Santhosh Chandran
Doha
In an effort to win back customers and promote local catch, vendors in Central Fish Market in Umm Salal are now reaching out to customer in an innovative way. They are now expanding their network through social media to deliver fish at doorsteps.
"The expansion of our marketing network, focusing on home delivery in Doha, will not only help us keep regular customers but also make fresh fish available to customers in Doha," a wholesale vendor told Qatar Tribune.
According to sources, more than 100 salesmen have been added to the marketing network since April.
Many of the agents (marketing network) have their own social media groups for each location. Every day they will publish the price and the varieties of fish available in the market on social media. Customers can order their favorite items giving location map for easy delivery.
The relocation of Fish Market from Doha to Umm Salal has reduced the flow of customers from Doha because of the long distance and heavy traffic.
"With the relocation, we lost about 30-50 percent of customers. Even though the emerging residential areas in Umm Salal hold promises for the future business, we cannot survive only on the local population. So, many of the vendors have created their own marketing network to survive and promote local catch," Ibrahim Abdul Majeed, a vendor, said.
A customer in Doha said,"We are always keeping in touch with marketing network of fishermen. They will offer local fresh catch on demand at our door steps. We can also place order two or three days in advance."
