Steemit Challenge S24W1 | Powerful Debate - Tangled Emotions

Stance 1: Madam, how much will you sell this shoe last? It's 5k. I'm with 4k, won't you sell? [Give me but don't tell anyone I sold it for you at this price.] Thank you.

Stance 2: Madam how much is your shoe? [7k]. Ahh, you want to build how? How can shoes be 7k? I'm not buying again. [Come back jare, how much do you want to buy?]

Stance 3: Madam, how much is your shoe? [7k. How much do you want to buy?] I'm with 1k. [Get out from my shop immediately. Did I steal the shoe that you're pricing at 1k?]

People have different approaches when it comes to bargaining as customers and keeping prices as shopkeepers. Most shopkeepers keep prices for dishonest gain when they have outweighed your status; probably you drove in the latest Benz to their shop. They use it to strike a conversation that may allow you to buy at their price instead of bargaining.

On a daily basis, customers have open communication or conversations with shopkeepers. Selling basic necessities, shopkeepers want profits while customers want to purchase at the lowest of prices, as they barely have enough. Let's talk about the powerful conversation that always transpires when there are sales made.

I make purchases everyday in retail shops, wholesale shops, supermarkets, open markets and the like. Not all of these places give room for bargains, as prices are fixed. Just like going to a fuel station, you can't tell them to sell at a favourable price for you. So it all depends on where you enter as a customer to make purchases. The open market is one notable place where you get to bargain prices of goods which aren't fixed, and you get to do so in different ways even when you feel you may not be worthy enough to get the goods with your income.

Personally, I've successfully bargained my way to a great deal when I was in the market. There's this popular Nick canvas that's nothing less than 10k naira. Everyone in my city knows to buy Nike sneakers; you must be on so many funds, but then, I was ignorant and actually thought the sneakers were in the range of others.

On getting to the open store, I asked for the price of the sneakers; the price I heard was far off from what I had in mind to spend. I wanted to leave immediately because I know even if I bargain, the seller may not want to sell and may treat me badly. I started bargaining courageously even when I knew the outcome would be a no for me.

I politely asked with a little humour and teased him by saying, Oga, omor e cost oh. Wetin I carry no go reach to buy this shoe. He asked me how much I was with. I told him I wasn't with his price. Then I considered the terms applied and the cost he may have spent in buying the shoe. At first, I held 5k to purchase the shoe, but my conscience didn't allow me to say 5k because he didn't even buy it for 5k. I told him I was with 7k last.

I said this politely because he didn't steal the shoe, and it's his market. Some people would angrily leave the place or shout in awe. They may even rudely force the man to sell at their price, or they'll leave to open a store. Shop sellers that haven't made sales since morning may be moved to bargain more with them, even begging.

I knew what was involved and then had this debatable conversation

Shop seller: Ahhhh, you're bigger than this 15k I'm saying. Nike shoes are the best sneakers in Uyo. Just wait; wear this shoe. You'll like it. It's so fine.

Me: I know very well that it's fine and has quality, but that's my budget, and that's what I have in my account. I showed him the 7k in my account and nothing more. He felt I wasn't convincing.

Shop seller: Let me show you a sneaker for 7k.

Me: No, sir, please, this is the one I find attractive. Just sell it for me, please. I didn't know that sneakers are this elevated in price. If I knew, I would have carried more. I left with 7k thinking it was 5k. Money isn't the problem. If I had had the knowledge of the price, I would have budgeted since.

He saw my facial expressions that I really needed the shoe. I changed it at once to show seriousness. He then told me he'll sell for 8k last; I told him it's just 7k I have in my account, and I have no one to borrow from. After talking at length, he sold it for me. Anyone I tell I bought this shoe for 7k would not believe because the shoe is a quality sneaker of a minimum of 10k. I thanked him and did the transfer for him.

If I wasn't polite or friendly, I would have lost the chance of buying the shoe at that price. I went to other sneaker sellers to confirm the price; they said the same thing. The truth is, they bought it for 5k plus, and selling it at 15k would give them a high profit of 10k. This was how I successfully bargained my way to a great deal which I and the shop seller agreed to.

Local or small shops aren't supermarkets that have fixed prices where you can bargain. Local shops may include ones with kiosks and one that's open. Personally, I feel it's business, and in business, the buyer has the right to negotiate the seller's price and come to an agreement even if it's a local store, though these local traders are more honest in prices than urban traders who look for ways to extort the rich and the poor of their money in dubious ways.

So it's fair to negotiate prices because they are in a marketplace and not in a supermarket with fixed prices. It could be negotiation on the price or in the quantity added. These local traders have their entry price, so to speak, and their market prices to gain profits. It would be fair to bargain, but not bargaining out of wickedness, as they are known to be honest in their prices and selective gains.

In a situation whereby you see a particular product sold by a local person and that product has been there since morning, you decided to ask the seller how much this is. The seller would tell you his price, but you must also consider how valuable that product may be by not negotiating badly to put the seller in pity or left with no other choice but to sell it.

Going extremes in bargaining your price is where I feel the line should be drawn. The local trader may want to sell that product with little profit because you're the only one who shows willingness to buy, but that doesn't give you the right to be overly greedy and say you want to save your money.

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The hardwork this trader put into his business should be respected, even though you have the right to negotiate. Take a look at this bag by a local trader. The trader said it's 4k and to you, you'll want to buy it for 2k. The trader made this bag himself, and it's so fine, but since you're the only person who wants to buy the bag, you take advantage of that and put the seller under pressure to just sell and take small profits while you save your money.

** You just have to be reasonable in the negotiation to avoid draining these local traders, especially**. They don't like losing their customers, as big customers barely enter. So taking advantage of that is where I feel the line should be drawn because the hard work put into making that bag is worth it.

I can remember a comical scene where a buyer asked a seller the price of a row of tin milk. The seller told the buyer is 3k. The buyer asked if he wouldn't sell for 500 naira. The seller said it's the buyer's clothes that are cheap and not his milk. It was so harsh, but everyone burst into laughter. The buyer was a bit rude too. 500 naira. Is the seller stealing it? 🤣🤣🤣

I'm more of a sweet talker, but I mind my words, as it may sound demanding and rude to the seller. If I don't talk in a sweet way to lure his heart, I can't get the discount. Sometimes I use popular events like World Friends Day to get my discount. I'll be like, Oga you Sabi sey you be my friend.

Today's World Friend Day, so you should show me small love na, even if na 10% discount on price. I'll tease him and bring meaningful conversation to lure him into finding particular interest in me. After all is said and done, he'll put a discount on the product I need badly, and most times, we exchange numbers or shake hands.

There's this store I went to in my area. I wanted a discount on a product, so I started by asking the seller these challenge questions to get him answers. I asked why he chose the business and what advice he had for the younger generation. After all was said, he was willing to give me a 20% discount because I maintained a good relationship with him and I lured him with my sweet words.

Sometimes I'll say....Do you know you're the best businessman in the whole of Uyo? I'll then start by comparing him to others and make him see the need to accept what I was saying.

I went to purchase some body lotion in a store, and the price I was told shocked me to my bones. I told the shopkeeper that his price is too high. He told me 5k for the body lotion. I told him I'm just with 2k. He ignored me and attended to other customers. I felt embarrassed, sort of. I then asked him why he did it that way; he said he didn't want to argue with me and that I should leave his shop if I don't have the money to pay.

He told me 4500 last. I still insisted on 2k. He said I should go and steal it instead of buying it because that price is for someone who stole the cream and wants to sell it. He then said God will judge me for wasting his time. I never expected such a reply. It was comical, sort of, but was rude. I amicably left the shop without uttering a word even when I felt annoyed.

The shopkeeper trying to survive is what I support because they are running a business to earn a living for themselves. They deserve to survive, and this can only be possible if pricing isn't below their expected profits. They pay rent, especially when running a small business.

They compete with other sellers, lose at times in their business due to expired products and also pay electricity bills. So at times, even if the customer deserves value, the shopkeeper strives to survive with every little profit made from their businesses to run expenses and also stacks their shops.

Pricing below their expected profits may keep them on the losing end and they may not be able to achieve their goals. I learnt this from personal experience when I interviewed a shopkeeper on what he expends running this place, as most shopkeepers can't meet up and then close their shops.

In as much as their prices are fair enough and aren't exploiting customers, they deserve the surviving phase to attain balance for both themselves and their customers. Let's take an instance.

A seller wants to sell his drinks at the rate of 2k and gains 500 naira as he bought it 1500 naira. Selling below 1500 in the course of pricing would be a loss to him. This is why most sellers tell their customers 2200 so when they price it to 2k, they know their 500 naira profit is still intact. They employ a strategy to avoid being on the losing end in a business they are trying to manage to cater for expenses and future budgets.

Are you a shopkeeper? Avoid the instance of seeing a rich man, and then you increase prices of your goods. It's not just business, trying to benefit from opportunity, but also a means of dishonesty. If you're a buyer or customer, avoid taking advantage of local traders who would be pressured and left with no option but to sell at your price out of pity for themselves. Pricing is a negotiation both parties must agree to at the end. This maintains the chemistry of business and trading.

I invite @artist1111 @miftahulrizky and @whizzbro4eva