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The skepticism of most Nigerian consumers on the veracity of the incessant promotions embarked upon by most companies in the country has been confirmed by the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).
To recall, most Nigerians have always believed that the fantastic sweepstakes some companies offer as prizes in most of the promos are the too tempting and expensive to be true, and in some cases, winners have complained that their winnings don’t get redeemed in the final analysis.
And with the propensity with which some outfits launch their promos have even more than anything else suggested that they might after all be phoney ideas. How else can discerning consumers explain a situation where a company offer prizes, like exquisite and palatial mansions in reserved areas of big cities and exotic and choice cars, all running into close to a billion Naira in a single promotion atimes.
Besides, some of the promos hardly end before a new one is introduced to replace it. So, what the Nigeria business environment have witnessed over the years is an inundation of promos after promos, day in and day out, every week and month, all year round.
Also, the kind of personalities announced as emerging winners in most cases too are suspect. They sometimes range for mundane reasons; and for the hopeless in the society, or either the under-aged or very old citizens win. This is actually planned to hoodwink unsuspecting patrons, especially its dregs to “invest” in the promos wishing for a great turn around in their lives. Those who hope for miracle and still think manna falls from heaven.
Take for instance, a situation where a three year old wins an exotic
car; even before she knows how to spell it, talk more driving the
vehicle. Or a meat seller who has seen poverty for donkey years carting
home a building worth
But the nature of the promotions itself many a time, going by expert analysis, have medical disadvantages on consumers. Take an instance where the consumer will have to consume soft drinks, alcohol and confectioneries like sweets, pastries, chocolates, they take them in excess. And remember the more that is consumed, the faster the companies rush to the bank with smiles to the detriment of their patrons. They die gradually as a result.
The story now is that new findings have confirmed most of the promos are phoney and non existent, and where they are, the prizes are not redeemed. Don’t be deceived that some of the outfits have devised what have a resemblance of fool proof scientific and technological methods to select their winners. They are mostly still 419s. This much the Consumer Protection Council has attested to.
At a recent ‘Colour of Life’ promo organized in Kano by paint manufacturing giants, DN Meyer Plc, (it was real as shown by its transparency and going by the confirmation of the CPC representative at the occasion, Mr. Tamunokonbia Tam), the same official of CPC blew the lid open on the can of worm that have permeated the promo business.
Tam who is Chief Surveillance and Enforcement Officer of the Consumer Protection Council revealed that some promos arranged by companies cannot pass the credibility and probity test going by the observation of the Council and the various complaints they have received from consumers who felt short changed.
Said he, “we have several complaints. Many people came and were complaining about the problem of MTN, GLO and all the rest. But our advice to them is that today they are service providers, at another point they are consumers. And so, here we have all of you gathered as consumers in this respect of the product of DN Meyer.
We have seen for ourselves that the promo is genuine. But once we register any promo in our organization we make sure we monitor that promo till the final draw. And even after the final draws, we ensure that we call these people who win.
Because in some cases, we noticed that the winners may not be on ground. We take their phone numbers and call them to ensure that they receive these gifts. That is the only way the consumer can be protected”, he opined.
Tamunokonbia Tam continued, “Somebody buys a product in the hope that he may win something and if he wins some companies do not give those gifts. But we have observed that DN Meyer is not one of those companies”, the CPC Chief Surveillance and Enforcement Officer reaffirmed.
Only a few days ago too, CPC revealed it was going to open investigation against telecommunication giant, Globacom. The company was alleged to have exhibited dishonesty in its N750 recharge card promo which was wrapped up recently. The CPC is acting on a complaint by a participant in the promo at the maiden edition of the Consumer Congress that the GSM service provider, Glo refused to redeem the car gift promised the winners of the promo.
Director General of the Consumer Council, Mrs Ify Umenyi assured that her outfit would definitely probe the Glo Company and make its findings open. She promised that the Council would base on this accusation monitor other operators to ensure consumers are no longer taken for a ride.
Part of the barrage of complaints that flooded the interactive session included the promotions that telecommunication outfits embark upon. These include game shows, refusal to promptly provide Call Detail Records to subscribers and a lot more.
What more can one say about the black sheep amongst the companies which encourage deceptive promos, harping mainly on the gullibility of their consumers. This writer not only suggests stiffer legislation against such defaulting outfits, adequate implementation of the sanctions must follow it. END
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