Challenges of E-marketing for SMEs in Africa
Despite the above-mentioned prospects that e-marketing offers for SMEs in Africa, its challenges cannot be overlooked. They need to be stated so that they can be addressed appropriately so they can procure maximum benefits for these SMEs.
Bostanshirin gives the following points as some challenges that e-marketing for SMEs in Africa can pose:
- Security and Privacy:
Information privacy is among major topics to be taken into consideration in today’s evolving electronic world. It is clear enough that nowadays customers’ data can easily be shared with other companies without asking for their permission. Moreover, their more crucial personal data such as usernames and passwords are not immune from hackers (Lantos, 2011).
Another related problem is spams and pop-up ads which is considered by majority of online customers an instance of intrusion of privacy (Drozdenko & Drake, 2002). These security and privacy issues are among challenges in online marketing. Effective internet marketing, therefore, depends on resolving the related problems in this regard. The major dimension with respect to privacy is the choice or consent. This dimension has its roots in this belief that consumers whose data have been collected by the respective company should have control over the ways in which their information is used. Especially they also should be granted the right to have control “over how their personal information is used beyond the purpose for which it was collected”.