Online and Traditional Clothes Shopping Practices by Young Adults in the Coastal Region of Cameroon: What are the factors that deter the practice of purchasing clothes online by young adults in the coastal region of Cameroon?
Author
Lihlobnike, Theresia Ndangoh
Term
4. term
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-01-08
Pages
72
Abstract
This thesis examines how young adults in three coastal cities in Cameroon shop for clothing—both online and in traditional stores—and why many do not choose online options. As internet access expands and online shopping grows worldwide, understanding local barriers can help businesses and policymakers support online buying. The study used qualitative methods: semi-structured, open-ended interviews in which participants described their experiences with online shopping. Existing literature informed a conceptual framework that guided a thematic analysis. A comparative, interpretive, and iterative approach was applied, and the results were considered alongside findings from other emerging economies. Key barriers to buying clothing online were limited and unreliable internet access, lack of clear delivery addresses, low access to bank accounts, high transportation costs, few available online shops, and previous online shopping experiences that discouraged further use. The study also recognizes the ongoing importance of traditional shopping. The thesis outlines what government and sellers could do to encourage online shopping in the study area. Because the sample was specific and relatively small, the findings cannot be generalized to all online shoppers in Cameroon or elsewhere. Future research could examine demographic differences and test other samples.
Afhandlingen undersøger, hvordan unge voksne i tre kystbyer i Cameroun køber tøj – både online og i fysiske butikker – og hvorfor mange fravælger online muligheder. I takt med at internetadgang udvides, og nethandel vokser globalt, kan forståelse af lokale barrierer hjælpe virksomheder og beslutningstagere med at understøtte nethandel. Undersøgelsen anvendte kvalitative metoder: semistrukturerede interviews med åbne spørgsmål, hvor deltagerne beskrev deres erfaringer med nethandel. Eksisterende litteratur dannede en konceptuel ramme til at styre den tematiske analyse. En komparativ, fortolkende og iterativ tilgang blev anvendt, og resultaterne blev sat i relation til andre vækstøkonomier. De vigtigste hindringer for køb af tøj online var begrænset og ustabil internetadgang, manglende tydelige leveringsadresser, lav adgang til bankkonti, høje transportomkostninger, få tilgængelige netbutikker og tidligere online-erfaringer, der afholdt deltagerne fra at fortsætte. Studiet anerkender også den fortsatte betydning af traditionelt indkøb. Afhandlingen skitserer, hvad myndigheder og sælgere kan gøre for at fremme nethandel i området. Da stikprøven var specifik og relativt lille, kan resultaterne ikke generaliseres til alle onlinekøbere i Cameroun eller andre steder. Fremtidig forskning kan undersøge demografiske forskelle og afprøve andre stikprøver.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
Keywords