The way Nigerians haggles over prices of commodities in markets is a testament to the lifestyle of the people. We are just one of a kind.
Many Nigerians in these places want to use the opportunity to stock their homes with foods. The way people from this part of the world go about pricing these commodities is in styles. You just have to be in Nigerian markets for some conversations to make your day.
5 Ways Nigerians Haggles in Markets
The different ways by which Nigerians haggles in markets are listed below. It will suit you if you are in this system to see Nigerians doing their thing (haggling) in style.
First Class Buyers: There are some Nigerians that go to the market with no knowledge of the price of the things they want to get. It doesn’t matter if they are rich or not, they just go for the price the seller puts on the commodity as long as they have the money in their hands. These set of people are the sellers’ dream customers. They’ll be like ‘ I should have told a fish is #1,000, he would have paid ‘.
Informed Buyers: These set of Nigerian buyers doesn’t haggle much. Once they’ve their price list which must have been a research from neighbors, friends, or the internet (non-perishable goods), they try to bit down the price given by the seller. If no reduction, they pay for what they want and leave with no stories that touches the heart.
Toosie Slides Buyers: Remember the Toosie slide song by Canadian rapper Drake? Lol! These set of Nigerians haggles as if they were learning the dance step to this song. Once the seller gives the price of the commodity, they try as much as possible to bit it down. They may have the price list but think the seller would have a change of mind. The next they will do is to act as if they are leaving thinking the seller would call them to pay. They would take some steps away from the seller then finally come back to pay if that didn’t work.
Waka-Waka Buyers: Just like the popular line by Afrobeat legend, Fela Kuti ‘waka,waka, waka’; these Nigerian buyers make sure they’re not cheated by the sellers. Even if they have their money at hand, they will prefer to haggle in many places in the market before they pay. If they’re buying foodstuffs, they will go around to get the market price in several places before paying for the commodity(s).
Crazy Buyers: Some of these set of Nigerians are one of a kind. They may be in the market for window shopping so they make sure they get on the nerves of the sellers. If a crate is said to cost #700 by the seller, they would tell him/her to take #200. They know if they had said an amount close to the selling price, the seller might tell them to pay so they make sure it is never in that range. This makes the seller angry and leads to some verbal attacks by both parties.
These are the kinds of Nigerians you would meet at markets haggling prices of commodities.
Make sure you take to NCDC directives as you go out in a time like this. Do stay safe and healthy.
