Small traders turn to group buying to beat rising prices
By pooling their orders, market women are getting wholesale prices that used to be out of reach.
In the busy aisles of the central market, a group of 40 traders now places one order every Monday instead of 40 separate ones.
By buying rice, oil and tomatoes together, they say they pay up to 15 percent less than before. The savings are shared according to how much each trader puts in.
"Alone, the did not take us seriously," said one member of the group. "Together, we are his biggest customer."
The traders use a shared spreadsheet and a group chat to collect orders. A small committee checks the goods when the truck arrives.
Economists say such groups help traders cope with inflation without raising prices for their own customers as quickly.
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