As Christmas draws near, businessmen in the country, especially those in the cities of Yaounde and Douala, are missing no opportunity to make fast cash. They are taking advantage of the fact that it is a tradition during this season for most people to buy something new – be it clothes, furniture, automobile, electronics, toys, groceries, or others.

Olga Bikele, a Yaounde city dweller, is laden with goods as she returns home from the Central Market. Large shopping bag in hand, big basket on the head, Olga said she was motivated to buy much goods than previewed because of the cheap cost. She is one of those spurred to buy because of the special discounts offered by businessmen during this period.

In super markets Cameroon Tribune visited yesterday, management of the different shops have offered discounts of up to 40 per cent for certain wares in popular demand at the moment. One of the managers said dropping the price will increase demand and enable them quickly clear stocks. “We are still going to make profit. Since last week when we started offering discounts for certain products in this shop, our sales record have skyrocketed,” he said, pointing to a purchases ledger. The businessmen have also been offering after-sales services.

Across many markets, the periodic sale of Christmas items has resumed. Christmas trees, bells, jingles and other decoration items are in high demand. “I sell at least 10 Christmas trees a day. The cheapest costs FCFA 14,000. Yesterday [Tuesday November 4, 2018], the demand was so high that I ran out of stock,” Jean-Pierre Ntogo, a vendor at the Yaounde Central Market told Cameroon Tribune. The general atmosphere of buying and selling is yet to pick up real steam. But shops and markets are increasingly getting busy like beehives.