In Ghana a great deal of buying now starts in a chat. A customer sees a Status update or a TikTok video, sends a message asking "How much?", agrees a price, pays with mobile money and waits for delivery. Businesses that do this well can sell far beyond their town. Employers have noticed too: Ghanaian adverts for shop staff, sales officers and online sales roles regularly ask for experience selling through WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok, and some ask for live selling.
Your online shop
Think of selling online as running a shop with four parts:
- The counter: where customers ask questions and order. For most small sellers this is WhatsApp.
- The window display: where people discover you. This is your Status, Instagram, TikTok or Facebook posts and videos.
- The goods on the shelf: your product photos and descriptions, which must be clear enough that people trust what they will receive.
- The shop sign and address: a catalogue, an online store or a business listing that people can find and share.
What this section covers
- Selling on WhatsApp Business. Setting up a profile, a catalogue, quick replies and labels so every chat is handled well.
- Instagram, TikTok and live selling. Showing products in short videos, replying to messages, and selling during live streams.