The practice of selling and buying things from street vendors while your daily travels, is still prevalent in the city of Mumbai. If you one among those millions who travel via public transport, you must have definitely come across the vendors selling almost everything starting from readable to khakhras, masala chips to fashion jewelry and cosmetics and what not.
The chances are negligible that you demand something and don’t find it in the streets of Mumbai. Occasional decors, stationaries, clothes, shoes are in huge stock and interestingly, all these vendors know how to categorize and offer you things only by gender, attire, and ride.
They know who-wants-what!
And Oh, what analysis of customers they have, they exactly know who wants what! The booksellers will offer business books for the men in blazers and in chauffeur driven cars and young teens in cabs are offered Dan Brown’s or Aravind Adiga’s collection. On the one hand, where the elite class is using so many business tools to target the right segment, the experience and struggle were their only motivators.
Right-time, Right Place!
In economic terms, this can be an example of a perfectly competitive market since the demand and supply always go parallel and buyers and sellers have a good knowledge of the market. From knowing the best possible hours, the duration of the traffic signals, the abundance of the mob or heavy traffic to being aware of the latest trends and pop-culture phenomena, these vendors leave no stones unturned to attract the buyers.
Masters without a degree
After all, the question arises who mastered the art of sales pitch? With the strategies like price shout outs, funky or an unusual approach, common sweet phrases that can make a buyer feel good, this credit shall undoubtedly go to these vendors. So experts, better watch out, it’s time to learn from the bests.
My favorite one among all of their sales pitches is ‘You are my first customer!’ Well, it puts a sense of satisfaction that you were able to be someone’s armor. (only, if you had wished, they don’t use it for every other customer! :P) What’s yours?
