No matter which souvenir shop you go into in Old Nice, all the sellers will say: the stars of the moment are magnets.
Another main product: postcards. Despite the increase in stamp prices, they are still on sale… and the main attraction for holidaymakers is the image of the Ball Palace Negresco.
Postcard scam?
But the most surprising thing was revealed to us by a saleswoman in a shop a stone’s throw from the sea:Here, the most sold pictures are of the sea, but … it’s not good. People don’t care, it looks like … we see the sea, the alleys … the name of the city is written there, and that’s the most important thing.“
According to her, this is a common practice in souvenir shops…and they sell a lot!
In the heart of Old Nice there are many people trying to “catch” tourists.
The competition is fierce. “But that doesn’t stop us from working, everyone has a job.”, says Valéria from L’étoile de l’Opéra boutique.
Moreover, there is an unwritten rule: “Same price for all traders “” Ludovic said in his shop. Magnets are sold for 4 euros in almost all the stalls. And the discounts are attractive: 3 magnets for 10 euros, 5 magnets for 15 euros.Selling cheap is stupid, people are willing to pay more, selling more expensive is disadvantageous to customers.“, Ludovic said.
Made in France, a good plan?
To stand out, Kedy and Gérard in Old Nice relies on uniqueness.
Their special feature: the house plaque decorated by local painter Franck Plancoulaine. Watercolor painting Made in France, they are the only one that offers it.
According to their competitor Ludovic, this policy has not necessarily paid off. When he opened the store a year ago, he reserved the back area for local products and painted the French flag on the wall in this area.
today”It’s no longer profitable!“While some goods still originate in France, such as lavender produced in the Drôme, they are increasingly coming from Asia.
Therefore, everyone has their own strategy on how to attract 6 million tourists in the summer. In Nice, 75% of customers in souvenir shops are foreigners.
