25/08/2026
Let me tell you a story.
Last month, I watched a fellow vendor — a woman who sells dried fish, stockfish, and crayfish just like me .
She was angry inside the market and was talking down to everybody that comes close to her, so when she came close to me where I was pricing fish and she said to me, am not happy and I ask what is the problem, she said that she is using #5 to sale fish, I was like why? She did not talk so me I kukuma move, because they are people who believe in turnover .
By the time you add the cost of transport from the market, the cartons, the stress, you pay the jobbers at times you pay for lan after all the expenses you will see nothing left for you.
she made almost nothing. She stood in the sun the whole day... for nothing.
I see this happen too ,often in our line of business.
We are so afraid that if we don't reduce the price, the customer will "carry leg" and go to another seller. So we cut and cut, until there's no profit left — just movement of goods, no real gain.
Here's what I've learned, and what I want to share with my fellow vendors:
Calculate your true cost before you price. Transport, spoilage, storage, packaging, your own labor .
if you don't add these, you are not making profit, you are just recycling money.
Dried goods carry hidden costs fresh food doesn't. Proper drying, protection from moisture, insects, and time itself all cost something. Many of us forget to price in the "waiting" period before goods are ready to sell.
A cheap price does not always bring loyal
customers.
What brings customers back is trust — knowing your stockfish is properly dried, your crayfish is clean, your prices are fair and consistent.
That is worth more than being the "cheapest" seller in the market.
Don't undercut a fellow vendor who is also struggling to survive. When we all reduce price out of fear, we are not helping ourselves
we are only helping the customer get richer while we get poorer.
Small, steady profit is better than big sales with no gain. If you sell everything today but can't restock tomorrow, what have you really gained?
To my fellow dried fish, stockfish, and crayfish sellers
I know the hustle is real, and I know the market is not easy. But please, price your goods with wisdom, not fear. Know your worth. Know your cost. We work too hard to keep giving our labor away for free.
Let's support one another, not undercut one another. When we value our own work, the whole market rises.
Fortunewiz world we give you the best.
