Okriks.com Makes Secondhand Items Accessible to Nigerian Shoppers

ABUJA, Nigeria - Nov. 8, 2018 - PRLog -- As we enter the holiday season, malls and shopping areas will be jam-packed with people trying to get the best deals. In the streets of London, luxury shops such as Harrods to quirky retail outlets like Dover Street Market will be overrun by Christmas shoppers.

In New York, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and many others will experience a surge in sales and profits this shopping season. But what about Nigeria?

Known as the giant of Africa, Nigeria is blessed with many natural resources but due to bad governance, the country is still struggling to stay out of recession.

Recently, a report by The Brookings Institution placed Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world with the highest number of extremely poor people, overtaking India. What this means for retailers is that the streets will likely not be filled with Christmas shoppers this year.

Nigerians cannot afford the luxuries that their counterparts enjoy in other countries. However, living in extreme poverty (according to the World Poverty Clock report) does not mean that people can't live affordably within their budget.

Businesses all over the country are creating avenues for the average Nigerian to enjoy life with some semblance of normalcy. A Nigerian startup called Okriks Market is one of these businesses. Okriks now buys and sells pre-loved fashion apparels known as "Okrika" or "Akube" online reaching Nigerians in both urban and rural areas.

One of the objectives of Okriks.com is to ensure that people who can not afford high street prices can still live affordably wearing trendy fashion items. Also, those who want to sell off their used clothing can also make some money on the website by listing their second hand items for sale.

Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the company Cassandra Eguakun explained in an interview that Okriks.com has a lot more than fashion to offer Nigerians.

"We plan to take the thrift business model to a whole new level. Not only catering to people who want rock-bottom prices, but to those who want designer products at affordable prices".

She further explained that the state of the economy had affected every Nigerian and smart shoppers were realizing that thrift stores are the best way to pay the lowest prices for any item they want.

The company will be starting a Black Friday sale this November called #StayFeminine. The idea is to run a skirt sale while also encouraging women to explore their femininity wearing skirts. Prices per item will run from 300-500 (about $1.5) Naira per item.

Buying second hand items has been a tradition in most African countries. From Ghana to Togo and Nigeria, you will see market stalls loaded high with used clothing and apparels. Taking the business online is an innovative move for Okriks.com and hopefully, the company will reach buyers in remote locations and save them the hassle of travelling just to buy from local thrift markets.

For more information, visit the website on https://www.okriks.com