An exploratory enquiry into the challenges of modern retailing on Muslim consumers in Northern Nigeria

This exploratory study seeks to articulate those store attributes that may be unique to modern retailing, and which Muslim consumers may use in gauging either an acceptance of (or unease with) modern retail stores/ products. The study is based on the proposition that religiosity can and does significantly affect shopping behavior. In our critical enquiry we relied upon 600 structured questionnaires administered randomly at supermarkets in three Muslim-dominant cities in Northern Nigeria – notably Kano, Katsina and Zaria. While our respondents seemed quite comfortable with shopping alongside the opposite sex in the same supermarket in a non-segregated manner, their concerns laid elsewhere. Although most respondents seemed quite happy with the marketers’ pricing strategies; store ambience and product range; they expressed reservations over the perceived deceptive and/ or dishonest promotional strategies adopted by marketers. We suggest that there may not be much difference, after all, in attitudes towards retailing along religious lines. Hence we posit that rather than marketers trying to create these perceived differences, they should spend more quality time improving upon the similar concerns over more honest promotional efforts.