How to avoid getting duped when shopping in a Lagos open market

Buying goods in large commodity markets in Lagos such as Oshodi, Yaba, Eko, Iyana-Ipaja, Ile-Epo, and Agege is an avenue to get items at very cheap prices. However, the chances of being duped in such large commodity markets are also very high.

Contents

1. Know the prices of goods ahead 2. Negotiate well and don’t act too nice 3. Don’t go alone 4. Patronise popular stores only 5. Know the return policy of the store you patronize 6. Don’t patronise sellers in traffic 7. Be vigilant 8. Resist the urge to buy goods that are too cheap 9. Giving strangers audience 10. Do not make payment before purchase

The large number of buyers and sellers in these markets has made it easy for criminal elements in the guise of sellers to come into the market. Thus, it is important to be alert and watch out for such dishonest individuals whenever you visit the market.

In order to avoid being duped when buying in large commodity markets in Lagos, below are tips to be followed.

1. Know the prices of goods ahead

Buying in large commodity markets in Lagos is advantageous as you tend to get these commodities at cheaper prices.

Before you go to any of these markets, it is expedient you know and confirm the prices of whatever you are going to buy from home or from smaller stores around in order to avoid being duped.

This is because when some sellers in these large commodity markets sense that you don’t know the actual price of the goods you want, they tend to inflate the price at an outrageous rate which you can only discover when you price the same goods from other stores.

2. Negotiate well and don’t act too nice

Even though you know the price of the goods you want to buy ahead, it is still a smart decision for you to negotiate with the sellers. This is because the price of goods might have dropped or increased, so negotiating the price you intend on purchasing the commodity is another way to avoid being duped in large commodity markets in Lagos.

Also, do not act too nice or too reserved when at the market because some sellers especially the criminal elements among them may see you as a soft target.

3. Don’t go alone

If you are going to any of the large commodity markets for the first time please do not go alone so as to avoid getting lost or being duped.

These markets as the name implies are indeed very large and being your first time there it may be difficult for you to find your way around and asking for directions may make you fall into wrong hands.

If you’re also going to get an item you are not familiar with, it is best to go with a person who has good knowledge of the commodity so your ignorance will not be the source of you getting duped.

4. Patronise popular stores only

Popular stores are often found in large commodity markets in Lagos, thus in order to avoid getting duped patronize only popular stores when you visit any of these markets.

Buying from popular stores also gives you a level of confidence that you can return the goods in case of any problem.

Resist the urge of buying from roadside sellers or cart pushers because in case of any issue your chance of coming across these sellers at the same spot is very slim.

5. Know the return policy of the store you patronize

Different stores have different return policies depending on the type of goods they sell. For some stores, you can only return the goods in case of any issue within one week of purchase while some return policies may be up to a month or even a year.

So, before purchasing goods from any of the stores in these large commodity markets, ask for the nature of their return policy.

6. Don’t patronise sellers in traffic

When you are very close to these large commodity markets and even when in the market, you will often see sellers who move around with goods in traffic, please do not patronize them.

Since you have decided to leave the comfort of your home to come to these markets, you should as well be patient to get to well-established and popular stores before making your purchase.

7. Be vigilant

Whenever you make the decision to visit any of these markets, be vigilant. There are some sellers who are always in the habit of drawing the hands of people who visit the market in a bid to have you patronize them.

Get these sellers who are mostly guys of your grip as some may have other ulterior motives.

8. Resist the urge to buy goods that are too cheap

There are some individuals who always want to get goods at extremely cheap prices. If you fall into this category, then your chance of getting duped is high in a large commodity market.

When the price of a product is #500 for instance and you see someone telling you to come to get the same product at #200, you should know obviously that something is fishy.

Getting interested in such an offer will quicken your chance of being duped.

9. Giving strangers audience

For no reason should you give strangers an audience when you are in any market. There have been instances where some individuals were hypnotised after speaking to a stranger and in such cases, they do not regain their consciousness until they have been duped.

So, by all means, avoid talking to strangers or contributing to any discussion when at the marketplace.

10. Do not make payment before purchase

Ensure you get the item you intend on purchasing and check thoroughly to see that all is intact before you make payment. Do not fall for such tricks of being told to pay money so that they can help you get what you need from another store.

There have been pathetic stories of people who were duped using this method and some others.

In all, going to a large commodity market in Lagos requires that you are smart, calculated, vigilant and contended in order to avoid being duped.

You don’t need to be duped before you learn, thus following these tips will help you avoid being duped in large commodity markets in Lagos because experience in most cases is not always the best teacher.

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