E-commerce in Ghana

Abstract

In this study, the main focus is on e-commerce in Ghana with emphasis on e-commerce sites and their implications go the customer. Other issues such as factors that encouraged and/or discouraged the adoption and implementation of e-commerce were also studied. Observation and interview methods were employed to collect data. 100 websites of business entities were examined to know the website interface for features that attract customers to initiate a transaction and information that aids customers in making choices as well as the kind of applications used in the initiation of a transaction and how difficult these applications ore. In all a total of 300 people were interviewed comprising 100 owners/managers, 200 internet users randomly selected to find out if they had adopted e-commerce in their areas of endeavor. Descriptive statistics was used to present data. The results of the research revealed two levels of e-commerce websites. Level 1-sites had information on products and services, prices/charges, company profile and link to other sources. Level 2-sites allowed online ordering, online payment, online auctions, product referencing/customization and privacy laws.