of the ‘August Rush offer’ at malls, supermarkets, retail and even online stores. They are seen more in these places at weekends and after working hours during week days.

    For instance, at a houseware store, Mrs Romoke Adebayo, a marriage counsellor, told The Nation Shopping that she bought a 12-piece Martha Stewart silver cooking set at 20 per cent less the original selling price. “I’ve been planning to get something like this for a long time. But I just couldn’t afford it because, it was very expensive. But with the ongoing offer, I finally have it! Coming here early was definitely worth it; someone else would have picked it before my arrival. The sales person said it is the only one left,” she explained.

    A visit to a cross-section of malls and sales outlets within Lagos shows that very many of them are making brisk sales. Last Saturday, while stores were yet to open by 8.45am, shoppers in large numbers were already hanging around shopping malls.

    While sales appeared brisk in shopping malls, retail stores, supermarkets and online stores, household and electronics outlets which are either stand-alone stores or tenants in complexes and plazas are not left out. They all have something to give away.

    However, it’s been observed that there are more sales this year since the advent of shopping malls in the country 10 years ago, when The Palms, in Lekki-Lagos opened shop. Same with online stores, which have been thriving for three years.

    Some retailers told The Nation Shopping that sales of Electronics, Clothing, Mobile phones, Jewellery and House hold items  in the last two months, have increased following the offers which have been on since May to herald the second quarter.

    According to them, this year is witnessing the strongest sales not only in Clothes, Mobile phones and Electronics, but also food and general grocery supplies.

    The crowd at the Apapa Mall in Lagos was a testimony when The Nation Shopping visited the place.

    “It was, indeed, really crowded; the queue was discouraging and making payment after shopping was hell. People are already shopping for Back -To – School, to prepare school pupils and students for a new school  session and prices have been slashed everywhere,’’ a teacher, Mr Folorunsho Bashorun, said.

    Mrs Cordelia and her husband, Mr Caleb Otoide, both Military Personnel, took their daughters for shopping at Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall in Surulere last weekend. “There are some combat/military-style boots that I’ve been wanting to buy,”Mrs Cordelia said.”

    We knew the crowd would be more for the ‘August Rush Offer’ that has been earlier announced by some stores in their fliers, posters and in front of their shops, thus we decided to visit the mall this early when there would be fewer people. But we were wrong, you know! We could hardly find a parking space,” she added.

    Ms Helen Thompson, a South African-trained nurse, was among the early shoppers at Ikeja City Mall last Saturday; she took advantage of the discounts attached to items at the mall.  She went home with a 20-piece glassware set for N25, 000 and a Spiderman Back Pack she bought for her son at 70 percent discount.

    “Some of these items, such as the ones I bought, are not cheap, when it is not sales period like this,” she said.

    Her sister, Ms Natasha, bought two large bags of goodies from Shoprite, Staplers; a few children’s bake sets and other house wares. “I’ve been able to save about N15, 200 after my shopping, it is definitely worth being here at this time,” she said.

    Also, last Saturday, vehicular and pedestrian traffic at Ipori Market, and other high street stores on Bode Thomas, in Surulere, Lagos, were high by mid-day.

    The market is the second destination for one of its residents, Mr Wale Bankole, who had stopped by Leisure Mall to buy a Swatch wrist watch, a Daniel Ray handbag and a Nine West pair of shoes for his wife, Mrs Gloria Bankole. He testified of how he was able to save some money. “It seems to be a general offer. I have saved N38, 000 altogether; ordinarily, I would have spent N38, 000 more buying these many items from different places, “he said.

    For Top Services Limited, the Management of Apapa Mall in Lagos, Mr Celestine Jeremiah said sales have increased and customers have been very patient getting their vehicles into the mall. “We have experienced very massive sales because of the number of people who visit the mall daily. We meet very understanding customers who agree to work with the space we have.

    “Over the past week, stores have stocked more styles that are flying off the shelves quickly,” said Mrs Modupe Shopeju of Delightsome Gifts Concepts. Alhaja Ganiyat Rilwan, who was shoe shopping at the store with her six-year-old daughter, Mila, said she decided to take advantage of the ‘August Rush offer’ to meet her immediate needs.

    While Mila got the blue sneakers and a wedge sandal she wanted, her mother bought a pair of sandals and a black office shoe for herself. The offer will continue till the end of August.

    Echoing similar sentiments as Shopeju, a sales person at the Daviva store, an upscale clothing store, who asked not to be named, told The Nation Shopping that most retailers have come up with one sales strategy or the other to help make huge sales.

    “Our promotional offers are ongoing. We do this yearly so that we can have bountiful sales; we push out as many items as possible by slashing their prices into three, sometimes four just to lure customers.”

    Pressed further, the source said, “With this, we are able to do away with out old stock, old designs and then bring in new ones for the next quarter.”

    “Apart from the huge sales recorded by some businesses, gift-giving and fun treat, mainly centre on children, is an important part of the offer particularly at shopping malls and  online.

  • Fuel scarcity frustrates shoppers

    Fuel scarcity frustrates shoppers

    Operators in the retail shopping industry lament that fuel scarcity is affecting their businesses as sales and traffic to these places have been low, report TONIA ‘DIYAN, OCHU OHUNENE LATIFAH and EKEOWA PATIENCE.

    This last week has seen shopping activities almost paralysed at shopping places within the Lagos metropolis. No thanks to the present scarcity of the petroleum product which has been out of stock since last week. Operators of shopping places say they have been witnessing low sales because of  the frustrating situation and customers do not patronise them like before.

    Managements of malls visited have shown dissatisfaction with the present fuel situation , describing the situation as highly unacceptable and very disappointing. They said it is a major setback to economic activities in the country and have advised the government to do everything necessary  to see that the situation is normalised as soon as possible.

    The Nation Shopping visited some shopping places to observe how the present fuel scarcity is affecting sales.  At Ikeja City Mall in Alausa, Ikeja, Manager of Poise store, Mrs Temitope Olaopa, said the present fuel situation has affected sales for her and her colleagues negatively. “With the present  scarcity of fuel which has been ongoing since last week, we are recording very low sales. The situation is worse than the election period when we had to work half day. This time around, our customers are not showing up the whole day” she said

    Like Olaopa, Julie Akum, another store owner at the Ikeja mall laments last weekend and Workers Day also were bad days for them because of the fuel scarcity situation. “We had thought sales would pick at the weekend and on May Day, but nothing changed. We hardly made sales. Car owners preferred to reserve the fuel in their cars to go to their work places during the week rather than visit the mall, they argue that they might not find fuel to buy”

    The story is not different with Ms Ayodele Abimbola, a sales representative at Party Perfect, a store that sells party items and gifts. “With the increase in the price of the little fuel in circulation and also the increase in the price of transportation, it has really made it difficult for people to make it to the Mall to shop. Like me, the price of transportation from my home to the shop has been doubled .I used to pay N70 per trip, now it is N150.”

    At the Apapa mall in Park Lane, Apapa, Lagos, the scarcity has forced store owners to cut down prices of items at least by 10 percent, they say they have realised that foot traffic to the mall has dropped drastically, and they appeal to the government to address the problem as soon as possible so that they will be left with the bad road and traffic jam they have been battling for long.  According to them, they have lost enough customers already; and plead that the government doesn’t inflict more pains on them.

    A store representative with PEP store, Cassandra Okafor said, the fuel scarcity situation has become  a bone in the neck and it  is affecting everybody in the country not only those at the mall “ One thing we have done since the fuel scarcity began is to count our losses. When our customers are unable to come in to shop, we stand the risk of losing and not being able to pay our workers. We are hoping that the situation will be normalised before the end of this week.”

    The owner of Essenza, a perfume store, Malarki Adoga, said the scarcity of fuel has affected his business badly “I find it is very difficult to come to my shop on a daily basis since the fuel scarcity began. I am displeased with the present situation in the country. So far, we have lost many customers, those we call on phone will complain that they are tired having spent the whole day at the filling station queuing to buy fuel”

    A sales representative at Accessories 2 die 4, a store which stocks all kinds of ladies accessories, said she didn’t  know if the fuel scarcity affected sales at her shop “ I don’t know if the present fuel situation has affected business here, since we do not use petrol for anything in the shop but one thing for sure is that, fuel scarcity comes with scarcity of transportation and if there is no means of transportation, how will our customers make it to the Mall.”

    Few shoppers seen at Adeniran Ogunsanya and leisure mall said they live around the mall and could afford to take a walk to the mall for their shopping.  Miss Ifunaya Clement said she was at the mall because she lives few streets away from both malls who are neighbours. “Ordinarily, I will take a bus or tricycle to the mall, but I decided to ignore the high fare these days and take a walk. It is a stone throw”.

    Another shopper, Mr Samuel Ibikunle said “I have been finding it difficult to get fuel for my car because filling stations don’t have and those that have are usually crowded. The only alternative for me is the black market and it is very expensive that is why I cannot waste my fuel to the mall, except it is very necessary like it is now that I am at this mall for official purpose, I am here to attend a meeting  with my boss” he said.

    • Inside view of a scanty mall
    • Inside view of a scanty mall

    Mrs Abigel Kehinde also a shopper, think people will be affected especially, those with their private cars and the motorists.  She said: “if these people are affected, the Mall and other shopping places will also be affected because when there is no transport then people won’t be able to come to the Mall.”

    Some shoppers who were at Apapa mall said they stay close to the mall and can afford to stroll down, that is why they can still be found in the mall.  Andrew Omoh said he didn’t come from a far place, “I live nearby, and the only people I think it will affect more are those coming from a distance and those with private cars who won’t be able to get fuel for their vehicles. But for few shoppers who came from a distance, the fuel scarcity has done them more harm than good.

    Tayo Oshoba visited the mall from Oshodi, he lamented on how difficult it is to get to the mall, “Ordinarily, getting to Apapa mall is hell because of the bad road.  Now the burden  has increased.  Before now I spent about N300 from my house. Today, I have spent N600 after waiting at the bus stop for a longer period

    For Thomas Omokaro, “I have packed my car because i can’t surfer to buy fuel at a high price and end up wasting it in traffic. For now, I am thinking of holding on on my shopping here for the main time, I will rather go to a nearby open market to get the things I need until  this frustrating scenario is over’’.