TheRodinhoods

Is it common that friends and relatives (particularly) don’t buy from you?

I was chatting with three entrepreneurs in the grocery e-commerce and fruits & vegetable e-commerce business. One interesting, may be weird, thing that emerged in our discussions was that friends (including Facebook and other social media connections), people staying in the same building and relatives in particular, do not buy or have not bought anything from them, though they buy from somewhere else the same products these folks are selling.

Somehow, I too face this 🙁

Some days ago, I was meeting a person who had started an eating joint in Pune. He invited friends and relatives, but hardly any came for the next two three months, though they did go to eat out. Then at family functions and other gatherings he started telling relatives and acquaintances that that the business is not doing well, lot of problems, etc etc. Weirdly, in some days some of them started walking in. Some close relative told him that a section of the relatives who decided to walk in had discussed that they should go to his joint because if they don’t, his business will close down.

I am curious to understand whether this is a common phenomenon for all entrepreneurs? And what could be or are the reasons for this?

(Pic taken from the link it is hyperlinked to)