Traders and shoppers: Why cost doesn’t always determine quality

This mind-set has long influenced shopping habits, a shopper in posh shops may gladly pay double the price for sneakers that can be found in Kariakoo, convinced they are buying authentic.

Yet, in many cases, both pairs come from the very same factory, the difference is not the quality, but the costs layered onto the supply chain import taxes, store rent, branding and marketing that inflate prices.

According to mobile phone trader Salumu Abbasi, who operates at Makumbusho, price alone should never be used to judge authenticity.

“It’s not always true that something expensive is original and something sold at a normal price is fake,” he explained. “There are well-known shops in town that sell second-hand devices while convincing customers they are brand new and unopened. In reality, those devices are not new, yet they are sold at very high prices.”

He further added that the same device could be found in Kariakoo at a much lower price, with the trader openly admitting it is second-hand but still in good condition.

“So I think it is really about mind-set. Especially in electronics, customers are often sold fake or used products at higher prices and made to believe they are genuine, even when warranties are provided,” he said.

On the other hand, trader from Kariakoo, Khamis Kibwana pointed out that markets like Kariakoo often offer lower prices simply because there are many suppliers competing.

“It’s not that when you go to Kariakoo or any other large market you will automatically be sold fake goods no,” he explained. “If you see a product at a normal or lower price, it often means the seller has chosen to reduce the price in order to move stock quickly.”

He added that, just like in Kariakoo, there are shops that will sell at higher prices and others at lower ones, with some offering fakes and others selling originals.

“Even in those posh shops, there are dishonest dealers who can sell you fake items,” he said. “The only difference is that they operate in fancy locations where it’s harder for customers to believe they could be selling counterfeits. That’s where you see the saying ‘fake it till you make it’ come to life.”

On the same line, a Clothing Vendor in Kariakoo, Fatuma Juma shared that some shops uptown sell the same brand for double the price.

“Here in Kariakoo, we sell at smaller margins so more people can afford them. Quality doesn’t automatically rise with price,” she shared.

She further added that customers choose Kariakoo not because goods are fake but because they offer options that suit their budget without compromising durability

Global supply chains have blurred these lines further. Shoes made in Turkey or China and exported to Tanzania can appear in different stores at vastly different prices.

Some flow through official distributors with showrooms in Oysterbay, others through bulk imports to Kariakoo. The end product can be identical, but the story wrapped around it changes how consumers perceive it. The mall version sells the narrative of exclusivity, while the Kariakoo version sells affordability.

What changes is not always the product itself, but the story told around it. “Our parents taught us that genuine things are expensive but nowadays customers are learning that isn’t always true,” shared Mr Jumanne Ramadhani,

He further added that what you pay for in posh shops is often just packaging and air conditioning.

On the same line a mother of three from Sinza, said her kitchen appliances proved the point.

“I once bought a blender uptown for over Sh250,000, but it broke in three months. The one I bought later in Kariakoo for half the price has lasted two years. That’s when I learned that price is not always a guarantee of quality,” she shared.

She further added that even posh shops can sell fake goods, the only difference is that their locations make customers less suspicious.

“That’s where the saying ‘fake it till you make it’ becomes real,” she shared. On the other hand, Ms Khadija Kibwana shared that lower costs in large markets like Kariakoo often reflect competition, not counterfeits

“If you see a product at a cheaper price, it often means the seller just wants to move stock quickly,” she said.

However, other people love posh shops because of their convenience and presentations.

For businesses, this shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. Retailers who rely only on the “expensive means authentic” model may find themselves struggling, while entrepreneurs who prove quality through transparency and trust are gaining ground.

In today’s Tanzanian marketplace, cost doesn’t always determine quality.

Whether bought in Kariakoo, Masaki, or online, the true measure of originality lies not in the price but in the product itself.