Socially Responsive eCommerce Platforms: Design Implications for Online Marketplaces in Developing African Nation

Abstract

Before the advent of internet technologies, African merchants have always had indigenous none techno-driven strategies with which they use to engage, maintain and satisfy customers within their communities. However, due to the cross-border marketing/economic opportunities that the internet provides, many African merchants are setting up eCommerce sites for their businesses. Research shows that successful eCommerce sites are operationalized with various persuasive techniques to promote customer engagement and improve user experiences. This is also true for African based eCommerce sites. Various researchers have evaluated and compared persuasive techniques operationalized on indigenous African eCommerce sites. However, none of those studies sought to understand the implications of the age-long traditional marketing strategies in the design of African based eCommerce platforms. Therefore, this paper analyzes the persuasive techniques employed in conventional African marketplaces to uncover the design requirements that could be operationalized on the eCommerce version. To achieve this objective, we conducted a mixed method study on 151 participants. We conducted qualitative studies (comprising interviews, observations, and conceptual investigations) on 50 African merchants to uncover the techniques they use to attract, satisfy and retain their customers in the conventional market. Secondly, we conducted quantitative studies on 101 customers to uncover the effects of those techniques on them. Among other things, the results from the studies revealed various techniques, which traditional African merchants use to attract and retain customers. The results also revealed the effects of those techniques on customers' purchasing behaviors. We offer design guidelines to operationalize and tailor those techniques to attract, recruit, satisfy, retain and promote repeated purchases on eCommerce that target customers from developing countries.