Every business faces challenge no matter where they are located. In Cameroon, business owners have a lot of challenges they face daily but when you are an online business owner there are some other special challenges added to it.

While I was writing the blog post about working nine-to-five or twenty-four-seven, I reflected on my online businesses. I have been away from business online for a while now, mostly because I had a baby and I needed maternity leave. And also because business became so hard at one point I became discouraged. It was hard to sell one thing and this brought down my morale. Yes oh, entrepreneurship isn't rosy all the time. But it pays to stay consistent and persistent in business.

That's why today I'm sharing with you six challenges Cameroonian online business owners like me face.

Seven challenges online business owners deal with in Cameroon

1. Internet is expensive.

For both buyers and sellers. In Cameroon, the internet is still expensive, especially for those of us who use it daily. Yes, it has become cheaper compared to previous years but it is still expensive. Business owners need to upload images and videos every day in order to make sales and this takes data. They also have to stay online all the time to respond to customers. They need to learn marketing and production skills online and this takes a lot of daily data. This increases the cost price of the product and it may discourage customers.

Customers on their part can't see the photos of products if they don't have enough internet data. Cameroonians are only managing to stay connected daily so they don't go to social networks that consume a lot like Instagram and Youtube. 

So with the internet being expensive, it reduces the number of potential customers that see the products posted online. And this reduces sales as well.

2. Cameroonians don't trust online shops because of online scams

Online scams are not new to the internet world. These scams have frightened and prevented people from buying from online businesses. Trading online requires an exchange of money and goods at some point. This exchange can be impossible if there is no trust. If the customer doesn't trust the seller to send his/her money before receiving the good or vice versa there will be no transaction. A solution to this problem is the 'pay after delivery method but this works for deliveries made within a city or place where the trader is found. When it involves another city or area where the trader isn't physically present, it is not easy.

3. Cameroonians are not used to buying online

Online shopping is still new in Cameroon and Cameroonians are still getting used to it. That's why they will still ask for your shop even after you tell them that you sell online. Most sales discussions always end up with questions like where is your boutique so that I can come around when ready. This is so frustrating

4. Not many Cameroonians are using social media

Despite being in the android age, the majority of Cameroonians are not on social media. Meaning that there is a huge potential market that online businesses can't reach.

5. Delivery services are expensive or absent

Delivery service companies are expensive or non-existent. Services like DHL are expensive for most small online businesses to use. Some areas don't have any existing delivery companies. This makes it complicated as the online business owner has to employ delivery men or simply deliver by themselves.

6. Locating customers during delivery is complicated

Locating customers when they ask to deliver at home can be a hassle. This is due to the fact that most parts of the towns are unplanned. Locating a house can be tedious especially when it is not close to the main road.

7. Theft online and offline