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

7 Major Challenges Faced By Online Business Owners 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

The online business owner could suffer theft both online and offline. If they send goods without receiving the money first, they may never get paid by the customer if he/she is a fraud.

Online businesses may also suffer theft during delivery as they run the risk of being attacked and robbed while on their way to delivering products to their customers.

If you are an online business owner in Cameroon or an aspiring online business owner, this post is not meant to discourage you but to make you wiser and make you ready for the challenges ahead. No business is easy and knowing what to expect ahead is an added advantage to you. I wish you all the best if you are willing to try selling online in Cameroon.

Women have been brought up to believe that suffering is part of their life. That they must suffer from a man if they want a better relationship. That they must be the ones to clean everyone's mess. That they must put their desires and dreams aside and watch or support others to reach their own dreams while they hurt inside. That they must support the bad treatment they get from men in their homes or the mistreatments from society and keep hurting inside though they pretend everything is alright.

But this is not why we were born, dear woman.

Everyone is meant to struggle, suffer or get hurt at some point in life but it's not meant to be the norm for you. It's not right for you to believe that you are meant to suffer or get hurt every time. We have accepted our fate in suffering so much that we don't feel surprised when it happens. We just accept it and find ways to cope with it instead of finding ways to end it.

(African) Women, You Are Not Born To Hurt Or Suffer

Change your way of thinking my dear and think like a smart lady.

You need to believe that you deserve a better life. Sufferings may come but let them be for things that are really worth it. let it be for things that you desire too and not only for the sake of others. Suffer for the things you desire but don't suffer for the sake of suffering my dear.

You can get good things in your life if you believe that you deserve them. You don't have to minimize your ability to attract good things easily to your life. You can have a ready-made man. You must not suffer with a man in order to feel worthy of reaping the benefits in the future. You can have brilliant ideas that work out and flourish on the first try. Just believe, work hard and put your desires on the table as others have done. Because your desires are valid too.

I made a video about this topic on Youtube and I also posted (a part of it) on Instagram. You can click here to watch the video on Youtube and get more insight from it on the topic.

Follow me on Instagram here.

Subscribe to my Youtube channel here.

Black soap has become very common in the past years despite its ancient existence.

I remember as a kid we used black soap against skin infections, rashes and itches especially as we came in contact with a lot of germs while playing.

Black soap has always been a reliable beauty product though most people preferred other kinds of soap. But these days African Black Soap has taken over the market and every seller has a way of customizing the original product in order to strengthen it to treat various skin problems.

In this post, I share with you how I customize my black soap. It's very easy and you can replace the ingredient I used with what you have around you.

How To Customize Your Black Soap At Home

The first thing you should know is that customizing your black soap by adding water makes it last longer because it dilutes and increases the quantity of the soap. Some people customize their soap by heating it to melt before adding their ingredients.

But I prefer to just add some water to make it liquid.

- So you need to start by adding some water to your black soap and allowing it to melt. It's very easy to melt black soap as it is not very hard. So add a moderate quantity of water to it and let it stay in a corner until it melts. The water can be cold or lukewarm.

How To Customize Your Black Soap At Home | Beauty Tips

- Prepare your ingredients. I ground a few leaves of a plant which is good for the treatment of skin problems (sorry I don't know the name of the plant though it is a very common plant which people plant around their homes). I had dried the leaves before grinding them then I added the paste to the melted soap.

You can also add ingredients like carrot juice or any other plant extract that you feel is going to be great for your skin. In the case of adding juices, it is better to add the juice or liquid extract before adding some water so that it doesn't become too watery.

Mix well and use as your normal daily soap.

You can add the ingredients while the soap is melting.

How to use your Customized Black Soap

For best results with your customized soap, while bathing, apply your soap evenly on your body and massage it for 30 seconds then leave it on your skin for another 30 seconds before you rinse off. This will help the ingredients to penetrate your skin and give you better-looking skin.

It feels like heaven when your skin is clear and free from blemishes. During and after my pregnancy, I had quite a number of skin problems like hyperpigmentation, and hard and rough skin with stubborn dark spots. Lately, my skin has improved and I want to share what I do to have better skin. Aside from using these products, it takes time & energy to get good skin I won't lie.😂. Here are the products for my skincare.

Products I Use To Have Good Looking And Glowing Skin

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Looking good naturally because my skin is free of blemishes

- A good body soap

To me, a good bathing soap is one that can wash off all the grease and dirt on the skin without ripping off its natural goodness.

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The Yves Rocher's Olive Petit Grain shower gel is one of those good soaps. It washes the body very clean and doesn't dry off the skin. I really enjoy using it.

Beauty Product Review | Yves Rocher Laque Effet Gel Nail Polish

I also use natural black soap from time to time and I love it because it washes my body well. It can also be customized for various purposes but it is still great as simple bathing soap.

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- Carrot oil

I make mine myself & use it all over my body. It clears dark spots and reduces ageing. I also use only carrot oil to rub my face.

Related: How To Make Natural Long Lasting Carrot Oil To Clear Dark Spots

Carrot oil has helped me clear a lot of dark spots on my legs and face. I had many dark spots caused by insect bites and when I started using carrot oil they faded away faster without bleaching my skin.

- Palm Kennel Oil

On some days when I desire to apply just something natural on my skin, I go for palm kernel oil. It exists in the white and black form. These days I use the black type and it is really great to soften my skin.

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- Disinfectants and treatments

I disinfect my bathing water with Detol & use Sivorderm & epiderm cream against any bacterial infections that could affect my skin.

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How to use Epiderm cream and Sivoderm cream to treat acne in cameroon, yaounde, douala, bamenda, buea, sold

Detol product, used to disinfect bathing water, how to use detol to disinfect, washing with detol

I use this Detol every day by putting it in my bathing water. This one is almost finished.

Disinfectants are very important because they work against germs that could cause rashes or acne.

Related: Beauty Product Review | Sivoderm Care Pomade

- Sea salt

It helps to make my skin firm and bright. It also disinfects and cleanses the skin. It helps take out dead skin cells and reveals brighter and firm skin.

Related: How To Have Glowing Skin With Sea Salt

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- Body scrub

It removes dead skin and lets my skin breathe. It helps to massage the skin and improve blood circulation as well as remove dead skin cells. My advice is to get a gentle body scrub for your skin.

You can scrub your body with body scrub creams as well as body scrub gloves and sponges.
I use a body scrub cream and gloves to scrub my skin from time to time.

- Body Hydrating Lotion

This includes body lotions or creams to hydrate your skin and keeps it from getting dry. I currently use Balea body lotion and associated with my carrot oil, it keeps my skin hydrated.