To sell, you must know who you are selling to and know them very well. You’ve got to know what motivates them to buy what they buy and the reasons they don’t buy others. This article summarizes an informal study into the factors that influence buying decisions of many Ghanaians, from necessaries to luxuries and from city dwellers to consumers in remote areas.

Price

You may have guessed it, and if you did, you are so right. The economic conditions of many Ghanaians indirectly compel them to consume certain products and services, even if they know there are better alternatives. From transport to health products, education to beauty products, many Ghanaians are compelled to go for the cheapest. It’s not surprising to see certain products outselling higher quality products by hundreds of thousands of units. For many products, it’s a price game and consumers go for the lowest priced.

Product Origin

The youth have developed and continue to develop an incessant taste for foreign products. Not quite mind-boggling if you think of it in terms of the first factor –price. Often, imported products are of lower price due to comparative advantage of some countries in the production, distribution and sale of certain products. Secondly, the youth perceive local products as inferior. Maybe true or not, for some products. The fashion industry is one of the few that is currently changing –seeing a lot of patronage of locally tailored clothes consumed by the youth, and the elderly too.

A touch of Ghanaian?

Outside the metropolitan areas, Ghanaians often like to buy from Ghanaians, albeit the first two factors considered. If you’re thinking Ghanaians don’t like their own, you have to reconsider that assertion. They may be buying non-Ghanaian products and services but they want to buy it from Ghanaians. They want an endorsement from someone they naturally feel comfortable with. It’s best you put Ghanaians at the point of sale for familiarity.

Family & Friends Endorsement

One of the most powerful influencers of buying decisions in Ghana is referrals from friends and family members. An endorsement or recommendation from trusted friends and relatives can be as vital to the buying decision making than any of the factors aforementioned. This factor is enhanced when your product precisely does what it purports to do or even exceed consumer expectations.

Product Quality

For the elite and most city dwellers, quality is highly sought. Many of such people are willing to pay a premium just to consume high products and services. The market here is quite small and mainly includes the working class in urban areas.

There are other factors mentioned by consumers but these stand out among Ghanaian consumers, in no particular order. Businesses in Ghana can take a deeper look at these factors for their respective markets and develop an appropriate marketing plan to boost sales and enhance your brand.