Technological Developments: Catalyst For Sales

T he growing demand for shops that sell specialized goods and offer unique services in Yaounde and around Cameroon, has plunged many investors into the fashion niche. Usually seen as an upscale status dri­ ven sector, most users resort to online shopping for easy access to multiple brands and designs. “Sales of products in the early 1980s heavily depended on traditional ad­ verts like word-of-mouth and front store adverts, for a price range of FCFA 5,000 to over FCFA 90,000. This made sales relatively timid with several futile efforts to break even,” Ngoumje Tono, a vendor in Yaounde said. “Now, technology has changed market dynamics. De­ mand is higher and average price ranges from FCFA 10,000 to over FCFA 300,000,” she added. Advancing digital technologies has availed a platform for traditional and digital merchants to expand their clien­ tele and sell outfits largely imported from Asia, Europe, America, and some parts of Africa. Anyi Prisca, a plus si­ zed lady’s wear vendor in Tombel told C.T that the clothes often advertised on her WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok statuses, sold at an average price range of FCFA 5000 to FCFA 70,000 has been a steady passive income source to sustain her family’s livelihood in the last five years. Although the lucrative nature of the niche, local traditio­ nal and digital vendors say varied challenges abound. Ac­ cording to an online vendor, Kim Nadia, building custo­ mers’ trust since online buyers cannot try on the dresses before purchasing; intense competition from other online sellers; changing fashion trends; brand impersonation; and occasional delivery delays have been a major bot...