Determined to make brisk business during the yuletide, many malls and shops wooed prospective shoppers with bonanzas and other freebies, TONIA ‘DIYAN reports.
Most yuletides are periods of bumper sales. This season was no exception as majority of sales outlets across the cities gave all forms of bonanzas and freebies to woo prospective buyers.
A visit to a cross-section of malls and sales outlets within Lagos metropolis and its environs by The Nation Shopping showed that very many of them made brisk sales by daggling one of carrots or the other.
Speaking with Sander Norman, a Briton, who is Centre Manager of Ikeja City Mall, he confided in The Nation Shopping that every year, his mall comes up with the different gimmicks ultimately to boost sales during the yuletide.
Norman said: “At IKeja City Mall, we thought the Christmas period which signifies giving is a more appropriate time to give back to the society and what better way can we do this, if not to stretch a helping hand to the needy.”
He added that it is the second time the mall will be celebrating with orphans and children generally at yuletide. “This year, the scope is broadened with the mall’s decision to affect more kids than last in 2013 and put smiles on their faces.
“We hosted more than 30 orphans from 3 different orphanages and more than a hundred other kids to a fun fulfilled time of excitement.”
Amongst the series of engagement for the kids included movie, face painting, games, music, dance competition, catwalk sessions, etc. The kids all went home with customised gifts to keep these memories lingering, he said.
“We have been able to give these kids the experience of Christmas as enjoyed by their privileged counterparts. We did same last year for the first time and we don’t intend to stop the act. The event is a huge success for the management of this mall and we are happy that the kids had a jolly good time. They all parted with gifts, they will have good memories of this year’s Yuletide season.”
Also sharing his experience, Mr. Eniola Ositelu, Marketing Manager, Ikeja City Mall, said sales at the mall during the Yuletide period was at 80 percent.
“We are very pleased with the turnout of people who were here to push sales for us at Yuletide. Though, some came to window shop and sight see, particularly visitors to Lagos. But with the report and testimonies we gathered from our tenants stores, sales was pushed to 80/85 percent,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, a sales person at the Daviva store, an upscale clothing store, who asked not to be named, told The Nation Shopping that most retailers had come up with one sales strategy or the other since the last quarter of last year to help make huge sales when Yuletide eventually comes.
“Our promotional offers have been on since August 20 like every other store. 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 New Year.”
David Botha, head, Mr Price, a South African clothing store with franchise in Nigeria, said his store recorded a 90 percentage increase sales since the Yuletide began.
He said, the store hasn’t stopped restocking since then and that it has been crowded with shoppers and fashion lovers who want fashion items which are in vogue.
Upbeat, Botha said: “At Mr Price, we have only experienced huge sales this season. We’re not surprise because we stock the best of clothing and fashion accessories and our items cut across all ages.
“For instance, our coloured denim is a key fashion trend that is new in the fashion market and it is attracting customers. So far our revenue figure has risen double what our store management expected and the company has boosted its first-quarter earnings outlook.
“Our sales are rated at 90 percent in all our stores in their various locations in Nigeria. This is the first time we will experience such since we came to Nigeria. At intervals, we will have to shut our doors so we can manage the crowd we already have inside the store at a time.
“Apart from the huge sales recorded by some businesses, gift-giving and fun treat, mainly centre on children, was an important part of the celebration particularly at shopping malls and the online stores.”
Last minute shopping for the New Year at Lagos shopping malls started at about the early hours of the New Year eve with shoppers waiting for malls and store doors to be opened for business with the parking lot of these malls full beyond their capacities.
The National Retail Federation predicts that shoppers would have spent close to N50 million last Wednesday alone for ‘Last minute shopping’ into the new year, stating that such estimate makes the first day of the year the number one sales day on a yearly basis, though observations have it that few crowded stores were filled with undecided shoppers and procrastinators.
Corroborating the foregoing, Oyingbo market leader, Alhaja Shittu Basirat, in a chat with The Nation Shopping said yuletide sales can be rated at 80 per cent, which she attributed to sales discounts to prospective buyers.
“The huge sales we recorded was made possible by the several meetings held prior to the celebration where we pleaded with traders to avoid adding extra cost to staple items like rice, chicken, tomatoes, pepper and groundnut oil so as to encourage buyers.”
“The fact that there is no money in circulation, Oyingbo market experienced huge sales this yuletide.”
Unlike traders at Oyingbo market, their counterparts at Mushin didn’t have it so good.
Speaking with the leader of the fish section at Mushin market, Alhaja Morenikeji Ali, she noted that her section recorded a 25 percent decreased sale. This she attributed to the high cost at which people buy fish these days.
“A carton of croaker now cost N16,000, Shawa N9000 and because of this, people now prefer to buy live chicken instead of one fish for N800 or more, we didn’t make much sales this yuletide,” she said.
Alhaji Rasaki, who is the General Leader of the Mushin market, is also on the same page with Alhaja Ali.
Sales at the Mushin market, this yuletide, he said was anything but encouraging. Yuletide sales dropped by 40 percent compare to the previous 80 percent it was at the last yuletide.
At Oshodi market, the leader of the tomato and paper section, Mrs. Ayomide Romoke said traders at her section recorded up to 75 percent, thereby boosting sales for this year’s yuletide.
For Alhaji Bello, market leader of Ketu plank market, sales this yuletide was a lot better compared to last year’s.
According to him, sales at the market went up by 40 percent compared to last year.
For Iyana Ipaja market leader, Mrs Balogun yuletide sale dropped from 90 percent to 30 percent this yuletide.
Investigation by The Nation Shopping revealed that only a handful of chains representing roughly 10 percent of the Nigerian retail industry report monthly sales when it is not festivity period.
Major chains that didn’t report include Woolworth and Truworth and that was why they left the country, it was learnt.
Majority of the players in the shopping industry say the festive season which for them began since the first week in September last year being the last quarter of the year saw great response from shoppers and brought about huge sales.
They say they are pleased with the sales they made at the yuletide.
Observations have it that stores that stock children gift items and those who use one fun item or the other to entice and entertain kids had started to advertise Christmas shopping since the beginning of November before the holidays began.
According to the management of these malls, giving back to the society is one assignment they must accomplish.
At leisure mall in Surulere, the story is not different as there were thrilling performances by children, and then came the icing on the cake, visit to Santa Claus grotto to get Christmas gifts.
Both malls Centre Managers said they are committed to giving back to the community thus, have decided to fete children specially this Christmas than they have done before.
Feyi Shoyinka, Leisure Mall Centre Manager said: “Management of this mall have organised the Christmas party for children residing in Surulere and its environment. Last year’s Christmas party was also fun-packed.”
For Precious Eweka, The Palms, Public Relations Officer, besides making brisk sales the yuletide season offers an opportunity to give back to the society, which is why his organisation doesn’t hesitate to explore such opportunities.
“Our aim is to fete shoppers for Christmas particular our younger shoppers, I mean children and judging by the testimonies of our tenants stocking items for children, sale increase for them particularly at Christmas. They have really pushed up sales for us this year,” she said.
However, with the lure of big bargains at these malls, shoppers are still packing the malls and stores even at the first day of the year, while grabbing more deals for themselves.
“This will be the single busiest shopping day of the year,” said Debola Majekodunmi, a mall consultant in Lagos.
“Yuletide, back-to-school, coupled with some newness in stores, is leading to a nice advantage heading into the New Year,” this is according to experts of the Retail Metrics, a research firm situated in Victoria Island. They added that they notice that retailers were very aggressive with promotions, trying to clear out merchandise and restock new design for the New Year.”
