How To Make Money From Selling Okrika Clothes As A Nigerian

July 19, 2020

How To Make Money From Selling Okrika Clothes As A Nigerian
You can make a living from selling Okrika clothes as a Nigerian.
It is not one of the neatest businesses, but the return-on-investment is massive.

Now before I begin, the population of Nigeria is speedily increasing, and so is the demand in most of these household items.

People patronize those second-hand clothes because of two major reasons:

  • They're very affordable
  • Most of them are trendy, and you get just what you admire on foreign bodies.
If you want to get original hoodies, stock jeans and canvas shoes, you will be budgeting x7 of what you'll get it in an OK shop.

Do you think that was an exaggeration?

I priced two hoodies of the same quality and size in a boutique and an Okrika store.
The boutique told me ₦8,000 and stopped at ₦7,200 after all negotiations. The second-hand cloth store told me ₦1,500 first and after negotiations, we stopped at ₦1,000.

Mind you, there's no guarantee that the boutique is giving you first hand, just as there is no guarantee that the ones on the Okrika shop have previously been used.

Introduction To The Okrika Business

Now, let's get straight to business!

What is Okrika, and why are they so popular?
The phrase Okrika clothes in the terms of fashion can simply be interpreted to mean second hand or fairly used clothes.

By this, they are clothes which have been assumed to have been worn by the whites, and possibly donated to charity homes and then imported to Africa.
The term is of a Nigerian origin, or should I just say West African, and there is a community in Rivers State with the name.

The business of selling Okrika clothes has been in existence for decades, even though the government has always been fighting and terming them contraband.

The truth is, these clothes are most times of better quality, cheaper and more trendy.

In fact, most fashion products from Aba were only made to cause the consumers tears and heart breaks.

A foreign used second-hand shoe can last you for years, while I once bought an Aba made shoe that spoilt before I used it once.

Why Should You Begin The Selling Of Okrika Clothes Business?

There are so many reasons to look into the business of selling Okrika clothes, especially as major source of income.

Some of them include:
  • Affordable and less competitive market

You have quality goods at very affordable prices, and the competition is less.

Imagine having to run a boutique in a street full of other boutiques, and they all have your designers.

Such things rarely happen in the Okrika business, and your designs can only be gotten from you.

In fact if you get a good bale, your market can be sold out in less than 48 hours.
  • No much start-up capital

You can start with ₦20,000 as a retailer or even ₦100,000 as a wholesaler, and invest more as you grow.

Some baby clothes can be gotten for less than ₦100 and when you sell them at ₦600 each, that's more than a 500% profit.
  • High turn over rate

Another advantage of selling Okrika clothes is their high turn over rate. During festive periods like Christmas and Easter, the demand

There are a lot of other businesses, but not all have as much potential as these.
  • You can use it as a side-hustle

Are you a teacher? Or maybe you are too busy with your bank job? You can set up the business and comfortably hand it over to someone.

All you need to do is open the bales yourself and estimate the amount you should be expecting.
  • No much experiences or training are needed

You do not need to do a four years course with 12 months IT to master the trade.

A little guide by someone who is already in the trade can help you a lot.

There are also ebooks and course you can patronize to learn how to do the business yourself.

How Much Capital Is Needed To Begin Okrika Business?

There is maximum capital, and (almost) no minimum.

You can start the business the business with as little as ₦20,000 and invest more as you grow.

If you get a good stock, you can resell them in a few days and restock. That way your market grows with speed and ease.

How Profitable Is The Okrika Business In Nigeria?

First of all, the Okrika business is one that is filled up with a lot of luck and possibilities.

You can open a bale you just bought to see a lot of interesting wares, and sometimes you get unlucky.

Stanford (my twin) has even found a few coins in a book he purchased, and such things are very common among foreign used products.

So we can say that if you'll keep on getting good wares, the business will be a profitable one for you.

Where Can You Buy Okrika Clothes In Bulk?

To succeed in selling Okrika clothes, you need to get the products are affordable as possible.

Some of the places you can consider buying from in Lagos State include the Tejuosho market (Yaba/Sulurele), the Alaba market and the Katangua market.

Some people even prefer going to Cotonou, and a few others import the clothes themselves.

To import your own, you might have to scout for legit foreign contacts and the only way to get it is from an established seller.

Conclusion

After getting your capital and learning the trade, then you get a shop and stock your wares.

Some of the other sellers hawk their products from place to place, and it might be a good (though tedious) idea.
Aside that, you can also rent a shop in a busy place or get an exterior location for marketing of your wares.

You can get a bell for creating awareness, and must not be a dull individual.
Get familiar with terms like 1st grade, 2nd grade and the 3rd grade so as to know what you're going for.

Thanks a lot for reading along.

Don't forget to drop us a comment if you need more help and share to your friends.

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