Lagos — In seeking to explain the recent widespread surge of activity in the micro-enterprise economy across the country and the mushrooming of survivalist enterprise, certain spheres of informal shops have emerged. 

The key explanatory factor for the proliferation of small-scale and informal economic enterprise is undoubtedly the progressive emasculation of the formal economy. This can be linked back in turn to the nature of stalled globalisation, producing a mosaic of unevenness in the global economy. The implications of structural adjustment have further exacerbated the contraction of the formal economy.

These days, showcasing your product requires much more than campaign or even a television blitz. To reach today's consumers in the most efficient manner, most men and women mix market and home display to be able to measure up to the standard of living.

Since the market is static, you often can't give customers a complete overview of your product or showcase all the "bells and whistles." A dishwasher seller, Mrs. Akintonwa Ojo entices people with the use of her display as a way of demonstrating the product and showing all it can do.

A strikingly original work, Window Shopping challenges many of the existing assumptions about what exactly is postmodern. It is the emergence of a compelling new voice in contemporary culture. Window Shopping is an opportunity of affiliate or pay per click marketing with a twist, a blend of aesthetics and functionality capturing the fun of real life.

Window Shopping allows you to earn from your everyday purchases and sales, these merchants have committed to supporting themselves through their sales. Every purchase one makes through a window merchant earns a contribution for a chosen charitable cause or school.

Since Lagos State Government demolished illegal shops in the state, window-shopping has increased, countless shops specialising in everything from food items to provisions and toiletries.

Ghanaian, Ms Soki Kama, in a chat with THISDAY said, "I have accepted window shopping as part of the economic culture. Many Ghanaians purchase "pure water" sachets from young girls who sell them from the bucket on their heads or some women selling in front of their house, "Will I go to the market to purchase sachet water?"

Ms Kama said window-shopping in Ghana is convenient, because then they don't have to travel to the market to buy products, such as flashlights, gala or sweet and biscuit for children. The ease of receiving items at your window, however, comes with a price. Window-shopping puts the lives of the tenant at risk as anybody can come to buy an item, she said.

Window shops in Accra locate themselves at strategic points where there are lots of people, such as estates and cul-de-sac, and where pedestrians and motorists can see them. While the urban authorities in the cities view vending sites as temporary, the vendors view them as permanent. Window shops attract those who have limited access to market, people that are time conscious and people that stay far from the market. It has been proved to be a lucrative business for immigrants to Accra.

Window shopping has persists in modern Africa and what measures can be taken to better accommodate the survival requirements of neighborhood trading without endangering safety, become appropriate issues for discussion. The development of better economic opportunities for women or the re-design of urban circulation systems to provide safe trading spaces for men and women are paths of intervention which require consideration in making Africa's urban safe.

A mother of three, Mrs. Theresa Onoh said, "I was occupying a 'pako' shop in freedom market, am a tailor but business has not been too good, until last month, my shop was demolished. I tried renting another shop beside the market but things have not been good, so I have no other option than to use the visitor's room in my house as shop until God blesses me".

On the same note, Mrs. Omoyemi Oye said "It is cheaper to sell in my house and selling in my house made it possible for me to attend to my family needs properly though I don't make much profit as staying in the market but it is manageable than staying idle."

Mr. Uche Akparanta, a trader holds a contrary view, either because he did not understand importance of market and residential area. "I sell where I have the facilities that make life conducive. Water, toilet, good food and other, these are basic amenities in life but in the market they are not there so I do not fancy the market at all," he said.

In a related development, a school teacher in FESTAC Town said, "that my husband is a kick against indiscipline (KAI) official in Lagos State will not make me to do the wrong thing. "I can't sell anything in my residence and will not encourage it. In life anything that has advantage has disadvantage. A month ago, my shop was also demolished, I moved my stock to the house for the mean time, but my neighbours are always buying one thing or the other on credit, there are times they will buy and return the goods after hours, most time there are family distractions, she said.

According to a nurse, Mrs Ikem Ogene before setting up a window in your neighborhood carefully considers: What target are you trying to reach with your window shops? What would you like them to think and perceive about your shop? And who and who should patronise you?

With all these, you know what to expect and whom to expect because putting up a shop is one thing and selling your goods is another thing. House to house advertising will bring service attention of potential customers and the goal plan should depend on the overall goals and strategies of the shop.

A father of four, Mr. Sunday Onwukwe said window shopping is good because you have less crowd, customers gain personal attention it also saves time. Now that most shops are demolished sales have increased drastically.