And global e-retail sales amounted to $2.8 trillion. It was further estimated to grow to $4.8 trillion by 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck world economies.<\/p>\n
As e-commerce grows in Africa, and as GeoPoll, indicates that young Africans are embracing the trend, businesses must ensure a good customer experience.<\/p>\n
At Human Capital International, we believe that African SMEs should not only embrace technology but should also enhance it to widen their markets and therefore, profitability.<\/p>\n
We also believe that geographical locations should no longer be a barrier to hinder you from selling and buying anything in the world.<\/p>\n
But as SMEs venture into this borderless market, we urge you to ensure your customers have a pleasant experience. It starts with the following.<\/p>\n
Protection of personal data<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/How-to-build-efficient-teams-among-SMEs-in-Africa-300x205.jpg\")
<\/a>This article will interest you: How to build efficient teams among SMEs in Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nOnline shopping is convenient. With a click in the comfort of your living room, you can purchase anything you want. Suitable as it may be, online shopping, however, has its pitfalls.<\/p>\n
Thieves are always on the lookout to access shoppers\u2019 credit card pins. With credit card numbers under their control, harm is inevitable.<\/p>\n
As an SME selling goods and services online, is your payment platform secure enough to protect shopper\u2019s private data? Do you have a robust data protection policy that meets international standards, for example?<\/p>\n
This is particularly important in Africa where, according to the UN (2014) study<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, cyber criminals consider the continent a fertile ground to commit such crimes.<\/p>\nThe continent is vulnerable to cyberattacks because of weak network and information security. Since 2012, the number of targeted cyber-attacks in Africa has increased by 42 per cent.<\/p>\n
Therefore, it becomes very crucial to invest in both acquiring competent human capital and useful software that will protect your customer\u2019s data.<\/p>\n
A security breach experienced by one customer will turn out to be costly publicity for your SME.<\/p>\n
Mind delivery time<\/strong><\/h2>\nCustomers no longer have the patience to wait for days or hours before they receive their orders. If, for example, you operate an online restaurant, treat each order as a matter of urgency.<\/p>\n
Some customers may be suffering from ulcers or diabetes and need to have a meal quickly to minimise impacts on their health. Others have limited time to have a meal and go back to their businesses.<\/p>\n
In the US, according to Material Handling & Logistics<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, 99 per cent of the customers rank fast delivery as key to online shopping satisfaction.<\/p>\nAnd 53 per cent of consumers have abandoned a purchase because of slow delivery times.<\/p>\n
Dear SME operator in Africa, the example of US customers’ behaviour may appear distant, but it is not.<\/p>\n
With globalisation and elitism taking over the continent, consider time as very important in your business and ensure that you have adequate and tested systems to ensure the speedy delivery of your goods and services.<\/p>\n
Product\/service description and quality<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn recent times, some online companies in some countries in Africa are faced with mistrust and credibility issues. Many of their online buyers and sellers have encountered various bad experiences, including fake products, shady dealers, and fraudulent online transactions.<\/p>\n
As a result, the market share of most of these companies has plummeted and to say they will soon be out of business is an understatement.<\/p>\n
This is what SMEs trading online should avoid. Promise what you will deliver.<\/p>\n
The 21st customer is very much exposed and enlightened. You will only cheat one before that one customer alerts the entire universe using social media and other platforms.<\/p>\n
In trading online, ensure that you provide enough information about product quality, price, and colour, among others.<\/p>\n
Help your customers to make informed decisions using reliable and available information.<\/p>\n
According to Sampson (2019) blog<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, quality is still among the most considerations for customer satisfaction. It is through offering product quality descriptions that breeds customer loyalty and trust for your goods and services.<\/p>\nEnsure a good relationship with your clients\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/How-Superior-Customer-Service-Determines-Your-Business-Growth-1-300x205.jpg\")
<\/a>Recommended article: How Superior Customer Service Determines Your Business Growth<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nImportantly, you need to keep in touch with your customers and respond to their concerns during and after-sale.<\/p>\n
What do your customers say about you in their conversations? Do they rate your interactions before, during, and after the sale as excellent?<\/p>\n
According to Survicate blog<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, a business that listens to customers always grows faster. They succeed because they can implement what customers want. Remember a company is about solving customer\u2019s problems.<\/p>\nAccording to the said study, over 90 per cent of customers read online reviews, comments, and feedback before visiting a business website. And over 88 per cent of customers trust these opinions almost as if they were personal recommendations.<\/p>\n
Make your platform faster, and mobile-friendly<\/strong><\/h2>\nAcross Africa, mobile phone transactions have surged. Kenyans transacted at least Sh4.35 trillion through their mobile phones last year, figures from Central Bank of Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/em> shows.<\/p>\nIn Uganda, mobile money transactions in 2018 were estimated at more than Sh 54 trillion, according to a PWC study<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nWhatever online payment platform you are using to transact, it should be safe, faster, and smartphones friendly.<\/p>\n
Many shoppers are using smartphones to navigate the web, so make your images, website, and payment in a way that is compatible with smartphone usage.<\/p>\n
The future of businesses is no longer enclosed in those malls and arcades. It is in the digital space. As Africa gradually embraces online shopping, be among the industry leaders to know how to satisfy your customer by applying these principles effectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
E-commerce is rapidly growing across continents. According to Statista (2018), an estimated 1.79 billion people worldwide purchased goods and services online. And global e-retail sales amounted to $2.8 trillion. It was further estimated to grow to $4.8 trillion by 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck world economies. As e-commerce grows in Africa, and as GeoPoll, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[17,19,20,21,22,23,24,25],"class_list":["post-4052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-entrepreneurship-education","tag-africa","tag-fake-products","tag-fraud","tag-online-buying","tag-safety-of-pin-cards","tag-thieves","tag-time","tag-us"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-300x300.jpg",300,300,true],"large":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-1024x400.jpg",1024,400,true],"lshowcase-thumb":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",200,70,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Ojambo Joel","author_link":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/author\/joelhumancapital\/"},"rttpg_comment":4,"rttpg_category":"Creative Entrepreneurship Education<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"E-commerce is rapidly growing across continents. According to Statista (2018), an estimated 1.79 billion people worldwide purchased goods and services online. And global e-retail sales amounted to $2.8 trillion. It was further estimated to grow to $4.8 trillion by 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck world economies. As e-commerce grows in Africa, and as GeoPoll,…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4052"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4263,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052\/revisions\/4263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/a>This article will interest you: How to build efficient teams among SMEs in Africa<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nOnline shopping is convenient. With a click in the comfort of your living room, you can purchase anything you want. Suitable as it may be, online shopping, however, has its pitfalls.<\/p>\n
Thieves are always on the lookout to access shoppers\u2019 credit card pins. With credit card numbers under their control, harm is inevitable.<\/p>\n
As an SME selling goods and services online, is your payment platform secure enough to protect shopper\u2019s private data? Do you have a robust data protection policy that meets international standards, for example?<\/p>\n
This is particularly important in Africa where, according to the UN (2014) study<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, cyber criminals consider the continent a fertile ground to commit such crimes.<\/p>\n The continent is vulnerable to cyberattacks because of weak network and information security. Since 2012, the number of targeted cyber-attacks in Africa has increased by 42 per cent.<\/p>\n Therefore, it becomes very crucial to invest in both acquiring competent human capital and useful software that will protect your customer\u2019s data.<\/p>\n A security breach experienced by one customer will turn out to be costly publicity for your SME.<\/p>\n Customers no longer have the patience to wait for days or hours before they receive their orders. If, for example, you operate an online restaurant, treat each order as a matter of urgency.<\/p>\n Some customers may be suffering from ulcers or diabetes and need to have a meal quickly to minimise impacts on their health. Others have limited time to have a meal and go back to their businesses.<\/p>\n In the US, according to Material Handling & Logistics<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, 99 per cent of the customers rank fast delivery as key to online shopping satisfaction.<\/p>\n And 53 per cent of consumers have abandoned a purchase because of slow delivery times.<\/p>\n Dear SME operator in Africa, the example of US customers’ behaviour may appear distant, but it is not.<\/p>\n With globalisation and elitism taking over the continent, consider time as very important in your business and ensure that you have adequate and tested systems to ensure the speedy delivery of your goods and services.<\/p>\n In recent times, some online companies in some countries in Africa are faced with mistrust and credibility issues. Many of their online buyers and sellers have encountered various bad experiences, including fake products, shady dealers, and fraudulent online transactions.<\/p>\n As a result, the market share of most of these companies has plummeted and to say they will soon be out of business is an understatement.<\/p>\n This is what SMEs trading online should avoid. Promise what you will deliver.<\/p>\n The 21st customer is very much exposed and enlightened. You will only cheat one before that one customer alerts the entire universe using social media and other platforms.<\/p>\n In trading online, ensure that you provide enough information about product quality, price, and colour, among others.<\/p>\n Help your customers to make informed decisions using reliable and available information.<\/p>\n According to Sampson (2019) blog<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, quality is still among the most considerations for customer satisfaction. It is through offering product quality descriptions that breeds customer loyalty and trust for your goods and services.<\/p>\n Importantly, you need to keep in touch with your customers and respond to their concerns during and after-sale.<\/p>\n What do your customers say about you in their conversations? Do they rate your interactions before, during, and after the sale as excellent?<\/p>\n According to Survicate blog<\/a><\/strong><\/em>, a business that listens to customers always grows faster. They succeed because they can implement what customers want. Remember a company is about solving customer\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n According to the said study, over 90 per cent of customers read online reviews, comments, and feedback before visiting a business website. And over 88 per cent of customers trust these opinions almost as if they were personal recommendations.<\/p>\n Across Africa, mobile phone transactions have surged. Kenyans transacted at least Sh4.35 trillion through their mobile phones last year, figures from Central Bank of Kenya<\/a><\/strong><\/em> shows.<\/p>\n In Uganda, mobile money transactions in 2018 were estimated at more than Sh 54 trillion, according to a PWC study<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Whatever online payment platform you are using to transact, it should be safe, faster, and smartphones friendly.<\/p>\n Many shoppers are using smartphones to navigate the web, so make your images, website, and payment in a way that is compatible with smartphone usage.<\/p>\n The future of businesses is no longer enclosed in those malls and arcades. It is in the digital space. As Africa gradually embraces online shopping, be among the industry leaders to know how to satisfy your customer by applying these principles effectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" E-commerce is rapidly growing across continents. According to Statista (2018), an estimated 1.79 billion people worldwide purchased goods and services online. And global e-retail sales amounted to $2.8 trillion. It was further estimated to grow to $4.8 trillion by 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck world economies. As e-commerce grows in Africa, and as GeoPoll, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[17,19,20,21,22,23,24,25],"class_list":["post-4052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-entrepreneurship-education","tag-africa","tag-fake-products","tag-fraud","tag-online-buying","tag-safety-of-pin-cards","tag-thieves","tag-time","tag-us"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-300x300.jpg",300,300,true],"large":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1-1024x400.jpg",1024,400,true],"lshowcase-thumb":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",200,70,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Online-shopping-pitfalls-SMEs-must-avoid-1.jpg",1140,400,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Ojambo Joel","author_link":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/author\/joelhumancapital\/"},"rttpg_comment":4,"rttpg_category":"Creative Entrepreneurship Education<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"E-commerce is rapidly growing across continents. According to Statista (2018), an estimated 1.79 billion people worldwide purchased goods and services online. And global e-retail sales amounted to $2.8 trillion. It was further estimated to grow to $4.8 trillion by 2021 before the coronavirus pandemic struck world economies. As e-commerce grows in Africa, and as GeoPoll,…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4052"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4263,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4052\/revisions\/4263"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/humancapitalinternational.org\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Mind delivery time<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Product\/service description and quality<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Ensure a good relationship with your clients\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Recommended article: How Superior Customer Service Determines Your Business Growth<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nMake your platform faster, and mobile-friendly<\/strong><\/h2>\n