‘Women only read fashion, gossip mags’

Have you noticed that when vendors see a woman behind the steering wheel of a car or inside any car, the first thing they shove in her face is a fashion or gossip magazine while they present to the men a ‘standard’ newspaper? Weekend Magazine interacted with some of them as well as some women, on what impulses them to do so.
It is common sight to see vendors rush to the windows of cars by traffic lights and traffic jams in a bid to sell their wares. In a lot of cases, what they advertise to the prospective buyer is dependent on the sex of the person. This is even before the client has made any request.
Weekend Magazine has over time noticed that when it is a woman they approach, it is more often than not, a fashion or gossip magazine or something for children that are advertised to them. But if it is a male, he is approached with a newspaper first and if he desires something else, then that is given.
Curiosity got the better of our reporter who on a recent trip through Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja decided to ask vendors what the reason was behind their actions.
“Ah, ah aunty, that is the only thing they read oh,” said Chukwudubem Ike, a vendor.
 He added that: “Even before you approach them, you can see from their eyes that it is what they want. This is the reason we go after them with the fashion and gossip magazines. Not that we don’t think they can read newspapers,” he laughed off.
Elijah Lolo, said: “The most sales we make are on fashion magazines and this is because women patronise us.”
He explained that: “Many a times one person buys more than one copy. The other people who compete for the same amount of patronage are tailors. But even then, there are still a huge number of women among them. I have a good number of women who buy from me and even when they will be out of town before a new edition comes out, I have to keep it for them.
“Very rarely do men buy fashion magazines except their wives are in the car and they are paying for it,” he quipped.
“Taking all this style, style magazine to a man is like insult to the person,” Mahmud Rogo said. “It won’t even cross my mind to do so except he asks for it.”
Pricilla Ugata said she thought the actions of vendors in this regard were as a result of their experiences with several customers over time. “I think they have learnt to serve to male and female the same kind of things we have consistently requested over time.
The housewife said: “Before fashion magazines came to be as they are now, many of us bought things like ‘Ovation’ magazine. I for one did so because that was really the only avenue from which I got styles that were in vogue. Now these new fashion magazines have replaced them.”
Buying a copy of one of the magazines herself, Yasmin Bello said: “I really can’t say it is the fault of the vendors or their being up to any mischief, but of them knowing what their clients want and meeting that need.”
She added that: “I would say women are generally always attracted to such things and vendors know this. That is why they would show them to us and show the men newspapers instead. However, maybe they should not take it for granted that every woman wants to buy a fashion magazine and not a newspaper, and first ask the person what she wants.”
In support of her recommendation, Zuwa Oti said: “It makes a lot of sense if they first ask me what I want to buy rather than poke a fashion magazine in my face. Sometimes I find it quite offensive especially when I say what I want is a newspaper and they are reluctant to call the newspaper vendors.
“It comes across as derogatory to me and their own way of sizing women up as incapable of being serious human beings,” the mother of two hissed.