Have you ever ordered or shopped online before? Honestly, it takes a strong person to shop online. You’d agree with me that the Nigerian economy has evolved, and as such, many people have online businesses. Many businesses also have online platforms. You do not need to go to the market all the time. You can get anything you want online, ranging from clothes, cosmetics, shoes, accessories, and foodstuffs to cooked food itself. As enticing as that sounds, there are many problems with online shopping in Nigeria.
There are many online vendors in Nigeria, especially on social media platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp. There are also online shopping platforms like Jumia, Konga, Jiji Nigeria, Payporte, and others. Instead of going to the market to buy stuff, you can buy from an online vendor. It’s that simple, yet online shopping is not for the faint-hearted.
This article lists some of the problems with online shopping in Nigeria. The list is not exhaustive, so if you feel we omitted a point at the end of this list, feel free to share.
Table of Contents
6 Problems with Online Shopping in Nigeria
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Scam
Fraud or scams is one of the major problems with online shopping in Nigeria. A lot of people are afraid to shop online because of it. The high rate of online fraud is alarming and has scared a lot of people. It is one of the problems with online shopping in Nigeria that affects both the vendors and buyers. In most cases, one can not differentiate the genuine sellers from the scam artists.
Many people are victims of scam vendors, particularly on social media platforms. They have complained about the so-called online vendors blocking them without a trace. Others have lost huge amounts of money from shopping online.
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What I ordered vs. What I got
This one is almost everywhere you look. You order a beautiful sofa online only to receive a toy sofa. As hilarious as it sounds, this is also one of the most common problems with online shopping in Nigeria. The goods do not match the description or quality advertised by the sellers. People call out vendors every day on social media platforms, so much that it has become a trend on social media. The most popular ones are issues of clothes and human hair.
If you have not directly experienced this, you must know someone who has. This problem with online shopping occurs because potential buyers choose to trust the descriptions of the vendors. Many vendors also use this opportunity to scam innocent buyers by deliberately sending fake items instead of original ones.
Someone orders a human hair wig from an online vendor, and they deliver synthetic or rubber hair. You must have also seen pictures of people wearing the clothes they ordered online compared to the image they sent to their designers. Sadly, the only thing they can do is tell their tales of online shopping on social media.
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Delivery
Honestly, every Nigerian can relate to this. Sometimes delivery takes forever, especially if you’re in Lagos, where the traffic is mad. It’s on another level when you order food. Your food would end up cold or even sour before it gets to you. If you buy something online and need it urgently, just forget it!
This delivery problem is aggravated by one of the other problems with online shopping in Nigeria. Sometimes customers send incomplete delivery details or no details at all. Some would order goods knowing that they won’t be available on the delivery day. Others would change delivery details so often that it would confuse the logistics personnel and vendor.
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Method of payment
This is also one of the problems with online shopping. Many vendors use the “pay on delivery” method to attract customers. Many people also prefer this option to avoid the story of what I ordered vs. what I got. However, this has side effects. Customers refuse to pay for goods after the delivery, and in many cases, they reject them.
People are also afraid to make online payments that would require their BVN or card details. This is due to the high rate of internet fraud in the country. They believe that online transactions are not secure or even safe.
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Logistics
This is also another problem with online shopping. The cost of shipping goods in Nigeria has become so high. Imagine buying a pair of shoes online for #4,000 from Lagos, and you’re in Asaba, then you have to pay a shipping fee of #2,500. That’s more than half the price of the shoe. Many people are discouraged from shopping online because of the high cost of delivery and shipping. Even with the advent of logistics business and courier services in the country, the story is still the same.
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Customer’s location
One of the other problems with online shopping in Nigeria is the customer’s location. The way streets and houses are numbered in this country… purely confusing! Most times, logistics personnel would drive for hours without luck. They waste fuel and energy and are unable to deliver the goods. Even with Google maps, they may drive to some routes to find them closed or blocked.
Read also: 18 online shopping sites in Nigeria
Conclusion
Problems with online shopping in Nigeria are numerous. There is no data security for online transactions to keep customers’ details away from fraudsters. There are a lot of scam sellers online. Online vendors also have to build trust and loyalty with their customers. Online shopping platforms also have low and inefficient customer service. These problems with online shopping make it difficult for people to adapt to shopping online. The truth is that you need a lot of patience and strength to shop online.
Well? What other problems are there? Let us know by reaching us on Whatsapp.
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About Author
- Chovwe is content writer and a Fashion Designer. She's also a Chartered Mediator and Conciliator. She's an advocate for peace and loves art. She owns a fashion brand and is very passionate about what she does.
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