Online businesses advised to eliminate pricing as a barrier to business success

Prior to COVID-19, the average Ghanaian did not like making most of their purchases via online platforms but preferred to go directly to the sources in order to save money.

This behavior was expected to change amidst the outbreak of the pandemic in the country but it has not been so. Most Ghanaians still walk to the markets and shops to make purchases not because of technological disabilities but because it costs them less.

Private Marketing Consultant, Ahuma Cabutey Adodoadji has advised online business platforms, especially online shops to eliminate the problem of pricing as a barrier to Ghanaians in making online purchases. “Don’t let pricing affect customers buying from you. Let them know that it is cheap to buy from you”.

He gave his expert advice in a webinar series on the topic, ‘Effective Marketing Communications during COVID-19’ organized by Global Media Alliance (GMA) via zoom.

The Marketing Consultant noted that the pricing barrier was not just the cost of the items purchased from the platform but included the amount of time and data spent in making purchases.

He advised online shops to make their platforms easy to navigate and also “keep their media light not heavy. Because the more time it takes customers to download (view) graphics and images on your page, the more it costs them, and people don’t like that”.

Ahuma tipped that because of the pandemic most purchases done by Ghanaians were in bulk and with the free delivery tactic, online shops can gain more customers by slashing off customers extra cost of delivery fees. “Doing deliveries for free on bulk purchases which do not eat into your margins is an attractive way to eliminate costs for customers but do not engage in free deliveries for few purchases because it will eat into your business”.

He noted that the consumer is king now and businesses need to engage in practices that provide the needs of consumers and make access to goods easier to them.

The Consultant advised big retail shops and supermarkets to take advantage of the pandemic and integrate into their marketing mix the digital element.