Why you should never buy stuff in bulk again

There is a craze in town among middle class women shopping in bulk. Working mums have discovered it is cheaper to buy shopping at a wholesale store as opposed to doing it every month in a supermarket.

After being convinced about the myriad benefits from the social media testimonies, I jumped on the bandwagon last year, December. Using some 10k I had somewhere, I hit the road with gusto.

 There are various stores selling wholesale stuff, but I was rightly advised by insiders that Nairobi’s Eastleigh has the best offers. So I headed there one fine morning and did my thing.

Having achieved my mega goal, I went home and happily arranged the stuff in my small kitchen store. Though it was a hustle shopping in the hot sun, I convinced myself that it was worth the trouble. How wrong I was! Three months down the line, I did an assessment of whether project bulk shopping was worth it.

My verdict is that it was not worth it. At all. So I have decided I will not waste my time, energy and resources on bulk shopping. Here’s why:

It encourages waste:

From the moment the shopping landed in the house, househelp misused everything with so much abandon. For a moment, I was convinced the girl was running a mini-kiosk somewhere. I noticed the food was oilier, which explained where the 10 litres of cooking oil was going.

 For the bar, powder and liquid soap, I just imagined she was using excess because it was there. My warnings fell on deaf ears and the carelessness was so much that I at some point felt like hiding everything under my bed like some women. The stuff was over after two months yet I was expecting it would last four months.

Too chaotic a process:

Bulk shopping involves too much hustle; it is not worth it. Shopping is supposed to be fun, easy and relaxed but bulk shopping is hard work. Because you are shopping in a small and congested store, there is no luxury of space and conducive environment to enjoy the shopping experience. Bulk shopping is a torturous experience.

Lack of customer attention and care:

 Given the number of shoppers making inquiries at the small counter and others waiting to make their orders, the attendants rarely give you the attention you want. They are so busy trying to get everybody’s order, there is too much commotion, if you are not careful, you might forget some things.

Frustrating and draining:

 For instance, you are used to a certain brand of bathing soap, but when you are bulk shopping, you realize some of your favourite brands are not in that store, so you have to walk from one wholesale shop to another asking for that special brand that does wonders for you. I could go on and on about the downside of BS. Long story short, for me it simply does not work. I mean you may save on the money, but the trouble you go through is too much.