It is interesting to find platforms such as , Cars45 and others provide a basis for people to sell and buy cars. Of course, it is a smart model which confirms that technology is changing lives. However, there is a big “but”.

Platforms such as Jiji. ng have led to exploitative pricing. Exploitative pricing is defined as a situation of “directly or indirectly imposing unfair purchase or selling prices or other unfair trading conditions”. This has nothing to do with demand and supply, but pure wickedness due to the laxity of the platforms.

See a good example in the first attachment below, Peugeot 504 1993 is being sold for N3,500,000, a Toyota Camry of 2000 model is being sold for 1.9 million and a Mercedes-Benz W123 1986 is sold for N4.2 million. “Haba, let us fear God in this country”.

So now, you can’t get a clean Corolla, Honda or any other version online until you have 2.5 million-ish. This is total nonsense; before you blame it on import, I am talking about Nigerian used car, not imported from anywhere and the cause are these online marketplaces.

Thankfully, Jiji. ng now ensures that before you post a certain category of item for sale, you pay for the item to be live for a limited period. So people are forced to think about the price before they put it online for sale. I would recommend that increase the number of subscriptions so that irresponsible “morons” don’t upload items for sale and then set a rubbish price tag.

Online marketplaces also need to begin to standardize pricing and have caps. A car manufactured in 1995 that's been used for over 10 years should not be sold for 3 million “no be juju be that?”.

Now you may think that it does not matter. Sure it does! When people are forced to price items the way they like, then everyone keeps pricing higher and in the end, those who want to buy such items will not be able to afford them. I recall trying to sell an old model car on , the initial thought was, “it's time to grab” and I fixed a ridiculously high price until I listened to the voice of reason.

Another wickedness under heaven takes place on online marketplaces like Jiji. ng (Sorry, I have used, purchased and sold items on the platform for quite a while). Someone has a Camry of 2010 model for sale at about 4.5 million; another ‘demon’ would take the same picture and put it online on Jiji for 6.5 million and the circle continues. In the end, who suffers it? The buyer of course_ because the guy whose initial price tag is 4.5 million will go and modify the price to 7.5 with the thought that anything is possible. Now that’s my problem, a society where anything is possible is an exploitative society.

This is 2023, all you car dealers should have sense. Meanwhile, smart investors need to revolutionise the online marketplace. If you feel hurt by this, you’re part of the problem: change!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think you may have gotten it wrong somewhere in your views. It is not only import that determines pricing but inflation and demand.

The demand for certain items increases price and also factor in inflation. Yes for a used car, the owner is at liberty to dispose using straight line depreciation or otherwise.

The platform now also include price range on cars even after the seller might have posted.