ONLINE SHOPPING AND ITS IMPACT ON SOCIETY

Sheila Owusu

(picture source: online)

We used to live in a world where consumers went to the market in order to gather all of their shopping needs, from food, clothes, electrical, hardware and everything in between, but over the past ten years all that has changed due to the global impact of e-commerce.

E-commerce allows consumers to search, compare and buy products and services online at the touch of a few keys either at home or on the move. The simple, flexible and hassle-free nature of e-commerce is the main reason why it is one of the Internet’s most widely used services. 

Lady shopping online (picture source : online)

According to eMarketer, online retail sales will reach $6.39 trillion, with ecommerce taking up 21.8% of total retail sales. 

(picture source: eMarketer website)

Most people sell online as a side job, Adepa Yeboah, a student and online seller, says she began her business when she started university and is ready to graduate, and she was able to pay for her studies through that. She advised buyers to purchase from a reputable vendor, such as her Adepa Clothing store.

On some of the difficulties she faces, Miss Yeboah said "Customers asking me to store products for them without buying or asking me to sell them because they are no longer interested in buying them are some of the issues that i experience" . According to her, despite the challenges, the impact has really been good because she makes lots of money from it.

In Ghana, buyers search for vendors of the things they want on the internet and send them messages to make a transaction. They communicate with the vendors through social media, where they place their orders and have their items delivered by an Okada Man or Uber package. 

(Picture Source : Online)

A frequent online shopper, Mandy, said she has been duped previously in terms of products purchased, so she prefers to have the items brought to her before paying for them, aside that, she enjoys shopping online because it is convenient and easy. 

Mandy receiving her package from Uber delivery

Madam Grace who has both a physical and online store added that having a physical store has lots of advantages because customers believe that she is genuine and they can easily walk into her shop to make a purchase. When asked about governments decision to allow online vendors to pay tax, Mrs Adjetey said " i don't think it's the best decision because i already pay tax for my physical store and i can't pay another tax online, this online business has created job for the youth and we don't need governments interference because there is no job in the system" 

Regardless of the fact that we have lost many traditional values of personal contact and market shopping, e-commerce has made it easier, faster and cheaper for consumers and businesses to buy and sell products and services.

(Picture Source: Online)