The rains are here again! Of course, it’s the season. There’s time for everything under the sun, so the good book says. Like life itself; it’s good for some; bad for others. What about the attendant health Implications that come with rains? The sneezing, coughing, and other general cold symptoms.
That’s not all. Even in business, the story is the same. It’s good for some, bad for others. Or simply put, there are winners and losers.
Who are the winners? Who are the losers? Surely, there are people, businesses that either thrive or decline during this season.
“Market is fine; it’s just that with the heavy rain these past few days, we don’t have that many customers. Yes, business moves this season, but things are hard so customers are few in number but last year, during the rainy season we had more customers.” says Ema who sells raincoats and rain boots in Akpanandem Market in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.
Emmanuella, who sells umbrellas says it doesn’t really make a difference to her. She sells all the time. She says she still maintains her business even during the sunny season as well.
“We sell more during the rainy season than the dry season. During the dry season it’s definitely less, but we don’t lose so much by God’s grace.” Said Affiong Paul Elisha, umbrellas seller.
From the opinions sampled, it seems like the ‘winners’ weren’t really having a swell time. The economy may have a role to play in the purchasing power of people. Are those in the traditionally assumed category of ‘losers’ faring better? Or are they waiting for their glory days aka the sunny season.
A vendor who sells and repairs AC units on John Olubgbo Street in Ikeja, Lagos, who wants to remain anonymous says he doesn’t really sell during this period. “We sell but it’s not just moving fast.“ Come back in the dry season, that’s our time,” he said.
Ife, who hawks Pure water aka sachet water said “Dry season, I can sell my full load before I even get to where I want to stop because of the dryness more people would want to drink water. Now I carry and walk around and no one is calling for it because the weather is cold already.” She said she can’t switch to something else as this is all she knows.
While Coldstone Creamy, makers of ice cream, couldn’t comment they, however, are running a promo where you get 15% off any ice-cream purchased when it’s raining and 30 minutes after the rain. With the promo, it’s likely they may not be feeling the effects of the rainy season as much. But it is right to assume the sunny season sales will off the charts, promo or not.
Akan, who sells assorted fans at Akpanandem market in Uyo does not really see the difference in sales. “ I feel people buy when they have money. As you can see I have other appliances here so it doesn’t really affect much.”
In conclusion, we can’t have one without the other. They will always have to co-exist side by side and as much as the losing side may not like it, they will have to learn to adapt and wait for their own winning season.
