Engaging in selling and buying products and services while in africa is a nightmare! Most of the big E-commerce websites like paypal still do not allow users in these countries to receive payments for goods or services rendered. This is especially restricting regarding the so many job opportunities online that many Africans can take up and enjoy.
A job is extremely hard to come by in Africa - and this is not so because one does not have a good education but because there are just so many people, with a good education with a few industries or companies to work for. With the advent of computers, industries which used to employ thousands now take on only a few to run the machines that have taken over most of the human work.
It is therefore a nightmare to receive payments when working online since almost everyone pays via paypal. Other restrictive websites include: clickbank, Awaber. What makes the situation worse, are the banks that are colluding to defraud their clients. The banks often times claim to offer paypal and visa services but upon going through the hussles of getting an account, it is disheartening to learn that it is not true at all. The account will allow visa payments online but not receiving money from other sources and all this comes at a huge fee levied by the bank.
Other websites that could be used to receive online payments are just too expensive, for instance, 2checkout. A great online payment service recommended by a friend is plimus. Am yet to experiment with it but not only that, am skeptical that whoever wants to pay me will feel comfortable using it. Most people feel comfortable with only paying via paypal and are wary of any other service.
If these and more huddles online are not soon removed to allow trade, networking and sharing information, africans may yet soon be left in what is the fastest and easiest way of doing business.
