| Internet shopping has exploded in growth over the last | | | | 'sakawa.' Today, though our banking institutions have |
| 10 years and is seen by many as the new frontier for | | | | proliferated and liberalized making credit facilities |
| wholesale and retail of consumer goods in the future. | | | | available to more ordinary Ghanaians than ever |
| Ghanaian consumers must still navigate the wide gulf | | | | before, our new debit and credit cards are sadly |
| that exists between them and their counterparts in | | | | impotent when combined with a Ghanaian IP address |
| industrialized countries when it comes to shopping | | | | for international shopping. |
| online. | | | | Access to credit is not the only problem we face as |
| Today, just about everything can be bought on the net. | | | | consumers in Ghana. Even if bans were eased or we |
| Huge stores like have a virtual existence only and any | | | | restricted ourselves to shopping on Ghana-based |
| other retailers worth its salt must have good online | | | | websites only, online shopping depends on a reliable |
| representation in order to compete effectively. Even | | | | and inexpensive postal system. Few buyers or sellers |
| individuals with single items to sell have access to a | | | | have enough faith in the integrity of our postal service |
| global market via websites like eBay. This is good | | | | to trust it with items of any value on a regular basis. |
| news for the consumer. Internet shopping means | | | | To secure goods with services such as EMS or DHL, |
| massive choice, lower prices and the convenience of | | | | the extra costs involved would wipe out the value of |
| shopping from the comfort of home or office. But | | | | the original transaction in many instances. |
| what about if you live in Ghana; has the internet | | | | Despite the difficulties, local inventiveness has sought |
| shopping revolution made it over here? | | | | ways to make online shopping a reality for the |
| Not surprisingly, there are many challenges the most | | | | Ghanaian consumer by bypassing the need for credit |
| debilitating of which must be the block on credit card | | | | card transactions or postal deliveries. Dominic Danso |
| transactions from Ghana imposed by the US Federal | | | | Okyere of the auction site described how their |
| Bureau of Investigations in 2005. Five million dollars | | | | website was a natural alternative to eBay for |
| worth of credit card fraud originating from our internet | | | | Africans. "Our aim is to connect buyers and sellers and |
| cafes was cited at the reason. Despite attempts by | | | | enable Ghana's consumers to get access to the |
| the government and the organisations like the Ghana | | | | convenience of shopping online," he said. has been in |
| Internet Service Providers Association to have the ban | | | | operation for about five months. Sellers upload their |
| reversed, Ghana remains virtually blacklisted and | | | | items for sale onto the website and interested buyers |
| consumers here can do little more than 'window shop' | | | | bid on the items. Once the auction is closed the seller |
| on the big-name websites with all their fantastic offers | | | | and buyer arrange to meet where money and goods |
| and deals. | | | | are exchanged. Once the transaction is complete, |
| If such a ban was a hindrance in 2005 it is | | | | each leaves feedback for the other which helps to |
| incarceration in 2010 and our status seems to be | | | | raise their profile on the site. "Right now we are |
| worsening by the year. More recently, Ghana was | | | | working to educate people on how to use the website, |
| shortlisted as one the countries with the highest levels | | | | we have had a very good response so far and we |
| of internet fraud globally, referred to locally as | | | | are confident of its success," Dominic said. |