400billionman:


Obey your conscience.

Patronize her.

I have never used any bank code to purchase call credit. My retailer is sure of me weekly..

osile2012:
I appreciate advancement in technology, but sometimes there are disadvantages that come with it. As the economic situation bites hard, unemployment situation worsens and inflation all time high, Nigerians find it hard to survive.

With the banks going into retail or recharge cards and data, this development further worsens the economic situation of these Nigerians who sell recharge cards for a living.

There was the girl i have been buying card from for years, i dont spend less than N10,000 monthly buying cards for both data and calls from her. Some months ago, i was introduced to this code from one of the banks to purchase credit. Ever since then, i have become very lazy to go and buy card. I am no longer worried that my data is about to expire,because i can simply buy with my phone from the comfort of my home or wherever i am.

Its been up to 6 months now, and i have not bought card from this girl. I feel guilty each time i am driving past and see the excitement on her face like before, expecting to make sales and i wave and tell her next time. I am sure she is wondering if i am buying from someone else or what exactly is happening.

I sometimes pass through another street when i remember i will meet her on my way. It pains me but i have become addicted to the simple method of purchasing from my phone. I no longer need to scratch the cards . But i just sat down today to calculate, and discovered that this girl has lost over N60,000 sales from me alone to the banks.

And i wonder, is it right for the banks to go into a business that these already poor Nigerians are managing to survive ? Are they not compounding the hardship for these Nigerians. The banks are laying of staff from within and also chasing people out of business outside.

egopersonified:
First off, you are the one impoverishing this girl not the banks. Why not get her number, she sends you the pin and you pay when you go through her route? Or just buy as you have always done. Please note that you have to apologize for the trauma you have made her go through all this while.

randktzy:

Some banks already have online shopping mall. Instead of them to concentrate on their core business. Things like these ought to be regulated.

ceaser:


It is already here. Ever heard of GTB's "SME markethub"? They showcase varieties like Jumia, Konga et al.

pendusky:
Op your topic is misleading...

You could have written

"How Technology is making people poor"

My sister "flash" me in the middle of the night, I didn't have much credit, Do I have to call iya sikiru to send me Airtime at that time? no.. I simply dial Sterling Bank Recharge code *822*Amount# and my account was credited, when I call her she was crying, she need data to finish her term paper which to her will be submitted in the morning, I simply dial *822*Amount*Her No# (Sterling Bank third party recharge) and she was credited, that solve the problem.. Gbam

Take a careful look at banks these days, you don't meet much paying tellers, they will advise you, sire pls use the ATM, owing to these, banks don't employ more hands for this purpose because ATM (Technology is doing the work)

I could remember when I was in school when water biz came out, you only need waterproof, refrigerator and water to start the biz, but when rich men saw that they can bring in Machine for purification and packaging (Technology), that the beginning of Pure Water Business which led to wiping out of the poor ones who started the biz.

Take for example our old women in market who sell salts in markets, Dangote came with his purification machine (Technology) to purify and sell salts, everyone now buy Dangote Ionized salt..


what about Local Cyber cafe (I remember sleeping severally at cafe in the name of Night browsing) these days Telecom Network operators give cheap data on your set, (Technology redefined) I dont need to visit cafe,(I use my laptop) I don't even need a modem(Another huge loss to modem manufacturing coy) I use hotspot on my phone..


OP you don't say banks but Technology is making people poor and also making life convenient...


BTW we want to embrace Solar Energy

that's a warning to PHCN workers

dominique:
Good thing that you have realised your contribution to small scale business owners. Let's try to patronize anyway we can. They're badly hit by this economic downturn as they hardly sell like before.

My case is almost opposite to yours. I've been recharging via bank account for years because I hate scratching and loading cards. Recently, a friend that manages a small neighbourhood kiosk (@ my signature) has been facing financial difficulties. Recharge card is one of the few things she sells that I can use. So I had to reverse my decision and now I buy all my cards from her. I still hate loading cards, but the satisfaction I get that I am increasing someone's revenue base outweighs the annoyance of loading 15/16 digits into my phones.

jaytime:
And to think that after recharging via your Bank account, they send u an alert and charge u N10 for the SMS each time u recharge is killing. And the more u use that service, the more their so called account maintenance charges is frustrating. I've since stopped using that sh!t cos it's a cheat; except in dire situation.
I've even had a situation where I was making calls at 16kobo per second instead of 11kobo which my plan offers. When I called my network's customer care to complain, I was told it's because the airtime was recharged via my bank account bla bla bla. And that was true cos when I reverted back to normal "manual" recharging, that didn't happen again.
And just like OP, now when I buy my cards from my neighbors, I feel good. And each time I buy card for monthly data subscription, u could see some radiance on the face of the seller.
But everything is choice sha o!

dominique:
Good thing that you have realised your contribution to small scale business owners. Let's try to patronize anyway we can. They're badly hit by this economic downturn as they hardly sell like before.

My case is almost opposite to yours. I've been recharging via bank account for years because I hate scratching and loading cards. Recently, a friend that manages a small neighbourhood kiosk (@ my signature) has been facing financial difficulties. Recharge card is one of the few things she sells that I can use. So I had to reverse my decision and now I buy all my cards from her. I still hate loading cards, but the satisfaction I get that I am increasing someone's revenue base outweighs the annoyance of loading 15/16 digits into my phones.