Buying and selling at a Nigerian market can be erratic and chaotic. You observe sellers hastily moving to and fro in an attempt to satisfy the needs of their customers or in search of a potential client.
When he eventually gets one, he sweet-talks them into trusting him. He will back up his claims with ridiculous promises that may probably sweep you off your feet and you can end up trusting him with vital information. To keep you safe, Jovago.com, Africa’s largest online hotel booking portal shares some counter-effects to watch out for.
You will be unable to bargain
The aim of any trader is to ensure that you buy his goods. He will do any reasonable thing to achieve this. He will be unusually friendly, chatty, warm and respectful. Obviously, people prefer to patronize persons who have good customer service. After warming himself up to you, he will explore the opportunity to hike prices. At this point, it may be difficult for you bargain because he is now your ‘friend’. Besides, if you bargain, the amount you slash off the price may be too small.
You may end up buying counterfeit products
A visit to any Lagos market offers different experiences which may either be pleasant or unpleasant. At some of these markets, if you let your guard down, you will purchase counterfeit products or goods. This is because they offer you astonishing guarantees and discount that will persuade to buy. On your part, test-run anything and everything you are buying.
You cannot make good purchasing decision
The onslaught of sellers at a typical Nigerian market can get you confuse. They will swoop on you in their numbers while offering countless reasons why you should patronize them. If you ‘fall’ for this, you may be unable to make sound purchasing decisions due to the tempting choices before you. It is better to have a contact person at the market.
If you are lucky, you’ll buy goods at affordable prices
Although this may be rare because nearly all traders want to cash in on any sale, you can still find a handful you can trust. With such a person, you will leave the market happy because you got a favourable deal. You do not need to worry about returning the goods demanding for refund which is a trend many are familiar. This is why they rarely trust traders at these markets.
They’ll make you their customer
If you trust a seller, you will become their customer. In fact, they will give you their card to call them whenever you visit the market. These traders know that when they give good services, the customer will always return.
| Ogunfowoke Adeniyi |
