$15.90 for ice cream? Commuter questions girl selling at bus interchange

SINGAPORE: A commuter recently took to an online forum claiming that a girl was selling ice cream for $15.90 at a bus interchange.

“A girl approached me and asked for help,” he wrote. “She said she had been selling ice cream the whole day and she was so tired. She needed to clear her box by 11 p.m., otherwise her boss would scold her. She asked nicely, so I decided to help.”

However, he was caught off guard by the price. “$15.90 for raspberry flavour. Is this entrepreneurship?”

In the comments section, while some identified with the girl’s situation and defended her, a few discussed the possibility of it being a scam, “It’s a scam and not entrepreneurship,” said one.

However, others defended the practice. “My daughter used to sell this ice cream too,” a commenter shared. “She needed to sell out empty by 11 p.m. for their daily pay. It’s the correct price. They have to go door-to-door to knock and sell out. I don’t think it’s a scam. They must clear everything before finishing their shift. My girl would partner with a good friend for safety. They did this three times a week for about six months.”

Another agreed and shared that she too did the same thing when she was younger, as a way to earn some pocket money. “Yup, it’s not a scam,” she said. “I used to sell ice cream before when I was 14. Got to gain experience. But sadly, nowadays, when I see them outside as an adult, I won’t buy them unless I really need them.”

She also shared a street-smart trick some sellers use to clear their remaining stock. “They learn how to sell. Sometimes, they say they only have a few left to encourage people to buy. It’s still a job they willingly try.”

She added that sellers weren’t paid hourly but worked on commission. “Before, we could set our own prices. The boss took a fixed percentage; whatever was left was our earnings.”

While some remain sceptical, others see it as a harsh but real introduction to sales and perseverance.

See also: ‘Since our income from driving is not increasing much; we should really watch our expenses’: Delivery rider shares he got the same meal for different prices in different places

Featured image by Freepik/ benzoix (for illustration purposes only)