₦airaland Forum

Say no to violence youths. Poverty does not mean you don't have brain. How many rich man's children are you seeing fighting and dying on the street?

Yeah, dribbles opposing team to score.

See Where Ahmed Musa is Better than Messi and Ronaldo

The earliest mention of the phrase ‘Black Friday’ was used to describe the day after Thanksgiving in the United States in 1952, which is usually the Friday after the fourth Thursday in November — a day considered to be the beginning of the country’s Christmas shopping season. Black Friday was coined to describe the heavy and disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that would occur on the day after Thanksgiving. Twenty years after its first mention, the phrase became more widespread and represented the point in the year when retails began to turn a profit, thus going from ‘being in the red’ (losses) to ‘being in the black’ (profits). In 2003, Black Friday was the busiest shopping day of the year and has retained that position every year till date. It has become a shopping day in the US for a number of reasons: as the first day after the major holiday before Christmas, it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season; some employers give their employees the day off as part of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and, retailers in the country both big and small take advantage of the holiday by offering various sales incentives to attract traffic to their stores. Since the beginning of the 21st century, there have been attempts by retailers with origins in the US to introduce a retail Black Friday to other countries around the world.

Adoption of Black Friday in Nigeria

Prior to the debut of eCommerce platforms in Nigeria, Black Friday was relatively unknown. Jumia introduced Black Friday to Nigerians as a shopping festival in November 2013. Shortly after that, other ecommerce players created their own simulation such as the Yakata Sales, but unfortunately, this didn’t command as much buzz as the Black Friday shopping festival. Similar to what it stands for in developed countries, especially its country of origin — the US, Black Friday has been known in Nigeria to be a day that online retailers — and until recently, offline stores — dedicate to offering jaw-dropping discounts across all product categories in an attempt at attracting traffic to their platforms. It is interesting to note that media reports have shown that Black Friday seems to be the most productive & profit driven period for most eCommerce platforms and their vendors. It provides the opportunity to level up their sales target considering there’s usually an enormous influx of shoppers during this period. Little wonder, most of the vendors selling on eCommerce platforms, Jumia for instance, always offer their products for sale at extremely low prices, in addition to offering free delivery and shipping for items above N10,000 in major cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and many more.

Realizing that a day might not be sufficient to shop, and considering the fact that, unlike the US, Black Friday is not yet a public holiday in Nigeria, some eCommerce platforms have extended the shopping festival to cover a period of one month, usually starting mid-November through mid-December. Thus, providing shoppers with an extended period to shop for the Christmas season. A case in point: last year Jumia held its simulation of the Black Friday between November 24th & December 24th, giving Nigerians ample time to shop for their favourite products at the best prices. Other online retailers followed suit but unfortunately couldn’t hold the fort beyond a period of one or two weeks. This might be understandable because only a few of these eCommerce platforms command enough patronage from the Nigerian shoppers, largely due to trust issues, substandard products, and inefficient delivery system. Safer for them to run the Black Friday campaign within a window period that allows them to quickly cash in and count their losses. Sadly, this doesn’t benefit the shoppers in the long run, as many of them will rather take their time to shop during this period without fear of the amazing discounts closing out within just a week. Besides, shopping, to many, is therapeutic; it’s never done in a hurry.

Another advantage of the extended Black Friday campaigns which Jumia is championing year-on-year is the opportunity it affords shoppers to compare prices with other online retailers before making a purchase decision. Customers wouldn’t have this luxury if the campaign only runs for a day, or at most a week. E-retailers, therefore, need to learn to always put the interest of the customer first before anything else. Jumia shows good leadership in this regard.

Life Changing Moment for Nigerian Entrepreneurs

The second biggest beneficiaries of the Black Friday shopping festival are the entrepreneurs who sell on various eCommerce platforms and in offline stores. Although, while there’s no accurate & reliable data to show the percentage of customers who still patronise brick & mortar shops in Nigeria, the continuous rise in the usage of smartphones to shop — thanks to internet penetration — in both urban & rural areas provide a hindsight on where most shoppers might find most convenient to shop for their everyday needs. To maximize the sales opportunities during this period, entrepreneurs selling on eCommerce platforms, using Jumia as an example, must among other things, (1) offer the most competitive price for their wares. The eCommerce platform is a battlefield, only the seller with the best prices stands a chance to attract shoppers’ attention. This is one of the best time to grow the business on volume, even while selling — probably at half the price; the more the orders, the better for the business. Moreover, the products with the most competitive prices will, (a) likely be displayed on the first page of the eCommerce website, (b) likely be sent via newsletters to millions of customers signed up on the platform, (c) likely be included in paid online advertising, sponsored by the platform. (2) check the quality of your products. Customers who buy an inferior product oftener from your online store won’t return for a repeat purchase. Although, some eCommerce platforms encourage customers to return products they consider inferior or a far cry from what was ordered. Jumia, for instance, has a 7-day window period for accepting returns. Ensure you offer to sell only good quality products that will pass the QC test established by the eCommerce platform. This reduces to the barest minimum the risk of returns from unsatisfied or disgruntled customers, which if successful, translates to completed sales for you. It also absolves the risk of getting your store deactivated, which should be a stringent procedure for a serious eCommerce website. (3) ensure your delivery system is top-notch, especially if you do same day delivery. Or else, enlist the services of trusted delivery & logistics companies, such as Max, Jumia Services, and others. (4) use the right product image and description. If your product only functions at night, add it in the description. Don’t lure customers into thinking they are buying a Ferrari when in reality, you’re selling them a Mercedes-Benz. Let the product image you upload on the website be the same as the product you’re going to deliver. Specify and update what colours you have in stock at all times. Say no to misleading & deceitful product descriptions. While these tips are standard procedures for Jumia vendors, and an integral part of their training curriculum, sellers on other platforms can also apply to make the best out of this year’s Black Friday shopping spree, which I’m given to understand will kick off November 2nd through 30th. It’s a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to turn losses into profits before the year winds up. It’s up to you to change the narratives for your business during this year’s Black Friday.

Best Time for Thrift Shopping

Shoppers remain the biggest beneficiaries of Black Friday. Those looking to save money while shopping heavy will take advantage of the special deals and discount vouchers that will be available for shoppers during this period. What is that product you’ve been saving up for months or weeks to buy? Is it an electronic gadget? iPhone XS, XS Max or iPhone XR? Kitchen gadget? Groceries? This is the best time to fill your shopping carts with all the products you’ve always wanted, but couldn’t afford at once. You buy more and spend less.

Typically, when navigating an eCommerce website don’t buy the first product that seems affordable to you. Compare the product price and quality with other sellers on the same platform. Look out for the sellers ratings and comments of previous buyers of similar products. Spend some time browsing through the website to find excellent deals. The goal is to spend less to get more.
Black Friday in Remote Areas With No Internet Access

Interestingly, urban dwellers are not the only beneficiaries of the eCommerce explosion. Most rural dwellers and those in the remotest areas — with or without the internet — also participate actively in shopping online, especially during Black Friday period when most items are sold at almost half the price, sometimes at 70 — 80% off. My grandmother bought a mobile phone during last year’s Black Friday at 40% off. She had no access to the internet, nor did she know how to use a computer device to surf the internet, even if she had access. I had sent her money to buy a phone from one of the dealers in her neighbourhood. To my utmost dismay, she said she’ll rather buy it online and save some money. “How will you do that?” I asked. “Dele, the teacher, told me he will buy it from his company online because they sell it cheaper,” she quipped. Dele was one of the secondary school teachers in the village. He and grandmother had an excellent rapport. Out of curiosity, I called Dele to inquire about the claim, and most importantly to be sure he wasn’t playing a fast one on the aged woman. “How could he think of duping mama after all these years of constant moral and financial support she had provided for him?,” I thought to myself in sheer disbelief.

The anticlimax happened when I put a call through to Dele, only to be told that aside his teaching job, he has also been trained by an eCommerce platform on how to sell products listed on their platform to rural dwellers who either have no access to the internet, or who simply can’t operate a computer device. He explained to me that with the help of his tablet, he can show the customer pictures of the item on the website, and also explain the functions and prices. In fact, he would go as far telling the customer the rating of each seller and comments of previous buyers, to guide the customer through the buying process. He would do this, most times, in the customer’s native language. So, in addition to his teaching career, he’s also an entrepreneur who receives periodic training on how to sell and make a profit. Aside Dele, there are thousands of trained entrepreneurs scattered across the country — although most of them have other business interests they pursue — who have benefited from the Jumia J-Force programme. The programme provides them with the opportunity to make extra income in addition to their full-time job. For those who live in rural areas, they avail dwellers in these places the opportunity to enjoy the luxury of online shopping, at the most affordable prices. They actively engage the dwellers in all the special campaigns that promise huge discounts and mouth-watering deals.

Black Friday will be upon us in the next couple of weeks. Everybody is excited: the entrepreneurs, the customers, the eCommerce platforms, and the Nigerian economy. I, for once, am excited and look forward to it with beaming eagerness.

As a reminder, for this year’s Black Friday shopping festival to be successful, here are a few pointer for eCommerce websites: ensure you provide customers with a wide assortment of genuine products at the best prices; beef up your logistics capacity to deliver orders on time; equip your customer service unit to handle complaints and returns in a timely manner. And here’s a reminder too for the customers: don’t spend that money now. Save the last for the best. Take advantage of the free shopping vouchers, participate in the various treasure hunts and keep your focus on social media to stay abreast of other opportunities to buy your favourite items for less from Nigeria’s number one shopping destination, Jumia.


Source: Black Friday and the Nigerian Entrepreneurs

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

Ah ah maybe the school is lacking funding

But all this money flooding a tech school Why has there not been a Black Nobel Prize Winner in Science?

Funke, leave her now.

Don't be like Laura.

14 Mistakes You Should not Make with Money

Avoid his dogs.

In other police news:

Video of Super Cop, Abba Kyari’s Reaction as Davido Pays him a Surprise Visit

If Davido were not the son of a billionaire and involved in some of the wahala he has been in, would ACP Abba Kyari welcome him like this?

Nigerian super cop, ACP Abba Kyari who is famous for solving some of the toughest crimes and arresting some of the most dreaded criminal minds has shared the video of his reaction as Davido and his crew paid him a surprise visit at his office.

Watch his reaction next:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3JN-JAdRA8

Who do you think is star truck? Davido or Abba Kyari?

cc: Lalasticlala, Mynd44

Monkey i think are now exit nigeria bushes to government houses

Joke apart there are some of this creature that are just cool only if know them well, take for example the roaches and that is why i will be sharing with you top 15 Questions People ask about Cockroaches and their Answers

learn to know them better

Flight for months without re-fueling is the Impulse II

most of us dont even know how far our devices can work for us, you can go on and see amazing Smartphone Tricks to Make You More Productive


thank me later

Doing business in the present world has significantly being disrupted. Shoppers do not need to visit physical stores to do their shopping. They can do so from the comfort of their bedroom via a computer or an internet-savvy mobile phone.

With the geometric growth and proliferation of online retail businesses, you would think that the traditional brick and mortar businesses would have gone into extinction. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is not the case, it appears that offline stores still remain relevant and resilient.

Traditional Brick and Mortar Stores

To describe yourself as an entrepreneur in the past, you have to own a physical office or store where the customer walks in to purchase an item. But, there are quite a number of factors working against this. For example, in Lagos, many people are quite busy that they do not even have the time to visit these physical stores. You can add the Lagos traffic and also the time you spend scurrying from one shop to another to purchase all the items you want. Here, convenience is not the watchword.

The 21st Century shopper

Offline stores are now seriously under threat by online stores. The edge online stores have over the traditional store is convenience. It is very convenient to shop online. A platform like Jumia which pioneered ecommerce in Nigeria has shown that this is actually the case. The 21st-century shopper doesn't want to jump from one store to another to make their purchases.

Other reasons why online stores seem to be gaining momentum include (1) the possibility to reach more customers (2) You don't need to break the bank to own an online business (3) It offers more employment opportunities (4) You will get the best price i.e. it is affordable.

Are traditional stores under threat?

Undoubtedly, traditional stores are under threat because the competition to create value just keeps getting tougher. In fact, some offline companies have moved their entire businesses online while others have concocted or blended the two. They have both a thriving online and offline business. A good example of this is the print media. Many print organisations now have the print and online version of their newspapers. They have successfully transcended the challenge without necessarily shutting down their print version. Meanwhile, a good number of others have liquidated or folded up. Good examples of these are popular businesses such as Kingsway, UTC and Leventis

Furthermore, even if some offline stores are still alive, they have been forced to take some drastic decisions as well as innovate so that they can be in line with the 21st-century business trend. And of course, you cannot argue that the future of business is online as many branded names like Jumia, Amazon, and eBay among others are evolving their business to better serve their online customers.

Recently, Tantalizers presented its financial reports to the public which rendered the quick service delivery business unprofitable. According to the Chairman, Board of Directors of Tantalizers, Dr Jaiye Oyedotun, three major challenges rendered the company unprofitable at the end of 2017: (1) Reduction in credit opportunities. (2) Weak consumer demands. (3) Stiffer competition.

In an opinion piece titled Dear Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), Take Your Menu Online To Become A Sustainable Business by Olukayode Kolawole, he urged Tantalizers to signup to Jumia's food delivery services and watch how the business will grow in the next 12 months. This is one of the threats online stores are posing. It is either business shape in or shape out.

Can there be a meeting point between offline and online store?

Although an online business brings along with it affordability and convenience like Jumia is doing, we must not forget that there are a large number of Nigerians who are still offline. In other words, they do not have internet access and therefore, it is highly possible they will not perform their transactions online. This is backed by research as 53% of Nigerians do not have internet and most of them reside in rural areas.

Hence, the retail race, especially in emerging economies, cannot be won by online stores alone. There must be a synergy between an offline and offline to provide quality and sterling services to customers.

So who is winning the retail war?

Sorry to disappoint you, there is really no retail war. It is a matter of innovation. While online stores may appear to have the edge, offline stores are evolving because they do not want to vanish! Ultimately, if a business is offline, it is advisable to move online so that they will remain relevant, Not doing so could be catastrophic.


Source: Online Vs Offline Store: Who Is Winning The Retail War?

But Wuse market is quiet right now. It is even raining.

Places to Eat in Abuja

While virtual reality might seem like a recent technology, that’s far from the truth because we’ve had bits and pieces of it before. Since the 1960s we have seen prototypes of immersive stereoscopic videos, motion-tracking headsets and interactive Google Street View-like experiences. The fact is that it is only in recent years that the technology has matured and been made available for the public. Do you often think of things to do with a VR headset? Are there experiences you wish you could do that you think are impossible? It’ll surprise you to hear what you can do with a VR headset.

Feel Free Like a Bird

Humans have always been inspired by the flying of birds as is evident in many inventions. It’s only natural that it should be one of the things to do with a VR headset. Unlike other inventions, with the VR headset, you are the one doing the flying.

Exploring Places

With a VR headset, you can have the experience of your favourite destination right in your bedroom.

Artwork in 3D

Creating art with the Tilt Brush is definitely one of the things to do with a VR headset. The 3D effect of the strokes is mind-blowing. You can go around your work and have some of the paintings suspended in mid-air. The kind of images you can make is limitless. They range from abstract to representational and realistic. Even if you can’t paint, you’ll still be able to use the brush as a spray can.

Dining at a Choice Place

Being able to eat wherever you choose is amazing. This is not limited to restaurants alone, but even open space, in the air, or surrounded by animals. Sony is presently working on this VR experience.

Better Blueprints for Architects

Deciding your house design is another thing to do with a VR headset. Arch Virtual creates VR apps for architectural companies. This app doesn’t have a pre-built house for you to look at but open spaces. With computer models as the digital blueprints, Arch Virtual creates a three-dimensional animation of the interior. Once in the Oculus Rift D2K, you can examine every part of the building.

Source: Five Exciting Things You Can With a Virtual Reality Headset

https://assets.entrepreneur.com/content/3x2/1300/20170403182911-GettyImages-648307604.jpeg

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

And someone is telling me catching him won't be his turn anytime soon

See How this Nairaland Member is Begging to be Taught “Yahoo Yahoo”

Nigeria has come a long way when it comes to financial inclusion. We have gone beyond digging holes in bedrooms to bury money to keeping money in the bank. According to the Global Findex Database report by the World Bank, only 40 per cent of Nigerian adults have bank accounts. Sadly, the same report says that 118 million Nigerians do not have bank accounts. This means there is still so much to be done to boost financial inclusion in Nigeria.

What is financial inclusion? It is where individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs that are delivered in a responsible and sustainable way. Financial inclusion is defined as the availability and equality of opportunities to access financial services.

It is therefore essential to note that every Nigerian notwithstanding whether they are residing in the rural or urban area must have access to useful financial products and services which can in turn help in tackling and reducing poverty.

In this case, the Central Bank of Nigeria is employing different strategies to ensure that every Nigerian is banked. One of such strategies was to set up along with stakeholders the National Financial Inclusion Strategy on 23rd October 2012. The NFIS is aiming to reduce the exclusion rate to 20% by 2020. Specifically, aduItNigerians with access to payment services is to increase from 21.6% to 70% in 2020, while those with access to savings should increase from 24.0% to 60%; and Credit from 2% to 40%, Insurance from1% to 40% and Pensions from 5% to 40%, within the same period.

https://i1.wp.com/www.opinions.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/financial-inclusion.jpg?resize=650%2C487

Meanwhile, the private sector is also making efforts to drive financial inclusion. Although Pay on Delivery rank first among the payment options when it comes to Jumia, 33% of Nigerians pay for transactions using credit/debit card or mobile payment. Pay on delivery stands at 67%. This is according to the Jumia Mobile Report. Clearly, If you do not have a bank account, you cannot perform such a transaction. And Jumia has thousands of customers both in the rural and urban areas. Undoubtedly, Jumia has made significant contributions to accelerate financial inclusion.

The vigorous attempts are actually paying off and quite an appreciable number of Nigerians have joined the financial inclusion race. This has been largely complemented by technology. As you know, technology has a solution for almost every social problem if properly deployed.
Challenges of financial inclusion in Nigeria

According to the National Financial Inclusion Strategy, the hurdles of financial inclusion in Nigeria are:

*Low Income

Despite the fact that the minimum wage in Nigeria is 18,000 ($50), 23.6% of the aduItpopulation earn less than $2 per day and 10.9% of adults have no income. As such, this Nigerians will not see the need for any financial services and unfortunately, saving is not an option for them.

*Physical access

The banking density in Nigeria is low. The average distance to a branch is less than 10 km
and 79% of rural dwellers are unbanked. This is why most of the financial inclusion efforts are usually focused on rural areas.

*Financial literacy

It is no gainsaying that a substantial number of Nigerians lack a clear understanding of
financial institutions and products. It is further exacerbated by the fact that there is a lack of trust in the banking system. This is perhaps why an average person will prefer to keep their money under their bed instead of the bank.

*Affordability

This is another hurdle of financial inclusion. Some persons cannot afford ATM fees/cards/transactions and minimum balances required to open an account. Also, the documentation process may be cumbersome.
Tech as the catalyst for financial inclusion

Like earlier mentioned, technology has a solution for every social problem if exhaustively tapped.

For financial inclusions, fintech startups are springing up almost on a daily basis. Some of these fintechs are payment gateways, others are loan oriented and another set is purely informational. Even though the banks are doing their bit by having branches in the nooks and crannies of the country, the fintechs are disrupting the financial space because they are using tech to provide viable financial products.

Today, a woman in the village can approach a loan-oriented fintech for loan and within 48 hours, she will receive an alert. Of course, one of the criteria is to have an account. This will not happen with a Nigerian bank. Additionally, Jumia provides credit facility to its vendors to enable them to do business effortlessly.

Furthermore, the proper location of ATMs is critical to financial inclusion. ATMs should be strategically located and interestingly, you can use Google map to search for the ATMs.

Ultimately, if financial information is provided to Nigerians, it will definitely boost financial inclusion. For example, almost everyone in both the rural and urban areas owns phones, text messages can be sent in their local languages to make them understand the financial services available to them.

This will definitely help accelerate financial inclusion and ensure that the NFIS target is actualised.


Source: Technology As a Catalyst For Financial Inclusion

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

Missing a flight is a terrible feeling that can be extra stressful if you’re travelling for a personal emergency or on a tight work schedule. While dealing with the unexpected might cause you to feel anxious, upset, and helpless, there are several steps you can take to ensure things run as smoothly as possible when air travel doesn’t go as planned.

Brush up on your airline’s policies

One of the best things you can do before you fly is familiarise yourself with your booked airline’s policies. Know what their contract of carriage is, as it will outline how an airline handles various scenarios, such as delays, missed flights, and more.

Consider other transportation options

If your airline won’t rebook you without a pricey penalty, it may be time to consider other options. Sometimes, it’s less expensive to buy a brand new ticket from other airlines, fly out of a neighbouring airport, or to re-organise your agenda to fly out on a different day. If your flight was scheduled to be short, you might be able to get to your destination faster with a ground transportation option like a rental car, bus, or train.

Adjust your agenda and/or accommodations

Missing your flight will likely have an impact on your itinerary, whether you’re traveling for work or for fun. Consider things like airport pickup and transfers, along with your scheduled accommodations. Be sure to let a hotel know as soon as soon as it’s clear that you won’t be on time for your reservation, especially if you need to cancel it entirely. Your goal here is to avoid extra charges made to your booking.

Look into compensation

If you missed a connecting flight because your first flight was disrupted, you might be eligible for compensation from your airline.

Talk with airline representatives

Before you start to stress out, talk with airline representatives about your missed flight. Explaining why you missed your flight is the first step. Some airlines have an informal ‘flat tire’ rule which means they can bflifook you on the next available flight, should space allow, if you missed your flight for a good reason.

Source: Here Are Things To Do When You Miss Your Flight

I thought i have heard it all

RIP
Notable death this year so far

Dangote Cement Country Manager, Deep Kamara Killed in Ethiopia

Sat Guru Maharaj Ji “Called to Rest”

Africa Has Lost a Courageous Woman Winnie Mandela

Breaking: Deji Tinubu is Dead

Late Barbara Bush

https://i1.wp.com/www.opinions.ng/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/gettyimages-686747926-master-1523895909.jpg?resize=536%2C345

once again RIP

I no dey use small small fish play o

A Tale of 2 Foodsellers and their Attitudes in Yaba

Wonderful,

There are positions that are not proper for digestion to take place


These are Eating Habits You Need To Drop Right Now

some of us don't know The Importance of Being Thankful to God through Charity

Nice one bro