Digital Content Start-up Comparative Analysis in Cameroon

Licencinė sutartis Nr. MRU-EDT-989

Globally, e-commerce is on the rise and actually transforming businesses operations and consumer experiences. In the developed world, e-commerce constitutes a significant contribution to growth and development. In the developing world however, ecommerce has not been on that larger scale although its prospects are high. This study builds on existing research by examining the current state of e-commerce with reference to Cameroon in the Central Africa sub region. The study also aimed to explore whether digital start-ups in Cameroon are breakthrough or follow up innovators and also explored consumer experiences of e-commerce in the country. The study employed the descriptive case study approach which involves a review of selected studies on e-commerce in the studied region. Further, to explore consumer experiences of e-commerce, the study adopted a sample of 120 consumers who patronize various e-commerce sites in Cameroon. Respondents were selected with the use of convenience and purposive sampling strategies. Questionnaires were used as instruments of data collection. The questionnaires were administered through Google questionnaire survey. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics. The study found that although there is the presence of e-commerce in Cameroon, it is not as intense as it is in advanced economies like the UK, Canada, and China. Relative to other technological start-up like FinTechs and HealthTechs, e-commerce especially B2B and consumer e-commerce is on a low scale in Cameroon in terms of adoption by both businesses and consumers. Mostly, e-commerce operators in Cameroon are not as innovative as other global digital start-ups. Further, the study found that consumer experiences of e-commerce in Cameroon are mixed involving both positive and negative experiences. The study results further affirm that product information, shipping variety, online support, pricing information among others play important role in consumer patronage of e- commerce. Policy implications of results of the study are finally discussed.