NAN-ELS-6
Bags
Taiye Baiyerohi
Lagos, Jan.19, 2017 (NAN) In spite of the economic recession which had affected the prices of fashion accessories, some women still patronise fairly used bags that are too expensive for others to buy.
Some of the women, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday, said that they would not allow the recession to lower their standard.
They declared that they would still live their lives no matter the situation, adding that they would adjust to the prevailing situation accordingly.
“Mrs Yetunde Ojedokun, a teacher, said that even with the increase in the prices of fairly used bags, she still preferred to buy them because they are durable.
“I still prefer to buy fairly used bags and augment them with new too ones,” she said.
Miss Leticia Omoko, a civil servant, told NAN that she had never had cause to regret buying fairly used bags.
“Since I started buying fairly used bags, I have never been disappointed because I get my money’s worth.
“Even if the price is going up, I will still buy them because I know the value of what I am buying,’’she said.
Mrs Folashade Amood, who sells fairly used bags at Iyana-Ipaja market, told NAN she had to reduce the volume of goods she used to import because of the high foreign exchange.
She added that in spite of the price hike, her customers had not reduced their patronage of fairly used bags, adding that does all she could to meet up with their demands.
“The fluctuation in the exchange rate has affected our business greatly.
“I travel to Togo and Cotonou to buy fairly used bags in bales but I have stopped that because I don’t get value for my money again.
“I get from people who travel there; ladies still come to buy these bags because they are more durable than others that are not designers,’’she said.
Mrs Margret Onu, another woman, who sells fairly used bags at Ikotun Market, told NAN that she was not making much gain in her sales because of the exchange rate.
Onu said the development had made her to revert to selling of new bags which are not as durable and expensive like fairly used ones.
“Even though we do not know the nature of the bags in the bales before buying them, we still get to see designer bags like Prada, Gucci, M and K, Susen and more.
“The inner lining of these bags don’t wear off easily,” she said.
NAN reports that fairly used bags previously sold for between N1, 000 to N1, 500, while neater designer’s bags goes for between N2, 500 and N3, 000 before the hike in exchange rate.
Currently, fairly used bags sells for between N2, 500 to N3, 000, while fairly used designer’s bags could be bought for N4, 000 to N5000 depending on the neatness.
Such designer’s labels like: Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Fendi, Prada, Chanel, M and K, Gucci, Susen and others too numerous to mention are usually on display.
Miss Ohiza Bello, who owns a boutique at Egbeda market, who sell new bags, said that the prices of new designer bags ranges from N10,000 to N45,000 depending on the quality of the leather.
“I have Gucci bags of N25, 000 and N45, 000; M and K bags of N10, 000 and N14,000.
“New bags brings out the beauty in every lady, we become more confident and elegant most especially with designers bags,” she said.
Meanwhile, Miss Priscilla Benjamin, an accountant, has urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to boost local production of goods in order to reduce the dependence on imported products.
Benjamin said that fairly used bags were no longer affordable due to increase in foreign exchange rate.
“The prices of these items are gradually getting out of the range of regular customers,’’Benjamin added. (NAN)
ERO/AEA
========
Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Archibong Asuquo