The Cameroonian Online Marketplace, An Exploratory Study of the Factors That Influence Online Shopping Attitude, The Case of the Town of Buea

Interest in the world's online marketplace is growing. Not only are online consumers an important market in their own right, but some two billion internet users are transiting from buying products and services at physical establishments to online shops. Studies have revealed that the consumers' attitude towards online shopping is known as the main factor that affects e-shopping potential. Attitudinal issues are also thought to play a significant role in e-commerce adoption. That means that, through motivation and perception, attitudes are formed and consumers make decisions. The author conducted semi-structured depth interviews with 56 internet users in the town of Buea exploring their attitude towards online shopping. The findings provide new insights into the reasons why online shopping in Cameroon is quiet underdeveloped. The findings reveal that internet insecurity, lack of internet infrastructure, poor online customer service, high e-prices, poor product characteristics and online shopping inconvenience strongly contribute to unfavourable attitude towards online shopping in Cameroon.